I hurried up and packed my essentials into my bag. I change my clothes and immediately ran to where the soldiers at.
I saw them there being busy guiding the civilians. I saw that the dungeon gate hasn't opened yet so I feel a little relief.
I guess this dungeon gate is not one of the first batch.
I didn't know anything about this one, since the dungeon gate first appear in the world last 10 days ago, I am at my school, and my mother panicked so I immediately return home without returning to my boarding house first.
I just returned here a week after to retrieve my important documents and when I do, I just notice this dungeon here.
Soldiers begun to armed themselves preparing for the worst case scenario as I approach the soldier that I always annoy for the past 3 nights.
"Where can we evacuate? I saw everything on the news." I asked as I pinched his uniform.
His face remain stern still but I could say that he is worried. I guess their superiors didn't told them everything yet and only issued an order to evacuate the civilians and armed themselves.
"What are you doing here? You should run as far as possible to these gates. We received order to immediately shoot anything that comes out of the gate. The country is currently in Martial law so you should listen to us."
He then guide me to the vacant chair nearby to seat. I then saw a familiar empty cup and biscuit in that chair.
I guess he has his soft spot as well.
"You see, I was suppose to leave tomorrow night as my plane ticket indicated. However, considering the turn of events, I doubt if the airline company will still operate. So it's better if I tag along with you for now until you tell us where to evacuate."
"Civilians are not allowed here and we are yet to receive information for evacuation center. Staying here near the portal is quite dangerous so it's better for you to leave and wait for the announcement any moment."
"I am not from here you see, there is no one I could ask for help here nor I could go to. So I need to decide which place is best for me. Don't worry I will just sit here quietly and will not hinder your operation. I will leave immediately after you announce the location of the evacuation center. It probably won't take the entire night before they announce. The Mayor here is quite competent, by these time he probably order his subordinates to arrange things here and there."
He looks at me before sighing.
"I will ask my captain first."
He then leaves and I saw him approaching someone and talk. They look to me and his superior signaled me to come over, so I did.
"If you were going to stay here then I will ask you to do something."
I nodded at the captain.
"If there are civilians who come here tell them to proceed to the gymnasium and wait for there, truck will carry them from here to Esperanza. There are no dungeon portal in Esperanza so the Mayor decided to place the evacuation center there."
I guess the captain received instructions already. But there is one problem to these issue.
"Who will bring him there?" The guy in uniform who I still didn't know the name asked.
That's right, if I stay here to instruct the civilians then it's impossible for me to leave since those people will not come here simultaneously.
"It's fine, I'll do it. I will just go there along with you if you guys decided to retreat or regroup with the others." I replied and the captain look at me with a proud expression.
"Good, I will now leave them to you." Said the captain as he pats my shoulder and leave.
I look at the one who remain as he salute to his captain who just left, his attention was on me now with his stern look now.
"I will go there now. So you go to your team now." I said as I walk.
But he follows me.
I look around and saw four people equipping their weapons ahead, I guess he is heading there.
"Why did you decide to stay? I thought you want to go to the evacuation center?" He ask coldly.
"Because why not? I also wish to serve my country even if it's only by this much."
He didn't reply and I didn't bother to look at him.
I decided to change the topic at hand.
"By the way it seems like you still didn't know what was about to come out in that portal. Do you guys know what you were about to fight?" I asked.
"Soldiers don't ask questions we just follow orders."
My eyebrow raise upon hearing this.
"Is that true? That sounds very dangerous to me." I sighed.
"Anyways, as you can hear from your captain, it seems like the portals are now officially called dungeon gates. The dungeon gates that appears last 10 days ago will open this day, it started opening in Europe but we will definitely follow, it seems like the reason behind it is the time difference."
He stopped and look at me.
"What's inside the gates? Are we going to fight angels and demons?" He asked.
"I didn't know that you are one of those religious fanatics. Anyways it's not like the idea of having angels and demons come out of the gate is without a biblical reason. So I could understand where you coming from. But I watch the videos posted by the European civilians and the monsters that come out from the gates are all monsters from the fantasy. Like goblins, gremlins, giants, cyclops and even Fenrir."
I look at him and he is listening to me intently, I hope I didn't demoralize this one.
"Honestly I think it's better to retreat immediately if we see cyclops who could use magic, giants who are very destructive, and give up hope and just pray if we saw the fenrir. That one is a total beast, it rival the size of a building, and missiles are quite ineffective in it, it could also breath fire, that's what all I know."
I said in a sad tone.
"I guess this is the end of humanity huh! I still haven't enjoy my life to the fullest, I should enjoy it a little back then, if only I didn't focus too much on education and think of relationships then I guess I could leave this world without regret."
I guess even he has his own problems.This loner is much pitiful than I am.
"Don't tell others yet so we could avoid demoralizing them. If only we have people who could use power here just like the one who fought the Fenrir, we might have a chance to rescue the civilians and escape as well."
"Do people like that really exist?"
"I couldn't believe it at first but there is a live footage of someone fighting a Fenrir using an ability to float debris. Though I doubt that persons ability to win since his attacks are not doing any damage to the giant dog."
"I guess God has not forsaken us."
"That's true." I said.
We both parted our ways from here as he proceeded to his teammates while I proceed to instruct the civilians.
The people who are coming here are just here to ask where to go so my job is quite easy actually. I also told them to tell others they meet on the way that they knew where to go so people who would come here are just those who wasn't informed by the others.
I've been doing a great job at informing the others and I think I've been doing this job for an hour.
Suddenly a warning ring sounded in the entire place. It seems like vehicles with speakers are place in all directions to ring the warning.
"Announcement, this is not a drill. The country is in the sate of emergency, Martial law has been issued by the President. Everyone please carry on your essentials and proceed to Bayan Gymnasium. Please proceed to Bayugan Gymnasium..."
The announcement rang all over the place repeatedly, which is something that I did not expect to happened since this city didn't have speakers to alert everyone before. I guess the city mayor is innovating. He really is a competent one.
I look to the civilians and they all heard it, they did not ask me any longer and just proceeded to the gymnasium.
I look at behind me to where the gate are and I saw people there forming a barricade and there are also police with them. It seems like reinforcements has arrive since the number of soldiers are now hundreds. And they keep coming. I could also hear helicopters above so the place is very noisy.
I want to say my goodbyes to the loner soldier but I guess it's impossible for now. They would probably think that it's best if I leave this place as well since people are informed by now.
I walk to where my bag is as I planned to leave the place already when someone spoke behind me.
"Uhmm...."
I look behind and saw the loner.
"The captain said thanks to your hard work. You can now leave this place and join the civilians in the gymnasium."
"Yeah yeah, it's really great that the mayor thinks of putting big speakers in the vehicles to alert everyone. It saves me the hassle of informing every people who come here."
I said and I handed him something.
"This rosary is my Lucky charm. Keep it and you'll be safe. I'll be leaving now."
I pick up my bag and prepare to leave but then he suddenly grabs my arm.
"By the way what is your name?" He ask while looking away from me.
He's kinda cute this way.
"It's Archie Miles"