As they settled into the dim light of the room, Lorne took a moment to truly breathe. The remnants of the house told a story of a life once lived—faded photographs hung askew on the walls, and a dusty table still held the remnants of a family meal long abandoned. A child’s cup lay on its side, its cartoon print half-scratched away, and a pair of chairs sat pulled out as if someone had once stood up in a hurry and never returned. It was a stark reminder of the world they had lost, a world that now felt like a distant memory rather than something they had actually touched.
These used to be someone's home. He once had a home now he was a runner
“Do you think we’ll make it?” Max asked, his voice barely above a whisper; the clogged tone betrayed his half-sleep state, the weight of uncertainty hanging heavily in the air. His words seemed too loud in the fragile quiet, as if even hope could shatter what little peace they’d managed to find.
Lorne met his gaze, determination flickering in his eyes. For a moment, the exhaustion lining his face fell away, replaced by something steady and unshakeable. “We have to,” he said softly. “We can’t give up, even if we wanted to. We’ll find a way out of this.”
With a shared nod, they began to quietly talk through their next move, sketching rough ideas more than solid plans—routes they might take, places that might still be safe, the vague promise of a military post that may or may not exist. They both knew the road ahead would be fraught with peril, but also threaded through with the fragile hope of freedom. They had each other, and in a world gone mad, that thin thread of connection felt like a lifeline.
"Here is a lane that edges to the borders. You see, there usedto be a military base here cause miscreant had in on a special resource. A kind of Tar. we wont be taking this route though. There's a path that leads directly to the base around the jungle between the old town rails."
They agreed soon enough; Max did a lot of nodding rather than talking. His family butler was an expert in various sectors.
The night was far from over. At some point, the sky outside the broken windows shifted from ink-black to a bruised gray, and as dawn broke, a thick column of smoke rose in the distance, smudging the horizon. It signaled a forest fire ignited by rogue mutants. The flames danced hungrily, licking at the trees and sending embers spiraling into the air like fireflies. The fire spread rapidly, a ravenous beast threatening the fragile sanctuary they had found in the dilapidated house. Max and Lorne exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding in unison; they had no choice but to flee once more, navigating through the trees with the inferno closing in on their heels.
Max’s gauntlet, now charged with energy, pulsed with a vibrant glow, becoming an invaluable tool in their desperate escape. He activated its laser, a brilliant beam slicing through fallen branches and debris, clearing a path through the chaos. Each time the red light flashed, it cast their faces in an otherworldly glow, briefly softening the fear in their eyes. The heat was intense, wrapping around them like a suffocating blanket, and the air was thick with acrid smoke that clawed at their throats. Each breath felt like inhaling fire, but they pressed on, driven by sheer survival instinct, the primal urge to escape the encroaching doom.
As they sprinted through the underbrush, the world around them transformed into a hellscape. Trees crackled and popped, their bark blackening and peeling away as the flames consumed them. The ground beneath their feet grew hot, and the distant roar of the fire was a constant reminder of the danger that lurked just behind them. Now and then, a branch would crash to the ground nearby, sending up a spray of sparks that drifted like cruel confetti. Max could feel the heat radiating off the flames, a tangible force that urged him to run faster, to push harder.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they stumbled into a clearing, a small oasis amidst the fiery chaos. They collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, their bodies slick with sweat and soot. The forest fire raged on behind them, a monstrous reminder of the relentless danger they faced in this mutated world. The clearing was eerily quiet, the only sound the crackling of distant flames and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. They took a moment to recuperate, their hearts still racing, adrenaline coursing through their veins.
it all felt peaceful for a second
Aghhhhh
Then came a human yell, then gunshots. Max and Lorne, still panting, shared a gaze
As fate would have it there wasnt really any rest in this God forsakken place
they could easily tell what they were both thinking
"at least there are people"
at least we arent thesame weak duo
HAHAHAHAH"Lorne and max cant help but laugh out as they could finally notice the beauty around them the chirp of a bird and rustle of the tree made him feel fill on the inside
The world might have change but werent they as well...if anything, they could just conquer all their troubles and laugh like they are doing now. he was scared they might derange and go insane
"There are people..."
"Lets meet them..!"
