The city was dark, or so it seemed. The old, gray walls of the buildings seemed to absorb the last glimmer of light that filtered through the overcast sky. Nothing moved in the streets except the cold winds that swept through the abandoned corners, stirring the dust scattered on the ground like the ghosts of the past. People walked with heavy steps, their hearts full of worries, unsure of what tomorrow might bring, or if they would even live to see the dawn of the next day.
When Ian looked at the sky, he felt as if the clouds never moved. He had been trying to escape this siege for years, but nothing ever changed. Every time he tried to escape, voices would fall from everywhere, as if the city itself was watching his every move. Those voices were like whispers that reminded you of your mistakes, of a past you couldn't escape from.
Ian sank into his memories, back to the incident that happened seven years ago. They were painful memories, clinging to his senses as if they were alive in every moment.
That day was tough, as was every other day at that time. Ian was only eight years old, with a frail body that could barely handle the burdens of life. Ian and his family had dinner, which barely sufficed to feed him and his little sister. With every bite, he tried to smile and lighten the mood, even though the reality was suffocating everyone. They sat around the small table, and Ian talked to his parents about his dreams and ambitions, how he wanted to be a teacher one day, to raise a generation that understood the meaning of justice. The words of the child carried kindness and innocence, expressing a spirit that had not yet been tainted by the cruelty of life.
His father listened to him quietly, a sad smile fading from his eyes, a gaze accompanied by a tear, as if he saw in his son's future a hope lost in times gone by. As for his mother, she tried to encourage him with all her strength, smiling despite the anxiety gripping her heart. Ian's little sister wished she could play with him instead of him sitting long hours talking about the future.
When dinner ended, the siblings went to bed. At that moment, Ian looked at his father and asked a question that had been on his mind for a while. "Dad, why is our city's perimeter surrounded? Why are we not allowed to leave?" It was an innocent question, but the answer was more complicated than a child his age could understand.
The father was silent for a long time, not having the answer that would reassure his son's heart. He didn't have an explanation for what was happening, but he knew that the days ahead would bring more questions with no answers. In that moment, Ian felt something unfamiliar, as if the siege surrounding their city was not just a barrier, but something bigger than he could comprehend.
As time passed, darkness fell, and everyone drifted into sleep. But that question remained echoing in Ian's mind, "What is the reason for the siege?" He whispered it to himself as he fell asleep, unaware that the answer would come to him soon, in a form he never expected.
Ian suddenly woke to terrifying screams. He hurried out of bed, only to find the city ablaze. The fire consumed the neighborhoods, while his mother lay on the ground, her eyes streaming with tears. Soldiers stood by her, instilling fear everywhere. One soldier approached her and thrust his spear into her neck, causing her screams to explode throughout the area.
Ian stood stunned, silent and unable to move, while his little sister's screams filled the air. Before he could grasp what was happening, the soldier moved towards them. "Run, my son!" These were his father's words, shouted from the depths of his heart, trying with all his strength to protect his family.
In a decisive moment, his father threw a wooden axe at the soldier who was about to kill Ian and his sister, but it was too late. Ian saw his father, his leg severed, lying in a pool of his own blood, unable to rise. His facial features wavered between pain and determination, as he weakly screamed at Ian. But Ian couldn't respond. His mind was closed to any thought, and his heart drowned in helplessness.
In that moment, Ian picked up his little sister in his arms and ran as fast as he could. He didn't know where to escape, running with eyes flooded with tears, each step tripping over memories and a reality harsher than he had imagined.
But fate was crueler. In that moment, when he fell to the ground, he only felt a strong hand gripping his sister's head, pressing down with force, crushing her in front of him. Her final scream, "Save me, my brother!" echoed in his ears, growing louder with each second, and he couldn't do anything. Only a few moments passed between them, but those moments were enough for Ian to realize that losing his family was the beginning of the dark path he would walk for the rest of his life.
But Ian, in that moment, didn't care much. His only concern now was to stay alive. After losing his family in the tragic event he could never forget, he decided to take his fate into his own hands. Joining the internal security forces was the only way for him to feel that he had something to hold on to.
