Return Before the Apocalypse: The Countdown Only I Remember

In 3027, the appearance of a wormhole changed Aethera.

The planet survived. Almost nothing on it remained as it had been.

At first, the wormhole seemed to connect two places. Who could have imagined that, instead of leading to another planet or galaxy, it opened into another dimension, another universe?

With the wormhole at the center, the two versions of Aethera merged. The planet grew, taking in the other world's terrain—and everything living on it.

The other dimension had suffered an apocalypse. Zombies and mutant creatures had taken over the world. Humanity's fate there was clear:

It was extinct!

That collision brought a war between worlds. Worse still, when the two Aetheras merged, all technology stopped working. Almost every established theory broke down in the aftermath.

Aethera's size, its gravity, the oxygen content of the air, and countless other things changed completely.

Humanity was nearly wiped out once again!

***

Long after midnight, a crowd gathered on a hilltop.

The crowd admired the stars, but a handsome young man of about twenty stared up without seeming to see them. His hair was raven-black, his eyes dark as ink, and his skin pale as snow.

“Did you have too much to drink, Kil?”

The young man, whose real name was Killian, turned at the sound.

Seeing several friends gathered around him only deepened his confusion.

“Is this a hallucination before I die?”

Kil bit his finger hard enough to draw blood. Pain shot through it, sharp and unmistakable, but he did not cry out.

Instead, a smile spread across his face.

Kil searched his pockets for his phone and checked the screen: 1:20 a.m., March 20, 3027.

Leaving his friends behind, he ran to a tree and searched his contacts. His hand trembled at the name.

After a moment of uncertainty, Kil finally placed the call.

A short while later, someone answered.

“Hey, Killian. What's up? Aren't you at that party with your friends? Why—”

“Be quiet and listen to me, Ezra.”

Ezra fell silent.

“Remember what I'm about to tell you! Don't trust anyone. If you're in a crowd right now, get out of there immediately. Stay away from crowded places. They're dangerous!

“And another thing—”

“Did a girl dump you, Killian?”

Kil fell silent. Love belonged to a life he could barely remember. What came readily were the years of fighting, running, and killing that had carried him to 3053.

He had reached middle age without ever finding Ezra.

He shook his head and repeated his warning.

“Just listen to me this time, Ezra.”

“Okay, Killian. Is that all?”

“Remember what I just told you. And remember this, too:

“Weakness is a sin. If you're weak, you'll be trampled to death. Don't rely on anyone else to survive! Get strong!

“Whatever happens, hold on. You're too far away, but be patient and keep going. Even if you're at death's door, you have to be alive when I come to get you. Remember that!”

“Come on, Killian. We can see each other anytime, can't we? Besides, we can just take a plane and—”

“Don't put too much trust in anyone! Mom and Dad are gone, and we have no other relatives.

“Don't do something stupid, like playing the hero and getting yourself killed!

“And remember, high ground is good. But only if you have a way to get down quickly without getting hurt. There's also—”

“What are you talking about, Killian? I don't understand any of this. I'm—”

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

The call cut off. Lights went dark all around him. Kil tightened his grip on the phone and looked up at the star-filled sky, his expression hardening.

“So it's begun.”

Kil crossed the grass, surveying his surroundings. His phone was dead, and rust was already spreading across the metal fence rails. His jaw tightened.

He rubbed the back of his neck to loosen the muscles, a smile forming on his lips.

“Nothing beats a young, well-trained body.”

His profession had kept him alive through the long collapse. Even now, he checked the spaces between the trees before taking another step.

Luck had brought him back. It had never been enough to keep anyone alive.

As both an older brother and a substitute parent, Kil had to give his younger brother the best of everything: food, a home, and an education.

He did whatever it took to provide those things.

After all, the young man was a hitman posing as an ordinary person. He worked and spent time with regular people, but killing was his real profession.

Chance had made him a killer, and he hated that it had decided his life for him.

Kil remembered begging as a child, while his little brother lay sick and starving. On his way back, a thug had stopped him and tried to rob him. Thinking of his brother, Kil had fought like a madman.

That was his first murder.

An old man saw his potential and captured him. Naturally, a small boy stood no chance against a professional killer.

The old man had meant to kill him before he grew into a threat. He asked why Kil had killed the thug; after hearing about his brother, he offered him a place in the organization instead.

“The Nightfall Order.”

Kil shook his head, dismissing the old, almost faded memories.

“Coming back seems to have made me more emotional.”

“So this is where you are, Kil. I've been looking everywhere. Did you get so drunk you started running around like a lunatic?”

Kil turned toward the voice and saw a man his own age. His name was Axel. He was solidly built, with wavy blond hair, and always wore sunglasses—even at night!

Axel was one of the few people Kil considered a friend.

Remembering Axel's death and Ezra's disappearance, Kil clenched his fists. Before his return, he had been a lone wolf, with no family beside him and few friends left. His strength had earned him respect, but it had not brought them back.

“We need to get out of here, Axel.”

“What do you mean? We haven't even had a chance to talk to the girls.”

Axel and Kil worked at the same company. For Kil, of course, it was a cover job.

“Look around. Something's obviously wrong. Let's get down the hill first. We'll talk there.”

“Huh?”

“Just do it.”

Without another word, Kil walked away.

Axel looked back toward the party, then followed him down the hill.

Ninety minutes later, they reached the bottom. Axel was panting, sweat soaking his clothes.

“Didn't the climb take us less than fifteen minutes? Why did getting down take so long?”

“Haven't you noticed what's changed, Axel?”

Puzzled, Axel tilted his head.

“You mean the power outage and the loss of reception?”

“There's more to it than that.” Kil gave a slight shake of his head. “It's worse than you think. You'd better get ready to fight.”