The towering wall loomed over us as we walked closer, its size showed the desperation of humanity's fight for survival.
It wasn't just a wall, it was a fortress, curved and stretching endlessly, designed to shield the city from the apocalypse.
Even from a distance, I could make out the base nestled within.
It wasn't just big it was massive, dominating the skyline and dwarfing everything else in sight.
Amber walked beside me, her golden hair catching the faint rays of sunlight filtering through the overcast sky.
She glanced at me, her expression curious but tinged with concern.
"Sky," she started, "how was your own survival with your team before they died?"
"Oh that" I answered not sure of what to say next, I don't know how the real sky survived.
She was looking at me expecting to her something.
"Well our survival wasn't an interesting one" I said
"I would still like to hear it."
Why must you be persistent?.
Do you know how hard it is to think of a story.
"Sure" I said, and continued, "it wasn't easy, and they actually wasn't any interesting moment like yours, when we split up in groups, our team sergeant wasn't fun at all, we only ate the supply we had with us, they actually kill two beast, but when someone from our crew suggested we eat it, our captain declined saying we have no time to waste"
"That is not nice at all, you couldn't even taste a monster meat on your first mission outside of the wall, such a pity!" She said.
"We passed through different danger zones and all of that, I actually thought it was less scary than thrilling, maybe I was just encouraging myself with that, well yeah, that's all, not interesting at all" I said feeling relief that i can finally rest my brain, after thinking of a good story to tell her.
The story about how I and my team survived, is actually from another survival story I read.
I dropped it after reading few chapters, because it wasn't interesting like 'TWID'.
But...
That damn truck didn't allow me to finish the remaining future chapters the author published.
I have been thinking of this for a while, I was hit by a truck.
Doesn't that makes me a isekai'd person and makes the truck.
Truck kun!.
I am a truck kun victim!.
I was pushed out of my thoughts by Amber question.
"So, how... how did you survive out there before you met us? And how did your team die?"
My stomach dropped.
I knew this question would come eventually.
The real Sky, the one whose body I now inhabited, had apparently been part of a team that hadn't made it.
And I had no idea what had actually happened.
I forced a smile and scratched the back of my head, buying myself a moment to think.
"Well... it's a long story," I began, my voice steady despite the panic in my head.
Amber tilted her head, her curiosity deepening.
"I got time."
I sighed, pretending to be reluctant, and then launched into the most convincing lie I could muster.
Although it wasn't fully a lie because I am saying it out of my understanding of some infective entity.
"It started when our team where matching through the forest. We got to a small area where buildings where, there was dead bodies littered on the ground" I paused trying to make It as emotional as possible.
"Dead bodies. What killed them?" She asked curiously.
"And in the mist of the bodies... A total black figure stood, it body was pitch black, no light could penetrate it" I said.
"What was it?" Amber's eyes widened, and I continued, gaining confidence in my story.
Maybe I should consider writing a novel
"It looked like an Infected Entity" I finally said.
Amber gulped.
"An Infected Entity?"
"Yes" I simply answered.
"Are you sure that is what it looked like, because if it is, I doubt I would be seeing you right now"
Damn, that hit hard.
But she isn't wrong
"Our team shot at it, but all our effort where useless, it adapted to all our attack in and instant, it didn't attack us, it just stood there. Suddenly one by one soldiers began to fall, just like that without it even attacking, it was horrible" I paused, letting my voice falter.
Her expression became that of pity.
I inwardly cringed, but I had to keep going.
"That is what happens to everyone in this world, no one is safe." She said. "But if what you said is true, about it being an infective entity, and when all the soldiers in the area was falling mysteriously... How aren't you infected?"
My expression darkened.
"I was behind, it looked like the infection was spreading slowly. I was just lucky enough to run on time, I found a small cave and hide in, I stayed there for days, scavenging what little I could find. I didn't know if the have infected left or if I come out if I would be infected, but i didn't leave the cave. Eventually, I ran out of food and water. I eventually came out. and went back to find any supply I could manage to survive, that is when I found all of them... dead, I was the only one alive."
Amber was silent for a moment, her golden eyes locked on mine.
"You went through all of that... alone?"
I nodded solemnly.
"Yeah. Guess I'm just lucky to still be breathing."
She placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch gentle.
"You're stronger than you look, Sky."
I didn't respond.
What could I say?
The story was all a lie...
But her sincerity made me feel like an absolute fraud.
As we reached the gate, Amber's tone lightened, and she started talking about the base.
"You loved it here when we where still kids," she said, her voice filled with excitement.
"There's so much to do well, when we're not busy fighting for our lives. My favorite thing? There's this little garden on the top level of the base. It's peaceful, quiet... a nice escape from everything."
"Sounds nice," I replied, doing my best to sound interested while my eyes stayed locked on the massive gates ahead.
The guards at the entrance spotted us before we even reached them.
They were outfitted in military uniform, their weapons ready but not raised.
As we approached, one of them gestured toward the scanning device near the gate.
"Step forward one at a time," he instructed.
Amber went first, stepping confidently into the scanner.
A faint blue light swept over her, and the machine beeped, displaying a green light.
She stepped through the gate, turning to wait for me with a reassuring smile.
I followed, my heart pounding slightly as the light passed over me.
For a moment I worried, but the scanner gave another green light, and the guard waved me through.
"Welcome back, Awakened Amber" one of the guards said to her, giving her a respectful nod.
She smiled politely and glanced back at me. "Come on, Sky."