"The illusions don't matter now," he would tell himself.
"All that matters is that I achieve the justice I seek," Ian repeated this sentence every time he returned to the training camp after hours of hard work.
The internal security forces had begun to form and evolved rapidly in recent years. Their main goal, according to what they promoted, was to maintain order. But beneath that facade, there was something else, something darker than all the shadows that dominated the city. Ian didn't believe everything he heard about the "military regime" being the only solution to save the people. He had doubts, but he couldn't go against the current.
As days passed, he began to notice strange things. People disappearing at night, and rumors circulating that some were turning into "subhumans." He didn't know what that really meant, but he saw it every day in the streets: people who had once lived in the bloom of youth, now turned into incomplete human husks. The disfigured faces and empty eyes followed you wherever you went. This was not a natural world, he realized, but he insisted on moving forward.
Ian sat in a dark corner, contemplating the path his life had taken him to this dark place. He thought of his family, who suddenly vanished in an incident whose causes he still didn't know, and his mother's eyes, which seemed to watch him every time time struck the city.
"Why am I here?" Ian whispered to himself. "Was it the right decision?"
From behind the shadows that surrounded him, footsteps approached. They were footsteps he knew well—his old friend Theo's footsteps, his training buddy. Ian stood to face him.
"So you're here," said Theo, smiling a sad smile. "Haven't you felt something strange about the city?"
"What do you mean?"
"The city... it's not what it used to be," said his friend in a serious tone. "Everything has changed, and we're lying to ourselves if we say we really know what's going on."
Ian smiled, but his smile was empty, as if it was an expression of something not yet realized.
"I just want justice," Ian said, as if words from the past still controlled him.
"Justice... Do you think that's what we'll get here?" Theo said, his voice deepening. "If you're waiting for justice here, you're in the wrong place."
But before Ian could respond, a loud noise erupted in the nearby street. The deafening roar was unmistakable—it was the beginning of a new battle, one of those that never ends.
And so, the day ended as it had begun—with noise. With the siege. With waiting.
The sound came from outside the camp, like thunder suddenly tearing through the silence. Alongside Ian, his friends jumped from their spots, rushing toward the square where the forces were moving quickly. Their faces were void of expression, only their eyes showing resolve. They knew the battle was inevitable, and there was no escape from it.
"Get ready," said Ian's companion, tightening his strap around his wrist. He, too, was a soldier in the internal security forces, a long-time friend of Ian from their early days in the camp. There was a glint of strength in his eyes, but he carried something within him that no one else could see – a tension that only he knew. He understood that the battle ahead wouldn't be like any other.
"Everything seems disturbed," Ian murmured. He felt that the city was on the verge of exploding, like a ball of fire rolling through a foggy world. "Will we make it out this time?"
Ian's companion looked at him seriously and replied, "We don't have the luxury of thinking about escape now. The battle will decide our fate."
Within moments, the internal security forces had gathered and quickly moved towards the areas where the noise had erupted. The air was thick with the stench of smoke, and the sound of heavily armored military vehicles broke the silence, as if announcing the dawn of a new era for the city.
A battle had erupted between the internal security forces and opposition groups in the neighboring streets. The fighting was relentless, with nothing but death waiting for everyone. Though the battle seemed like a violent clash between factions, Ian knew there was something larger behind it, something he didn't fully understand. Why was the siege continuing? Who were these people they were fighting against? And why wouldn't the violence stop?
As they navigated through the devastated streets, scenes of the battle unfolded before them. The ruined outskirts of the city bore witness to the hatred and anger that grew in every corner. Soldiers pounced on their enemies, others fell to the ground after fatal injuries. Civilians ran in all directions, trying to escape the hell of fire and bullets.
"We won't find them here," said Ian's second companion, Taki, wiping the blood from his wound. "We need to move to the next point."
As they moved swiftly, Ian's mind was preoccupied with the image forming before him. Little by little, he began to realize that the battle they were fighting wasn't just a war between factions; it was part of something much larger. Something they couldn't escape from. What if this chaos was just a cover for something more sinister?
