After being examined and cleared, I decided to return to my room. The scenes of everything that had happened were still fresh in my mind, replaying like shattered fragments I couldn’t push away.

  My body was physically fine, but I still felt a constant pressure over me—something beyond the physical, something deep and oppressive, impossible to explain with words.I knew Saklas was strong. I always had.

  But that was far more than strength.It was authority.

  He could have ended all of us there.His hatred had been directed at Miss Helena, and that didn’t seem random. It had something to do with blood.

  His blood.

  I saw what Saklas did when he awakened. I saw how insignificant we were before that power. Maybe we made a mistake far too great… and this was our punishment.

  When I reached the room, I saw Erick sitting on the floor, his back against the bed. He was pale, breathing heavily, his shirt completely soaked with sweat.

  I rushed to him, kneeling by his side, searching for any sign that he was losing control. Still, he seemed normal.

  “Calm down… I’m fine,” he said quietly. “He’s gone.”

  “Saklas…” I asked, a chill running down my spine.

  “Was he here? What happened? What did he do to you?”

  “No. He didn’t come here.”

  Erick took a deep breath before continuing.

  “But I can’t explain what I felt.”

  “A part of him… whatever he put inside me… I could feel it. Luna, it was terrifying. A strong pressure in my head, words I didn’t understand… but the anger… that, I understood perfectly.”

  He looked at me with a confused expression.

  “Do you know what happened out there?”

  I sighed, feeling a bitter relief at realizing he was still conscious, still present.

  “So that’s what happened…”

  “You swear you’re okay?” he insisted.

  “Yes…” I answered, though I wasn’t absolutely sure myself.

  “Suddenly, it all stopped. Like a thread had been cut.”

  “I see…”

  I told him everything I knew. Every detail. Every fragment. Erick remained silent, just listening, his eyes fixed on me.

  “And the doctor?” he finally asked. “Is she okay?”

  I shook my head, feeling the weight of the answer.

  “I don’t know… no one is allowed to see her.”

  “I understand.”

  Silence settled between us for a few seconds.

  “Well,” I said, trying to bring some sense of normalcy to the moment, “since you’re fine, go take a shower. You’re covered in sweat.”

  — Erick Helen —

  When Luna said that, I realized the obvious: I was drenched in sweat from head to toe, as if I had just woken up from a feverish nightmare.

  “Alright… I’m going.”

  I went to the bathroom, and when I looked at myself in the mirror, my stomach tightened. The carmine veins on my body were slightly more visible.

  They weren’t violently pulsing, but they had begun spreading again across my skin, slowly, like thin roots searching for space.

  As I showered, I thought about it over and over. About what it meant. About what might still happen. But I didn’t want to worry Luna.

  She had already been through enough.I didn’t want to be another source of fear in her life.

  I put on clean clothes, trying to push those thoughts away, and returned to the room. She was sleeping deeply, exhausted. I covered her carefully, as if that gesture alone could protect her from everything surrounding us, then went to prepare something for us to eat when she woke up.

  ---

  — Lucius Varela —

  Hearing that man I admired so much in that situation… I never imagined the weight that rested on his shoulders. There was something different about his posture.

  “Many want the benefits of power, but few understand its weight.”

  “Sir.”

  “Yes?”

  “Perhaps… perhaps we still have some hope.”

  He raised his gaze slowly.

  “Hope?”

  “While we were repairing the transmitters, we intercepted an external transmission. The message was fragmented, full of interference, but it mentioned an artifact capable of repelling the creatures…” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I managed to roughly triangulate its location. About thirty-five kilometers south, beyond the reserve.”

  There was a brief silence.

  Maybe… just maybe… there was still something left for us in this corrupted world.

  ---

  — Luna Helen —

  When I woke up, my body still felt numb and my vision slightly blurred. I looked at the clock.

  I had slept an entire day.

  I searched for Erick around the house, but found only a note taped to the refrigerator door.

  “I went out for a bit. Your food is in the fridge. I already ate my share—everything else is yours.”

  There was a small drawing of a chubby rabbit next to the note. I smiled. He used to draw that when he was younger.

