|Location: Wasteland, battle|
-ZERO-
[UPDATE COMPLETE… SYSTEM REBOOTING.]
My body felt utterly drained—heavy and sluggish. I struggled to pry open my eyes, the world around me hazy and slow to register. Just beyond my blurred vision, I made out Nuk lying on the ground, accompanied by two others. Relief surged through me, but before I could call out to him, a sharp, hollow growl echoed from my stomach, cutting through the moment.
"Ugh... why does my stomach feel so empty?" I tried to shift onto my side, wincing as the gnawing emptiness churned inside me.
The sound must have carried, because as the dust settled around Nuk, he turned sharply. A flicker of a smile softened his tense features when he spotted me lying there, and he closed the distance between us in swift strides.
I fought to turn my head, slowly reconnecting with the sensations in my body. Nuk's shoulders, tense moments ago, finally relaxed slightly as he exhaled deeply. Encouraged, I pushed myself upright against the ground.
"Zero!" Nuk's arms wrapped around me in a fierce embrace.
I heard Dia's sharp teeth grinding in disbelief nearby—the person she least expected to move was not only alive, but stirring. Her voice cut through the tension, sharp and accusing.
"You! How are you even moving? No... it can't be because your body stored energy. That's impossible, I made sure!"
[Host re-establishing motor functions. Detecting hostile intent. Initiate evacuation protocol.]
[Data core SOMA initializing.]
[WARNING: SOMA core unstable. Overriding fail-safes in response to critical events.]
Suddenly, a surge of energy flooded through me. I planted my feet firmly on the uneven ground, steadying myself despite the wobble. Dia's irritation boiled over—without hesitation, she lunged forward, her attack fierce and deadly. "Die, you prick!"
In that instant, the world seemed to freeze. A crimson screen flashed before my eyes, emblazoned with a stark command:
[HOST RUN]
Instinct screamed at me to obey—to flee and preserve my life; to escape the chaos and shadows closing in behind Dia. Yet, beneath that primal urge, a faint, warm voice whispered my name. It was enough.
Enough to root me to the spot. Enough to make me stand and fight.
As if responding directly to my will and forcibly overriding every instinct screaming at me to run, my hands shot out and caught Dia's massive vine attack mid-swing. The thick, writhing tendrils pulsed with dark energy, but with a fierce grip, I tore the vines in half, the sound of snapping wood sharp in the charged air.
Dia's face twisted in rage, and she unleashed a primal scream that blasted into my ears, making them ring painfully.
"You're loud!" I snapped back, my voice strong despite the ringing, a spark of defiance lighting my eyes.
Without wasting a second, I surged forward, closing the gap between us in a flash. Dia barely had time to register before I delivered a precise, upward kick to her face. Her body jerked violently as she was sent hurtling into the air, limbs flailing. I didn't pause—my feet barely touched the ground before I launched myself after her, driving a powerful kick straight into her abdomen. She flew backward, crashing onto the earth with a heavy thud.
"Kyah!" she cried out, golden blood spurting from her mouth, splattering across the dusty ground like liquid fire.
A strange energy buzzed through my veins from the surge I'd just unleashed—part exhilarating, part numbing. My legs tingled and felt oddly heavy, as if reluctant to fully obey me, a clear sign my body was still adjusting to this newfound power.
I landed lightly, almost weightless, my feet barely disturbing the soil beneath me. I raised my hand, conjuring the holographic map that shimmered in the air, its lines and markers pulsing faintly. I scanned it quickly to measure the distance Dia had been thrown.
Then, a flicker caught my eye—a separate cluster of data points forming a glowing network interface nearby. A smile tugged at my lips.
"The network? So this is where the energy's coming from," I muttered, my mind racing to connect the dots.
The red dot on the map, representing Dia, darted across the terrain at an alarming speed before coming to a sudden halt. A loud crash echoed from the distance, shaking the ground beneath me.
"That should keep the noise down for a while," I whispered, relief mingling with cautious anticipation.
I glanced behind me and saw her—a girl with fierce, fiery eyes that burned with intensity beyond her years. She looked older and wiser than Nuk, her face etched with shock and disbelief. Clutching a letter that peeked from her chest pocket, she muttered under her breath, voice barely audible yet filled with frustration, "Damn Leila, what did you see?"
Before I could process more, Nuk's voice cut through the tension.
"Zero, you're okay!" he called out, struggling to push himself upright despite the obvious pain etched across his face and the labored breaths escaping his lips.
Ignoring his own agony, he rushed forward and pulled me into a tight embrace, slamming my face against his chest as if to confirm my reality. The sheer force of the contact sent a jolt of backlash through his body, and his legs suddenly went numb, as if struck by a powerful electric shock.
"Gah!" he grunted, struggling to stay upright.
I quickly braced him by the shoulders, steadying him before he could collapse entirely.
Carefully, I guided Nuk back toward the spot where the girl and a man sat nearby. Both were frozen in place, their eyes wide with disbelief and shock, struggling to comprehend the extraordinary scene they had just witnessed. They exchanged glances, speechless, before their gaze shifted back to me as I approached.
At that moment, the weight of unspoken questions hung heavily in the air.
"Nuk! What happened here? And who exactly are these people?" I asked, making sure Nuk was seated comfortably on the rough ground, his body clearly battered but still holding on.
Nuk gave me a calm, reassuring smile, though his eyes betrayed the lingering pain. He waved his hand nonchalantly as if brushing away the weight of the moment. "Don't worry about it. They're here to help us."
Joshua, standing nearby with an air of impatience, shot Nuk a look of mild disapproval. "Help us? That's how you introduce people? 'Hi, I'm Joshua, and that cool-suited person is my sister, Anna.'" His pout was genuine—he wanted a proper introduction, a moment to claim his identity.
