What Remains After Everything Burns

The road back felt longer.

Not because of distance.

Because there was less now.

Much less.

Xin sat silently inside the truck.

Rion drove.

Neither spoke much.

Behind them.

Sector Zero was gone.

Alaric was gone.

Raxton was gone.

The mountain itself no longer existed.

Xin looked down.

Only Kaila’s necklace remained.

Again.

Always that necklace.

Always something small surviving when everything else disappeared.

Three hours later.

The radio finally worked.

Static.

Then Tara.

“You idiots finally alive?”

Neither answered immediately.

Tara immediately noticed.

“What happened.”

Rion looked toward Xin.

Xin grabbed the radio.

“Alaric is dead.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Then:

“…what.”

Xin repeated quietly.

“He’s gone.”

Nothing.

For almost thirty seconds.

Then Tara spoke again.

“Come back.”

Her voice sounded different.

“Just come back.”

The drive continued.

Rain started.

The world outside looked wrong now.

Black Bloom spread across distant mountains.

Entire towns looked abandoned.

Animals moved strangely.

Nothing felt normal anymore.

Xin stared outside.

“My parents.”

Rion looked briefly.

“What about them.”

“Gone.”

Rion stayed quiet.

Xin continued.

“Sector Zero.”

“Raxton.”

“Alaric.”

“Everything.”

Rion finally spoke.

“You still exist.”

Xin laughed quietly.

“Yeah.”

He looked at his hands.

Covered in scars now.

Different hands.

Stronger.

Older.

“I guess that’s enough.”

Hours later.

Tara’s temporary base appeared.

Not much.

Old industrial structures.

Makeshift walls.

People hiding.

Children.

Survivors.

Life.

Tara immediately walked toward them.

Looked at both.

Looked for Alaric.

Did not find him.

Her expression changed.

“You actually lost him.”

Xin nodded.

Tara looked down briefly.

Then punched Xin’s shoulder.

Hard.

“Ow.”

“Idiot.”

Xin looked confused.

Tara crossed her arms.

“He told you idiots not to die.”

Rion quietly walked away.

Giving them space.

Tara looked toward Xin.

“You okay.”

Xin answered honestly.

“No.”

Tara nodded.

“Good.”

Xin blinked.

“You should feel bad.”

She looked away.

“We all do.”

Night arrived.

Everyone gathered.

Maps spread.

News reports.

Black Bloom outbreaks.

Dive activity.

Entire regions lost.

Andy sightings.

More frequent now.

Then.

One scout suddenly ran inside.

Breathing heavily.

“Tara.”

“What.”

“There’s someone outside.”

“Who.”

The scout swallowed.

“We don’t know.”

Everyone moved outside.

Xin followed.

Rain continued falling.

A figure stood near the entrance.

Tall.

Very tall.

Almost seven feet.

Wearing dark clothing.

Large coat.

Long white hair.

Face mostly covered.

Massive weapon attached behind their back.

Not sword.

Not gun.

Something between both.

The figure looked toward them.

“You people are loud.”

Tara immediately raised weapon.

“Who are you.”

The person ignored Tara.

Looked directly at Xin.

“Hm.”

Xin frowned.

“What.”

The stranger slowly walked closer.

Very slowly.

Then stopped.

“You are weaker than expected.”

Xin blinked.

“Excuse me?”

The stranger pointed toward distant mountains.

Without warning.

The ground exploded.

Not because of attack.

Because something huge moved.

Gigantic creature.

Black Bloom infected.

Nearly mountain sized.

Everyone panicked.

“What the hell.”

The stranger sighed.

“Annoying.”

The creature charged.

The stranger moved.

Not hypersonic.

Not flashy.

Just moved.

Suddenly appeared near the creature.

One attack.

One movement.

Silence.

The creature split apart.

Cleanly.

The mountain behind it split too.

Everyone froze.

The stranger returned.

Like nothing happened.

Xin stared.

“What.”

The stranger looked toward him.

“My name.”

Pause.

“Orion Stonen.”

Xin froze.

Stonen.

The stranger continued.

“I am….”

Silence.

Tara slowly lowered her weapon.

Rion returned.

Even he looked surprised.

Xin stared.

“…what.”

Orion looked directly into Xin’s eyes.

“I think.”

He paused.

“We need to talk.”

Rain continued falling.

Nobody moved.

Because everything just changed again.

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