After three days of uncertainty and a growing sense of despair, Benjamin decided it was time to act. His judgment, clouded by anger and pain, led him to make a hasty decision: to leave for combat without taking into account the consequences. There was no trace left of the caution that had once defined him; now, there was only the burning desire for revenge. He took his entire group with him, leaving behind Santiago, the only one who, of his own free will, remained in the city. Santiago knew that without a leader, the city could fall into chaos, but the words of warning did not reach the ears of Benjamin, who only longed to shed the blood of Jack, the one responsible for the massacre that had shattered his pride and annihilated his people.
They left heading east, towards the city where Benjamin knew that Jack would be waiting for him. The journey would not be easy. It would take them fourteen days round trip, an arduous journey, especially since they would go on foot, walking slowly to avoid running into beasts that might slow them down. They found some roads that served as shortcuts, and thus, they arrived at their first destination: The City of Children.
This small village, thirteen kilometers away, was a refuge for the few remaining survivors, mostly small children and teenagers who did not exceed sixteen years. Upon arrival, they were greeted with hostility by the teenage commanders, distrustful of strangers. However, seeing that they were adults and only a small group of thirteen, they decided to let them pass. They offered them food and water, and Benjamin was brought before the chief of the city, Savitar, a young man of eighteen who bore the blessing of Mephisto.
Savitar: "Are you thinking of attacking Jack, the smiley so-called by the children?", he asked, in a firm voice.
Benjamin: "Yes. And if you try to stop me, I will not hesitate to fight to get to him."
The auras of both collided at that instant, showing an impressive might. However, Benjamin proved to be superior, making it clear that any attempt to stop him would be futile. Savitar, having no other choice, handed him a map, warning him about the danger of the road.
Savitar: "This map will take you on the fastest route to the city of Cordoba. But to cross, you will have to pass through Barrio Norte, where the surviving military and politicians are based. The problem with them is that they still think that human laws have weight in this world. It will be difficult both to get in and out of that place. Do not hesitate to kill or destroy a couple of heads to show your supremacy, because it will be the only way to pass."
Before Benjamin could leave, Savitar stopped him, with a graver tone in his voice.
Savitar: "There's something else you should know, Benjamin. Everyone knows about the existence of Leon. His story has been told in every corner of the world. A special event called 'The Birth of a Legend' was broadcast, where they showed many warriors fighting solo. But the event that captured the most attention, not only of this country, but of the whole world, was the one in León, called 'The Sacrifice of the Phoenix'. Many catalogued him as a god, a hero, a leader, a worthy rival. Even those who serve the gods of the abyss respect him. And you were at the same event. We all saw and heard everything. We know that it was for you and for your people that Leon ended up in that state."
Savitar's words echoed in Benjamin's mind, taking his breath away. As he was leaving the room, a red aura, charged with anger, began to radiate from his body. Pain and guilt were consuming him, but a strange feeling was beginning to arise in his heart, something that he could not quite understand.
He called the other members of his group, who were helping the children and teenagers of the village, and gave them the order to continue on their way. Using Savitar's map, they walked about ten kilometers along the main avenue, full of destroyed cars and bodies of those who did not manage to survive. They arrived at a tunnel that connected to Barrio Norte, and decided to camp there for the night, separating into small groups.
Benjamin turned away from the campfire, his eyes lost in the shadows dancing in the distance. The chill of the night was more penetrating than usual, and the silence, oppressive, seemed to carry every whisper of the wind with a weight that threatened to break his will. The reality that surrounded him was as devastating as the pain that tormented him. The ruins of what were once homes and businesses stood as monuments to a better time, now buried under layers of ash and rubble. It was as if the world itself had stopped breathing, exhaling its last breath at the moment when hope was devoured by chaos.
Benjamin: "I have felt strange since I learned that Leon is known worldwide, which is the hope of many. They even see him as someone worthy of being a rival, while we are considered guilty of his state, for not being strong enough. I don't understand what I'm feeling..."His voice was barely a murmur, almost inaudible, as if he was afraid that the words would become more real if he said them out loud.
