The streets of Valora were eerily quiet as Aiden and his team made their way back to their base. The dust was still settling from their mission to eliminate the corrupt base leader and close the dungeon gate. They moved cautiously, sweeping the streets for any lingering zombies. The stench of decay hung in the air, a constant reminder of the world they now lived in. Aiden led the way, his senses sharp, every step calculated. Behind him, Sofia, Liam, Marcus, Olivia, and Alex followed closely, their weapons ready. They had fought too hard to let their guard down now.
The group moved in formation, covering each other's blind spots as they advanced. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt. Every alleyway, every broken-down building was a potential threat. The city was alive with the low growls of distant zombies, their guttural sounds sending shivers down their spines. But they were ready, and after their recent victory, nothing would stop them.
"Clear," Sofia whispered, her eyes scanning a nearby alley.
"Same here," Marcus added, his grip tightening on his rifle.
Aiden nodded. "Keep moving. We're almost there."
The streets were littered with debris, the remnants of a city that had once thrived. Now, it was a battleground. Each step brought them closer to their base, their sanctuary. They could see the familiar walls in the distance, fortified with barbed wire and reinforced steel, a fortress in a land of chaos.
As they finally reached the entrance, Jake's voice crackled over the comms. "Welcome back, team. That was some show you put on out there."
"Yeah, it was hectic as hell," Liam replied, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "But we got it done."
The gates opened, and they made their way inside, the tension slowly easing off their shoulders. Inside the base, the atmosphere was a mix of relief and weariness. Survivors moved about, tending to their wounds, repairing equipment, and securing the perimeter.
Once they were inside, Aiden gathered the team for a debrief. They sat in the main control room, surrounded by monitors displaying various feeds from around Valora.
"That was close," Sofia started, wiping sweat from her brow. "If we hadn't found that gate in time..."
"We'd have been dealing with a full-blown dungeon break on top of everything else," Olivia finished, leaning back in her chair. "Good job, everyone. We pulled it off."
"What about that dungeon?" Marcus asked, glancing at Aiden. "I've never seen one like that. It was almost like it was placed there deliberately."
Aiden nodded. "It was. The leader of that base must've been using it to feed awakeners in and gain some twisted sense of power. We can't let that happen again. We need to keep an eye on the other bases and make sure no one else tries something similar."
As they continued their discussion, a sudden interruption came over the radio. The static broke, replaced by a voice that caught everyone's attention.
"This is a breaking news alert," the announcer's voice boomed. "The government has announced the deployment of agents to recruit people into becoming hunters. The objective is to regain control of Valora and bring it under the jurisdiction of the Hunter Association. The Saint and Saintess have been given authority to recruit or eliminate any opposition."
The room fell silent. The implications of the announcement sank in. Aiden's face darkened. "They want to take back control," he muttered. "They want to use hunters to impose their will on Valora."
"The government moved out to the neighboring country a while back," Sofia pointed out. "Why are they coming back now?"
"Because they see opportunity," Aiden replied, his voice cold. "Valora's in chaos, and they want to exploit that to bring everyone under their thumb."
The Saint and Saintess were names that carried weight. Both were powerful awakeners, leaders in their own right, and their involvement meant the government was serious. Aiden knew what that meant for his team and the people they had been protecting.
"We have a choice to make," Aiden said, looking at his team. "We either let them take control, or we stand our ground and establish our own government here. Make Valora untouchable to them."
There was a moment of silence as the team absorbed his words. Finally, Sofia spoke up. "If we don't do this, everything we've fought for will be for nothing. I'm in."
"Same here," Liam added. "We've got the firepower, and we've got the people. We can do this."
The rest of the team nodded in agreement. They were all in. Aiden's face hardened with determination. "Alright. We'll establish our own government. I'll take charge, but this won't work unless we have the support of the other bases."
Aiden wasted no time. They began sending drones to other bases, alerting them of the government's plans and what could happen if they were to take control again. The message was clear: if the government returned, they would exploit, betray, and abandon them again, just like before.
The streets knew what Aiden's team had done for Valora. They were the only team actively clearing zombies, securing routes, and ensuring the survival of its people. Their reputation preceded them.
Some bases responded positively, agreeing to support Aiden's new government, understanding that staying independent would mean more protection, more freedom. Others, however, were hesitant, preferring to wait and see how things unfolded.
"We've got a few who are in," Jake reported, scanning the incoming responses. "But some of them want to stick with the government. They think it's safer."
Aiden frowned. "We don't need everyone to agree, but we need enough. If we're going to declare Valora as our territory, we need to control at least half the country."
He took a deep breath and made his decision. "I'm going to contact the government directly."
The room went quiet again. Aiden walked over to the comms system and dialed in the frequency for the government's communication channel. After a few moments of static, a voice responded.
"This is the Valora interim government channel. State your business."
"This is Aiden," he said firmly. "Leader of Valora's defense forces. I'm declaring Valora under our control. If you send even a single agent from the Hunter Association or take a single step into Valora, we will retaliate. Consider this your only warning."
There was a pause on the other end, then a measured response. "Mr. Aiden, you do realize the consequences of what you're saying? The Hunter Association and the Saint and Saintess won't take this lightly."
Aiden's voice was steady, unwavering. "I'm aware. But I've seen what your kind does. You want to play politics and power games? Go somewhere else. This is our territory now. Stay out, or face the consequences."
He cut the transmission and turned back to his team. "We've shown our hand. Now we wait and see how they respond."
Jake, who had been monitoring everything from his terminal, turned his chair to face Aiden. "You really think they'll back off?"
"No," Aiden said, his expression cold. "But now they know we're not afraid to fight back."
The base hummed with renewed purpose as preparations began. They fortified their defenses, ensuring every weak point was covered. Aiden stood on the wall, overlooking the streets of Valora. They had made their move. Now, they had to be ready for whatever came next. The battle for Valora had just begun, and Aiden was ready to lead the charge.