The Fenrir team arrived at the small village of Kango, nestled in the heart of Gabon, an African country. Located near the Como River, Kango was a peaceful and picturesque place where life unfolded with almost idyllic simplicity. The houses were primarily built of wood and adobe, with palm leaf roofs that swayed gently in the warm tropical breeze. The inhabitants lived in harmony with nature, dedicating themselves to agriculture, fishing, and local trade. During the day, children ran barefoot through the dirt streets while their mothers wove baskets at the doorsteps of their homes, and the men returned from the river carrying nets full of shiny fish glistening under the sun.
However, this apparent normalcy did not deceive Team Fenrir. They knew the mist was nearby, lurking like an invisible predator. For days, Umbra Division had detected abnormal fluctuations of Threshold Energy in the region, indicating that an incident was imminent. The team had been sent two kilometers away from the village to prepare without arousing suspicion among the villagers.
Kai, ever pragmatic, checked his equipment while observing the horizon through binoculars.
—This place looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale —he commented sarcastically—. Quiet, too quiet. It makes me nervous.
Emily, who was sharpening one of her blue light-emitting knives, briefly glanced up.
—Don't worry. It won't stay quiet for long.
Marcus nodded, adjusting his short sword in its sheath.
—You're right. We're here to make sure no one else gets hurt… or at least that's what they say. But we know how this works. We wait for the creatures to do their job, then clean up the mess.
Niel remained silent, sitting on a rock with his gaze lost in the nearby forest. His silver eyes reflected something dark, an anticipation that went beyond the mere mission. He seemed anxious, though he didn't show it openly. His right hand absentmindedly played with the handle of a dagger, spinning it over and over again.
Lila glanced at him sideways before addressing the group.
—Today is our first mission together. I don't want any mistakes. Remember: first, we eliminate the creatures, then we look for survivors. If there are any, we bring them back alive. No exceptions.
Kai let out a dry laugh.
—Sure, as long as the creatures don't turn us into lunch first.
Emily shot him a glare.
—If you keep talking like that, maybe you should stay here and guard the camp.
Kai smirked crookedly but didn't respond. He knew Emily was right: sarcasm wouldn't help in this situation.
For the next two days, the team remained hidden on the outskirts of Kango, watching the village from a distance. To the villagers, everything seemed normal. The markets continued to operate, children played in the streets, and women washed clothes by the river. However, for Team Fenrir, every passing second increased the tension. They knew the mist would arrive soon, bringing with it the horror they knew all too well.
The night of the second day was different. The air grew thick and heavy, as if the atmosphere itself was holding its breath. The crickets stopped chirping, and the wind abruptly ceased. It was as if the entire world was waiting for something.
Niel stood up suddenly, his eyes glowing with feverish intensity.
—It's here —he said softly, almost in a whisper.
The others exchanged glances. Marcus nodded, grabbing his weapon.
—Let's get ready. This is going to start soon.
Everyone began checking their weapons and gear. Emily adjusted her face mask, designed to protect against the effects of Threshold Energy. Kai loaded his rifle, though he knew it would be practically useless against the creatures. Lila and Marcus unsheathed their swords, ready to face whatever came their way.
An hour passed before the first screams broke the silence of the night.
The screams were agonizing, filled with terror and pain. They came from the center of the village, where the mist had begun to seep in slowly, enveloping the houses and streets in a dense, oppressive fog. Niel closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. When he opened them, there was something wild in his gaze, a mix of euphoria and contained madness.
—We'll wait —said Marcus, his voice firm—. We can't intervene until the creatures finish their work. If we go in now, we'll only be an obstacle.
Niel nodded, but his body vibrated with impatience. He could feel it in his veins: the adrenaline, the pulsating energy of the battle that was about to begin.
When the screams finally ceased, Team Fenrir moved. With the superhuman speed characteristic of Resonants, they covered the two kilometers separating them from the village in a matter of seconds. Upon arrival, they found a devastating scene: destroyed houses, mutilated bodies scattered across the streets, and a sepulchral silence broken only by the occasional creak of burnt wood.
But they weren't alone.
Two grotesque creatures emerged from the shadows, moving with unnatural speed. Their long, twisted limbs bent at impossible angles, and their black eyes absorbed light like bottomless pits. They emitted a constant, high-pitched sound that echoed in their ears like a distorted echo.
Niel didn't wait for orders. He advanced several meters ahead of the rest of the team, his dagger emitting an intense blue glow.
—Leave these two to me —he said, his voice cold but charged with dangerous excitement—. I'll handle them.
Marcus wanted to protest, but Emily stopped him with a gesture.
—Let him. He needs to do this.
The creatures attacked simultaneously, lunging toward Niel with extended claws. He dodged the first attack with supernatural agility, leaning to one side and plunging his dagger into the abdomen of the first creature. The blade pierced its exposed flesh, releasing a burst of blue energy that momentarily illuminated the scene. The creature shrieked, a piercing sound that froze the blood, but Niel didn't stop. He spun around, using the momentum to deliver a circular strike that decapitated the second creature before it could react.
The first creature, injured but still alive, tried to escape, crawling toward the shadows. Niel pursued it with a speed that seemed impossible. He leapt onto it, driving both hands into its chest and tearing off a chunk of its flesh with brutal force. The creature disintegrated in a flash of dark light, leaving only a puddle of viscous liquid on the ground.
