A massive trap door scraped open, stone grinding loudly as Ares pulled himself through.
His arms burned from pushing the heavy thing aside, but he managed to slip out before it slammed shut again with a dull thud.
He stood there for a moment, panting, his heart still racing.
'I actually made it out of Irongate Bastion.'
The Bastions were immense, fortified cities encased in metal walls and energy barriers.
They were humanity's last line of defence against the horrors that roamed the world beyond. They had been built after the Dark Night, when the Primordials reawakened from the depths of the earth, threatening to wipe out everything.
Within those walls, people lived happy but regulated lives, every movement orderly and peaceful.
If the guards had caught him sneaking out, they would have detained him, no questions asked.
Outside was forbidden. Even for newly awakened, it was too dangerous.
Thankfully, Ares had found this old escape route years ago and memorized it. Without it, there was no way the gatekeepers would've let him out, even if he'd begged.
Out here, outside the safety of the walls, the world was dangerous, but Ares couldn't afford to stay trapped.
He had no choice but to risk it.
He looked around, taking in the scene beyond the Bastion walls.
Far in the distance was a huge, cracked road, ancient and wide enough to fit ten cars side by side.
The road stretched as far as the eye could see, cutting straight through the landscape. On both sides of the road stood thick forests, dark and endless, with branches like claws and leaves whispering in the wind.
Ares had emerged from the trap door right beside one of these forests. The tree trunks were massive, their roots winding across the ground like snakes.
He adjusted the old spear in his hand. It was a weapon given to him by his father before he died. Though the wood was worn and the metal head dull, the spear felt solid in his grip.
Around his neck hung a simple necklace, a small stone charm on a frayed string. His mother had given it to him, calling it her "luck necklace" before she too was gone.
And both of them had been killed by Primordials.
Although Ares came from another earth, he had still grown up under their love and care, he cherished the short time they spent together.
For a moment, his hand brushed over the charm, drawing comfort from it. He whispered under his breath, "I'll make you both proud, I promise."
But time was short. He pulled a small brass pocket watch from his coat and checked the time.
2 hours and 30 minutes left.
'No time to waste.'
If he didn't find a Primordial Fragment soon, this whole trip would be pointless and he would be joining his parents shortly after.
He couldn't afford to return to the Bastion without results. A fragment with an S-grade bloodline was his goal. Anything less wouldn't be enough to save his life.
With one last glance around, Ares adjusted his cloak and stepped into the forest.
The air was cool and damp, smelling of moss and earth. Branches cracked underfoot as he moved silently through the dense undergrowth.
He scanned every shadow, looking for signs of a fragment.
About thirty minutes into his search, something flickered in the distance. It was a faint purple glow. Ares crouched low, hiding behind the thick trunk of a tree as he squinted through the branches.
It was a wolf-like creature, its fur shimmering with a purple light that signified mutation signs of Primordial energy.
Muscles bulged under its skin, and its eyes glowed a deep red, radiating raw power. A thick aura rolled off it, heavy and suffocating, making the air feel thick with pressure.
Ares' stomach dropped. The pressure alone was suffocating. It was like standing under the weight of a thunderstorm.
Even if this fragment had a S-grade bloodline, he didn't think he could fight it at all.
'Do your scanning thing, system.'
While sneaking out of the bastion, Ares had discovered that the system had a scanning function. With it, he could know the Power level of any living creature and it's bloodline potency.
[Ding! Performing scan... Scan Complete!—
Fragment Level: Mid Lesser Fragment.
Bloodline Potency Detected: Below S-Grade.]
Ares exhaled slowly, letting the tension slip from his shoulders. 'It's strong, but not good enough.' He silently backed away, slipping through the shadows of the forest like a ghost.
A fragment with that kind of aura would've been a nightmare to fight, but it wasn't worth the effort if it didn't have the bloodline potency he needed.
The search continued. The minutes ticked by, and Ares pressed deeper into the forest, the thick canopy above blocking out the light.
He found other fragments. Big ones, small creatures with glowing eyes or strange markings, but none of them had S-grade bloodlines.
Two hours passed. His legs were burning and sweat ran down his back. Frustration gnawed at him.
He had risked everything coming out here. 'There's got to be one somewhere…' But no matter how hard he searched, the fragments he found weren't good enough.
If things went on like this, he would really be forced to return without managing to solve his problem!
That was death!
Suddenly, out of nowhere, pain exploded across his back.
Ares stumbled forward, barely managing to catch himself with his spear. Blood soaked his cloak, staining it a dark red.
He twisted around, spear ready to strike, but there was nothing. No attacker. No movement in the shadows.
Just the silent, eerie forest.
Before he could make sense of it, another searing pain tore through his arm, ripping into the muscle. Blood dripped from the wound, splattering onto the forest floor.
Ares spun around again, panic threatening to rise. But still—nothing. No sound, no sign of whatever had hit him. The forest was eerily quiet.
'What the hell is going on?!'
His heart hammered in his chest, but his expression remained terrifyingly calm, the calmness of someone who knew panic would get him killed.
His breathing slowed, and his mind sharpened. He couldn't see the enemy, but he knew something was hunting him.
Then it happened. A strange instinct kicked in, a feeling deep in his gut, like a silent warning. His heart skipped a beat, and without thinking, he dropped to the ground.
Whoosh!
Something sharp sliced through the air, missing his head by the width of a hair. The blade cut through a few strands of his hair, sending them floating to the ground like dead leaves.
If he hadn't ducked, his head would be rolling by now.
Ares knelt there, crouched low, heart pounding.
His mind raced. 'What the hell is attacking me?!'
Every fibre of his being screamed at him to run—but from what? There was nothing there. No footsteps, no creature in sight. Just the cold wind and the sound of his own heartbeat thudding in his ears.
His spear was gripped tight, ready for the next strike. Something—or someone—was hunting him, and it wasn't playing fair.