Lucia had never imagined the world would end like this—slowly, painfully, in a crawl of false promises and crushed hopes. The great cities that once stretched towards the heavens now lay in ruins. Nature had crept in, reclaiming the earth, while humanity's remnants fought over the scraps left behind. But none of this was as devastating as the revelation that would soon burn through her consciousness: she was a product of it all.
Her heart thudded heavily in her chest as she sprinted through the abandoned hallways of the Dominion's high-security facility, her boots slapping against the cold, cracked floors. The air smelled faintly of decay, a subtle but constant reminder that she wasn't the only thing here that was dying. It was a place of perfection, but it was crumbling—just like the world outside.
She ducked into a small, dimly lit storage room, her breath ragged and loud in the silence. She pressed her back against the cold metal wall, listening for any signs of pursuit. The heavy steps of the Reapers, the genetically engineered soldiers loyal to the Dominion, echoed down the hallway. They were getting closer.
No. I can't be caught. Not now.
Lucia's mind raced. She couldn't let the Dominion find her. She had learned too much. Seen too much. The truth. The lies. The experiments that had turned humans into weapons. And most importantly, what she had uncovered about herself.
A flash of metal caught her eye—one of the experimental files she had taken from the Dominion's data vault earlier. She carefully unfolded it, her hands trembling slightly, and skimmed through the contents. Her eyes went wide as the truth settled deep within her chest. The Dominion had been working on something far beyond what anyone had realized: the Reapers were only the beginning. The Trials, the deadly competitions the Dominion used to control the factions, were part of a much larger plan. A plan to evolve humanity into something... different. Better. Stronger.
But at what cost?
Lucia clenched the paper in her hands, feeling a wave of anger surge through her. The Dominion's cruelty was undeniable. The experiments, the manipulation, the murder of thousands—all for power. And it had all been for one purpose: to shape humanity into their image, a race of genetically perfected soldiers capable of ruling over the fractured world.
But she wasn't like them. She wasn't just another pawn.
Or at least, that's what she hoped.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp sound—a door slamming open. The Reapers had found her.
"Target located. Engage immediately."
Lucia spun around, her eyes locking with the cold, lifeless gaze of one of the Reapers. It was a man's face, but something about him was wrong. His skin was too smooth, his features too symmetrical, and his eyes... there was no humanity in them. Just an empty void, an endless obedience to the Dominion.
Think. Think fast.
She had only one option. Escape.
With a swift motion, Lucia grabbed a small device from her belt, the size of a coin. It was her last shot. A small EMP grenade, stolen from a Dominion officer. It wasn't enough to disable the entire facility, but it would give her the precious seconds she needed to get away.
She hurled it at the Reaper, who didn't even flinch as the device detonated. A pulse of electricity coursed through the air, temporarily disrupting the Reaper's targeting system. The soldier froze, his movements glitching for just a moment.
That was all Lucia needed.
She sprinted toward the hallway, her muscles screaming in protest as she pushed her body to its limit. She heard the Reaper's voice crack through the distortion, his voice growing more mechanical as his systems reactivated.
"Pursuing target. Do not attempt to evade."
But Lucia was already ahead. She had to reach the exit. She had to get to the one place where she could find answers. The Fractured. The underground resistance group, operating from the ruins of what was once the capital. The last hope for survivors like her.
The corridor ahead opened into a wide, echoing expanse. The Dominion's central control center loomed just beyond, but Lucia turned sharply to the left. Her heart pounded as she reached a hidden door—one of the secret exits only a few in the Dominion knew about. A tunnel leading to the surface.
It's now or never.
The metal door slid open with a hiss, and she dove into the narrow, dimly lit passageway. She heard the Reaper's heavy footsteps in the distance. They were getting closer, but she was almost there. Almost free.
She pushed forward, her mind focused only on the exit. She wouldn't look back. Not now.
The tunnel eventually opened up to the surface. The night air hit her like a cold slap, filling her lungs with the scent of dust and decay. The city was a hollow shell, buildings long abandoned, their glass windows shattered and their foundations cracked. The lights of the Dominion headquarters glowed ominously in the distance, a reminder of the evil she had just escaped.
Lucia stepped forward, breathless, but not defeated. She had made it out. And now, she had a choice.
She could run. She could vanish into the wasteland, and no one would ever find her again. The world was broken beyond repair, after all. What difference would one more lost soul make?
But she couldn't. Not now. Not after what she had learned.
She had to fight. She had to expose the Dominion's plans and stop the Trials. The world was waiting for someone to lead them to freedom—and she would be that person.
As she vanished into the night, a thought flashed across her mind: The Ruin Wars are just beginning.