They stopped at a destroyed corner, where silence reigned after the last battle. At that moment, they were met with an unexpected sight. A person stood before them. He wasn't a civilian or a soldier, but wore a strange uniform, his eyes bearing a mixture of sorrow and destruction.
"Who are you?" Ian asked, quickly drawing his weapon.
"I'm not here to fight," the man said softly, his tone strange. "I'm here to tell you something. Something bigger than you. Bigger than any battle you can fight."
Tio stepped forward cautiously and asked, "What do you know?"
The man smiled a mischievous smile and said, "I know more than you can imagine. The city you're fighting for isn't what you think. Everything here is a game. A game played at the cost of your blood."
The man moved closer, his face becoming clearer. "You came here because you thought you had the answers. But the truth is more complicated than you see. The battle isn't against those you think are your enemies; it's against those who rule the city from behind the curtain."
Ian, feeling something unsettling in his chest, asked another question: "Who are they? Who are these people behind all of this?"
The man looked at them, his eyes carrying a hint of sadness. "You'll find out for yourselves. But remember one thing: no matter the war, you are part of a larger plan. You can't escape this. The truth will soon be revealed."
As the man's words echoed in his ears, Ian heard another booming sound in the distance. The battle on the horizon was intensifying, but something in Ian's heart knew the war wasn't just on the ground; it was a war against the unknown, against a mysterious enemy surrounding them all.
"Let's move now," said Taki, "We understand the message, but we don't have time now."
They continued on their way, but their minds were clouded. Another battle loomed ahead, and the city's history merged with the present in a way that couldn't be understood. Would they be able to face this unknown enemy?
As they moved through the misty streets, Ian felt the weight of the question growing with each step he took. The words spoken by the strange man still echoed in his mind, like the winds howling in the dark night. "You are part of a bigger plan..." The voice rang in his head, and he felt unease creeping into his heart. Were they just pawns in a game they knew nothing about? And was the attack on the lab just the beginning of something much bigger than they had anticipated?
Despite the city teetering on the brink of collapse, there were undeniable signs. Amid the destruction, there were glimpses of hope. Houses filled with memories, walls that still seemed to breathe life despite the ruin. But it was just an illusion. An illusion hiding the bitter truth they were beginning to realize.
"We need to return to base," said Theo, his features tense. "We need to plan for what's coming."
But Ian wasn't sure if returning to base was the answer. He knew the war was no longer just a conflict between factions; it was a battle for a real understanding of what was happening behind the curtain. As he pondered this, the sounds of fighting grew closer, as if they were trying to force the truth he had been running from into his mind.
When they reached the base, the atmosphere was unnatural. The walls were broken, and the lights flickered strangely. The headquarters was in complete chaos, with soldiers running in all directions, shouting and urging quick action. But Ian felt something strange in the air, something that unsettled him deep within.
"Is the owner of the lab still here?" asked Taki, his eyes filled with worry.
"No, he's missing after the attack," one of the soldiers replied, waving his hand as though dismissing the gravity of the situation. "The battle flared up not long ago, and it seems he was one of the primary targets."
Ian felt increasing pressure. What had happened to the lab owner? He knew the man had been his last hope in discovering the secret behind the new gene. Yet, everything was turning darker, and each step brought him closer to an even greater mystery.
Suddenly, Ian stopped and turned to his last companion, who was trying to gather herself after the recent attack. Her gaze was fixed, her eyes filled with determination.
"Are we going to face the same death that everyone else saw?" she whispered.
The question was simple, but it reflected the internal struggle she was feeling. Everyone standing in that moment knew the end might be near. And the truth was, no one could escape the unknown fate that surrounded them.
Then, at that moment, the headquarters exploded. A massive explosion shook the ground and lit up the sky with flames. The sound was so loud that everyone felt as though the world was collapsing beneath their feet.
"We need to leave now!" Theo shouted, running toward the door. "The base has been attacked!"
But Ian, lost in his thoughts, didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the distant horizon, where the city's lights were gradually fading, as if dying. In that moment, he realized something profound. The struggle in the city was greater than just a battle between factions; it was a fight for life itself, a battle against the darkness that loomed on the horizon.