Rosario's face remained impassive, but her eyes reflected a mixture of understanding and hardness. She knew him better than anyone, maybe even better than he knew himself. Without taking his eyes off the campfire, he picked up a small branch from the ground, rubbed it between his fingers and threw it into the fire, watching as it twisted in the flames before turning into ashes.
Rosario: "What you're feeling is jealousy and envy, Benjamin," she said, her voice charged with a cold certainty. "Even if you are Leon's friend, you feel inferior, weak and small next to him."
Rosario's words were like a whip, tearing apart any trace of denial that Benjamin had tried to maintain. In a fit of rage, he grabbed Rosario by the clothes, lifting her up with a single violent movement. The fire lit up his face deformed by rage, his eyes sparkling with an anger that he could barely contain. It was a terrifying image, that of a man who had been pushed beyond his limits, forced to confront truths he had buried deep within his being.
But Rosario was not someone who allowed herself to be intimidated. Despite the palpable threat Benjamin posed at that moment, she remained motionless, her eyes fixed on his, daring him to do more than show his fury.
Benjamin: "How dare you say such a stupid thing!! I respect Leon, I would never feel such things!"he roared, but his voice, although powerful, had a tinge of desperation that he could not hide.
Rosario's face hardened even more, her gaze was a dark mirror reflecting an inconvenient truth. With a quick movement, he squeezed Benjamin's wrist, causing his grip on it to loosen. Effortlessly, she forced him to his knees out of pain, as if she were bending an angry beast with just her will. Then, with a firm gesture, she took his chin, forcing him to look directly into her eyes.
Rosario: "Don't ever touch me again," her tone was glacial, cutting like the edge of a knife. "And stop being so pathetic. You are our leader, not because you are the strongest, but because you are the smartest. And if it wasn't for Leon being in a coma, you wouldn't even be the leader."
The silence that followed was denser than any words. Benjamin could not hold Rosario's gaze, feeling that the truths she had thrown at him were heavier than he could bear. She let go of him, and he fell to the ground with a grunt, the weight of his own insecurities crushing him more than any physical blow.
Rosario walked away from him with barely concealed contempt, her figure disappearing into the gloom, leaving Benjamin alone with his thoughts and his fears. His body was shaking, not from cold, but from an impotent rage, a poisonous mixture of wounded pride and devastating self-consciousness. He knew that Rosario was right, that deep down, his words were an accusation that he had made to himself in secret, in the recesses of his mind.
Trying to pull himself together, he got up from the ground with difficulty, his legs wobbling as if carrying the weight of the world. He walked towards the campfire, where the other members of the group were gathered, exchanging worried glances that turned towards him. The Duck face was the most eloquent, showing a mixture of worry and fear.
Duck: "Is everything all right, Benja?"he asked, his voice heavy with genuine concern.
Benjamin forced a smile, but he couldn't stop his lips from trembling slightly. "It's all right, Duck. Alone... there's a lot on top of us."
The group nodded, but the doubt-laden stares didn't fade. They knew that something had changed in Benjamin, something that they could not name, but that they all felt almost instinctively. It was as if the darkness enveloping the world had infiltrated their leader, polluting his spirit with shadows that could not be dispelled.
Time passed slowly, and the group tried to relax, sharing stories and forced laughter around the fire. But despite his efforts, the tension was palpable, a constant reminder that, at any moment, the fragile calm could be shattered. Benjamin remained silent, his thoughts returning again and again to Rosario's words, like a poison spreading through his mind, corrupting every attempt at hope.
The silence of the night was only broken by the distant howling of some beast, a grim reminder of the reality around them. And as Benjamin watched the incandescent embers of the campfire, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be able to escape the shadows that were now stalking him from the depths of his being.
Perfect. I will continue to develop the text in that tone and level of detail, making sure to maintain the gloomy atmosphere and emotional tension that envelops the characters in this devastated world. Here follows the continuation:
The night was slowly advancing, and the sense of unease in the group only intensified with each passing minute. The shadows cast by the campfire danced on the walls of the tunnel, creating ghostly figures that seemed to take on a life of their own in the fatigued minds of those present. The sound of the wind filtering through the cracks in the concrete was a constant whisper, as if the earth itself were muttering warnings that no one could understand.
