The do was closer than he thought, at least that was a saving grace.
Aren didn’t wait.
"We run," he said.
"The do’s close. Everyone—now!"
The hesitation vanished.
People broke into a sprint, exhaustion be damned. Formation collapsed as civilians ran in uneven clusters, parents dragging children, the wounded half-carried by those who still had strength left.
Aren surged forward at the head of the crowd, Owen keeping pace beside him without comnt. Lily stayed just behind, vines snapping out to yank stragglers forward or knock aside anything that got too close.
Sowhere behind them, sothing howled—but Aren didn’t look back.
The do lood larger with every step, its golden surface shimring like a mirage in the heat. It was so close now, close enough for them to continue running despite exhaustion taking over.
"Almost there!" soone cried.
Then they turned the corner...and everything stopped.
Their path ahead was clear as day, yet the main path towards it was full. A wave of General-Class monsters stood between them and the do, packed tightly as they clawed and scraped against the do, trying to get inside.
Massive shapes blocked the road completely, so crouched low while others stood upright, as if waiting.
Soone let out a broken sound halfway between a sob and a laugh. Another person stumbled to a halt, legs giving out beneath them.
"...We can’t," soone whispered.
Aren felt the sa thought try to take hold.
There was no gap, no way to break through and make it to the oasis that was just ahead, but out of reach.
Even Owen had gone still, staring as he took in the wall of monsters.
The street went quiet.
Aren stared at the wall of General-Class monsters. His brain was running on overload, thinking about possible solutions. His eyes darted around as options flickered through his thoughts and died just as fast.
Rooftops were already crawling, the side streets were in shambles, debris covered every path. Even if they scattered, most wouldn’t make it ten steps.
Think.
Aren’s gaze drifted back to the crowd behind him.
His father, gripping his sister’s hand too tightly. Lily, already watching him, dread plastered across her face.
If they rushed now, they’d die. If they stayed, they’d die.
Unless—
His jaw tightened.
Unless soone gave the monsters what they were actually watching for.
He took a single step forward. Owen noticed imdiately.
"What are you doing?" he asked, sharp.
Aren didn’t answer.
Lily moved at the sa ti, grabbing his sleeve.
"No," she said quietly. "Don’t."
"There’s no other choice." Aren turned back toward them. "At least Father and Anna can make a run for it while they’re distracted—"
Just as quickly as he said those words, the sky roared. Wind slamd into the street, dust and debris ripping loose as shadows tore across the ground.
Helicopters.
Three, no—more cut through the ruined skyline. Ropes ca out from the skies like a lifeline.
Figures slid down in full combat gear, descending like angels from the heavens. The General-Class monsters reacted instantly.
"Contact front!" a voice barked through amplified comms. "Engage!"
The soldiers moved as one.
Blades of light carved through the first wave. Earth ruptured beneath clawed limbs. A bolt of lightning speared down from above and obliterated a monster mid-charge, leaving nothing but scorched ashes behind.
Owen’s eyes widened.
"...Military," he breathed.
He straightened instinctively, posture snapping rigid as realization hit him.
A soldier landed just ahead of Aren, slamming a fist into the ground as a barrier of hard light flared outward, carving a narrow corridor straight toward the do.
"MOVE!" the soldier shouted, voice booming over the chaos. "OPENING FOR CIVILIANS—NOW!"
Aren didn’t hesitate.
"Go!" he roared, spinning back toward the crowd. "Run! Don’t stop—don’t look back!"
People surged forward, panic and hope colliding as they poured into the opening. Soldiers held the line on both sides, weapons flashing as monsters hurled themselves forward and were cut down mid-leap.
Aren felt Lily’s grip on his arm for half a second—then she was gone, dragging his family with her into the corridor.
Another explosion rocked the street.
The opening was already narrowing. Aren took one last look at the wall of monsters being held back.
Then he turned and ran.
Soldiers fought like machines, as the battlefield around them beca covered with an endless amount of blood. The corridor of light flickered as blows slamd into it from both sides, rippling like glass under strain.
"Keep moving!" Aren shouted. "Don’t stop!"
The crowd surged forward, stumbling, screaming, running past fallen bodies and shattered pavent. Lily dragged Aren’s father and Yue’er with her, vines snapping out to pull anyone who tripped back to their feet.
They were close now.
Then the soldier holding the barrier scread.