"We won't be able to run forever," Ian said quietly, approaching his companion. "But we must be ready for death, because the real battle hasn't even started yet."
The base exploded in silence for a few seconds before the noise spread. It wasn't the first time Ian had faced the sound of explosions, but he knew this was different. A strange feeling crept into his heart. Amid the smoke and fumes, he saw soldiers running in every direction, but his eyes were searching for one thing: the truth.
"Ian, we need to leave now!" Theo shouted, his face pale from exhaustion, but his command was firm. "The enemy is approaching!"
But Ian remained still. The chaos around him intensified, but his mind drifted elsewhere. Those moments he had lived throughout his life, the dark days he had grown up in, were returning now sharply. The voice echoing in his mind was the same one: "You are part of a bigger plan..." Those words resonated in his mind as if they pierced through every layer of his reality.
"Ian!" Theo shouted again, trying to get his attention, but Ian felt the matter was bigger than just a battle. The wars that had unfolded in their hands from the beginning were only part of a larger fight, a battle with enemies they didn't know.
"I need to know what happened here," Ian finally said quietly. "I need to uncover the secret behind all of this."
As more soldiers fled and screamed, Theo felt his tension mounting. "You won't uncover anything here, Ian. This isn't the right time for those thoughts. Our lives are in danger!"
But Ian knew the time had come to search for the real answer, despite the chaos around them. He felt the real battle wouldn't be against an external enemy but against the system that ruled the city and sought to destroy everyone for its own interests.
As Ian made a decisive decision to go to the research room in the base, he found another person in front of him. He was another soldier who had worked at the lab before the attack. His face was bruised, but his eyes were filled with despair.
"Where is the lab owner?" Ian asked in a low voice, fully aware that this man was the last person who might hold real information about the new gene.
"He's dead... He died the moment the lab exploded," the soldier replied, his voice tired as if the world had collapsed on him. "We couldn't do anything. They were faster than us."
The soldier didn't need to say much more to explain. Everything was clear. The attack on the lab wasn't just an ordinary attack. It was something carefully planned, something bigger than just a military response.
Ian looked at Theo and Taki. The answer was clear now. "We need to go back to the lab," he said firmly, taking a slow step forward. "That's where we need to find the answer."
"You're crazy!" Taki said, his eyes filled with concern. "This is a huge risk! The lab isn't safe, and everything is surrounded by the siege!"
But Ian felt that returning to the lab was the only way to get the answers he had been searching for from the beginning. There was no time to wait or turn back. He knew this option might be dangerous, but he was ready to sacrifice everything to get to the truth.
Before responding to his companions' objections, he had already started moving toward the door. His heart was pounding, and his mind was full of conflicting thoughts, but he knew the end was near. The pursuit of truth only required one step, and this was it.
As they left the base, the atmosphere grew darker. The city was surrounded by tight military barriers, yet Ian felt something strange. There was something watching them, something in the air warning them not to proceed. But Ian didn't stop, for something inside him told him they were on the brink of discovering something much greater.
Ian and his companions moved through the dark alleys, accompanied by the whispers of the wild winds that seemed to try to melt every hope in their hearts. The city was in a deadly stillness, with only the sound of their footsteps on broken surfaces and walls marked with the scars of war. The streets Ian once knew, full of life when he was a child, were now like graves, wrapped in heavy silence.
"It's a game bigger than we imagine..." Theo whispered as he watched the shadows around them. "I don't think we even understand the rules of the game yet."
The voice was low, but it carried a deep sense of doubt. As Ian moved forward steadily, he glanced at his companions. He didn't respond, his mind spiraling with questions and possibilities. He no longer had time or energy to think about the consequences. The truth he was seeking seemed farther with every step he took, but also closer than he thought.
"The bigger enemy isn't just the army, it's the whole system," Ian finally said, turning to Theo and Taki. "We need to search for clues, something that can explain what's happening here. We're in a game bigger than words can control."
Everyone stopped at the corner of a building. The lab was close, though getting there was fraught with danger. The place was surrounded by elements of the military siege, with soldiers moving between tall towers, focusing their attention on every movement. Ian knew that any wrong step could be their end, but his quest for the truth was bigger than any fear.
