Chapter 1: A Spark in the Dark
Ruins of the Old City
Nik Zorag pressed himself against the cracked wall of an abandoned building, holding his rifle tightly. The night was cold, as always after the Collapse, when the climate no longer obeyed the old rules. The wind carried ash and pieces of rusted metal across the streets, and distant gunshots could be heard. The Free Cities were at war with marauders, and Nik knew better than to get involved.
He moved forward, avoiding the lit streets. His goal was an old lab on the outskirts of the city. Once, it had been the site of research on "Prometheus' Heart," and if any information on how to use it still existed, it was likely to be found here.
Nik felt the familiar twinge of weakness. Empty Cells Syndrome was acting up again. He leaned against the wall, trying to steady his breathing. Not yet. It's not time to die.
Encounter with the Enemy
He reached a ruined square. The skeletons of cars, shattered shop windows, remnants of the old world. Nik moved forward, but suddenly, he heard a click — a sound he knew all too well.
The safety of a sniper rifle.
He dove sideways, rolling behind an overturned truck. The moment he did, a bullet punched through the metal of the truck, striking the exact spot where he had been standing a second ago.
"Shit…" Nik muttered.
A sniper. Working professionally. Probably from Aurika — they'd been hunting him for a while.
Nik cautiously peeked over the edge of the truck, but immediately pulled back — a second bullet pierced the vehicle. This bastard isn't going to let me get away.
Nik fumbled through his pocket for a smoke grenade. He wasn’t great in direct combat, but he knew how sensors worked. If the sniper was using thermal vision, the smoke wouldn't save him. But if he was using regular optics…
He pulled the pin and tossed the grenade into the air. The explosion clouded the square with thick gray smoke.
One second. Two.
Silence.
Nik moved quickly to the side, drew his "Mirror Claw" — a modified sniper rifle with a suppressor. He aimed into the darkness.
One shot.
The dull sound of a body hitting the ground.
Silence enveloped the streets again.
Nik waited a minute before cautiously approaching the body. An Aurika mercenary — the company's logo was still visible on his armor. That meant they knew he was here.
He searched the body and found a holographic transmitter.
"Target detected. Elimination unsuccessful. Awaiting orders."
"Shit…"
They're coming.
Nik discarded the transmitter and quickened his pace. If he didn’t find the information on Prometheus' Heart now, he might not get another chance.
Chapter 2: Flame and Ash
Underground Tunnels, Ruins of the Old City
Nik kept running through the ruined city, staying in the shadows and avoiding the blinding beams of satellite lights scanning the area. His heart was racing, and his breath was labored, but the hard drive with the data was more important than anything. He knew that every second counted.
He chose a route through the old warehouse districts, abandoned and destroyed in the last battle for control of the city. The landscape around him seemed to stretch on endlessly. Dust and remnants of the old world filled the air, and the stench of decay hung heavy. This place was long abandoned, and even those who had sought refuge here had left it behind.
Nik paused for a moment, listening. It was silent. But eerily silent.
Silence before the storm.
Attack
Suddenly, figures darted from the dark corners of the street. Nik barely noticed them before they were almost upon him. He reacted instantly, but it was already too late — they surrounded him.
These weren't just soldiers. They were consumed by emptiness — the ones who had gone through the pain, just like him. Their faces betrayed no emotions, only coldness and hollowness. Their armor was so rusted and worn that it looked like they were a part of the ruined world itself.
Nik, pulling out his weapon, prepared to fight, but his attention was caught by one figure standing behind the others. A tall man in black armor, with a red symbol of Aurika on his shoulder. This wasn't just a soldier. This was the commander.
"You won’t escape, Zorag," his voice came confidently, almost ominously.
The Legend in the Shadows
Nik was ready for combat, but something in the commander's voice made him freeze. He recognized him. This was Lasser, the one behind the technologies of "Aurika," the one who controlled and manipulated people like pawns in a game. His genius, his "architecture" was part of the destruction, and now, maybe, he was the reason everything had gone wrong for Nik.
"How… how did you find me?" Nik barely held his voice steady, trying not to betray the fear he felt.
Lasser stepped forward, a smirk on his face.
"I always knew you'd come looking for answers. You were part of our program. You're one of the ones I created."
Nik felt a chill run through him. He wasn’t just a target — he was a project. Nik had never known everything about his past, but now he felt the ground slipping from under him.