When it was over, Niel rose slowly, his clothes stained with blood and remnants of the creature. He breathed calmly, as if he had just completed a routine training session. He looked at his companions, who observed him with a mixture of awe and fear.
—Done —he said simply, wiping his dagger on his pants.
After securing the area, the team began searching for survivors in the village. They searched house by house, checking every corner for anyone who might have survived the attack. However, what they found was devastating: all the villagers had been killed. Not a single survivor remained.
Marcus cursed under his breath.
—Nothing. Not a damn survivor. All this for nothing.
Kai shook his head, frustrated.
—How is that possible? They always leave someone alive.
Emily stopped in front of a particularly destroyed house, her expression thoughtful.
—Maybe we haven't looked in the right place. The river. There might be someone there.
Marcus nodded slowly.
—Worth a try. Let's go.
The team moved toward the river, but as soon as they reached the shore, they were ambushed by ten creatures that emerged from among the nearby trees. The grotesque beasts surrounded the team, their twisted bodies and black eyes gleaming with malice.
—They've got us surrounded! —shouted Kai, aiming his rifle.
Emily unsheathed her knife, her expression cold but alert.
—Don't shoot unless necessary. Move in to use our melee weapons.
Niel smiled with unsettling intensity, his eyes glowing like liquid silver.
—Let me have some fun —he said before charging directly at the creatures.
With superhuman speed, Niel moved between the creatures like lightning, his dagger slicing through the air with lethal precision. He decapitated one creature with an upward strike, then spun around to plunge his weapon into the chest of another. The creatures shrieked and writhed, but Niel showed no trace of compassion. Within seconds, five creatures lay dead at his feet.
The rest of the team sprang into action as well. Marcus and Lila fought back-to-back, their swords cutting with surgical precision. Kai used his rifle to distract the creatures, while Emily moved with impressive agility, slipping between attacks and plunging her knife into vital points.
The fight dragged on for several minutes, every movement calculated and precise. Finally, all ten creatures were dead, their bodies disintegrating into pools of dark energy.
Marcus took a deep breath, cleaning his sword.
—Good work. Now, to the river.
When they reached the river, they found a heart-wrenching scene. A small girl, no older than five, lay unconscious next to the mutilated bodies of what appeared to be her parents. Blood stained the water around her, and the air was heavy with a metallic smell.
Emily quickly approached the girl, checking her pulse.
—She's alive —she said firmly—. We need to take her back.
Niel observed the girl with an inscrutable expression, his silver eyes glowing with strange intensity.
—She's special —he murmured.
Marcus nodded, adjusting his gear.
—I can feel it too. It's like... she resonates with us.
Lila stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the girl.
—She's a potential Resonant. Umbra Division will be thrilled.
The team carefully picked up the girl and began their retreat, but before reaching the camp, they heard the distant roar of engines. They froze, exchanging glances.
—Military —whispered Emily, her tone tense.
Marcus raised a hand, pointing toward a nearby clearing.
—Hide. We don't know if they're corrupt or not. If they aren't, we'll eliminate them.
The team concealed themselves among the trees, observing through their binoculars. What they saw left them bewildered.
A group of soldiers dressed in tactical suits advanced toward the river. What caught their attention was the diversity of insignias on their uniforms: United States, Russia, Japan, China, New Philippines, and New Indonesia. However, something about the soldiers from New Philippines and New Indonesia particularly caught Team Fenrir's attention.
Kai adjusted his binoculars, frowning.
—Those from New Philippines and New Indonesia… they don't seem normal.
Emily narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixed on the soldiers from those countries.
—They have energy similar to ours —she said quietly—. But weaker. Like they're... incomplete versions.
Niel tilted his head slightly, his silver eyes glowing intensely.
—They're not artificial —he murmured, almost to himself—. They're natural, like us. But something's missing. Their resonance is... fragmented.
Marcus tightened his grip on his sword, his expression tense.
—How is that possible? I thought only corporations like Umbra Division, Erebus, or Obsidian Veil had access to Resonants.
Lila shook her head slowly.
—This is different. Something is awakening in them, but not fully. It's like they're stuck halfway.
The other team members exchanged glances, processing what they had just discovered. Meanwhile, the soldiers from the United States, Russia, Japan, and China radiated artificial Threshold Energy. Their bodies emitted a faint bluish glow, but it was clear that the energy did not come from within them. It was forced, imposed, as if someone had tried to replicate natural resonance through artificial means. However, that energy was weak and chaotic, barely a shadow of what true Resonants possessed.
—Those four countries are trying to create artificial Resonants —said Kai, gesturing discreetly—. But they don't even come close to those from New Philippines and New Indonesia.
Emily nodded, her tone cold but analytical.
—But even those from New Philippines and Indonesia are weaker than us. Though their energy is natural, it's incomplete. Someone has been training them, but they haven't reached our level.
Niel closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating. He could feel it: a subtle vibration in the air, a resonance connecting the girl to the soldiers from New Philippines and New Indonesia. It was weak, almost imperceptible, but it was there, unlike the much stronger connection between Niel and his teammates.
—They're looking for the same thing we are —he finally said, his voice low but filled with certainty—. They know there's something special about this area. And that girl... she's the center.
Marcus sighed deeply, making a decision.
—If they see us, we eliminate only those necessary. But we can't let that group take the girl. Especially not them.
The team nodded silently, preparing for whatever might come. They knew this mission had just taken an unexpected turn, and the implications of what they were witnessing could change everything.