Taki looked at Ian and said quietly, "What if the truth is more brutal than we expect? What if what we're looking for isn't something we want to know?"
But Ian had already made his decision. "We can't escape forever, Taki. We'll find out what's going on here, even if the truth is horrifying."
They silently scaled the walls surrounding the lab. The dim city lights filtered in from afar, reflecting distorted images of the past on the broken buildings, while the sounds of battle faded behind them. Though they were inside a restricted military area, there was an uncomfortable feeling that they were approaching something far greater than they had imagined.
When they reached the main entrance of the lab, the iron doors were slightly open, as if inviting them in. No one was inside the lab now, but the evidence was everywhere. Debris here and there, as if from a brutal battle. Ian kept moving, his eyes scanning for small details that might indicate what had happened here.
"We've reached a point where we can't turn back," Theo whispered, breathing heavily in the polluted air.
Ian ignored his warnings. "We need to get to the research room."
They entered quietly, trying to avoid the flickering lights in the corners of the place. This was the first time they had navigated this dark place, and everything felt strange and unfamiliar. The cracks in the walls seemed to hide secrets, and the machines that had once worked seemed to have suddenly stopped.
"Ian..." Taki said, turning to his companion, who was standing in front of an old machine. "Do we even know what we're doing here? Are we even ready to face the truth?"
Ian remained still, now realizing that things might take them to a place they hadn't expected. There were signs—some indicating a sudden power outage—while the rooms were empty of people. Inside, some tools were scattered on the floor as if they had witnessed a violent struggle.
Then, in one of the dark rooms, Ian discovered something strange. There were bloodstains on the floor, as if someone had sustained a serious injury. On the table was a device that seemed to have been quickly disabled.
"This place wasn't just an ordinary lab. There was something here..." Ian said, his eyes wide, as he approached the broken device. "And this is something we need to understand now."
But before he could say more, suddenly the place shook around them. The sound was close, and the army was approaching. They were surrounded, and there was nowhere to run. Suddenly, in the midst of the chaos, another explosion sounded, a terrifying blast that caused a crack in the building, and the walls began to crumble.
"We can't stay here much longer!" Theo screamed, turning toward the door crowded with soldiers. "We need to leave now!"
But Ian, at that moment, wasn't thinking about escape. His heart was pounding hard, and he felt there was something much bigger than just a battle here. He had to know the truth, no matter the cost.
"We don't leave until we find out what happened here..." Ian said, determined to push forward no matter what.
The chaos was rapidly closing in on them. More explosions rocked the area, and the voices of soldiers echoed from all sides. The ground beneath their feet shook in a terrifying way, as if warning of worse things to come. Yet, Ian remained steady in place, despite the rising screams around him.
"Ian!" Theo screamed, fear creeping into his voice. "We won't survive here long! Do you hear? The armies are everywhere!"
Ian didn't respond right away. His eyes were fixed on the broken screen in front of him, which displayed complex data he didn't fully understand. But it was showing something strange, something he hadn't expected.
"These experiments... this research... they're not ordinary experiments," Ian whispered, instinctively pressing the buttons. "There's something bigger. We need to get to the secret shelters, there we might discover the truth."
At that moment, a huge explosion echoed, but this time the sound was louder and closer. The entire lab shook, and pieces of the ceiling fell to the ground. A group of soldiers suddenly rushed toward the entrance they were standing at. This was a critical moment.
"Ian, we're surrounded!" Taki screamed, turning back to watch the soldiers approaching rapidly. "We need to escape now!"
But Ian stayed still, his eyes focused on the broken screen. Its data flickered rapidly, as if the lab was starting to collapse entirely. He knew there was something here that could change everything.
"We're not leaving!" Ian said firmly, turning to them. "Either we find out what's been going on here, or we'll remain lost in the dark forever. We need this answer."
Theo and Taki exchanged worried glances, but they eventually understood Ian's resolve. This wasn't like him; he wasn't the man they were used to seeing act rationally. He was fighting for something deeper, refusing to run from the truth, no matter the consequences.
