Damien followed the evolved creature in silence as it led him deeper into the tunnel. The atmosphere changed as they progressed—the air grew cleaner, and the surroundings felt untouched by time. Unlike the dilapidated, bloodied passages he'd walked before, this area was pristine. The walls were smooth and clean, as though someone had meticulously maintained them.
As they moved further, Damien's eyes caught peculiar drawings on the walls. The crude artwork was done in basic colors—red, blue, yellow. They seemed random at first glance: distorted figures, chaotic shapes, and messy handwriting scattered across the surfaces. Damien ran his fingers over the faded drawings. It reminded him of someone trapped, left with nothing but time and their thoughts. Perhaps these drawings were an outlet, or perhaps they were madness.
"What is this place?" Damien finally asked, his voice breaking the silence. He turned toward the creature, his grip tightening on the strap of his bag. "And who are you? Why did you keep beating me to near death instead of killing me? What the hell is going on here?"
The evolved stopped abruptly and turned to face him. For the first time, Damien felt its presence wasn't threatening but calculated, as though it had been waiting for this moment.
"My name is Dr. Victor Hallow," the creature said in a deep, gravelly voice, each word carefully enunciated. "I am the one responsible for everything happening in this world. I created the virus that destroyed humanity. And..." It paused, its glowing eyes narrowing. "I also created you."
Damien's breath hitched, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the creature in disbelief. The weight of those words hung heavy in the air, and he could do nothing but stand frozen, waiting for answers.
He finally took a step back after a while, his eyes narrowing as he processed Victor's words. "You created me?" he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and frustration. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Am I some kind of experiment to you? Some project gone wrong?"
Victor didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned away, the glow of his mutated eyes dimming slightly as if he were lost in thought. "There is much about yourself you don't know yet," he said finally, his voice calm but heavy with implication. "The answers you seek... they aren't for me to give. You must find them on your own."
Damien clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Find them on my own? What kind of cryptic bullshit is that? Where do I even start? How do I even begin to figure something like this out?" His voice rose, desperation creeping in. "What am I supposed to look for?"
Victor tilted his head slightly, studying Damien as if weighing his worth. Then he spoke, his tone almost reverent. "When the time comes, the path will reveal itself. Only by walking it will you understand who you truly are."
The words struck Damien like a blow. He stared at Victor, frustration mingling with confusion. But something about the creature's tone, its unshaken certainty, left him speechless.
After a long silence, Damien exhaled sharply, trying to shove his spiraling thoughts aside. "Fine. If you're not going to tell me about myself," he said, his voice firming, "then at least tell me about the virus. You owe me that much."
Victor's eyes seemed to flicker, the glow intensifying as he stepped closer. "The virus..." he murmured, almost to himself. He paused, as if weighing whether to tell Damien anything at all. Finally, he nodded. "Very well. You should know the truth, if only to understand the magnitude of what lies ahead."
Victor straightened, and as he began to speak, his voice took on a faraway quality, as though he were pulling memories from a deep, hidden place.
---
Two years ago...
Victor Hallow strode toward the entrance of his isolated laboratory, his boots crunching on the gravel of the desert floor. The sun hung heavy in the sky, casting waves of heat that shimmered against the sand. Around him, towering fences lined with barbed wire marked the perimeter of the facility. Guard towers loomed in the distance, manned by heavily armed security personnel.
As Victor approached the reinforced steel doors, the guards at the entrance snapped to attention. "Dr. Hallow," one of them said, nodding respectfully as he stepped aside to let him pass. The other scanned Victor's ID badge and inputted a code into the control panel. A heavy clank echoed as the doors unlocked, sliding open with a hiss.
Victor stepped inside, the cool, sterile air of the facility hitting him immediately. The faint hum of machinery filled the hallway as he walked toward the main lab, his polished shoes clicking against the smooth floor. His mind raced with anticipation and nervous energy. Today was the day he would present the culmination of ten years of relentless work—a project that had consumed his life, his relationships, and his very humanity.
As he neared the lab, the sound of muffled voices grew louder. Top officials, military personnel, and politicians from all corners of the globe had gathered here today, their investments fueling the project that Victor had promised would change the world.
The double doors to the main lab slid open automatically as he approached. Inside, a group of men and women in tailored suits and military uniforms stood in a semicircle, their conversations halting as Victor entered. Their eyes turned to him, some filled with curiosity, others with skepticism.
"Dr. Hallow," a man in a sleek gray suit said, stepping forward with an outstretched hand. His salt-and-pepper hair and commanding presence marked him as someone used to getting what he wanted. "It's good to see you. We've been waiting."
Victor shook his hand, forcing a polite smile. "Secretary Vance," he said, addressing the man. "And everyone. Thank you for coming. I assure you, the wait will be worth it."
Vance gave a curt nod and gestured toward the others. "We've poured billions into this, Hallow. I trust you're ready to deliver."
Victor met his gaze evenly. "I am."
He turned and led the group further into the lab. The space was vast, filled with rows of equipment, glowing monitors, and glass chambers that lined the walls. Scientists in white coats moved efficiently between stations, their expressions focused and determined. At the center of the room stood a large cylindrical containment unit, its glass exterior frosted to obscure whatever lay within.
Victor stopped before the containment unit, his fingers brushing over a control panel. He hesitated for a moment, the weight of the moment pressing on him. "What you're about to see," he began, his voice steady but tinged with emotion, "is the future of humanity. A breakthrough that will not only redefine the boundaries of science but also secure our survival in an increasingly unstable world."
Vance raised an eyebrow. "Survival? You've always said this was about advancement."
Victor smiled faintly, his fingers dancing over the controls. "Advancement and survival are often two sides of the same coin."
He pressed a final button, and the frost on the containment unit began to dissipate. Slowly, the figures inside became visible. Gasps rippled through the room as the audience took in the sight: humanoid forms, their skin unnaturally pale, their muscles visibly enhanced. Their eyes, though closed, glowed faintly, even in stasis.
"This," Victor said, gesturing to the figures, "is the result of our efforts. A new breed of humanity—stronger, faster, immune to disease and aging. Designed to withstand the harshest conditions and eliminate weaknesses that have plagued us for millennia."
The room buzzed with whispered conversations, some voices skeptical, others impressed. Vance stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he examined the figures. "And you're sure this is safe?" he asked. "We're not funding something that will blow up in our faces?"
Victor's expression darkened slightly. "Every precaution has been taken. The serum that created them has been rigorously tested. What you see here is perfection."
---
The memory ended abruptly as Victor stopped speaking, his gaze fixed on something Damien couldn't see. "That day," he murmured, "was the beginning of the end."
Damien stared at him, the weight of Victor's words sinking in. "What happened?" he asked, his voice low but insistent. "What went wrong?"
Victor's glowing eyes met Damien's