Kai descended carefully from the tunnel, the rocky terrain crunching underfoot as he made his way down the path. The drone hovered silently beside him, its occasional beeps echoing faintly in the desolate landscape. The wind carried the faint smell of decay and rust, mingling with the dry desert air. The horizon remained ominously still, the world around him painted in shades of gray and burnt orange.
As he continued, Kai's gaze settled on a rest stop in the distance. What once might have been a haven for travelers was now little more than a skeleton of its former self. One building had been reduced to its foundation, its walls long gone, leaving only a rectangular outline of cracked concrete. The other building stood precariously, half of its structure missing, as though it had been bitten off by the Divide itself.
Kai approached cautiously, scanning the area through the scope of his sniper rifle. The lens magnified the ruins, revealing jagged edges where the walls had collapsed and patches of rust overtaking what little metal framework remained. No movement. No signs of life. But he knew better than to trust the quiet.
The rest stop's main structure had an eerie stillness about it, the shadows within its hollowed-out walls seeming to shift as the wind passed through. Kai stepped closer, his boots crunching against the debris-strewn ground. Broken glass and splintered wood littered the area, remnants of a past life that had been violently interrupted.
As Kai moved deeper into the crumbling rest stop, the ground beneath his feet shifted unnaturally. He froze, his senses on high alert. The faint tremor beneath the rubble wasn't from the wind or the unstable structure—it was something alive.
Before he could react, a creature erupted from the ground with a screech, its segmented body covered in jagged, chitinous plates. The tunneler lunged at Kai, its serrated mandibles snapping wildly. He barely had time to step back before it was upon him.
Kai's hand shot to the pistol holstered at his hip. The weapon cleared leather in a smooth motion, and he fired a shot directly into the creature's head. The bullet cracked through the armored carapace, causing the tunneler to thrash violently. Kai fired again, and again, until the monster stopped moving, its grotesque form collapsing into a heap at his feet.
"Persistent," Kai muttered under his breath, his voice edged with irritation.
The ground rumbled again. Two more tunnelers burst forth, flanking him with alarming speed. Their shrill cries pierced the air as they scrambled towards him on clawed limbs. Kai didn't hesitate—he lashed out with a powerful kick, catching one of the creatures square in its elongated face and sending it sprawling back into the debris. The other lunged, claws slashing toward his midsection.
Kai twisted out of the way, his movements fluid and precise, as he ejected the spent magazine from his pistol. He slammed a fresh one into place with practiced efficiency, the motion almost instinctual.
The first tunneler regained its footing, hissing as it charged him again. Kai raised his pistol, aiming calmly despite the chaos. Two shots rang out in quick succession, the bullets piercing the creature's head and dropping it mid-stride.
The second tunneler, emboldened by its companion's attack, lunged again, claws swiping wildly. Kai sidestepped, the razor-sharp talons narrowly missing him. He raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, the shot hitting the tunneler squarely in the forehead. Its body crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud, twitching once before going still.
Kai stood amidst the carnage, his pistol still trained on the last creature until he was certain it wouldn't move again. His breathing was steady, his expression unflinching. Blood and viscera seeped into the cracked concrete, the air thick with the acrid stench of gunpowder and death.
Inside the crumbling remains of the rest stop, Kai stepped over a broken doorframe and into what was left of the building's interior. The air was stale, carrying the faint, acrid scent of decay. The walls, once pristine, were plastered with faded posters of Marvarian propaganda. Bold slogans in blocky text declared loyalty to the nation and its cause, with smiling faces of soldiers and citizens posing beneath a sunlit sky. Time and the elements had dulled the images, peeling corners revealing the rough concrete underneath.
Kai's eyes settled on a body slumped against the far wall—a marked man, his lifeless form frozen in a grotesque sprawl. His gear was battered, his clothes smeared with dried blood and dust. Next to the corpse, graffiti marred the wall, chaotic and defiant. A name had been crossed out in jagged strokes: Germaine, replaced by the word Zendegi scrawled in bold letters beneath it.
Nearby, another message stood out in crimson spray paint: LOVE. The word was simple, yet the stark contrast of its hopeful tone against the grim reality of the rest stop was jarring.
Kai's boots scraped softly on the cracked tiles as he made his way to the narrow staircase at the back of the room. The walls here were also adorned with graffiti, each phrase a snapshot of rebellion or desperation. "Quiet your whining," read one message near the stairs, the words sharp and angular, as though written in frustration.
As he ascended the stairs, the drone emitted a low, curious beep, its mechanical eye swiveling to capture the surroundings. Kai ignored it, his focus on the messages lining the walls. At the top of the stairs, another spray-painted declaration greeted him: "Drop drugs, not bombs." The crude lettering was accompanied by a poorly drawn flower, its petals half faded.