But they weren't alone. The soldier Ian had seen earlier returned, but he looked in a terrifying state. He was panting, his face pale, and his eyes filled with fear. "Come on, don't waste time! You won't escape... the army is coming, and everything will collapse."
Ian, who was about to ignore his warnings, felt something strange stir in his heart. His eyes shone with determination, and his mind was reordering priorities. "Do you know what was going on here?" he asked the soldier, his voice challenging.
The soldier swallowed hard, then answered in a choking voice, "What was happening here... wasn't just research. There was something about the lineage... something very dangerous. They... were trying to create a new kind of human, stronger, faster, more resilient. And they were giving them something strange. Something that changed their bodies completely."
A familiar feeling stirred in Ian's heart. This was the answer he had been looking for. They were conducting experiments on humans, trying to turn them into something superhuman, something beyond the limits of ordinary humans. And this was what he had been chasing from the start.
"Human genome..." Ian murmured to himself, taking another step inside, determined to uncover all the secrets in this lab.
But before he could take any more steps, a buzzing sound like thunder rang out. Another massive explosion, bigger than anything they had experienced before, shook the entire place. The ceiling suddenly collapsed, trapping them all in a narrow corner.
"Ian!" Theo screamed, pulling Ian to another side. "We won't survive if we stay here! We need to leave now!"
But Ian was staring into the darkness, at that moment that surrounded them, and insisted on moving forward. "We can't go back now. We need to know more."
And as soon as he said it, the attacking soldiers flooded in from every direction. It was a moment of confusion, as Ian and his friends fought back, but they were vastly outnumbered.
Shells streamed in from every angle, and with every shot that came closer, Ian's heart grew sharper. The chaos had reached its peak, and the battle was about to become more bloody.
Gunfire filled the air, burning in the darkness. The battle was brutal, and the scattered sounds were deafening. Amid the noise of shells and flying debris, Ian moved quickly and cautiously, his eyes fixed on the two soldiers closely following him. His wounds were worsening with every passing second, but his will was stronger than any pain. His blood boiled, and every moment that passed brought him closer to the answer he longed for.
"Ian, to the right!" Theo shouted, pointing to a corner of the lab where soldiers were advancing rapidly. Ian moved like a shadow through the rising smoke, Theo following cautiously, his eyes scanning the situation from every angle.
"Come on, no time to wait!" Ian ordered as he advanced into a small room at the far end of the lab, completely covered in deep shadows. The lights flickered intermittently, and a strange device pulsed in the corner of the room.
As they entered, another explosion echoed through the air. The ground shook beneath them as if signaling the end of everything. But Ian was determined to stay, his eyes fixed on the screen displaying disturbed data. The answer he had been searching for was right there.
"This is the moment," Ian whispered to himself, as if reading something on the screen. "This is the gene the lab owner mentioned."
Beside him, Taki gasped for air, his wounds deep from the fierce battle. "Ian, we're nearing the end. If we don't escape now, we'll die here."
But Ian, with vigilant eyes determined not to retreat, clenched his fist. "We're not running, Taki. This is the moment we've been waiting for, the one we've sacrificed for. We will discover the truth."
As he grabbed the control device with a trembling hand, the device suddenly lit up, and the data exploded before him, a mix of numbers and symbols he couldn't immediately understand. But one thing was clear: it was related to a genetic experiment, an attempt to transform humans into stronger, faster, and more resilient beings. And this gene, which he had begun to analyze in the secret lab, was about to be within his grasp.
As he dove into thought, another explosion lit up their faces with a blinding red flash. The sound was deafening, as if everything had collapsed in an instant. In the darkness surrounding them, they heard the sound of another building collapsing nearby.
"We won't survive if we stay here, Ian!" Theo screamed, pulling his companion toward the broken door. "Time's up!"
But Ian didn't hesitate this time. "We don't know what happens next, but this is our only way."
Suddenly, a group of soldiers who had been hiding behind the corners attacked with unstoppable force. The battle was fierce, and Ian tried to respond quickly, but his enemies were relentless, leaving him no chance to escape.
