Seven days had passed since we left the fortress.
Seven days of walking, scouting, clearing paths, and fighting minor creatures.Seven days without a single sign of human life.
And although I expected it, being out in the countryside…I never imagined the silence would be this heavy.
It was as if the world had emptied itself in the first hour of the apocalypse.And what was left were broken shells and forgotten echoes.
But that day, by midday, we finally reached the outskirts of Quilpué,the first large city along our route.
Or what remained of it.
Collapsed buildings.Burned-out shopping centers.Streets split like open wounds.
We didn't hesitate.We went in.
The squad split into pairs to cover more ground.
I was with Pablo, moving quickly but alert.
That's when we saw it.
An old, battered truck swerved through the streets,being chased by at least eight creatures.
Its engine roared with desperation, metal clanging from every hit.
—Survivors! —I shouted, heart racing—. We've got people!
Without waiting for a reply, I ran.
The squad followed instantly.
We intercepted the creatures just before they reached the vehicle.Pablo and the captains struck first.Romina summoned a barrier to redirect three of them.I skewered the largest with my blade.Grandfather Patricio…still hadn't moved.
In under a minute, they were all dead.
The truck screeched to a halt.
A man stepped out.Tall. Muscular. His face hardened by violence.His eyes were cold.His presence… strangely heavy.
He stared at us.
—Who are you? What do you want?
I opened my mouth to reply—but Patricio stepped forward.
Without a word, he charged and drove his spear straight through the man's chest.
One strike.Instant death.
—Grandpa?! —I shouted, stunned, angry.
But before I could say anything else…
Patricio activated his power.
And we all saw it.
A thick black cloud began seeping out of the man's body.Not smoke.Not normal energy.
Corruption.
Living darkness.Pure malice.
He had once been human—but he was no longer entirely one.
And I understood instantly.
A sob broke the silence.
It came from inside the truck.
We approached.
I opened the back door—and my breath caught in my throat.
Two women and three children.Bound.Gagged.Bruised.Terrified.
I cut their restraints as quickly as I could.They cried. Shook.Clung to me without knowing who I was.
—Thank you… —one of them said—. Thank you, thank you, thank you…
They explained everything as Romina gave them water and Pablo stood watch.
The man had been part of a criminal gang.
—They were criminals before the apocalypse —one woman explained through tears—.And when everything fell apart… they became stronger.Faster.More brutal.
—They wiped out the creatures with ease —said another—.Then they started hunting… people.
Women.Children.
—Any man who didn't join them was executed —another sobbed—.They took women and kids like… like…
She couldn't finish.
The squad was silent.
Then came anger.
Not at Patricio.
But for not having arrived sooner.
I stood, my chest burning.
—We're going to find them —I said firmly—.And we're going to save as many people as we can.
Everyone nodded—without hesitation.
The enemy was no longer just monsters.
Now we knew some humans…had become something even worse.