Next to it, another tag in bold letters proclaimed, "Nabil rules." The name was underlined several times, as if to emphasize its importance, though whether it was the artist's pride or a jest was unclear.
On the adjacent wall, a softer message stood out: "Give peace a chance." The words were painted in a lighter shade, the letters flowing gracefully compared to the others. A heart symbol punctuated the phrase, its meaning almost wistful amidst the chaos.
Kai's eyes lingered on the final piece of graffiti: "Peace!" scrawled next to a lopsided heart, the paint still faintly vibrant despite the wear of time. He exhaled quietly, his expression unreadable as he took in the contrasting images—violence and hope, intertwined in the decay.
The drone beeped again, its tone questioning.
Kai stepped out of the dilapidated building, the drone buzzing softly above him. The sunlight was harsh, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement and debris-strewn lot. As he turned to glance at the structure's northern wall, his gaze caught bold, jagged letters scrawled across the concrete:
"EVERYONE IS GONE!"
The message was raw, the paint uneven, as if the artist had been in a frenzy or fighting against time. Kai paused, his expression neutral, though his thoughts lingered on the despair etched into those words. The drone beeped softly, its tone carrying a faint echo of curiosity.
Moving around the building, he found more graffiti, this time on the back wall. The message here was simpler, but no less dire:
"WE CAN'T HOLD THE CENTER."
The words were slanted, the strokes heavy with urgency. Kai stood there for a moment, the silence pressing in. The phrase wasn't just an admission of defeat—it was a warning, a remnant of a desperate stand against forces too great to overcome.
The drone emitted another beep, its mechanical lens swiveling to capture the markings. Kai gave it a sidelong glance.
"You've seen worse, haven't you?" he said, his tone laced with dry irony.
The drone chirped twice, almost as if in agreement.
Satisfied there was nothing more to glean from the site, Kai turned and made his way back up the path, his boots crunching over loose gravel. The main road stretched ahead, fractured and forlorn, its once-bustling lanes now abandoned to the encroaching desert.
The wind picked up, carrying with it the faint scent of dust and decay. Kai adjusted his gear, the drone falling into formation beside him, and set his sights on the road ahead
The rusted remains of a signal tower loomed above the fractured road, its skeletal frame bending unnaturally as if bowing to time's relentless hand. Beneath it, a deadly tapestry of mines glinted faintly in the sunlight, scattered haphazardly along the asphalt. Kai crouched low, his eyes scanning the terrain, and then shifted his gaze upward.
To his right, a series of jagged rocks formed a natural staircase. He climbed, careful to keep his steps light and deliberate, each movement as calculated as a sniper's breath. At the summit, the vantage point offered a grim view—a destroyed building stood ahead, half of its structure crumbled, its remaining walls battered by years of neglect.
Kai moved forward, sticking to the shadows cast by the rocks. As he approached the edge, he measured the distance to a gap ahead. Without hesitation, he leaped, landing silently on the other side. Now crouched before the building, he pressed himself against the wall, the coarse texture of the bricks rough under his gloved hand.
The faint sound of laughter reached his ears low and guttural. He peeked around the corner.
Four Marked Men sat around a meager fire, its flames flickering weakly against the breeze. Their weapons were scattered close by, but their guard was down. Two of them argued, their voices grating and sharp, while the others poked at something cooking over the fire.
Kai didn't hesitate. He reached into his satchel and pulled out one of his charges. The explosive was compact, crude but effective—a soldier's best friend in times like these. Carefully, he armed it, the faint beep of activation masked by the wind.
With practiced precision, Kai lobbed the satchel charge toward the campfire. It landed just behind one of the men with a soft thud, barely noticeable over the crackle of the flames.
The explosion tore through the stillness, the fire erupting into a violent blaze. The Marked Men didn't even have time to scream. The shockwave sent debris flying, and the once-lively camp was reduced to charred silence.
Kai didn't move for several seconds, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The drone hovered close, emitting a single, low beep—a question.
"They're done," Kai muttered, stepping out from his cover.
Kai crouched low, his sniper rifle steady in his hands as he peered through the scope. Across the building, another Marked Man stood, his attention fixed on something unseen in the rubble below. He shifted his weight, tapping the butt of his rifle against his shoulder as he adjusted his aim.
The Marked Man didn't even flinch when the shot rang out. The bullet hit him cleanly between the eyes, and he crumpled silently to the ground. Kai waited, his breathing slow and measured, scanning the surrounding area for any additional threats. When none appeared, he stood and slung his rifle over his shoulder.