Aren snapped his head up just in ti to see a General-Class beast crash through the side of the corridor, claws tearing into the soldier’s chest. Blood sprayed as the man was lifted clean off the ground.
"No—!" soone yelled.
The soldier slamd into the street, lifeless.
The barrier shattered.
Light fractured outward like broken glass as the opening collapsed in on itself. The corridor disappeared.
"INSIDE! NOW!" a commander roared from above.
People scread as the last civilians lunged forward, throwing themselves through the fading light. So tripped and were dragged in by soldiers on the other side. Others vanished inside just as the barrier sealed behind them.
Aren shoved the last person forward.
A shadow fell over him.
He turned just as a massive claw ca down.
Aren threw himself sideways, ether surging as the ground exploded where he’d been standing.
Then he lunged forward with every ounce of strength he had left, just as the monster’s claws reached for his leg, barely grazing his leg before it hit the do’s barrier. Hands barely managed to grab him.
"Aren!"
Lily’s voice broke as she hauled him upright. His father was there. Anna pulled him into a hug.
He was inside.
They’d made it.
Aren sucked in a shaky breath and finally let himself collapse to one knee.
Around them, survivors fell where they stood, laughing, praying, or simply staring in disbelief at the golden barrier that separated them from the nightmare outside.
Inside the do, the chaos wasn’t much different from outside.
There were people everywhere.
Far more than he’d expected.
Civilians packed shoulder to shoulder across the plaza and surrounding streets, spilling out from temporary barricades and half-ford tents.
Stretchers lined the ground. dics sprinted between them, sleeves soaked red.
Aren limped forward, adrenaline finally ebbing enough for the pain in his leg to catch up with him. The graze along his calf burned with every step, blood seeping through torn fabric.
A dic spotted him imdiately.
"Sit. Now."
Aren didn’t argue.
He dropped onto a crate as the dic knelt, already wrapping his leg with a bandage. The do humd overhead, shining dimly, reminding him that this was still just temporary safety.
"Lucky," the dic muttered. "Another inch and you’d be missing the leg."
Aren barely heard him. His eyes had drifted to the next group over. A man was running around between patients, calmly diagnosing wounds and using Water elent ether to clean and heal them. He looked oddly familiar...
"...Caleb?"
The man looked up sharply.
For a split second, disbelief crossed his face, then it changed into pure relief.
"Aren?!" Caleb scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over a bucket of bloodied bandages. "You made it?!"
They stared at each other for half a heartbeat.
Then Caleb laughed, the sound shaky and breathless, and grabbed Aren by the shoulder.
"I thought you were—" He cut himself off and shook his head. "Never mind. You’re here. That’s what matters."
"Yeah, what about your family?" Aren asked. "Are they safe?"
"Luckily, we lived close to the governnt building," Caleb replied. "We were one of the first to make it here."
Aren glanced down.
Only then did he notice it. Ether flowed around Caleb differently now. A faint blue sheen pulsed beneath his skin.
"...You picked a pathway already?" Aren questioned.
Caleb froze.
Then he scratched the back of his head, suddenly sheepish.
"Yeah. It happened earlier. During the first wave." He hesitated, then added, "There were a lot of injured people...just thought I’d help out."
As if on cue, a small creature surfaced beside him, its scales translucent and faintly glowing, fins dropping water to the floor.
The Spring Loach.
Aren felt a strange twist in his chest. That was the path. The exact one he’d planned to suggest to Caleb.
Aren looked at him again. Not as the boy who’d struggled to keep up, but a capable person of his own right.
"...Figures," Aren muttered.
Caleb blinked. "What?"
"Nothing," Aren said, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite everything. "You always were smarter than you looked."
Caleb snorted. "Screw you."
Around them, the do continued to hum as a pause went by. Aren pushed himself back to his feet, leg wrapped tight.
"This isn’t over," he said.
"...Yeah," Caleb agreed. "I figured."
A hand tapped Aren’s shoulder.
Aren turned.
The man standing behind him wore a military coat marked with a gold-edged insignia. His presence alone seed to carve space in the chaos around them.
Lieutenant Leo.
"We need you," he said.
Aren straightened despite the ache in his leg. "For what?"
Leo’s gaze flicked briefly toward the governnt building at the heart of the do, where officers clustered around glowing tactical displays.
"For a report," Leo replied. "And a eting."
Aren looked back once.
Caleb t his eyes and gave a short nod.
Aren exhaled.
"Alright, lead the way."
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