Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Lysandra lifted the ladle, scooping steaming soup from the massive pot the merchants had offered.

The aroma was rich, spiced, and very inviting.

It was no wonder many of her soldiers couldn’t wait to taste it...

Unfortunately, there were too many of them, so only about thirty or forty would be given... Lysandra watched as some soldiers had bowls in hand, eating without hesitation.

Still, Lysandra’s sharp senses caught the faint undertone beneath the flavor... There was a bitterness that didn’t belong. She tasted it once, twice, then laughed softly.

”Drugged,” she muttered.

Around her, the survivors exchanged knowing glances. They had noticed too. Yet none of them panicked. These weren’t ordinary soldiers.

Every one of the four hundred people in her convoy had consumed strengthening potions brewed from dragon blood, or had been enhanced by super soldier serum, or had simply reached high levels.

At level forty‑five and above, their bodies were immune to such petty attempts.

The merchants had miscalculated.

Lysandra was a bit amused by this situation.

”Why would they risk this? They’re only sixty or so. They’re obviously outnumbered... What could they possibly gain or even do to us if only 40 people get drugged out of 400?”

Her answer came swiftly.

Jafal, the Ethereal Construct who had once been Shane’s slave, approached with grim eyes. He had slipped through the merchant wagons unnoticed thanks to his talent, giving him an incorporeal nature, allowing him to scout freely.

”Commander,” Jafal said, his voice low. ”I found children bound inside their caravans. There were dozens of them. And the drug in this soup isn’t meant to kill. It’s meant to control minds. I’m guessing that if any of our leaders had been susceptible, they could have taken over the convoy from within.”

Lysandra’s smile vanished.

”So that’s their game. Subtle domination. They wanted to control us or something?”

She then stood up as she was already done with their games.

”Enough. We subdue them. No mercy for slavers.”

Her command rippled through the convoy.

Weapons were drawn, and various spells or Survivor’s Skill were prepared. The merchants, realizing their scheme had failed, scrambled to defend themselves.

The clash erupted in the night.

The merchants weren’t helpless. They had fighters among them, wielding blades, guns, talismans, and others...

A few hurled smoke bombs, trying to confuse the convoy. But Lysandra’s people were veterans of countless battles.

Sona, the Frost Mage, stepped forward. Her hands glowed with icy blue light.

With a sweep of her arms, she conjured a wall of frost that surged across the merchant camp, freezing wagons in place and cutting off escape routes. The ground itself crackled with frost, slowing the merchants’ movements.

Otto, the Fire Mage, followed with a simple spell.

Soon, flames erupted from his palms, sweeping across the camp in controlled arcs.

He didn’t burn the wagons. At the very least, not yet. Still, his fire forced the merchants back and this move scattered them in panic.

Then, in just a few moments, the convoy soldiers surged forward, overwhelming the merchants and their escort with sheer numbers.

One merchant leader shouted, ”We only wanted to avoid fighting! We meant no harm!” But his words were drowned out by the clash of steel and the spells cast by the Survivors.

Lysandra then joined the slaughter with her blade...

She cut down a merchant who charged at her, then turned to another, disarming him with a single slam of her palm...

She didn’t even have to use elaborate Survivor Skill and just used her strength and speed.

The merchants and their escorts fought desperately, but they were outnumbered...

They started using expensive talismans to boost their power and various tools to survive...

Still, their smoke bombs dissipated against Sona’s frost winds. Their blades melted in Otto’s firestorms.

Furthermore, Lysandra didn’t allow it to be too easy. She wanted to know more about these merchants and their victims...

After some time, she ordered restraint. ”Capture them. Leave some alive. We need answers.”

The battle lasted less than an hour.

If not for the various expensive mystical items that the merchants used, it would have been faster.

Nonetheless, by the end, the merchant camp was subdued.

Wagons were frozen in place, fires smoldered, and dozens of merchants lay bound on the ground. The children they had hidden were freed, their eyes wide with fear, but soon, they were all filled with relief as the convoy soldiers comforted them.

Sona approached Lysandra with her breath still misting in the cold night air.

”Commander, I used ice chains. They won’t be escaping.”

