"O, upper one. It appears the blessing hath at last taken root among the 'humans.' The number of our beasts and creatures doth dwindle with great haste."
The figure, Ishtar'ka, floated over the city, overlooking the battle-scarred lands below. Flames licked at the horizon, and the faint cries of battle echoed in the distance. His lips curled into a slow, deliberate grin.
"Indeed, Zar'kathar," he replied, his voice soft yet laced with an ominous power. "Yet our purpose hath been fulfill'd. The humans' ranks art far fewer than ours. They believe themselves victorious, but they know not what hath been set in motion."
Zar'kathar raised his head slightly, his eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Is this the end of our conquest, upper one?"
Ishtar'ka turned, his figure becoming clearer under the morning sun.
"The end?" He chuckled, the sound dark and cold. "Nay, Zar'kathar. This is but the beginning. The blessing they have acquired will consume them from within. They have taken the power of the gods, but they are mortal—fragile. The true game is yet to be played."
Zar'kathar's eyes widened, his mind racing to grasp his meaning. "So, their victory shall become their downfall?"
Ishtar'ka nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the ruined landscape. "Let them rejoice in their fleeting triumph. Soon, the humans will face trials beyond their imagination, and when the time comes, we shall return... stronger, inevitable."
He extended a hand, and the air shimmered around him, a portal of swirling void opening before them.
"Let us take our leave, for our task here is done. The seeds of chaos hath been sown, and now... we wait."
-
"I've placed everything into my inventory. Is there anything else you want to keep?" I asked, my voice low as I crouched near the goblin corpses, gathering whatever I could find.
After Hannah calmed down, I got to work, scavenging everything useful from the goblins—their weapons, crude armor, and anything that looked remotely valuable. Their bodies slowly vanished into the ether, leaving behind a small crystal shard. I picked up the strange item and examined it.
-
[5x E-Rank Mana crystal]
-
'Mana crystals are valuable crafting materials; I should keep them just in case.' I place it into my inventory.
"Jagger... are you sure you're not hurt? That looks nasty," Hannah asked, her voice tinged with concern as she pointed to my ribcage. My shirt was soaked with blood, a crimson stain spreading across the fabric.
I glanced down at the place where the gash had been, but to my relief, the wound was gone, completely healed. I could barely feel any pain anymore. 'The regeneration is fast... even faster than I expected,' I thought with a mix of relief and amazement.
"Don't worry, Hannah. I'm fine. See?" I lifted my shirt, revealing smooth, unbroken skin beneath the dried blood. "Nothing to worry about."
Hannah's brows furrowed with doubt, but then her expression softened slightly. "Really? But... how? It looked so bad."
"I've got an ability—regeneration. I heal faster than normal. A lot faster." I offered her a small, reassuring smile.
For the first time in what felt like days, a genuine smile crept onto her face. But as quickly as it appeared, it faded, her eyes widening in alarm. "Jagger… your eyes… they're red now."
I blinked, confused. 'Red?' That wasn't possible. My eyes had always been brown.
"It's probably nothing. Maybe because I didn't sleep well last night. Anyway—" I started, dismissing the thought, but Hannah interrupted me.
"No, it's not that. Look." She fumbled for her phone and quickly opened the camera app, holding it up to my face. "See for yourself."
She turned the phone toward me, and my breath caught in my throat. Reflected in the screen were my eyes, but they weren't the warm brown I had known my whole life. They were crimson—glowing faintly, like the eyes of a cat stalking through the night.
I stared for a moment longer, trying to make sense of it. 'Why is this happening now?' But I didn't have time to dwell on it. There were more pressing concerns.
"Whatever it is, we can't get distracted. There could be more monsters lurking around." I handed her back the phone, forcing my voice to remain calm. "Let's keep moving."
Hannah hesitated but then nodded in agreement. She slid her phone back into her pocket and followed close behind as I led the way out of the narrow alley.
The dawn broke over the horizon, casting a soft, golden light across the desolate city. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a peaceful morning—beautiful, even. But the scene before us was a nightmare. The streets were a graveyard, littered with debris, shattered glass, and the bodies of the fallen. The once-bustling city was now eerily silent, its soul stripped away by chaos and death.
We walked in tense silence, every step echoing in the stillness. My grip tightened around the axe in my hand, my eyes darting from shadow to shadow, scanning every corner, every ruined building, for signs of movement. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the faintest breeze carried the acrid scent of smoke and ash.