Latest Chapter
Darkness Pigment
It was raining cats and dogs tonight,and birds were cradling their chicks in their nest.The civilian sector is a very humble space as of now stalls that were dying out in syncwith little to none walking the street.An old man came by his usual spot and banged the counter to wake up the owner. The owner wasn't act displeased from being woken up from his beauty sleep, plus sales have been slow lately, so he would appreciate it if sales came in at all.Though this old geezer was too much, he still accepted him with open arms."Hey, got any spare umbrella? I wrecked mine just now," the old man showed his wind-torn rain guard."Hmm, let me be done warming your noodles and make some cocoa for the rain its a no-brainer, you had need some flames through these stormy curtains." The stall owner passed an umbrella from the hook behind the door.servings of noodles and hot cocoa for the night, he couldn't lie knowing his body was a catastrophic combo, but he can't stop, plus it was too late to
Heist
An orb glowed on a ring-shaped plate. A scientist wearing a face shield was reassembling the orb with a picker and spatula for what felt like the ten-thousandth time. He had tried multiple patterns already. Hopefully, this time would be a success."Hey, Lorne, would you hand me the chip of the core? That should be the final piece to this puzzle. Let's pray it doesn't explode." The scientist grimaced, extending a hand toward Lorne, his new assistant, who was holding a chunk of Nest Core worth dozens of lives."Here, Professor," Lorne answered.It had been three days, yet they still hadn’t succeeded in creating what they were after. There wasn’t much time. According to the military, the system might crash the moment the Merc Association obtained a C rank or a New Path.The professor attached the chip of Nest Core to the open part of the core. Immediately, a rainbow wave of energy spread to all corners of the lab and beyond.The scientist, Garfield, flinched as sweat dripped down his for
it's not the letter.... it's the mail that's off.
“Is that the last one?” Jane said to the secretary, who was tidying up the papers on the table. She on the other hand, was sipping her morning coffee from her mug.“Yes, Captain, that was the last one,” the secretary said anxiously.“Leave the rest to me, then,” Jane reassured her, her hands picking up the paper on the table before she took her seat and gave the chair a twirl.Sigh...“I sent letters to five different destinations, secretly, to those I found fitting for the Special Squad. Those I could trust, as they would focus more on missions outside the base,” Jane said out loud, though she didn’t seem to be talking to anyone. She had chosen individuals known for their resourcefulness and who had proven their loyalty through past missions. Each had unique qualities: a strategist who could outsmart adversaries, a medic who excelled in high-pressure situations, and a technician with unrivalled skills in hacking and engineering, making them indispensable for missions beyond base bor
The Story of the leader of the first Speial squad leader.
The birds were screeching just beneath the clouds as the sun set on the event of the day.An awarding ceremony for the soldiers who had accomplished the first-ever Rank C mission would be taking place at the sector front. The commander had taken it upon himself to honour the heroes who brought hope back to the last lamplight of humanity.With the apocalypse in full swing, it was hard to make anything feel official, but the military managed, making it at least half as good as ceremonies from the old world.Jane watched the setup. To her, all these were mere formalities that could have been skipped—yet the constant, rapid tempo of her heartbeat said otherwise.Father… little Jane hasn’t let you down.Jane’s cheeks went wet as tears slipped down onto her fist, clenched tightly at her waist.“Is everything fine, Captain? I can’t help but notice that you haven’t dressed up for the ceremony.” At some point, the commander had managed to appear at her side.“Ah, Commander—” Jane flinched, the
Secrets from Sorra
A shadowy man appeared before the tavern’s entrance and pushed the door open. Inside, the place was packed with rowdy mercenaries and scrawny merchants. He wrinkled his nose, his face creasing."The stench of wild men and deadly wine…" He inhaled a little more until a satisfied expression settled on his face. "One feels alive in the midst of mortals, right?"The question didn’t seem directed at anyone but himself."Boss, we got your message. As of now, orders are already being sent out to begin the first phase," a lackey said, handing a mug to the man whose face seemed to treat shadows like clothing."How efficient. Now go get the papers I asked you to print."The shadowy man sat at a free table while the lackey stood by his side, not daring to look him in the eye, much less think of sharing a seat with him."Yes, Your Highness." The lackey immediately ran behind the counter to fetch them.A hefty, chubby mercenary walked up to the bar and slammed his mug down."More of those fiery co
Respect await and so does the peace behind safe doors
The military plane landed in an open field under the watchful eyes of the commander. Jane, however, immediately noticed that something was off. There were too few soldiers. That question would have to wait for now.The hatch opened. Jane and Max stepped out first, with the professor and Sarah following behind. Lorne was helping One-Eye walk, supporting him with his shoulder; the man seemed to be suffering from a hangover. Marc was doing the same for Henrik.The commander came forward to welcome them himself—one of the greatest honors Jane had received since the start of her military career and since her father’s glorious death.She straightened her posture, lifted her chest, clamped one hand to the other in salute, and stamped a booted foot. She exchanged a salute with the man, whose wrinkles spoke of hard-earned experience and old age.“Well done, Captain. You don’t know how much we anticipated your arrival, or how eager we were—especially with your achievements on this mission. Ever
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