Otto smirked... ”If they try, I’ll burn them to ash.”

Lysandra nodded. ”Good work. Both of you.”

She turned to Jafal. ”You said the drug was for control. Can you confirm?”

Jafal knelt beside one of the soup pots, his ethereal fingers brushing the surface. ”Yes. It’s a mind-binding concoction. Weak against strong wills, but devastating against the unprepared. I still found a few of them in the caravan they have... Do you want to bring them to Miss Anna for further study?”

”Ahh... That’s a good idea.” Lysandra muttered.

Soon, Lysandra and the others interrogated the merchants, and as expected, they were indeed slavers!

This was truly unexpected...

After all, it appears that they also belong to a neutral shelter!

”We probably have to investigate the neutral shelter after this matter is over.” Lysandra muttered as she couldn’t just let a Neutral Shelter operate with the aim of slaving children!

That wasn’t something she’d tolerate at all.

***

Later, as the camp settled, Lysandra walked among the freed children. They were thin, malnourished, and their wrists were bruised from bindings.

She knelt, offering them food from her own stores. ”You’re safe now. We’ll protect you.”

The children clung to her with their eyes filled with gratitude.

Sona and Otto stood nearby, watching. Otto muttered, ”Hard to believe merchants would stoop this low.”

Sona’s voice was cold. ”Power corrupts. That’s why I hate nobles.”

Lysandra then rose, with her gaze sweeping across the subdued merchants. ”They’ll answer for this. But for now, we rest. At dawn, we’ll move. Ah, Jafal... Can you bring a small team with you to take these children back to our shelter tomorrow?”

Jafal, the Ethereal Construct, looked at the 26 children they were able to rescue. Then, he looked at Lysandra and nodded.

”I need at least 10 people with me...”

”That’s alright... I can arrange that.” Lysandra replied. After all, they couldn’t bring these children on their battle against the Phoenix Phalanx.

***

The armored vehicle rumbled steadily across the abandoned highway...

Inside, Shane sat comfortably as he checked his Chat System while he had nothing to do...

Soon, his focus was on the stream of messages arriving one after another.

First came Lysandra’s update.

She had reported the convoy’s encounter with the merchant caravan, the drugged food, and the swift subjugation thanks to Sona and Otto. Shane’s lips curved faintly.

”She handled it well... Still, what’s with that Neutral Shelter? Where would they even sell those children?” He frowned at this thought.

Next was Kael’s message. He described the infiltration near Ghoul Shelter... the Siren Zombie outpost, the swift elimination of guards, and the shocking sight of Armored Tyrant Zombies chained to the walls. Shane knew that this wouldn’t be easy...

Still, he was confident that they’d be able to conquer that place.

”Alexander’s fortress... more fortified than expected.”

Then Fiona’s report also arrived.

Her rats had mapped the fortress interior, revealing warehouses, barracks, alchemy halls, and even prisons filled with rare zombie types. Most importantly, she had discovered a restricted zone sealed by powerful barriers...

Shane heaved a sigh of relief, seeing how successful the mission was.

”Roan... so that’s where they’re keeping you, huh...”

He leaned back, absorbing the weight of the information. His allies were moving into position, each playing their part, while his armored vehicle pressed onward... He would be late, but still heading toward Ghoul Shelter.

Then another message came into view.

This one wasn’t from his immediate team. It was from Travis.

[ Travis: Yo! Shane, if you’re going to attack Alexander’s Shelter now, be careful... My spies confirmed that they were with three other clans involved here. Those clans are within the Top 20. Don’t underestimate them. ]

Shane frowned at this discovery...

”Three clans... Top 20.”

Of course, he didn’t think that Alexander was incapable of pulling three other Clans. He was surprised because the ones he recruited were within the Top 20.

At this point, they shouldn’t be focusing on fighting against fellow Survivors after all.

”I guess there will be new Top 20 clans... I wonder which Clans will enter the ranking if they get destroyed...” Shane mused as he guaranteed that this wouldn’t just end with rescuing Roan...

This battle would be a sample to many other Clans who were thinking of using them for fame or hurting their members.

He planned to annihilate this Phoenix Phalanx Clan for good, and no one would be able to stop him!