Benjamin had retreated to a corner of the tunnel, seeking a little solitude in the midst of the anguish that was suffocating him. Sitting on the floor, with his back against the cold concrete wall, he kept his gaze fixed on emptiness, absorbed in thoughts that twisted like poisonous snakes in his mind. Every word of the Rosary kept ringing in his ears, its poison seeping into every corner of his soul. Guilt, shame, anger and confusion were mingling inside her, forming a storm that threatened to destroy what little was left of her emotional stability.
But more than anything, what disturbed him the most was the reality that Rosario had mercilessly stripped bare. Leon, his friend, his brother-in-arms, was seen as a hero by everyone, while he, Benjamin, was forced to face the harsh truth that, in comparison, he was just a shadow, a definite faceless figure, drifting in a world that no longer had a place for him.
The echo of approaching footsteps broke his self-absorption. Rosario stopped beside him, her slender, muscular figure standing out in the gloom of the tunnel. There was something in her posture, a mixture of resignation and resolution that made Benjamin look up at her.
Rosario: "You can't stay here all the time, Benjamin," she said with a calmness that failed to hide the severity of her words. "They need us."
Benjamin felt a twinge of irritation, but it was more with himself than with her. He knew that Rosario was right, that he could not afford to give in to his weakness at a time like this. With an effort, he stood up, shaking the dust off his pants before nodding his head.
Benjamin: "I know," he replied in a harsh voice, as his eyes met Rosario's. "I just needed a moment."
Rosario nodded, but said nothing more. Instead, she turned on her heels and started walking back towards the campfire, waiting for Benjamin to follow her. And he did, even though his mind was still trapped in the dark thoughts that refused to go away.
By the time they arrived with the others, the atmosphere had already cooled down. Pato was sitting next to Julian, both of them in silence, staring at the campfire with lost eyes. Jamal had retreated to another corner of the tunnel, where he was sharpening his sword with methodical movements. Every scratch of the stone against the metal was a reminder that danger was always present.
Benjamin looked at his team, the people who trusted him to guide them through this hell, and he felt more lonely than ever. The weight of responsibility was crushing, and the Lion's shadow hovered over him like a spectre that followed him everywhere.
Benjamin: "Let's get as much rest as we can," he ordered, trying to make his voice sound steady, though even to his own ears it sounded empty. "We have a long road ahead of us tomorrow."
The others nodded in silence, already accustomed to the routine of survival. No one asked what had happened between Rosario and Benjamin, although the tension was palpable. There was no room for confrontations or recriminations in a world where the next day was not guaranteed.
The night progressed slowly, and sleep came only in small doses, stolen between shocks and nightmares. Benjamin lay down on the hard floor of the tunnel, his coat rolled up as a pillow, but sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Leon's face, not as he remembered it, but covered with wounds, trapped in a comatose state, while the world around him revered him as a martyr.
Guilt was an impossible weight to shake. I knew that Rosario's words had been cruel, but I also knew that they had not been entirely false. Leon had sacrificed himself for them, and now, he was about to lead his team on a suicide mission, motivated not by the desire to save his friend, but by a thirst for revenge that was gnawing at him from within.
The tunnel, with its suffocating atmosphere and the darkness that surrounded it, seemed a perfect reflection of his internal state. Everything he had ever known, everything he had ever been, was being consumed by the shadows, leaving only a void that threatened to devour him completely.
In the end, physical exhaustion overcame mental, and Benjamin fell into a restless sleep, full of distorted images of Leon and the world in ruins. There was no real rest in a place like this, just a brief pause before the cycle of suffering and struggle began again at dawn.
Dawn came, but the sun did not bring with it any warmth. The morning light was cold, filtering through the cracks of the tunnel, bathing the ruins with a pale, sickly glow. It seemed more like a mockery of what life on the surface once was than a new beginning.
