"Ugh... my head feels like it’s been run over by a freight train," Diego groaned, his voice cracking as he pressed his palms into his eyes. He rolled over, expecting the lumpy mattress of his studio apartment, but instead met the cool, crisp touch of high-thread-count silk. "Wait, what is this? This isn't my bed."He bolted upright, the sudden movement making the room spin. The space was sleek, minimalist, and expensive. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked a skyline he didn't recognize."Okay, Diego, think. Did you get hammered last night?" he muttered to himself, his eyes darting around the room. "No, I was reading that trashy novel. 'The Last Dawn.' I fell asleep on Chapter 400."His gaze landed on a sleek smartphone resting on the nightstand. He grabbed it, the screen flickering to life with a haptic buzz."July 15th," he whispered, his heart hammering against his ribs. "July 15th, 2024. No, no, no. That’s the date. That’s the exact date."He scrambled out of bed, his legs feeling

"Alina, look at me," Diego said, his voice as steady as he could fake it while his heart performed a drum solo against his ribs. "The gun. It’s empty, isn't it? You had two rounds. One for the floor to scare them, and one for that guy’s leg because he didn't listen. There’s no more 'next one,' is there?"Alina’s grip on the pistol tightened until her knuckles turned a ghostly white. Her eyes, sharp and dark as obsidian, darted between Diego and the two looters who had followed him up from the lobby. "How do you know that? Who the hell are you?""I’m the guy who’s trying to keep you from ending up like the guy on the floor," Diego replied, slowly stepping further into the living room. "Actually, I’m the guy who’s trying to keep us all from ending up as snacks. Put the gun down, Alina. Grab the knife on the counter. It’s more reliable."The lead looter, a man with a jagged scar across his chin, let out a harsh, jagged laugh. "You hear this clown? He’s giving her tactical advice while we

"Just a little further!" Diego yelled, his voice strained as he pushed open the heavy security door at the back of the commercial warehouse. "Get inside! Quick!""I'm trying!" Alina panted, her arms wrapped tightly around Mikhail as she practically dragged him over the threshold. "He's exhausted, Diego! He can't run anymore!""I've got him," Diego said, reaching down to scoop the boy up. "Come on, step through. I need to lock this down."He slammed the heavy steel door shut, the metal-on-metal clang echoing like a gunshot in the dimly lit loading bay. He threw the heavy deadbolt, then slid two thick iron bars across the frame."Are we safe?" Mikhail whimpered, burying his face in Diego’s shoulder. "Is the purple sky gone?""It’s gone for now, buddy," Diego murmured, setting him down gently. "We're inside. Nobody is getting through this door."Alina leaned against the concrete wall, her chest heaving as she gripped her knees. "Is this your safehouse? It looks like a abandoned shipping

"Get back, Mikha!" Diego screamed, pulling the boy behind the heavy steel pillar. "Keep your hands over your ears and do not look up!""Diego, what's happening?" Mikhail sobbed, clutching his blue backpack tightly. "The metal is shaking so hard!""I know, buddy! Just hold on to me!" Diego yelled back, his eyes locked on the ceiling.CRASH.Above them, the reinforced glass windows of the upper loading bay shattered into a million pieces, showering the concrete stairs with razor-sharp shards as the wind began to howl through the building."Ah!" Alina gasped, jolting upright from the sleeping bag on the floor. Her eyes snapped open, wide and bloodshot. "What... where am I? Diego? Why does my head feel like it's burning?""Alina! Thank god you're awake!" Diego shouted, sprinting to her side and pulling her to her feet. "Can you stand? Can you run?""I think so, but my mind is so foggy," she muttered, stumbling slightly. "What did you do to me? What was that needle?""It was a stabilizer!

"Diego, wait," Alina gasped, her voice a fragile sliver of sound. She stumbled, her hands flying to her face as if to block out a sudden, blinding light. "Diego, my eyes. They’re... they’re burning again.""What?" Diego turned, instantly alert. He grabbed her shoulder to steady her. "Is it the fever? Did the mana stabilizer wear off already?""No, it’s not the fever," she whispered, her voice trembling as she slowly pulled her hands away from her face.Diego leaned in close, his heart skipping a beat. Her eyes were wide, the pupils dilated to the very edge of her irises, reflecting a faint, unnatural violet-black sheen."Diego... what is that?" she asked, her voice cracking with sudden panic."What is what?" Diego asked, looking around the dim gym. "The red screen? It’s just the World Boss notification. It’s gone now.""No, not the screen," Alina said, pointing a shaking finger directly at his chest. "That line on you. Right there on your neck.""There’s nothing on my neck, Alina," Di