Aiden sat still for a moment, his body adjusting to the transformation.
His breath felt deeper, fuller. His limbs, though stronger, still carried a faint tingling sensation, as if the mutation was still settling within him.
Then—he moved.
The cult members, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward to assist him.
They didn't speak, but their movements were careful, deliberate.
One of them—a robed figure whose mask bore intricate golden sun markings—stepped forward, offering something.
Aiden reached out, his fingers closing around it.
The Sun Mask.
His own.
He stared at it for a moment before slowly placing it over his face, securing it.
And then—he walked.
Through the sanctuary.
Through the golden mist.
Until, finally, he stepped outside.
As soon as Aiden left the sanctuary, the golden sunlight bathed him.
For a brief moment, he felt something.
Something powerful. Familiar.
It wasn't his own feeling.
It was Draemir's.
The pride of seeing Aurenshaven.
The sense of ownership.
The feeling of superiority.
For an instant, he understood.
He felt what Draemir must feel every day.
Not just power.
But control.
He looked around, taking it all in.
Aurenshaven was alive.
The fields stretched endlessly, vibrant and untouched by corruption.
But then—something caught his eye.
A gathering of figures in the distance, moving in perfect synchronization.
He stepped closer.
What he saw should have been impossible.
An Army of Daywalkers
The fields were filled with them.
Dozens. Maybe even hundreds.
Aiden knew what his old self would have thought.
An impossible number of Volatiles. An unstoppable horde of death.
But now?
Now—they were soldiers.
They weren't monsters.
They were guards.
They were watching over the fields, standing in formation, shifting patrols, maintaining the perfect cycle of Aurenshaven's protection.
Aiden exhaled.
It wasn't just a community.
It was a kingdom.
Draemir had built something no one else could have imagined.
And with this army of guardians—Aurenshaven was untouchable.
Yet… something still felt off.
Draemir was nowhere to be seen.
Aiden's gaze shifted, scanning the horizon.
He turned back toward the sanctuary, walking inside once more.
But as he made his way toward the sewer entrance—he stopped.
Something blocked his path.
Something massive.
Something new.
The Volatile Demolisher – A Titan of the Sun
Before Aiden, a towering creature loomed.
It was a Demolisher—but not like any he had ever seen.
This wasn't just an infected brute.
It had been mutated. Enhanced. Transformed.
It was a fusion of Volatile and Demolisher.
A walking monstrosity of destruction—wrapped in the divine markings of the cult.
Physical Appearance:
Towering Body – Easily over three meters tall, its entire frame was covered in thick, hardened flesh, similar to a Volatile's skin but reinforced like armor.
Golden-Blue Veins – Glowing like the Daywalkers, its veins pulsed with energy, running along its muscular arms and massive, clawed hands.
Elongated Head & Jaw – Unlike a normal Demolisher, its head was slightly elongated, resembling a Volatile's skull structure, with a mouth that could open wide to reveal rows of jagged, serrated teeth.
Four Eyes – Two small glowing golden orbs above its original infected red eyes, giving it enhanced perception in combat.
Sun Markings & Cultist Engravings – Etched into its skin, ceremonial symbols of the Children of the Sun were carefully carved across its body, burned into its flesh as part of a ritualistic transformation.
Thick Claws – Unlike the blunt fists of a normal Demolisher, this creature had long, curved claws, similar to a Volatile's, capable of tearing through reinforced steel.
Behavior & Presence: It wasn't moving aggressively. Instead, it stood like a guardian. Watching. Waiting. Around it, several Daywalkers were positioned, their stances not hostile, but vigilant. It breathed deeply, each exhale releasing a faint golden mist, similar to Draemir's but less controlled, more raw.
This wasn't just a brute force mutation.
This was something intentional.
A Titan of the Sun.
A Volatile Demolisher, reborn under Draemir's hand.
Aiden stood still, observing it.
It slowly turned its head toward him.
Its golden eyes locked onto him.
For a moment—they simply stared at each other.
Then—the Demolisher slightly tilted its head.
Almost as if it recognized him.
Almost as if it knew who he was.
Aiden didn't move.
And neither did it.
For now…
It was watching.
Aiden stepped outside once more, the golden glow of the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across Aurenshaven.
The air was calm. Still. But beneath that tranquility… there was control.
He spent the rest of the day investigating Solara, wandering through the land Draemir had built.
And the more he saw—the more questions he had.
An Army Standing Guard
The fields stretched endlessly, thriving with crops, untouched by the decay of the outside world.
But what stood out most…
Were the Daywalkers.
They were everywhere.
Stationed in perfect formation. Patrolling. Guarding. Watching.
What once would have been a horrifying, apocalyptic nightmare—Volatiles standing in broad daylight—was now an organized defense.
They weren't just lurking in the shadows.
They were working.
Every movement was calculated. Every position was strategic.
And then, Aiden found the rails.
The Rails—A Sealed Path
Aiden had expected the usual signs of an abandoned railway.
Old train tracks, rusted metal, overgrown weeds.
Instead, he found something else entirely.
The tracks were guarded.
Not just by Daywalkers.
But by something more.
Volatile Demolishers.
There were only a few.
But even just one was enough to tell Aiden everything he needed to know.
This place was locked down.
This wasn't just a defense.
This was a fortress.
And then—he saw the sign.
The Message from Draemir
Mounted near the railway entrance, a large, ceremonial sign had been placed.
The text, written with deliberate precision, read:
"All commercial is stopped with the outside by maintenance.
Draemir is currently taking care of cleaning the path, and measuring a safety non-infecteds must be provided with.
Your security is the main priority.
Good night and good luck."
Aiden stared at the words, reading them again.
And again.
And then, he looked around.
He followed the direction of the rails.
The path ahead?
Cut off.
The Volatile Demolishers stood motionless, positioned in formation, covering every possible route forward.
There was no way through.
Aiden slowly exhaled, his mind racing.
Draemir wasn't just locking things down.
He was shaping Solara's future with every step.
This wasn't just an outpost.
This was a kingdom.
And then, the thought hit him—
How much did Draemir prepare?
How much had he calculated, built, and fortified?
How far ahead was he thinking?
Aiden looked at the Volatile Demolishers standing watch.
At the Daywalkers patrolling the fields.
At the sealed-off railway, ensuring no unknown force could enter without Draemir's approval.
The depth of preparation…
Was beyond anything Aiden could have imagined.
And for the first time, he wondered—
What exactly is Draemir planning?