  I sat at the table while eating, lost in thought, trying to focus on a time when none of this had happened. Our childhood. Our parents.

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  I knew things would never go back to how they were. Still, I needed to believe they could get better. I needed hope.

  When I finished eating, I noticed the time. He had been gone for a long while.

  What could he be doing out there?

  Aside from the soldiers who escorted us here—and Helena—he didn’t know anyone else.

  I sighed.

  “I hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble,” I murmured to myself.

  ---

  — Erick Helen —

  After realizing Luna wouldn’t wake up anytime soon, I took the chance to eat while the food was still warm.

  Since we had private quarters, there was no need to go to the communal cafeteria.

  We were lucky in that regard. Most of the food served there was synthetic. I had never eaten anything like that before coming here. The taste reminded me of soy, but without any seasoning. There were a few flavor additives, but very few made any real difference. Life in there was harsh.

  Walking through the corridors, I heard talk about recruiting and training civilians. I moved closer and saw a digital panel displaying information and registration locations.

  I was already decided.

  I didn’t know how long Luna and I could stay there. Resources aren’t infinite.We needed to stand on our own.

  If I could become a soldier, maybe our lives would be more stable… or at least more prepared.

  As I approached the registration area, I noticed there were few people. Most seemed to treat it like a joke, not something serious. They were all from Sector 3.

  They hadn’t witnessed the events of Sector 1.They had no idea what they would truly face.

  I joined the line. While waiting, I heard the voice of one of the soldiers collecting signatures.

  Damn it.

  I always looked a bit older than I actually was. But they could easily access the records by name.

  How foolish of me…

  When it was my turn, the soldier looked up.

  “What’s your name, kid?”

  I swallowed hard.

  “Erick… Erick Helen, sir.”

  The screen beside him flickered, displaying my data:

  INFORMATION Name: Erick Helen Date of Birth: 11/19/2075 (18 years old) Blood Type: O- Marital Status: Single Height: 1.77 m Education: —

  “Well, would you look at that… happy birthday, kid.”

  My heart tightened. Birthday?

  So much time had passed that I hadn’t even noticed.All that chaos had completely erased my sense of dates.

  “Th-thank you, sir,” I replied, distracted, lost in thought.

  “Well, since it’s your birthday, I’ll let you cut ahead of these idiots. Come on, follow me.”

  “Let’s see what you’re capable of.”

  I heard laughter and ironic comments from the crowd. I ignored them and followed him into a testing room, where other people were already inside. Overall, they were physical evaluations.

  The first test involved something like metal rings connected to wires, attached to all my fingers, forcing them open.

  “Squeeze.”

  I clenched my hand with all my strength. The indicators spiked.

  225 kg.

  The evaluator went pale.

  “Wait a second… this must be malfunctioning.”

  We moved to the second test.This time, I had to push something like a sled, connected by cables to plates fixed into the ground.

  “Come on, kid. Try to reach the other side as fast as possible.”

  The distance was about ten to twelve meters.

  “Impossible…” he muttered, staring at the stopwatch. “Ten seconds. That’s over one meter per second… with four hundred kilos.”

  He stared at me, incredulous.

  “Kid… what the hell are you?”

  He paused briefly, then nodded.

  “Approved. Come with me. You don’t need to do the rest of the tests.”

  “Carlos, look at this. This kid’s markers… what the hell are they feeding the youth these days? Haha.”

  “Is this serious?”

  “It is. I saw it with my own eyes.”

  After that, I was taken from room to room as they displayed my markers.

  Finally, we reached a room unlike the others—larger, quieter.At the far end stood an older man.

  One look was enough to know who he was. The rigid posture, the severe expression, and above all, the almost automatic respect everyone showed him made it clear.

  General Crox.

  Luna had told me a little about him.

  “You may sit, kid.”

  His voice sounded tired, but still firm. I immediately obeyed.

  “I knew your sister. I greatly admire that girl’s courage and willpower.”

  “It doesn’t surprise me that you show the same traits. Many of those men out there have no idea what they’re about to face… but you do. And even so, here you are.”