The Genius Trap
Lasser slowly advanced, and his subordinates, like shadows, closed in on Nik, pushing him against the wall. This wasn’t just an encounter with an enemy — this was a psychological battle. Lasser knew every weakness Nik had, and maybe that was why Nik felt so vulnerable.
"You don’t understand what you’re looking for, Zorag. Prometheus' Heart is not just a technology, it's the key to the rebirth of humanity. You are the one who will activate it. You are not just a soldier. You are the one who will create the new world order."
Nik gritted his teeth. He knew that, at this moment, even if he killed Lasser, he would still lose. He wasn’t ready. He was a pawn, a manipulation. Lasser knew how to act with every step, how to make the next move. Nik was in his hands.
But his plan was interrupted by an explosion.
Suddenly, at the intersection where they stood, a violent explosion erupted. Shrapnel and concrete flew through the air. Nik lost his balance and found himself enveloped in darkness.
The explosion was no accident. It was a signal.
A New Ally
When the smoke cleared, Nik saw that Lasser and his men were gone. Only he remained. A figure surrounded by light. The man Nik had only seen a few times but knew — this was the one who could be the key to everything.
"I knew you would come, Zorag," the man said, as the light dimmed slightly. He was in armor with the symbol of the Free Cities. "You were wrong to think Lasser would catch you. You’re needed by us."
Nik stood in the shadows. He knew his world was shifting again, and now, he would have to choose — ally with those who could give him power, or continue to fight alone. But it was already clear: his goal was not just to survive, but to stop everyone who was trying to use him as a pawn in their game.
And now, maybe, he had a chance.
Chapter 3: Fire and Shadow
Aurika’s Abandoned Base
Nik was running through the ruined city, staying in the shadows and avoiding the blinding satellite lights scanning the area. His heart was racing, his breath ragged, but the hard drive containing the data was more important than anything. He knew that every second was crucial.
He chose a route through the old warehouse districts, abandoned and destroyed in the last battle for control of the city. The remnants of the old world filled the air, and the stench of decay hung heavy. This place had long been abandoned, and even those who sought refuge here had long since fled.
Nik paused for a moment, listening. It was quiet. But strangely quiet.
Silence before the storm.
The Attack
Suddenly, figures leaped from the dark corners of the street. Nik barely noticed them before they were almost upon him. He reacted instantly, but it was already too late — they surrounded him.
These weren’t just soldiers. They were consumed by emptiness — those who had gone through pain, just like him. Their faces betrayed no emotions, only coldness and emptiness. Their armor was so rusted and battered that it looked like they were a part of the ruined world itself.
Nik, pulling out his weapon, prepared for battle, but his attention was caught by one figure standing behind the others. A tall man in black armor, with a red Aurika symbol on his shoulder. This wasn’t just a soldier. This was the commander.
"You won’t escape, Zorag," his voice came confidently, almost ominously.
The Legend in the Shadow
Nik was ready for combat, but something in the commander's voice made him freeze. He recognized him. This was Lasser, the one behind "Aurika’s" technologies, the one who controlled and manipulated people like pawns on a chessboard. His genius, his "architecture", was part of the destruction. And now, perhaps, he was the reason everything had gone wrong for Nik.
"How… how did you find me?" Nik barely held his voice steady, trying not to betray the fear.
Lasser stepped forward, a smirk on his face.
"I always knew you'd come looking for answers. You were part of our program. You are one of the ones I created."
Nik felt a chill run through him. He wasn’t just a target. He was a project. Nik had never known everything about his past, but now he felt the ground slip from under him.
The Genius Trap
Lasser slowly advanced, his subordinates closing in like shadows. This wasn’t just an encounter with an enemy. It was a psychological battle. Lasser knew every weakness Nik had, and maybe that was why Nik felt so vulnerable.
"You don’t understand what you’re looking for, Zorag. Prometheus' Heart is not just a technology; it is the key to the rebirth of humanity. You are the one who will activate it. You are not just a soldier. You are the one who will create the new world order."
Nik gritted his teeth. He knew that, at this moment, even if he killed Lasser, he would still lose. He wasn’t ready. He was a pawn, a manipulation. Lasser knew how to act with every step, how to make his next move. Nik was in his hands…
by Beautiful-Durian-208