The road ahead stretched out like a wound carved into the desolate landscape. As Kai continued, his boots crunched softly against the debris-strewn ground, the remnants of civilization scattered like forgotten memories. His path ended at a crumbling building, its skeletal frame barely holding together.
On one of the remaining walls, Alexander's distinctive white mark loomed, a beacon amidst the decay. The symbol drew Kai closer, his eyes narrowing as he noticed something unusual—a console embedded in the wall, its panel ajar, wires spilling out like entrails.
The drone, buzzing with a sudden sense of urgency, zipped forward. It hovered over the console, its mechanical appendage extending as it began to interact with the exposed wiring. Sparks flew, and with a high-pitched zap, the console hummed to life, lights flickering faintly.
Kai took a step back, his expression cautious. "What are you doing?"
The drone didn't respond, its focus entirely on the console. A red lever, faded with age, jutted out from the panel. The drone nudged it deliberately, the lever clunking into place with an audible thud.
Kai's brow furrowed as he took another step back. "What did you just do, drone?"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the ground beneath his feet rumbled. He instinctively braced himself, turning to see a silo in the distance—the same one he had passed earlier. Its doors groaned open, rust flaking away as a missile emerged, its sleek body glinting dully in the muted light.
Kai's stomach dropped. "You've got to be kidding me."
The missile launched with a deafening roar, its ascent carving a streak of smoke into the ashen sky. For a moment, it seemed destined to climb higher, but then—an abrupt, violent explosion.
The missile burst into a fiery bloom, the detonation far smaller than Kai had feared. No mushroom cloud, no lingering radiation—just a brief, blinding flash followed by a shockwave that rippled outward.
Kai felt the air shift before the shockwave hit, diving into the shelter of the crumbling building. The walls shuddered, chunks of concrete raining down as the ground trembled. Dust filled the air, coating his throat as he pressed himself against the floor.
When the tremors subsided, Kai pushed himself to his feet, coughing against the grit in his lungs. Through the haze, he spotted a bunker door embedded in the building's foundation. He ran to it, gripping the handle and pulling with all his strength.
It didn't budge.
"Of course," Kai muttered, stepping back and glaring at the immovable door. The drone hovered nearby, emitting a soft, almost apologetic beep.
Kai turned his gaze back to the console, its faint hum now a mocking presence. "What exactly did you think you were doing?"
The drone gave another series of beeps, none of which clarified its intentions.
Kai sighed, his irritation simmering beneath the surface. "Next time, consult me before launching a damn missile."
The faint crackle of static broke the silence as the drone began to replay a recording. Kai's ears perked at the sound of a soft, measured voice—one he hadn't heard before.
"Good, you're back online," the voice said, steady but tinged with urgency. "Listen to me, Sahid… if you stay here, they'll dismantle you for parts. You have to go now. I've uploaded destination coordinates for our outpost in Zartoshi into your system. I want you to go to the Varjavand there, okay? Do you understand me?"
The drone emitted a low, fearful beep in response.
The voice softened, a note of melancholy slipping through. "It's going to be a long journey, my little friend. You'll have to fly far—very far—and fly very fast. Can you do that?"
Another beep, this one trembling.
"I know you can," the voice said, quieter now, as if trying to convince itself as much as the drone. "Be careful out there, Sahid… maybe I'll see you again one day."
The recording ended with a final burst of static, leaving the air thick with unspoken words.
Kai let out a slow exhale, his gaze fixed on the smoke still lingering in the sky from the missile's explosion. The plume had begun to dissipate, its tendrils stretching and curling like some ghostly hand reaching for the heavens.
"You've made it far, then," Kai said, his tone clipped with annoyance. His eyes didn't leave the horizon, the remnants of the blast a constant reminder of the chaos he was surrounded by.
The drone hovered silently for a moment, as if weighing his words. Then it let out a soft beep, almost apologetic.
Kai shook his head and shifted his focus back to the scene before him. "Zartoshi, huh?" he mused, his voice low. "Whoever sent you there, they must've been desperate." He tilted his head slightly, his mind working through the implications.
The drone beeped softly, its tone a strange mix of pride and sadness.
Kai let the silence stretch out, the weight of the recording pressing against his thoughts. He thought of the voice—calm yet pleading—and the way it had spoken to the drone as if it were alive. Maybe, in some way, it was.
The plume in the sky had thinned to a faint wisp, but its presence still loomed large. Kai squinted against the fading light, his hand reflexively brushing the edge of his rifle. "Whoever sent you might still be out there," he said, more to himself than to the drone.
Another beep, this one sharper. It hovered closer to him, its movements jittery, like it was trying to say something it couldn't.