The Carrier port was alive with activity, its atmosphere buzzing with urgency.
The selected 100 youths for the Primordial Zone exploration stood in neat rows, their expressions ranging from excitement to unease.
They were finally going to experience what it felt like being in one of the most dangerous places in the whole of earth. No matter how tough their will was, they would definitely feel nervous.
Around them, ZMA officials moved briskly, their sharp voices barking orders as they finalised preparations.
Their tense faces spoke volumes about the dangers ahead.
Despite the meticulous preparation, unease hung in the air. Even for an experienced force like the ZMA, ensuring the safety of this many youths was no small feat.
It wasn't just the Primordial Zone that posed a threat. The path itself was dangerous.
A stray Primordial could cross their route, or a beast tide of Primordial fragments could erupt without warning. The ZMA knew these risks, and their preparations reflected it.
Armoured personnel checked every corner of the carrier, ensuring its defences were active. Scouts reported on airspace conditions, and the officials overseeing the mission reviewed escape protocols one final time.
When the officials finished their final checks, the youths were guided aboard the carrier.
Unlike the massive transport they'd ridden to the camp, this one was sleek and compact, clearly designed for speed rather than capacity.
Its smooth, metallic frame gleamed under the harsh lights of the port, and its engines hummed with restrained power.
Time was of the essence, and reaching the Primordial Zone quickly was vital.
Ares climbed aboard with his squad, his eyes scanning the tight interior. As the youths settled in, he glanced around the main deck.
His attention was immediately drawn to a large screen mounted on the wall, displaying a news broadcast.
Curious murmurs spread as the other youths began to gather around the screen.
After weeks in the camp, cut off from the outside world with their phones and devices confiscated, the news was a rare window into what was happening beyond their secluded training.
Ares took a seat near the screen, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the grim statistics flashing across it.
[Monthly Bastion Report: 13 Bastions Lost.]
The numbers hit like a thunderclap. Gasps rippled through the room, and a heavy silence followed as everyone processed what they'd just read.
Thirteen bastions—entire strongholds of humanity—had fallen in a single month. Each bastion represented tens of thousands of lives, wiped out by the Primordials or their fragments.
Ares stared at the screen, his heart sinking. He had known the world outside the camp was struggling, but this level of devastation was far worse than he had imagined.
The enormity of the loss weighed heavily on him. Bastions were supposed to be humanity's last safe havens, fortified against the Primordials' overwhelming strength.
To see thirteen fall in just one month? It wasn't just shocking—it was terrifying.
He leaned back in his seat, staring blankly at the screen as his thoughts churned. 'So many lives gone... And for what? If thirteen bastions can fall in just one month, how much longer does humanity have left'
Ares's mind wandered to his life on Earth, back when he was a doctor. He had spent countless hours in hospital wards, running on fumes but driven by an unshakable need to help.
He had hated seeing people suffer, hated feeling powerless to stop it. That instinct hadn't left him. Even here, in this brutal world, he couldn't ignore the suffering around him.
But Ares wasn't naive. He wasn't some hero with grand delusions of saving the world single-handedly.
He had seen enough of this world to understand its harsh realities. His job wasn't to be a saviour; it was to do what he could, when he could.
'I'm not here to save everyone. That's impossible. But if I can make a difference, even a small one, then I have to try. Standing by and doing nothing isn't an option. Afterall, what's the point of having strength if I'm the only one left on earth?'
The carrier jolted slightly as it lifted off, breaking Ares out of his thoughts. He looked out the window, the ground shrinking beneath them as the landscape came into view.
The carrier sped through the sky, its engines humming steadily as it left the port far behind.
Ares found himself drawn to the view. He settled near one of the windows, gazing out as the carrier raced across the horizon.
What unfolded below was a grim sight. Vast stretches of land lay in ruins, the remains of bastions scattered across the terrain.
Crumbled walls, burnt-out homes, and shattered defences stretched for miles.
These once-proud bastions, built to protect and preserve humanity, now stood as grim reminders of their fragility.
Beyond the ruins, danger zones came into view. Patches of land infested with Primordial fragments, their twisted forms prowling like restless predators.
Some were massive, towering over the terrain, their auras palpable even from the carrier's altitude. Others moved in swarms, their chaotic energy warping the landscape around them.
The world felt on the brink of collapse. Despite humanity's best efforts, they were losing ground with every passing day.
Ares watched the ruins blur past, his expression hardening. This isn't like Earth, he thought. Back there, life was messy, but there was hope.
Here, hope feels like a luxury. But even in this chaos, there's a chance to fight back. Back on Earth, he had been a man of patience and compassion, someone who believed in saving lives at all costs.
But in this world, he had learned to accept that he couldn't save everyone. That acceptance didn't come easy, but it was necessary.
'You can't protect what you can't fight for,' he reminded himself. And in a world like this, power is the only way to make sure you have a choice.
The carrier began to slow, the rhythmic hum of its engines softening. A voice crackled over the intercom, pulling everyone's attention.
"Attention, recruits. We are approaching the Primordial Zone. Prepare for landing."
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[A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates yesterday, I had an emergency. Please I need your support! Let's have fun and discuss the story!]