Benjamin was the first to get up, his movements stiff from the cold and sleep interrupted. He ran a hand over his face, feeling the incipient beard that had grown in the last few days of travel. With each passing day, he felt more alienated from himself, as if the man he had been before all this started was slowly disappearing, replaced by a stranger he did not recognize.
Pato and Julian were already on their feet, checking their equipment with the automatic efficiency of those who have spent too much time in life-and-death situations. Rosario was beyond, at the entrance of the tunnel, looking towards the horizon with an expression that Benjamin could not decipher. Jamal kept silent, his sword already sheathed and ready for what was to come.
Benjamin: "It's time to move," he said with a tone that admitted of no retort. There was no need for additional words; everyone knew what they had to do.
The group quickly packed up their things, leaving the fire half-extinguished as they exited the tunnel. The air outside was crisp, but it was laden with the pungent smell of decay, a constant reminder that the world had become a place of death and desolation.
Rosario walked in front, leading the group with a firm step, while Benjamin followed her, his mind still caught in the swirl of emotions and doubts. Julian and Pato were closing the march, exchanging words under their breath, trying to keep morale up, even though they knew it was a losing battle.
As they walked, Benjamin couldn't help but look up at the sky, a gray, leaden cloak that seemed to press down on them, stifling any hope that might have been left. There was no trace of the sun, only a diffuse light that barely managed to penetrate the clouds. It was as if the world itself had given up any pretense of life.
But at that moment, something changed. A faint glimmer on the horizon, almost imperceptible, made Benjamin stop in his tracks. It was not the sun; it was something else, something that shone with an intensity that did not belong to this world.
Benjamin: "Do you see that?"he asked, his voice low, but charged with a mixture of awe and caution.
The others stopped too, following his gaze. The flash became clearer, and Rosario was the first to react.
Rosario: "It is... it's the Barrio Norte military camp," he said, his tone filled with a surprise he rarely displayed. "It seems that something has changed there."
Benjamin frowned, his mind working quickly to assess the situation. He knew that the military camp was a fortress that was difficult to penetrate, full of soldiers who were still following the orders of a government that no longer existed. But that flash... it didn't make sense.
The group continued their advance, but the tension in the air was palpable. Benjamin was leading with a mixture of determination and a tiredness that was beginning to take its toll on his spirit. I knew the real goal of this mission was to kill Jack.
However, as they crossed the desolate streets towards Barrio Norte, something else began to consume Pato's mind. Since they had caught a glimpse of the flash coming from the small village, his concern had grown, and although he did not show it in an obvious way, he was restless. He knew that the village was just a stop on his route to the city, but something inside him told him that they should not ignore what was happening there.
Rosario led the group with her usual firmness, although her thoughts also wandered. She was worried about Benjamin; she knew him well enough to know that the recent conversation they had had had affected him more than he let on. But now there was no time for consolation or for resolving internal conflicts. There was a mission to fulfill, and any distraction could cost them their lives.
As they approached Barrio Norte, Pato stepped forward, activating his invisibility suit. The device covered him with a soft buzzing sound, making his figure disappear before the eyes of others. Benjamin gave him a brief nod, understanding that it was better for Pato to explore the situation before the group exposed themselves to danger.
Pato advanced with stealthy steps, his figure completely hidden by the suit. The small town of Barrio Norte stretched out before him, a collection of half-collapsed buildings and streets littered with rubble. The silence was deafening, broken only by the wind carrying dust and dead leaves. Pato moved nimbly through the shadows, his keen eye registering every detail.
As he got deeper into the village, he began to notice things that made him frown under his mask. The houses, although apparently empty, showed signs of recent struggle: broken doors, shattered windows, dried blood staining the walls. It seemed as if the village had been attacked, but there was no trace of those responsible or the victims.
The mystery became more disturbing when Pato found an alley that led to a small central square. There, what he saw left him frozen. Bodies. Dozens of bodies lay on the ground, some of them clearly victims of a violent death. Pato knelt down next to one of them, examining the wounds. They were clean, precise cuts, as if they had been made by someone with an exceptional ability to kill.
