The moment the metal doors fully opened, a wave of heat and dry air hit them like a furnace blast. Damien squinted against the glaring light of the three suns, each hanging at different angles in the sky, casting strange shadows across the school grounds.
What had once been a lively school was now a barren, desolate place—cracked pavement, charred trees, and the skeletal remains of buildings. Even the air felt wrong, thick and heavy with an unnatural stillness.
Finch fell into step beside Damien. Jenna, Bryan and the girl in a caped-hoodie just behind them, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. The rest of their group followed closely, some holding makeshift weapons, others clutching bags to carry back whatever they could find.
"Stay close," Damien warned. "We move quickly, grab what we can, and get back before the suns start shifting."
As they crossed the courtyard, Damien's mind raced through their plan. Finch and Jenna's team would head to the dormitories for food and supplies, while he and the caped-hoodie's group would check the infirmary. So far, it was quiet--too quiet, as if the monsters lurking outside the walls knew they were coming.
"How long do you think we have before something spots us?" Finch muttered under his breath.
"With any luck, long enough," Damien replied grimly.
They reached the first fork in the road, where the paths to the dorms and the infirmary split. Damien stopped and faced Finch. "You know the way," he said, glancing at the ruined buildings in the distance. "Be careful. If anything feels wrong, don't push your luck. We can always come back another day."
Finch nodded, though the concern was clear on his face. "Same goes for you. Don't take risks."
Without another word, Finch, Jenna, and their team broke off, disappearing into the passageway of crumbling dormitory buildings. Damien watched them go for a moment before turning to the girl in caped-hoodie and three others. "Alright, let's move. The infirmary's on the far side of campus. Stay alert."
Damien had previously observed the girl in a caped-hoodie and noticed that she seemed mysterious and was one of a few words. She rarely speaks to anyone and even if she does, she only utters a few sentences. He tried starting up conversations a few times but to no avail.
As they walked, the oppressive heat made every step feel heavier. Feiyun moved up beside Damien, her usually calm face betraying her unease. "We haven't seen any of those things yet. Do you think they've left the area?"
Damien shook his head. "I doubt it. They're out here, somewhere. Just because we can't see them doesn't mean they're not watching."
They continued in tense silence, their footsteps echoing off the cracked pavement. The once-bustling academy grounds were now a wasteland of broken windows, overgrown grass, and scorched earth. The closer they got to the infirmary, the stronger the feeling of being watched became.
When they finally reached the building, its entrance was half-collapsed, debris blocking one side of the door. Damien stepped forward cautiously, motioning for the others to stay back. He leaned against the frame, listening for any sound from within.
Nothing.
"We'll need to pry the door open," Damien whispered, gesturing for two others to help. With some effort, they managed to wedge the door wide enough to slip inside.
The interior of the infirmary was just as ruined as the rest of the campus—overturned trolleys, broken glass, and scattered medical supplies littered the floor. It smelled of decay and dust, but there were no signs of recent activity. Feiyun the two other students immediately began searching for anything they could use, checking shelves and cabinets for medicine or bandages.
"Grab everything you can," Damien ordered. "We don't have much time."
As the team scavenged, a low, throaty sound echoed from somewhere deeper inside the building.
Everyone froze.
Damien motioned for silence, his hand moving toward Nightshade hanging at his waist. His heart pounded in his chest as he strained to listen. The girl in caped-hoodie also entered battle mode as flames appeared on her hands.
Another sound, this time closer—heavy, dragging footsteps.
"They're here," Feiyun whispered, her eyes wide.
With only he and the girl in caped-hoodie, the two primal warriors present at the moment, Damien knew he couldn't risk letting the students get infected. He swallowed hard, glancing toward the collapsed entrance. "We need to get out. Now."
But before they could make a move, a shadow moved at the end of the hallway, and a figure emerged—one of the creatures, its skin stretched tight over its skeletal frame, its glowing eyes locked on them.
The creature let out a low, throaty hiss, its eyes flickering with an evil glow as it lurched toward them. Its movements were slow but deliberate, as if it knew it had time on its side.
Damien's grip tightened around Nightshade, the blade's dark metal gleaming faintly in the dim light of the ruined infirmary.
Beside him, the girl in the caped-hoodie, who he still didn't know her name, stepped forward, her flaming hands exuding eerie, flickering shadows on the walls. "I'll hold it off," she said, her voice steady. "You get them out."
"No," Damien said firmly, his gaze never leaving the creature.
"We should fight together. We can't afford to split up now." She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. She raised her hands higher, and the flames on her fingers intensified, emitting a wave of heat through the room. "Then let's end this quickly."
The creature lunged with a sudden burst of speed, its bony fingers stretched out toward them. Damien reacted on instinct, swinging Nightshade in a clean arc. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, connecting with the creature's outstretched arm. The impact sent a spray of dark, oily blood across the floor, but the creature barely slowed, snarling as it continued forward.
Behind them, Feiyun was already ushering the other three survivors toward the collapsed entrance. "Go! Hurry!" she whispered urgently, trying to keep her voice low.
Damien sidestepped another swipe from the creature, his eyes flicking to his battle partner. "Now would be a good time for some of that fire power."
The girl in caped-hoodie didn't need to be told twice. She thrust her hands forward, sending a torrent of flaming beams toward the advancing monster. The fire engulfed the creature, and for a moment, it shrieked in pain, its skeletal form writhing as the flames consumed it.
But then, to their horror, it began to push through the fire, its charred skin peeling away, revealing the grotesque muscle and bone beneath. "It's not enough!" She shouted, her voice tinged with panic.
Damien cursed under his breath. They couldn't hold it off much longer. He could already see movement behind the creature—more shadows gathering at the far end of the hallway. "We need to fall back," Damien said, backing up toward the entrance. "We can't take them all."
The hoodie girl nodded, retreating as her flames flickered and sputtered out. The creature, now little more than a burning husk, staggered after them, relentless in its pursuit. Just as they reached the gap in the entrance, Feiyun pulled the last of the survivors through. "Come on, move!"
Damien grabbed the hoodie girl's arm, pulling her through the narrow opening, just as he almost passed through, the creature hurled a large piece of concrete against the top of the narrow opening. The top collapsed and piles of large debris blocked his path.
F*ck!
Now he was truly on his own.