I muttered quietly, "SAI, scan them."
[Physical biometric data... processing...]
The upgraded SAI interface flickered to life, displaying a cascade of detailed information. The recent network incident had improved its scanning capabilities—functions once limited were now free to extract data wherever restrictions were minimal.
A clean, organized panel materialized before me, revealing the biological signatures of the pair. Anna's profile showed her unique ability to manipulate combustible particles in the air—a rare, almost supernatural gift fueled by mutated cells in her brain emitting a distinct frequency. Her power was both beautiful and terrifying in its potential.
Joshua's cells, by contrast, were in a constant state of flux, disintegrating and reconstructing in real time, even as he stood still. This remarkable regenerative ability was tied to a unique neural frequency pulsing through his body, a marvel of biological resilience.
Finally, Nuk's own cells appeared to be engaged in a continuous dance of attraction and repulsion, cycling endlessly as if driven by some hidden force.
As I studied the data, a startling pattern emerged: a shared genetic marker linking the three of them. Their DNA strands bore an undeniable similarity—a paternal bloodline connecting them across time and space.
"You're half-siblings," I said suddenly, the realization tumbling out before I could stop it.
Joshua's face lit up with surprise and excitement. "Wow, you're right! How did you figure that out? Do we look alike or something?"
Anna, however, was already moving, her expression serious as she staggered toward her broadsword lying on the ground. She picked it up and slipped it back into its sheath with a deliberate motion. "Enough talk. We need to focus. That thing still threatens everything."
I hadn't noticed the sunlight before—maybe my 'perfect' vision or simple distraction. But now the bright sun hung high, casting a harsh light on the scarred land around us. I looked upward, blinking as my eyes adjusted.
"Wait... what happened to the wasteland? Why is it so bright now?" I asked, confusion tightening my voice.
Joshua shrugged, his tone blunt and almost teasing. "It's the sun. Can't you tell?"
I stared at him, feeling a sting of mockery but choosing silence, letting my cells' warm energy steady me. Instead, I turned back to Nuk. "Then who was that monster?"
Nuk's face darkened, pain flickering across his features. He hesitated, eyes darting away as if avoiding the truth. "That's Dia," he said quietly.
Anna's gaze swept over the devastated landscape—burnt earth, shattered trees, the remnants of destruction left in the wake of our battle. Only minutes had passed, yet the damage was staggering. She knew, as I did, that if Dia was left unchecked, the destruction would escalate. Worse, she might follow us, dragging innocent lives into her chaos.
Her voice was calm but edged with urgency as she spoke to Nuk. "Nuk, I don't fully understand what Dia means to you, but it's time to stop her."
There was a weight behind her words—an unspoken understanding of loss and sacrifice. I sensed she had faced similar pain before, the kind that comes with losing family. Yet, her eyes burned with fierce conviction. She believed in what we had witnessed—that we could actually end this nightmare.
"Killing her now… it's the only way to save what's left," Anna insisted.
Before anyone could respond, Joshua's voice cracked through the tension, sharp and defensive. "Are you crazy? Even if you blocked her attack once, there's no guarantee you'll survive the next one!"
The air thickened with conflict—fear, hope, and desperation intertwining as we prepared for what might come next.
Joshua's voice rang out, thick with disbelief and incredulity. He couldn't fathom the audacity of Anna's words—such a reckless and dangerous idea. His eyes locked onto me, filled with doubt and concern.
"Joshua, stop!" Nuk's voice cut through the rising tension, firm but calm. He couldn't bear to see his allies divided like this. Then, turning to me, he asked quietly, resignation heavy in his tone, "Can we really stop her?"
Hearing their debate, the weight of the situation pressed down on me. The danger Dia posed was undeniable. If left unchecked, she could wreak havoc not only on us but on everyone at the camp. Still, my thoughts weren't with those who had shown hostility toward me since my arrival. My concern was for Nuk—his sister was the enemy, and I sensed the storm of emotions brewing within him.
"I can end this," I said carefully, my voice steady though a flicker of hesitation lingered beneath the surface. "But Nuk, you—"
Before I could finish, Nuk placed a firm hand on my shoulder, grounding me.
"I'm okay, Zero," he said softly, a warm, bittersweet smile crossing his face. "I've already accepted that she can't be saved."
He paused, swallowing the last remnants of his remorse, then met my gaze with unwavering resolve. "This has to end. Even if it means killing her."
Joshua reacted with a mixture of shock and frustration, clapping a hand over his mouth as if to silence the harsh reality. Then, slapping his palm against his face in disbelief, he sighed heavily and looked between Nuk and me.
"Am I the only sane one here? That's an apostle we're up against," he said bluntly, voice edged with worry.
Nuk smiled reassuringly at Joshua, his faith in me clear. "Just trust him."
I stepped forward, confidence ringing in my voice. "You two should go. I'll handle Dia."
Joshua's eyes flicked between Nuk and Anna, disbelief etched deep within them. He seemed ready to argue but caught the steely determination in their gazes. With a deep, defeated sigh, he realized there was no stopping this plan.
He moved quickly to help Nuk to his feet, preparing to retreat. "Come on, Nuk, I'll help you."
Anna hesitated, her eyes flickering with a desire to stay and fight alongside me, but she clenched the letter tucked in her chest pocket tightly before following Joshua and Nuk without another word.
I watched them go, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me.
"Don't worry," I called after them with a faint smile, trying to lighten the mood. "If anything goes wrong, I'll scream 'Guacamole!'"
Then, without looking back, I turned and strode toward the looming confrontation awaiting me with Dia—one last stand to end the chaos.
•••••••••