SYSTEM ASCENSION

Sound city, a city once peaceful a moment ago, was now in total chaos. People ran for their lives, tripping over the littlest things. Cars were abandoned, crowding the streets.

The creatures weren’t what they could identify. These were bigger, with horns and numerous faces. They walked like humans to hunt humans. Races with intellect.

The barrier loomed ahead, where the portals had opened. No one saw what was inside, but only the constant arrival of new waves of grotesque figures.

Ned hid himself perfectly inside the back seat of a car, parked terribly close to the dark barrier. Half because he was too scared to move, and half because the crown prince of black empire that was entrusted into his care had dashed into the portal thirty minutes ago.

”Please be okay...”

He clasped his hands together and pleaded into the air, anything to anchor his sanity.

Suddenly, a hand slammed against the window.

”No!” He ducked. ”I don’t want to die! I haven’t gotten married...”

”Ned!”

The voice startled him, but at the same time brought relief.

”Were is Elias?” Zeal asked from outside the window.

Ned pushed the door open.

”Thank God you’re here Mr Zeal. He went in about an hour ago.”

”An hour?”

”Yes sir. Thanks to him, the number of beasts appearing from the gate has reduced significantly. I also saw lady Tiana. It seems she’s the only available number.”

Zeal nodded.

”You should leave this place. Return to sound league and—”

A sudden explosion hit right where Zeal was standing. Ned didn’t know how it happened, or what happened. One second Zeal was talking about escaping, and the next he was tumbling down the road, torn in half, and slamming into a car.

Ned’s legs went weak.

He fell on his knee, chest rising and falling so fast he could hear it.

”Mr... Zeal?”

He could see the legs of the sound league leader before him, but the upper half had been blown across the street.

”Mr...”

”So that’s one of them. How weak.”

The voice sounded right beside Ned, slick and mocking. He couldn’t move, even as the person who spoke walked passed him.

A female. Barefooted. Silver eyes and hair.

She approached Zeal’s upper half and pulled his unconscious body up by his hair.

”They amount to nothing. Such trash Omeo has been raising.”

Ned gasped. He stumbled back, pressing himself against the door of the car.

’Is that a human? Who is she... Did she just take him out in one sweep.’

Her eyes snapped towards Ned. He shrieked, and stumbled back.

”Not one of them...” She stared at him.

He had expected her to attack him, but instead she tightened her grip on Zeal’s hair and began to carry him back into the barrier.

Ned’s eye followed her, even as he held his breath. And just before she could walk inside the barrier, Ned caught sight of Zeal’s lower body regenerating at a rate that seemed inhuman. Bones and muscles knit together.

His eyes opened, covered in blood, and he mouthed.

”Call Rowen.”

INSIDE THE BARRIER—

She carried Zeal in like he weighed nothing, dropped him on the crack and stepped back.

Blood smeared across the floor where his upper half had been dragged.

”How is the child?” she asked, moving to stand beside them.

Four figures stood ahead of her, faces like they’d been carved by something flawless. Godlike looks, but none of them looked human when you stared a little too long.

”He’s tough,” one replied.

They stared across the field, where Elias was preoccupied, barely getting a breath before another creature jumped him.

”Omeo created something useful here.” The one who had answered her question spoke again.

Elias fell on one knee, panting hard, sword in his left hand trembling from overuse. His coat was torn, covered in black ichor and his own blood. He’d fought over a thousand of those beasts alone to get this far.

He had seen the strange people observing him for a while now, and can only conclude that these people are definitely not allies.

He staggered to his feet again and dashed forward, engaging in another round of battle with the hordes.

As he swung and swung, only one thought crossed his mind.

’I felt Zeal’s aura a while ago, but now it’s faint.’

His eyes narrowed.

’Why is it faint?’

A beast lunged at him, claw aimed at his eyes. He turned around and intercepted it.

’I can’t focus—’

Another shriek was louder. He turned a little too late, and was shot straight across the battlefield. He tumbled and crashed into a rock.

”Urgh!”

The sword vanished.

He forced himself up, and held his bleeding torso. His eyes travelled up, to the onlookers.

’I need to be wary—’

His eyes widened.

’Four...of them? There should be a fifth...’

”Shi—”

A sudden punch to his chest cracked his rib further. Elias felt the impact crushing his bones. Air forced from his lungs, the world tilting violently.

He flew, almost a mile, skidding across broken ground, bouncing off the shattered pillar of a house before he finally stopped. Blood filled his mouth.

Before he could even process the pain, a shadow fell over him.

’No way...’

The attacker was already there. A male, barely older than him. No alarm, but just a fist drawn back, set to cave Elias’s skull in.

Elias couldn’t react, nor move. His life literally flashed before his eyes.

Then—

”Forward and reverse.”

The attacker’s eyes widened, not expecting the sudden hand on his skull. And Zeal’s voice behind him.

In a moment, a wet sound like meat burst apart. Zeal dismembered him completely. The body didn’t even register that it was dead before it collapsed.

Elias’ eyes snapped up.

”Zeal...”

The older man chuckled softly, raising his bloody hand to sweep his hair behind his ears.

”She got me well.”

Elias staggered up.

”You...”

Zeal opened his eyes revealing his orbs shining like ring lights. He looked at the four godlike figures across the field.

”They’ll be a problem. The system said they are called Borjas. Sounds creepy. They all don’t look like the same species though.”

”The system?” Elias’ eyes travelled up and down, then back to Zeal.

”If you’re not seeing the attackers information, then maybe you’re not supposed to fight them. You’re not at that level yet. Or... you’re not one of us.”

”Oh...”

Elias eyed him up and down.

”You’re naked.”

Zeal stiffened. He glanced down at himself, and then at Elias.

”It wasn’t me! She blew off my clothes!”

”Prevert.” Elias rolled his eyes.

”No!!”

Elias’ eyes returned to the people.

”They look like humans. Some of them.”

”Humans?” Zeal raised a brow. ”Even a blind person who knows that those are not humans. I’m pissed. That bitch really blew off my clothes. She destroyed my dignity as a man!”

He sighed, and cracked his neck.

”I’ll take them. You stay here.”

”What? Stay here?”

Zeal pat his head.

”Stay here and wait.”

Ding!

His words rang a bell in Elias’s head. As soon as Zeal’s hand slid off his head, he caught it.

”Wait...”

Zeal halted.

”Huh?”

He glanced at Elias who held his hand so tight you might think he wanted to snap it. His eyes shook.

”What is it?”

”Don’t...go.”