Then he saw it. A symbol engraved on the ground, right in the center of the square. It was the same symbol they had seen before, in other places devastated by Jack and his followers. It was a mark of death, a macabre reminder that his enemy was not only brutal, but also methodical.
Duck: "Shit," he muttered to himself, gritting his teeth. He knew that they couldn't stay there for long, but at the same time, he couldn't just ignore what he had seen. I had to go back and tell Benjamin and the others.
With a racing heart, Pato quickly backed away, making sure not to leave any trace of his presence. When he finally arrived back at the group, he deactivated the invisibility suit and materialized before them, his face tense.
Duck: "There's something really fucked up in that village," he said without preamble, looking directly at Benjamin. "I have found bodies, many bodies. And Jack's symbol... he's right there. He has been here, and it is likely that his followers are still close."
Benjamin frowned, processing the information while trying to stay calm. He knew what this meant: Jack was close, and with him, the possibility of ending his reign of terror. But at the same time, they could not afford to deviate from their main goal.
Benjamin: "We have to move on," he finally said, his voice steady. "We can't stop here. Leon needs us, and killing Jack is the only way to ensure he can do no more harm."
But Pato was not willing to let it pass so easily. He had seen too much, and Benjamin's indifference to the situation was bothering him more than he wanted to admit.
Pato: "And what about the people in Barrio Norte?"he replied, his tone filled with pent-up frustration. "We can't just ignore what's going on here. Those people need help, Benjamin. We can't just carry on as if nothing had happened."
Benjamin turned to Pato, his expression hardened by the pressure of the moment. He knew Pato was right, but he also knew that his main mission couldn't wait.
Benjamin: "We can't save everyone," he replied with a cold tone that made Pato clench his fists. "I know, it sucks, but we have to focus on what really matters now. If we lose Jack, Leon could be lost forever, and not only him, but also everyone we love."
Silence fell between them, heavy and full of tension. Rosario watched the scene, her mind working to find a way to mediate between the two. I knew they were both right in their own way, but this was not the time to split up.
Rosario: "We can do both," she finally said, her voice firm but conciliatory. "We checked the village, but we did not deviate from our goal. Pato can guide us through a safe route, as he mentioned, and at the same time, we check if there is anyone who may need our help."
Benjamin looked at Rosario, then at Pato, and nodded his head. He knew he couldn't afford to lose Pato as an ally right now. The mission came first, but they also needed to maintain their humanity in the midst of this hell.
Benjamin: "Okay," he finally relented, although his voice was still charged with a harshness that reflected the inner tension. "Let's do it quickly. We have no time to waste."
Pato nodded, although his expression showed that he was not completely satisfied. However, he activated his invisibility suit once more, leading the group through the village while following the route he had mapped out in his mind.
The group moved cautiously, their senses sharpened by the danger lurking around every corner. As they progressed, Benjamin couldn't help but feel that the weight of the mission was becoming more and more crushing. Every step they took brought them closer to Jack, but also plunged them deeper into an abyss of despair and death.
Finally, Pato guided them towards the exit of the village, a safe route that took them away from the main streets and any possible ambush. The group found no survivors, and although Pato still felt a knot in his stomach from the indifference he was forced to show, he knew there was nothing more they could do.
Duck: "It's this way," he indicated finally, deactivating his suit and rejoining the group. "The exit is clear. We can continue."
Benjamin took one last look at the village before turning to Pato and the others. There was something deeply disturbing about the idea that they were leaving behind a place where so many lives had been lost, but I knew they had no choice. Leon was in a coma, his people were in danger, and Jack was still a threat they couldn't ignore.
Benjamin: "Okay. Let's get out of here," he finally said, his voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. "We have a job to do."
With that last order, the group left Barrio Norte and continued their march towards the city, where Jack was waiting for them. Each of them carried with them the weight of what they had left behind, but they knew they could not afford to hesitate. The world was broken, and they could only move on, one step at a time, in a desperate attempt to save what little was left of it.