The soldier Ian had seen earlier, covered in dirt and carrying a long knife, charged at him. Theo was the first to engage, but in an unexpected moment, they were surprised by even more soldiers hiding in the shadows. The plan had failed, and escape had become impossible.
"Ian, Taki!" Theo shouted as he tried to fend off the attack. "You have to go now!"
But Ian, watching Theo fight bravely against the soldiers, couldn't retreat. His heart screamed for Theo, but he couldn't help him now. The minutes were racing by terrifyingly fast.
"Go!" Theo screamed again, but in that moment, he collapsed to the ground after being struck in the head.
It was a fatal sound, worse than any explosion. Ian couldn't bear it. His heart shattered in his chest. But the moment was decisive. It was either retreat or continue the path.
"Impossible!" Ian screamed, his voice filled with determination. "I won't leave him... I can't leave him like this."
As he rushed forward, his mind screamed at him not to waste another second. Suddenly, he collided with something heavy. He took a step back to find the soldiers had all fallen in a wave of dust. Their torn arms spilled onto the ground. Then, before his eyes, Theo's body lay still.
"Theo!" Ian shouted, trying to push him, but it was futile. His companion was dead.
A tear exploded from Ian's eye, but he knew there was no time to stop. As he dragged Theo's body to a safe corner, he began to flee with Taki, both in shock over what had happened. Now, they faced the real enemy, and everything was at stake.
The silence filled the place after the bloody battle. The sounds of the fires that hadn't ignited everywhere suddenly quieted, but it wasn't enough to lessen the weight of the pain that was determined to linger.
"Tio... no... I can't believe it..." Ian whispered, holding his friend's cold body between his fingers, trying to refuse the truth that this was the fate that awaited him. Tio, the one who always spoke of the meaninglessness of life, had shown the greatest sacrifices. But it wasn't enough. Death had come faster than them.
"Ian... you can't leave now," Takey's words echoed in the air filled with the scent of coffee. His voice was softened, but deep inside his heart, the wound was bigger than any words could ease. "We're here in the heart of the storm,"
But Ian didn't respond; he felt a heaviness in his chest, something greater than any fear or sorrow. It was the old wound that memories tried to pull back with their grip. Tio's death felt like a new wound, reopening the unhealed scars of the past. The images of his murdered family, the blood that had soaked the land, and the certainty that it would return to him haunted his mind. Everything
"He shouldn't have died..." Ian whispered for the first time. The words were weak, broken, as though refusing to face the truth. But he realized at that moment that he couldn't stop. It was impossible to stop.
"I won't let him die in vain again." He said it sharply, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Ian took steps forward, leaving Tio's body where it was. The wind howled through the destroyed lab, sweeping everything around them. Ian had to find what he had come for. The truth he had been searching for.
"Ian..." Takey said, trying to get his attention. "We need to find the hideout. The genome... we have to reach it."
Ian paused for a moment, gathering his strength. It was the first time in years that his scientific pursuit had a new goal. Death was part of the equation, but he hadn't anticipated that Tio would face his fate now. Yet, everything urged them to continue. The truth that had been etched into his heart was greater than anything else.
"Where is it?"
"In the eastern area, in the lab's secret section. If it's there, we'll be closer to the solution... and maybe find some answers." Takey answered, despite his exhaustion and the blood covering him.
Though exhausted and covered in blood, Ian felt different this time. There was a new drive, something inside him pushing him to move forward. Perhaps this step would change everything, but no one knew exactly how the story would end.
At that moment, they heard a faint sound approaching them quickly. The simple silence lasted for a moment before the sound of military reinforcements echoed in the background.
"Soldiers..." Takey whispered, gripping his sword tightly. "They won't get out of here easily."
But Ian might have been the cause. His gaze was fixed in the dark space ahead of him, where light flickered, casting shadows across the cracked walls of the lab. There was only one chance, and they had to seize it without sacrificing more.
"Let's go."
As they ran through the narrow corridors, the sounds of the soldiers grew clearer. This was the crucial moment that would determine whether Ian would face his fate.
Every step they took brought them closer to the answer they had been waiting for, though they didn't yet know how dangerous the truth would be. Ian and his companion had to uncover the details, and it would change everything.
End of Chapter One