The control room was a chaos of shattered glass, sparking consoles, and the fading green afterglow of the breached barrier. In the center of it all, Walid struggled against the unyielding grip of Marwan, a triumphant sneer still plastered on his face."Your strength is meaningless now!" Walid spat, even as Marwan forced his arms behind his back. "The doors are open! You've already lost!""Shut up," Marwan grunted, pulling a set of zip-ties from his belt with practiced efficiency. He secured Walid's wrists with a vicious tug. "You talk too much for a man who got caught."Ali swiftly subdued the last of Walid's lackeys, tying his hands as the sound of bootsteps echoed down the hall. Hamza and Nawras burst into the room, weapons raised, with Fadi and his colleagues close behind."The situation?" Hamza asked, his eyes scanning the ruined control panels."It's over here. But out there..." Ali trailed off, gesturing to the main viewing screen that showed the gaping hole in the barrier. The

The armored car carved a path through the open desert, its heavy tires kicking up plumes of dust as it raced toward the southeastern border. Inside Ali’s hands were steady on the wheel, while Marwan’s gaze was fixed on the horizon.Suddenly, dark creatures flew above them, almost distorting the pale blue sky. Marwan leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Look! There," he said, his voice a low growl.Ali followed his gaze to a swirling swarm of Ghouls, monstrous hybrids of giant crows and hawks, flying with malevolent purpose directly toward the distant city of Askalan. Marwan’s body tensed. "Stop the vehicle! I have to face them now, before they reach the city!"But Ali’s hand shot out, gripping Marwan’s arm firmly. "Wait! Malik is expecting them in the city. Don’t worry, he will stop them. He’s the most experienced with this type. Let us be the ones to stop them here, before the army of ghouls forces us to fight in the streets of Askalan."Marwan paused, the conflict clear on his face

Hazim drove the armored vehicle south at breakneck speed, the Black Knight a silent, brooding statue in the passenger seat. Their mission was critical: to stem the tide of Ghouls flowing toward the populated cities. They didn’t even have to reach the border to find the enemy. On the road, they encountered scattered packs of the creatures. Each time, they didn't slow down; Hazim would expertly maneuver while the Black Knight unleashed devastating fire from the roof-mounted turret, obliterating one Ghoul after another."Twenty... twenty-five..." Hazim counted under his breath, his voice grim. "They're already so deep inside."The Black Knight’s only response was the relentless chatter of the heavy machine gun.When they finally arrived at the border region, the sight that greeted them was more chilling than they had imagined. It wasn't just a scattered horde; it was a full-blown army, camped and organized. Worse, they could see the distinct, powerful forms of the Ghoul generals gathered

The silence inside the derelict farmhouse was suddenly broken by a series of low, guttural growls and the sound of cracking timber from outside."Did you hear that?" Marwan whispered, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword.Ali nodded, his own senses on high alert. "It sounds close.""Stay here. I'll go check," Marwan ordered, rising to his feet with a quiet grace.But before he could take a single step toward the door, the world exploded. The entire roof and one of the walls caved in with a deafening roar, burying them both in a torrent of wood, stone, and dust.Consciousness fled from both of them.Ali was the first to wake, groaning as his systems rebooted. His advanced armor had absorbed the brunt of the impact, leaving him dazed but relatively unharmed. He pushed against the heavy debris pinning him down, his armor's servos whining as they helped him shift the rubble."Marwan?" he coughed, his voice hoarse. The only answers were the chilling snarls of Ghouls somew

Marwan’s consciousness returned slowly, swimming up through a thick fog of confusion and a dull, throbbing pain in his skull. He blinked his eyes open to the sterile, bright lights of an emergency clinic. His head was tightly wrapped in bandages.A nurse, noticing he was awake, approached his bed. "You're awake! Alhamdulliah. How are you feeling?""Where...?" Marwan’s voice was a rough croak. He tried to piece together his memories, the farmhouse and the collapse."The Knight in the white armor brought you in," the nurse explained gently. "Your friend saved you. You were lucky, he got you here just in time."Marwan’s hands instinctively went to his torso, feeling only the thin fabric of his undershirt. His eyes widened in alarm. "My armor. Where is my armor?"The nurse shifted uncomfortably. "Your friend... he took it. But he left your sword. It's right here, next to the bed." She gestured to the familiar weapon leaning against the wall.A cold dread washed over Marwan. He tried to si