The group left Barrio Norte behind, moving cautiously along the path that Pato had marked as safe. Darkness was beginning to envelop the landscape, and the cold evening breeze brought with it an air of restlessness. As they walked, the sound of their footsteps was muffled by the dry, cracked earth beneath their feet, yet another testament to the world crumbling around them.
Rosario: "How long is it until we get there?"Rosario asked, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but in the stillness of the night, it resonated with a clarity that made everyone pause briefly.
Pato consulted his device, looking at the screen that projected a map of the area. Pato: "Not much. A couple more kilometers and we will reach the outskirts of the city. But... the situation there could be much worse than in Barrio Norte."
Benjamin: "Worse than a village full of corpses," Benjamin muttered, more to himself than to the group. The thought of what they might find in the city was a weight pressing on their shoulders, but there was no turning back. Jack had to be arrested.
The group kept moving forward, and the landscape around them began to change. The twisted, dead trees that lined the path grew denser and denser, casting long, menacing shadows in the gloom. The air was getting denser, charged with a dark energy that seemed to come from the city they were heading towards.
Rosario was watching Benjamin out of the corner of her eye, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the rigidity of his posture. I knew that I was under immense pressure, but I also knew that Pato had touched a sensitive nerve with his concern for the people of Barrio Norte. Rosario: "We are doing the right thing," she finally said, trying to offer some comfort.
Benjamin let out a sigh, his eyes fixed on the road in front of them. Benjamin: "I know. But sometimes doing the right thing doesn't feel right."
Rosario nodded silently, understanding Benjamin's words on a deep level. Both shared the burden of the difficult decisions they had to make in a world that no longer offered easy options.
Finally, the distant lights of the city began to appear on the horizon, faintly flickering through the haze. The city stood like a dark monolith, its tall, shattered buildings casting menacing shadows across the night sky. The streets seemed empty, but everyone knew that appearances could be deceiving.
Pato stopped and raised a hand, indicating the group to stop. Duck: "Let's proceed carefully," he said, activating his invisibility suit again. "I'm going to explore the area. You guys wait here."
Benjamin: "Be careful," Benjamin warned him, even though he knew Pato was more than capable of handling himself in dangerous situations.
Pato nodded briefly before disappearing into the darkness, moving like a shadow among the ruins of the city. The rest of the group waited in silence, their senses on high alert. They knew that they could not afford a single mistake; Jack had proven to be an implacable and cunning enemy, and he would stop at nothing to fulfill his plans.
While they were waiting, Rosario examined the area around them, looking for any signs of movement. The city was eerily quiet, an almost unearthly silence that only increased the tension in the group. There was something wrong with that place, something that felt deeply wrong.
Rosario: "This place... it smells like death," he said quietly, his words heavy with grim seriousness. Benjamin nodded silently, his eyes fixed on the distance.
The minutes passed slowly, every second stretching in the dark. Finally, Pato returned, emerging from the shadows with a quick gesture to indicate that all was clear, for now.
Duck: "The entrance is secure, but there are guards up ahead," he reported. "It looks like Jack has been occupying this area for a while. We need to move quickly and quietly."
Benjamin nodded and looked at the group, his expression grave. Benjamin: "We will split up. Duck, you're going on the left. Rosario and I will take the right. We meet at the main entry point in five minutes."
Rosario and Pato nodded, understanding the importance of the strategy. Without further words, the group separated, each moving towards their assigned destination and then leaving that place, discovering that it was just a checkpoint, which served to identify those who were not part of Jack's little secret, reuniting again to continue on their way.
Benjamin strode steadily down the desolate main avenue, each step echoing over the rubble. Around him, the air was thick and cold, permeated with the stench of death left by the recent devastation. Beside her, Brenda walked in silence, her gaze sharp as a blade, analyzing every shadow that moved among the ruins. They knew that in this world, monsters lurked, not only in physical form, but also in the intentions of the men who still survived.
After two days of arduous travel, they finally arrived in the city of vagabonds. The horizon was marked by the silhouettes of ruined buildings, their collapsed structures as if they were card castles swept away by a fierce wind. Upon entering the city, they encountered a group of mercenaries blocking access to the heart of that place. The men, scruffy-looking but menacing, looked at them with greedy eyes.
