Athena and Xavier moved carefully through the ruined city, stepping over shattered pavement and weaving around the remnants of buildings that had collapsed under time and destruction.
The silence was thick, the kind that weighed on their shoulders like a warning.
Every few minutes, they would pause, listening for any sounds that didn't belong, the shuffle of approaching undead, the distant screech of a mutated creature, or the faintest hint of human survivors lurking in the shadows.
But what they heard now was different. A rustling, almost like the whisper of leaves in the wind.
Athena signaled for Xavier to stop. He obeyed, gripping his weapon while scanning the surroundings.
The noise was coming from up ahead, beyond the rows of abandoned vehicles and ruined shops.
They exchanged a glance before pressing forward, cautious but curious. The city had already thrown mutated beasts at them, what else could possibly be waiting?
