Before anyone can react, many have already started to cough heavily. They gasp and gasp and collapse onto the ground, unmoving.
"I can't breathe! I can't… can't… can't breathe!" call out by those who are fortunately far enough from the broken door that leads into the school yard. Not so fortunate anymore, I suppose.
And soon, the mist will fill the entire cafeteria and more.
"Holy Jesus Christ! It's a chemical attack! It's poison! Run for your live!" Someone shouts and becomes the first person to bolt out of into the corridor. His outburst got everyone screaming and rushing out into the corridor, trying to get away from the assumed biological attack.
Well, it can be considered that.
"Alex. Alice. Um. Try to stay conscious for as long as you can," I tell them as I close the door connecting the kitchen and the cafeteria. It will slow down the mist, but it will not stop the mist completely. There are just too many openings for the mist to enter the kitchen. The slit by the counter for one. "Whatever happen, just try to stay conscious. You must not let yourself sleep. Because if you do, I don't think you will be able to wake up again."
That scares Alice, and I take hold of her hands to calm her down.
"You will be fine, Alice. I will be here with you until the end. I promise," I assure with a smile, and Alice seems to calm down. Her hands tighten around mine.
"Damn. I feel so left out," Alex mutters and looks around the kitchen. "Hey Zan. Just speaking my mind here, but can't we just hide in the cold room? It is airtight, isn't it?"
The cold room is actually a death trap even if it appears to be salvation at first.
I shake my head. "There is a reason for this, Alex, and it is actually a good thing as long as you keep on fighting. You will understand soon. Just do not give in. Trust me."
The Fog of Evolution should be similar to the Fog of Extinction. Giving in would be surrendering to the Rulers themselves, and that is a bad thing. Those that do will become nothing more than their slaves.
"Trust me," I repeat, and Alice nods. Alex shrugs in response and climbs up onto the table to get higher ground. Good thinking as the mist is heavier than air, thus it tends to crawl on the ground. I help Alice up onto the table and then climb up myself.
As the mist fill the room, Alice is the first to fall unconscious. I catch her as she did and then gently lay her down onto the table.
It takes a bit longer for Alex to gasp. "If I… wake up and find… myself in Hell… I going to blame you…"
Alex collapses against the table face first, unmoving. He then falls of the table and onto the floor.
I chuckle at that and try to remain awake as long as possible despite the apparent lack of air. It actually only feels that way since no one actually die in the mist due to suffocation yet. Honestly, if the Rulers wanted everyone dead, everyone would already be dead.
It would have been instant. Painless.
This is what they call their mercy, and those who fight and survive can finally ascend to be more.
This is basically their gift, and I will accept just like I had accepted before.