The rest of the trip was made in silence, which was mostly good as they didn’t get attacked by anything else.
The bunker ca into view around the bend.
That was when everyone saw it.
The heavy blast doors, made out of pure steel, was half-broken into the ground. The kind of place that was supposed to hold when everything else had been destroyed.
People quickened their steps without being told, exhaustion briefly forgotten as they pushed forward. Soone laughed shakily. Soone else started crying outright.
Aren moved first to scout out the area.
The closer he got, the clearer it beca.
Deep gouges scored the tal, edges warped and torn as if sothing had clawed its way through from the outside.
The others finally caught up, and that was when they finally saw it.
Bodies lay scattered across the bunker’s interior, slumped against walls or collapsed where they’d fallen. So had weapons in their hands, others didn’t look like they’d ever had a chance to run.
There was no sign of a last stand, just...a massacre.
Horror rippled through the group.
A woman fell to her knees. Soone puked across the street. A man backed away, shaking his head over and over as if refusing to believe what he was seeing.
"This—this was supposed to be safe," soone whispered.
Panic built up within the crowd, Lily tried to calm everyone down but it was simply too much for them to take.
"Damn..." Aren said under his breath.
He thought of alternative options, other ways he could sohow get these people and his family to safety.
But that was when an explosion resounded right behind them.
Aren spun around just in ti to see a massive silhouette of soone crashing through a storefront across the street, stone and glass exploding outward as it landed in a crouch.
The man turned and spit out a mouthful of blood before wiping his lips and standing up.
Aren recognized him instantly due to his attire. The sa camo tank top and jeans were easy to spot.
"Owen," he muttered.
A praying mantis lunged at him, claws sweeping wide before it slamd into sothing solid.
The creature staggered, bones snapping as it was thrown sideways into a wall hard enough to leave a crater.
Owen tore through the next beast with a brutal shoulder slam, following up with a crushing blow that sent it skidding lifeless across the street.
"Lily!" Aren shouted.
She was already moving, vines snapping out to catch a beast that was about to get on Owen’s back.
The wave kept coming.
Owen glanced over his shoulder once, eyes flicking over the crowd, then to Aren. Recognition sparked in his eyes as he backed up, falling into the front line right beside Aren.
However, words couldn’t be exchanged, as the onslaught was endless.
They fought back-to-back.
A Semi General-class beast lunged, jaws wide enough to swallow a man whole. Owen t it head on, one arm braced as stone crept over his skin.
As the beast was about to connect, he spun quickly, grabbing onto its jaw and slamming the creature into the ground, stunning it.
With one final motion, he brought his heel down right on its head, bones cracking as it went limp.
Aren didn’t slow down to watch.
A second beast slipped past Owen’s reach. Aren intercepted it, ether surging as he stepped in and drove a fist into its throat. The blow crushed cartilage and sent the monster stumbling back long enough for Lily’s vines to finish the job.
Two more followed.
Aren weaved between them, footwork light, barely managing to dodge a blow aid at his ribs. He pivoted, countering with an elbow that caved in a beast’s face.
The monsters began to hesitate again, bodies littering the street, blood pooling in the cracks of the road.
Aren exhaled hard, sweat stinging his eyes.
Owen finally spoke.
"You’re keeping pace," he said, voice steady even as he crushed another skull beneath his foot.
Aren didn’t look at him.
"That supposed to be a complint?"
Owen huffed once, almost a laugh as he straightened.
The rest of the horde backed off, sensing a clear power difference. Even if the beasts were demonic, their basic survival instincts were enough to tell their body to flee.
The street stayed quiet for a few seconds longer.
Owen exhaled slowly and rolled his shoulders, stone receding from his skin as his ether settled. His shoulders relaxed, just barely.
"...Didn’t think I’d be relieved to see soone I recognize," he said, rubbing a hand over his face. "It’s been nothing but monsters. Everywhere."
Aren nodded. He felt it through his body’s exhaustion, how he’s been constantly fighting without a break.
"What about the rest of your team?" he asked.
Owen hesitated.
Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"Clara just... vanished," he said. "Right after the tournant. Didn’t even say anything."
His brow furrowed. "I asked if we were still heading to the banquet."
Owen shook his head.
Aren didn’t react outwardly. Inside, the pieces slid into place far too neatly.
CEO Wells, of how he had escaped quicker than anyone else. If anyone knew what was coming, and knew how to avoid it...it would’ve been him.
So, he evacuated her first.
The thought left a bitter taste in Aren’s mouth.
Owen glanced at him. "You think that wasn’t a coincidence."
"No," Aren said simply. "I don’t."
Owen didn’t argue.
He looked back down the street, where distant shapes shifted between ruined buildings, and tightened his grip on his weapon.
"...Then I guess that ans there really isn’t anywhere left to go," he muttered.
Aren followed his gaze. For a mont, neither of them spoke.
Owen’s gaze drifted back to Aren as they stood there.
"...That tag," he said.
Aren looked down instinctively. The tal dog tag hung against his chest, darkened with blood and gri. He’d forgotten it was visible.
Owen’s expression shifted.
"That’s Lieutenant Abby’s," he said slowly.
Aren nodded once.
"She was my martial instructor," Owen continued, voice quieter now. "Back when I was still in military prep." He let out a breath. "She didn’t go easy on anyone."
His eyes flicked up again, sharper this ti.
"So she trusted you."
"She saved us," Aren replied.
His attention moved past Aren, to the crowd gathered behind him. Families gathered together, the wounded leaning on one another.
People who clearly weren’t ant to be here. Owen stared at them for a long mont.
"...You’ve been protecting these people?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes.
Aren followed his gaze.
"Yeah," he said.
Owen looked back at him, eyes narrowing slightly.
"...All of them?"
Aren didn’t hesitate.
"As many as I can."
For a mont, Owen didn’t say anything. Then he exhaled, slow and heavy, and ran a hand through his hair.
"...Damn," he muttered. "I’ll help you out."
Owen looked back at the street, then at the people clustered behind Aren.
He exhaled through his nose.
"So what was the plan?"
"We were heading for the bunker," Aren said. "Thought we could hole up, wait for the military to stabilize things."
His gaze drifted back toward the shattered doors, the bloodstained concrete just beyond the corner.
"...But that’s clearly not happening."
Owen followed his line of sight. His jaw tightened.
"No," he agreed quietly. "It’s not."
Then a low hum resounded throughout the city. Everyone turned their heads imdiately. Even those with just the slightest bit of ether could feel sothing was happening.
"What the..." Owen muttered.
Suddenly, a huge do of light surged outward from the city’s center like a rising tide, massive and brilliant. It expanded rapidly, light locking into place as it enclosed the main governnt district.
The crowd behind them went still.
Soone gasped. Soone else laughed weakly, like they didn’t trust what they were seeing.
Aren felt his breath catch. Captain Eric’s voice echoed in his mind.
"Lieutenant Leo, your team will find defensible ground and establish a safe haven. Sowhere civilians can run to."
"That’s it," Aren said. "The safe haven."
Owen stared at the do, eyes narrowing as the implications settled in.
"...Military-grade barrier," he murmured.
Aren nodded once.
"It’s the only place left that might hold," he said.
The golden light reflected in the eyes of the civilians as they turned toward it, hope creeping back in despite themselves.
Everyone glanced at Aren. Even if the decision was obvious.
He straightened, announcing:
"That’s where we’ll need to head."
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