  “What made you take this decision?”

  I swallowed before answering.

  “I don’t want to be a burden anymore, sir. And I believe the best way to avoid that is by becoming a soldier.”

  He observed me in silence for a few seconds.

  “I understand your way of thinking. I thought the same when I was your age.”“But strength, weapons, or martial skill are only part of what makes a soldier. You’ll understand that in time.”

  He paused briefly.

  “I hope to see what you’re truly capable of, kid. Good luck. You’re approved.”

  “Lieutenant Carlos, take the kid to the recruits’ quarters.”

  Hearing those words made me nervous—but deep down, it was exactly what I wanted.

  “Nice job, monster. You didn’t even flinch in front of the commander. That’s a start. Come on.”

  Carlos led me to the barracks. There were people of all ages there—I was clearly the youngest. Before we arrived, many were relaxed, chatting nonsense, laughing, showing no sign of concern.

  Many still believed everything would soon return to normal, that the corporations would solve it quickly.

  I looked around more carefully. There were about fifty or sixty people in the room, mostly men.

  After we entered, Carlos said he had some things to take care of and left me there, in the middle of the crowd. I leaned against a pillar and listened to the scattered conversations. I didn’t know anyone.

  I felt completely out of place.

  At the far end of the room, there was a platform with a microphone. Shortly after, a woman appeared. Black, with short blond hair. She wore a white shirt, pants, and a military vest.

  When she introduced herself, her voice was firm.

  “Captain of the Iron Badgers. Carla Andrade.”

  She looked to be around forty-five. A beautiful woman, but what stood out most was the imposing aura she carried. She gave a brief speech about the future, about how they needed each and every one of us. She finished by saying our activities would begin in two days—and that we should prepare for hell.

  Some people laughed at the way she said it.

  I didn’t.

  I knew she wasn’t joking.

  After that, we were dismissed, and everyone returned to their dorms.

  When I opened the door to my room, Luna was there, holding something in her hands.

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

  I started laughing, and she looked at me, confused. Then tears spilled down my face without warning.

  “Thank you… thank you so much. I thought you wouldn’t remember. I had forgotten myself…”

  “Oh, come on. What kind of big sister would I be if I forgot my little brother’s birthday?” she laughed. “Let’s eat.”

  I looked at what she was holding.

  “Sorry to ask… but what is that?”

  “It’s a cake, you idiot. Can’t you tell?”

  She replied with a pout as she cut me a piece of that thing.

  We tried to eat it, but it was impossible. Still, it was absolutely worth it just to see Luna’s face when she took a bite. We started laughing and ended up throwing everything in the trash. She chose not to comment on how she had created that chemical weapon.

  We talked for a while, until she asked what I had done all day. I told her everything. Every detail.

  She fell silent for a few seconds.

  “I’m sorry… I wish you didn’t have to do this. But I understand your decision. And I’ll support you.”

  She took a deep breath.

  “In fact, I’m thinking about enlisting in the medical wing. I was almost done with my studies anyway… I don’t think a diploma at the end of the world matters that much.”

  “You, Doctor Luna Helen…” I smiled. “I think it sounds good. Good luck.”

  After that, I went to take a shower.

  That was when I saw myself in the mirror.

  The sight was terrifying.

  The carmine veins had spread almost entirely from my chest up toward my shoulders.

  I could see them moving beneath my skin, intensifying, like something alive.

  I nearly fell backward. I grabbed the door, making a loud noise.

  Luna immediately appeared on the other side.

  “Erick? Are you okay?”

  I was trembling.

  My voice was stuck in my throat. I tried to answer, but I couldn’t.

  Terror flooded my mind.

  They’re spreading too fast.The exam… it has to be that.

  That strength… it has something to do with this.

  But I felt fine.No visions. No whispers.

  So why?

  Luna started pounding on the door. That snapped me out of it.

  I managed to answer, saying I had slipped but that I was fine.

  I didn’t know what to do.But I didn’t want to involve her in this.

  At least not yet.Not today.