A hulking, fortified compound loomed ominously in the heart of the dense, mist-choked forest. Its towering concrete walls loomed like giants, casting long shadows over the twisted, dead trees below. The air crackled with static, like a live wire barely held together. The distant, rhythmic thud of helicopter blades echoed sporadically in the eerily silent night, the sharp hum of surveillance equipment cutting through the stillness. At the center of it all stood an imposing antenna, bristling with communication arrays, its dark form a constant, watching sentinel. And surrounding it, a hundred watchtowers pierced the sky, ever-vigilant.
Somewhere in the darkness beyond the walls, something stirred—something that wasn’t supposed to.
Two guards leaned against the towering metal gate, rifles loosely slung at their sides. The younger man shuffled nervously on the spot, his breath misting in the cold air.
"God, this is miserable. This place gives me the creeps," he muttered, peering over the towering walls at the forest, as though expecting something to emerge from the trees.
"Shut it," the older guard hissed, eyes darting toward the ever-watching cameras that dotted the compound like silent sentinels. "You really wanna tempt fate and get us pulled from guard duty for complaining?"
The younger man scoffed, nudging a small stone with his boot. "Nothing ever happens. Who’s even gonna attack this place? What’s the point of this damned fortress?"
"You don’t get it," the older guard snapped, voice low, urgent. "This place? It keeps the monsters out. Without the perimeter and the tech, we’d be swallowed whole, faster than you can blink."
The younger guard rolled his eyes, dismissing the warning. "Whatever," he muttered, clearly uninterested.
Suddenly, a sharp crack split the quiet—a twig breaking.
Both men froze, every muscle tensing. Their eyes flicked to the trees beyond the gate, scanning the shadows where darkness seemed to congeal and writhe. A figure emerged from the blackness—a hooded silhouette that moved with unnerving precision. Silent. Slow. But there was no mistaking it: purpose in every step.
"Stop! You’re in a restricted zone!" barked the older guard, his hand tightening on his rifle. His voice wavered just slightly, the first tremor of uncertainty making him take a step forward. "This is your last warning. Turn back, now."
But the hooded figure didn’t flinch. Didn’t stop.
Then the ground itself seemed to tremble. A sudden, deafening crash ripped through the compound as a watchtower, abandoned and now vulnerable, buckled and fell, crumbling into the earth. The air exploded with the sound of alarms, their shrill wails grinding into every inch of their nerves.
"We’ve got a breach—!" The older guard''s command came too late.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
Blood sprayed—crimson and unnatural. The older guard collapsed with a wet thud, his body crumpling like ragdoll into the dirt. The younger man barely had time to react before his world plunged into darkness, his body hitting the ground with a sickening snap.
The hooded figure stepped over the fallen guards, their bodies little more than obstacles on his way, as he entered through the now gaping, defenseless gates.
---
Inside the compound, chaos erupted like a broken dam. Guards scrambled through narrow hallways, weapons clutched tightly, breaths ragged with fear. Distant gunfire erupted, echoed by muffled shouts.
"Stop! Stop right there!" shouted a voice ahead, commanding and firm, despite the obvious nervous edge. A hundred guns rose in perfect synchronicity, trained on the figure standing in the hallway, still as death. The stranger tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing the soldiers with an unnerving calm.
"So quick to die," he murmured softly, like one savoring a doomed offering. The air around him shifted then, vibrating with malice. From his back, four iron chains sprouted like the limbs of some ancient, monstrous creature. They slithered, creaking as if coming alive, their sharp, gleaming tips catching the overhead lights.
A commander roared through the chaos. "FIRE!"
A hundred shots echoed through the narrow space—a storm of bullets filling the air, ricocheting off the coils of chains. But the figure didn’t so much as flinch as the onslaught clanged off the metallic barriers he raised.
*Click click*—empty magazines.
Time seemed to slow as panic bloomed. Soldiers scrambled to reload, hearts racing, hands shaking. Then, the air shimmered with dangerous anticipation.
"No more games," the stranger whispered.
The chains shifted, their form warping into thousands of needle-like spikes, their razor edges reflecting the glow of the overhead lights. A sharp, sinister flick of his wrist sent them soaring forward.
The sound of screams filled the hallway, the tragic chorus of metal meeting flesh, bodies dropping like shattered mannequins.
Suddenly, a thunderous *crash* shattered the killing frenzy.
Dust billowed through the air as something massive crashed into the floor—an enormous mech, towering over all. Its crimson eyes glowed bright, ferocious against the encroaching dark, its powerful metal limbs scraping against the floor.
[Target identified.]
The robotic voice was cold, unfeeling, as mechanical jaws clicked in readiness, its fists tightening.
The hooded figure didn’t flinch. His gaze met the monstrous machine''s with a strange, twisted amusement. "Well, well… what do we have here?" His voice was taunting, laden with a malice that hung in the air, suffocating all who heard it.
Then another presence approached from behind—the muscular form of a man, taller, broader, his armor straining under the sheer size of him. "Finally, some fun!" he shouted, a wide grin flashing. "Let’s see if we can take this thing down, huh?" His fists clenched in eager anticipation.
The ground quaked as the man lunged forward, meeting the mech’s massive fist with a vicious collision. The shockwave of the impact sent debris and bodies scattering.
The mech staggered, sparks flying as its servos screamed in protest, before quickly regaining its stance to charge again.
"That’s more like it!" The man’s voice held a laugh, his movements a blur of motion as he dodged and weaved with astonishing speed. His foot struck with surgical precision, snapping the mech’s leg joint with an earsplitting crunch.
---
In the control room, the atmosphere was thick with desperation. Officers shouted in vain, faces drawn with panic as monitors flickered wildly, displaying carnage outside. The alarms were deafening—unnerving in their insistence.
"Send a distress signal!" The commander''s voice rose above the din. "Activate everything—NOW!"
Suddenly, a loud *clank* rang through the room, resonating from beyond the reinforced doors. They shook under an unseen weight.
"Barricade the entrance! Quick, move!" the commander ordered, a steely look in his eyes as his men scrambled, using desks, furniture—anything they could find—to block the door.
Silence descended once more. The world seemed to hold its breath.
"Did it leave?" one soldier asked, his voice trembling.
A low, guttural odor filled the room, thick and metallic. One soldier bent over, coughing violently before blood spurted from his mouth, a horrible sight in the stillness.
"Poison gas!" someone screamed, panic washing over them as they tore at their equipment, struggling to protect themselves.
But it was too late.
*CRASH*—the doors exploded inward. Metal fragments sprayed like deadly confetti, monitors exploded, bodies were thrown like ragdolls against the walls.
Footsteps.
Slow, deliberate. Closer with each agonizing second.
The commander’s sword was already drawn, his face grim but determined.
He had known this day would come. He only hoped it would end better than he feared. His thoughts shifted quickly to his son—the boy waiting back home. But before he could blink, the door slammed open.
And death entered.
[End of Chapter]