The first rays of dawn streamed into the horizon as they rent apart the veil of shadows that dominated the night. Ethan had been having restless sleep, disturbed by half-real dreams, metallic figures, and people with glowing eyes. The stiffness of lying on a cold, hard ground did not improve his waking condition when he sat up slowly.
Now the campfire dwindled to a faint glow; only embers glowed now, with the wind scouring through jagged remains of the ruin. Amara was back near their gear again, moving with an economy of motion, calculating efficiency as she packed their supplies. Her hair caught at a slant of rising sunlight and strands of gold and bronze reflecting like liquid fire. Ethan forced himself not to look too long.
She turned toward him as he stirred, her piercing blue eyes cutting through the dim light. "You look like you didn't sleep well," she said casually, her tone neutral but knowing.
Ethan stretched his arms, wincing as soreness worked its way through his shoulders. "I didn't," he admitted, his voice hoarse. "Too much on my mind."
She took a deep breath, closed her pack, and her voice dropped as if she were sharing something private. He wasn't sure if she was. "You'll learn quickly, Ethan. Out here, the mind is your worst enemy. Fear, doubt… they'll tear you apart faster than any enemy."
He gulped, then nodded. His eyes went past it to the horizon where everything was oranges, pinks, and purples, like this perfect, terrible sky to remind him they were but dust and water against so many elements.
"What now?" Ethan asked with a tight jaw, trying to ignore his fatigue.
Amara adjusted her weapon, buckling it securely onto her back. She gave him a measured glance. "We move on. Every step forward is progress, and the deeper we go into this broken world, the closer we'll find answers."
She did not say much, but the words that came out carried weight. Ethan felt she was hiding things from him once more, but he was afraid to probe. They had very few leads at hand and feared that making her defensive would only send her into herself.
The ruins lay before them, skeletal remains of structures that had long outlived their original purpose. Ethan caught himself staring at them as they began to walk again. The metallic pathways beneath their boots groaned as they went on. The air was colder than he had expected and goosebumps rose on his skin.
Something felt off about the remains. Ethan couldn't rightly say why, but it stuck in his mind. He half felt eyes on him.
He shook his head, trying to clear himself.
"Hey," he heard Amara say from in front of him; she spoke low as she continued along the uneven earth. "Keep your wits about you. Listen to your gut. If it says something's off, trust that."
He nodded again, pulling his jacket closer against the wind.
They walked for hours. The journey was slow, the sound of their breathing and footsteps the only things that broke the silence. Amara was an efficient, quiet presence, always moving with deliberate motions. She wasn't just strong-she was calculated. Ethan couldn't help but admire her skill, her experience.
"I once thought I knew this world," she said suddenly, her voice piercing through his thoughts. "But now? Nothing's sure. Every step's a gamble."
Ethan glanced at her, his interest getting the better of him. "What do you mean by that?"
She looked at him, her pointed stare hard. "The ruins, Ethan. Alive in ways you can't think of yet. Ancient machines. Programs that are ingrained within the earth's own veins, hidden even from humanity's sight. Sometimes you can almost sense them moving."
Ethan swallowed hard. His gaze swept over the horizon. "And what if we can't trust these things? What if they turn on us?"
Amara hesitated. She took a deep breath and looked away toward jagged spires of metallic debris. "Then we fight. Or we run."
Her words hung in the air. Ethan wasn't sure if that reassured him or sent a fresh wave of dread through him. Her voice was calm, even in the face of so much uncertainty. She had faith in her ability to adapt, but it felt thin. They weren't just fighting external forces-they were learning to navigate a new, unfamiliar existence in a world that could have any number of threats waiting for them.
It was the sound of distant footsteps that caused them to halt. Ethan's hand instinctively went towards his weapon as his muscles tensed up. Amara's hand went out slightly as she tried to get him to wait. Her expression became unreadable as she turned her head towards the sound.
"Stay low," she whispered softly, lowering down.
Ethan followed her lead, his breath steady as they hid in the shadows. He heard the sound of footsteps; his mind racing in pace with it. His heart pounded. Enemy or the glowing figure that stalked them last night?
He couldn't get rid of a nagging feeling that whatever approached would be far more hazardous for them to deal with than ever.
Footsteps crested into view—a line of humanoid figures, their shapes silhouetted by the orange glow of the sun rising. They moved easily, weapons glinting in the light. Ethan could make out their features indistinctly, expression hardened, eyes narrowed.
"Friends?" Ethan whispered uncertainly.
Amara did not answer right away. She kept her gaze locked onto the approaching figures.
"They don't look like friends," she said finally, her voice low.
As they came close, Ethan caught his breath. There was something about the way they moved - sharp precision in their movements, a cold military-discipline that edged his nerves. Ethan didn't like strangers-armed ones-under these conditions.
The figures were getting closer still, and the hand of Ethan closed around his weapon. It was in a manner of preparation for the worst that they could bring in. His heart throbbed harder, and all instincts screamed this into a fight.
But again, in a twist, one of them raised his hand—a signal of non-aggression. Ethan and Amara caught each other's gaze. Amara hesitated slightly, her weapon still on. Her posture eased though, a little.
"Hold fire," she whispered. "They're flashing."
Ethan could hardly draw breath as he waited to see what would happen next.
A new chapter entered theirs, one that tested all their mettle, their ability to trust, and will to survive.