Getting off the roof of the convenience store they were on, Akira and Reia continued to make their way through the streets looking for a bunker. The area they were in was almost like a shopping district, with a lot of stores for different kinds of aspects of life. Most of the stores seemed to be looted or destroyed, not leaving much to be grabbed.
"It's only been a couple of days, and everything seems to have gone to shit." Reia felt like they had been living this for weeks now, but it has only been 2 days since the apocalypse began.
"It is rather abnormal, but the mutants it produced were rather strong so it's no surprise that a lot of people have already been wiped out." Akira did not find it strange considering how the infection was caused by lava and unless you had a weapon, there was not a high chance of survival against the mutants.
"Well, everyone tried to run, but got caught or ended up in a group like the rebels. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the people that did live are currently with the rebels." Reia knew that the military would be in shambles and was most likely still in the base trying to survive, so it was more likely that the rebels took charge and were housing most survivors.
"I see them setting up new rules with the military gone, but that also depends on the rest of the world. We have no idea if this is an isolated incident, or if this had a domino effect on other cities." Due to communication being down they could not use their phones to check on what is happening around the world, meaning they could possibly be wiped off the map if this is an isolated incident.
"We are one of the biggest powers in the world, so I don't know if they want to destroy such a valuable city." Reia saw the look on Akira's face and could tell he was thinking that the cities could potentially nuke the place.
"I hope so, but you can't be too sure." Akira was sceptical, but all they could do was survive and try to live through this.
"We can't be heroes and save humanity, we are just military nobodies in the end, but let's try our best to live. After All, if we can find a nice quiet place to settle down as the world is burning, I can die happily." Reia did not really care for the world and was rather selfish, wanting to fulfil her own desires than help people.
"Are you sure? I mean I would rather that, but that seems like not a big enough goal to survive." Akira liked the sound of it as well but could already see motivation waning if that was it.
"Aha, don't worry I have my motivations, but you could say that's what I want in the end, to have me and my squad live far away in peace."
"Oh? And what are these motivations." Akira was rather curious, but he could already guess it had to do with killing a few people.
"Well of course I will pay back some people, but I also made a promise to someone which I'm not telling." Reia quickly ran ahead while poking her tongue out at Akira to leave him curious.
"Oi, you can't leave me hanging like that." Akira felt cheated and was now dying to know what this promise was.
"Shhh, otherwise mutants will come here." Reia looked around for a moment as they were being rather loud, but it seemed, they were safe. However, on the roofs of the buildings, watching over Akira and Reia was a mutant that was invisible waiting to strike at any moment. Its body was intangible, and it was impossible to make out what animal or human it was.
"Oh yes, you're right, my bad." Akira quickly went back down to a quiet voice, hoping he did not attract unnecessary attention.
Having a moment of silence, Reia thought back to the promise she made, and her expression changed to a sad and determined look.
'Octavia, don't worry I will fulfil our promise.'
*
*sigh*
"This is another tunnel." Reia climbed out of a manhole with a disappointed look on her face.
"Onto the next one then." Akira looked up to the sky and saw that it was just afternoon.
"You know you can still use our phones for the time." Reia pulled out her phone showing that it was 1:30 pm
"Wait, your phone is working?" Akira was shocked and quickly pulled out his phone to see that the screen was working.
"Yes, and I think it has something to do with the green lava, so nothing will work when you're near it." This also gave hints as to why there were little cars in the car park as the cars still worked, but if you went near the lava, it would shut them down completely.
"Well, that's handy and since we both have lightning, we are walking chargers." Akira placed his finger on the charging port and using a little bit of essence was able to charge his phone back to full in an instant.
"Anyway, we need to find this damn bunker." Reia took the lead this time checking every alleyway and putting her hand on anything that could be disguised as an entrance. Although usually, these places were covered as a sewer entrance or vending machine, they can not be entered until it scans your hand.