As we passed by abandoned cars, their windows smashed, doors flung wide open as if the occupants had fled in a panic, a heavy sense of dread settled over me. It was the kind of quiet that felt like the calm before a storm, the moment before the world broke apart all over again.
I couldn't afford to lose focus. Whatever had caused my eyes to change could wait. Right now, survival was the only thing that mattered. There could be more monsters out there—waiting, watching, ready to strike.
"Stay close, Hannah," I murmured, my voice barely audible over the crunch of glass beneath our shoes. "We don't know what else might be hiding out here."
She clung tightly to the back of my shirt, her fingers trembling against the fabric as her eyes darted anxiously from shadow to shadow. I could feel her unease in the quick, shallow breaths she took, and the way her footsteps barely made a sound, as if she were afraid the ground itself might give her away. The world was hostile now—every movement, every sound had to be calculated. Even the air felt heavier, as though something unseen was watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Suddenly, Hannah tugged at my sleeve, her voice a strained whisper. "Brother... look."
I stopped, following her gaze. Up ahead, three men stood near a pile of crumbling rubble, their faces twisted in frustration. One of them was on the ground, breathing heavily, while the other two loomed over him, their voices sharp and low.
-
"Hey, get up, you idiot!" one of them hissed, pointing a blade threateningly toward the man on the ground. His voice was filled with contempt, barely restrained. "You trying to get us killed? You wanna attract every monster in the area? Get. Up."
The man on the ground whimpered, his face pale, his body trembling as he clutched his side. "I-I can't… please… we've been walking for hours... everything hurts, bro. Too heavy…"
Before he could even finish, the second man stormed over, rage twisting his features. Without warning, he stomped down viciously on the injured man's hand. The sickening snap of bone echoed in the quiet streets, followed by a muffled scream that made my gut churn. The man writhed in agony, but the others showed no sympathy.
"Get up!" the second man spat, kicking the fallen one in the ribs. "You think the monsters care that you're tired? You think we care? We're the ones keeping your sorry ass alive, so stop whining and pull your weight!"
With a shaky groan, the injured man forced himself to his feet, cradling his shattered hand against his chest. His face was ashen, and sweat poured from his brow, making him look on the verge of collapse. But neither of his companions cared. To them, his suffering was an inconvenience.
"That's more like it," the first man sneered, his grip tightening on his blade. "Now shut up and keep moving. We're almost at the meeting point. Don't slow us down again."
-
I clenched my fists, tension radiating through my muscles. The sight of their brutality turned my stomach, but there was nothing I could do—not here, not now.
"Let's take another way," I whispered to Hannah, already stepping back. "If they see us, there's no telling what they'll do."
She hesitated, her eyes lingering on the injured man. "But Jagger… they're hurting him. We can't just—"
I cut her off, my voice firm. "Hannah, the world's different now. It's survival of the fittest. Only the strong, or the smart, will last. If you can't adapt, you won't make it."
Her lips quivered with protest, but after a moment, she nodded, though I could still sense the conflict brewing inside her. "I… I understand," she said quietly, her voice laced with reluctant acceptance. She glanced back one last time at the group of men, her face hardening as she turned to follow me. It was a bitter lesson, one the world had forced on us too soon.
We walked in silence for a while, the weight of what we'd just seen hanging heavily between us. Then, Hannah spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jagger… if the world has changed… does that mean we'll have to do the same things? The things they did?"
I stopped, her words cutting deep. I hadn't wanted her to ask that question, but I knew it was inevitable. I turned to her, searching her eyes for some glimmer of hope that she wouldn't have to know that kind of cruelty.
"That depends on what happens," I said after a pause. "If it comes down to it—if it's a matter of kill or be killed—then yes, we might have to make hard choices. But..." I stepped closer, offering her a small smile, trying to ease the fear I saw reflected in her eyes. "You don't have to worry about that. I'll protect you. No matter what."
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something more. But the words never came. Instead, her shoulders sagged, and she gave a reluctant nod. "But..." she started again, her voice softer, more uncertain.
"Ahem—no buts." I reached out, gently squeezing her shoulder. "Come on. Let's find a safe place. We'll be okay."
Her resolve seemed to falter for just a second, but she followed me, her steps heavy with resignation. I knew she understood the reality of our situation now. It wasn't just the monsters we had to fear—it was the people too. And that might be the hardest thing for either of us to accept.