Mercenary Leader— "One of the women will be enough—" he said, his voice full of contempt, as he stroked a knife with insidious confidence.
Brenda, hearing those words, felt a surge of anger run through her body. Indignation boiled inside him like a volcano about to erupt. Without hesitation, he lunged towards the mercenary group, his foot rising with an unstoppable force. Upon impact, an explosion of earth magic erupted, making the ground shake. The energy from his kick expanded like ripples in a lake, throwing the mercenaries into the air, leaving them lying on the ground, inert. The echo of the attack echoed off the city walls, and a heavy silence fell over the place.
But as she turned, Brenda found Benjamin staring at her with contempt, his face twisted with frustration.
Benjamin: - What the hell have you done? !! - he shouted, his voice charged with a suppressed fury that he could barely contain—. You shouldn't have murdered them. We could have obtained useful information.
The surprise was drawn on Brenda's face, and her disgust towards Benjamin grew like a dark shadow. What he had done was to protect his group, and he didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. Without thinking, Brenda approached him, ready to hit him. But before she could carry out her impulse, Rosario stopped her, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. Rosario's cold gaze pierced Brenda like lightning. There was a clear message in those eyes: it was not the time for infighting.
So, Brenda restrained herself, suppressing her rage as they continued on their way through the dark streets, full of destruction and memories of lives that once flourished in that place. The buildings around them were covered in scrap metal and debris, with worn-out walls that told stories of despair. The remains of human beings, yellowish bones, were piled in the corners, a grim reminder of the brutality of the world they inhabited.
Finally, they arrived at a bridge that connected the city of Cordoba with the city of vagabonds. The structure, although worn, stood firm, as a symbol of resistance in the midst of ruin. They decided to camp there, seeking refuge in the illusion of security that the place offered. However, the decision to sleep outdoors turned out to be a fatal mistake.
In the gloom of the night, while the group was trying to find a break in their makeshift shelters, they were attacked by a group of vagrants and mercenaries. The shadows rushed over them like a torrent, and chaos broke out immediately. Benjamin, surprised by the ferocity of the attack, was forced to fight to protect his group. Swords and knives were clashing, clanging in the air, as each member of the group fought back desperately.
The battle was brutal; the ground was dyed red as lives were extinguished around them. Brenda, in a frenzy of rage, used her magic to pick up pieces of debris and throw them at her attackers. Rosario fought with admirable dexterity, moving like a whirlwind between the enemies, while Jamal and Sasha also joined the fray, their coordination and determination shining through despite the terror that surrounded them.
However, as the battle escalated, it became clear that Benjamin's reckless decision to sleep outdoors had resulted in a bittersweet defeat. At dawn, the silence that followed the battle was deafening. The group looked at each other suspiciously; the tension in the air was palpable. The accusatory glances were focused on Benjamin, whose leadership was now being questioned. He wasn't the leader he used to be; he had put everyone in danger.
As the group crossed the bridge, still dazed from the night of horror, they came face to face with Jack. His presence was disturbing; the man was smiling disturbingly, as if he enjoyed the suffering of others.
Jack: "Benjamin," he said in a playful tone, "I've been waiting for you."I hope you liked my little work of art.
His voice sounded almost melodious, but the content of his words was a poison that poisoned the environment. Benjamin stood up in front of him, a surge of rage and revenge bubbling up from the depths of his being.
Benjamin: - You're a monster! - he roared, his voice echoing with a force that surprised those around him. You could see rage on his face, every muscle tense and ready for combat. Jack, for his part, seemed to be feeding off the tension, radiating an aura of satisfaction as his eyes glowed with malice.
The clash of his energies was felt in the air, an imminent storm was threatening to break out. When Benjamin took a step towards Jack, the atmosphere was charged with promises of violence, and the echo of revenge echoed in every corner of that desolate bridge. The fate of their worlds was about to become intertwined in a battle that would mark the beginning of the world's end arc, where darkness met despair and the struggle for survival became the only way forward.