By placing your hand on the entrance, it will scan whether you are authorised and once the check is over, it will unlock. Most of the locks had inbuilt storage of who is allowed and connected to the military base, but with the military base being destroyed the connection is severed making any changes to the system not updated in the locks.
Underneath these entrances were highly fortified bunkers or tunnels which arguably are one of the safest places in the city. Thanks to them also running on their own essence generators most of the locks were functioning, but places that resided near a crack in the ground were unable to be unlocked.
Reia and Akira had checked many more of these sewer entrances and obscure places but were only able to find tunnels still.
"You would think we would have found one already." Reia was getting a little frustrated as they had checked well over a dozen entrances but did not find a single bunker.
"I'm telling you, the one that we couldn't open was the bunker." Akira and Reia had bumped into an entrance that wasn't opening because of the lava messing with the electronic lock. Akira thought that it had to be a bunker, but it just had to be near one of the veins that produced green lava.
"I don't doubt that, but surely there would be more than one." Reia could not believe that there was only one bunker in the area they were in.
Walking into an alley, a rather primitive phone box was at the end where a wall blocked off the other side.
"Let's see if this phone box is an entrance." Reia walked up to the phone box and pulled on the edge to reveal a hand scanner.
Most things that were disguised as normal objects would work like normal, so usually, there was a certain scanning pad hidden within the machine.
This prevented normal people from touching the scanner and sending constant alerts to the bunker or tunnel below.
"My hopes are not high." Akira expected it to be another tunnel like the others.
However, the sound of a small rock falling behind them caught Akira's attention. Although eerie sounds were happening all the time this was odd as the buildings around them were in good condition.
"Reia, hold on a moment before opening it." Akira stopped Reia just before she was about to put her hand on the scanner.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Reia turned and saw Akira looking at the roof of the buildings.
"I don't know if it's me being paranoid, but I think something is following us." Akira while explaining his thoughts, pulled out his swords fuelling them with lightning essence.
Reia being further back took Akira's paranoia seriously and knew it would be better to be safe than sorry. Pulling out her rifle, Reia observed the alley waiting for any movements.
The sound of running was heard above them and whatever was above them jumped over the gap.
Reia and Akira were confused as they saw bits of rock come off the roof as if something jumped but they were unable to see anything.
"Shit! it might be invisible, Akira be careful." Reia thinking back to how absurd the mutants could get did not rule out the possibility they could turn invisible.
Akira looked around trying to spot anything that did not look quite right.
'Fuck, don't tell it has pure invisibility.' Akira looked around frantically trying to see any hint of what they thought was a mutant.
The alley was silent, waiting for the mutant to make a move.
Something shifted behind Akira and taking that as a sign he quickly turned around slashing down.
Akira hit nothing but heard something move to the side, going up against the wall.
"Reia to your right on the wall, about the size of a tiger." Akira yelled out to Reia, where to shoot and she quickly aimed.
Firing, the bullet quickly travelled and successfully hit the invisible mutant. A splash of green blood went up on the wall and a growl of pain came from the mutant.
Due to the bullet hitting the mutant, its invisibility also came undone revealing what it is.
The mutant took the shape of a panther, but unlike the other mutants its legs were glowing a bright green and the tip of the tail was a bright green blade.
"Another variant." Akira quickly hopped back putting distance between him and the panther as fighting at close range was too dangerous.
"At least it is only one."
As soon as Reia spoke these words, the sound of growling was heard above them and more of the same kind of panther came out of their invisibility.
"Fucking hell, no wonder it has been so quiet, we ran right into a horde of variants." Akira had found it odd, they had not encountered any mutants, but seeing the many panthers above answered his question.
"No holding back, we need to kill them as quickly as possible." Reia's rifle glowed a bright purple and prepared to fire.
"We don't have a choice." Akira quickly put away his swords and then pulled out his rifle which glowed a bright red.
Akira and Reia readied themselves for the onslaught, nervous by the amount that surrounded them.