The first explosion sent shockwaves through the city, a deafening roar that shattered windows and sent people screaming into the streets. Kael stood firm, his gaze fixed on the rising smoke in the distance. He knew exactly what was happening—the virus had activated. The infection was beginning to spread at an exponential rate.
---
The Awakening of Terror
Panic gripped the city like an iron vice. People ran in every direction, trampling over each other, desperate to escape an unseen threat. Kael could already sense the changes—humans were mutating, their bodies warping under the influence of the virus. He saw the first transformed ones emerge from alleyways, their once-human faces twisted into monstrous visages, their eyes glowing with unnatural power.
Some were gaining abilities—crackling flames erupted from fingertips, shadows coiled around bodies, and invisible forces sent debris flying. But others… others were losing their minds, their humanity consumed by the virus, turning them into mindless beasts with insatiable hunger.
Kael clenched his fists. It begins.
---
Protecting Elyra
He had to find Elyra. Without wasting a second, he sprinted through the chaos, dodging overturned vehicles and stumbling civilians. Screams filled the air as the infected lunged at the unprepared.
A monstrous figure, its flesh riddled with pulsating veins, leaped toward a mother shielding her child. Kael moved before he could think, his foot planting firmly on the ground as he channeled raw power into his limbs. He struck with precision, his fist connecting with the creature's skull, sending it hurtling into a nearby wall. The impact left cracks in the concrete.
The woman gasped, too shocked to move. Kael grabbed her shoulder. "Run. Don't stop until you find shelter!"
She nodded frantically and bolted away with her child.
Kael turned his focus back to his objective—Elyra.
---
The First of Many Battles
Reaching the university, Kael burst into the library. Inside, students huddled under tables, whispering in hushed terror. Elyra stood near a window, eyes wide with confusion as she watched the smoke rising in the distance.
"Kael! What the hell is going on?!" she demanded.
"No time to explain." He grabbed her wrist. "We need to move. Now."
Before she could protest, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the halls. A student near the entrance let out a strangled cry as his body contorted violently. His skin turned an unnatural shade of gray, his muscles bulging grotesquely as the virus took hold.
"Oh my god," Elyra whispered.
The transformed student lunged.
Kael didn't hesitate. He moved with inhuman speed, catching the creature's throat mid-attack. It struggled, clawing at his arm, but Kael's grip was like a steel vice. He twisted sharply, snapping its neck with a sickening crunch.
Gasps filled the room. The remaining students stared at him in shock, their fear now directed at him as much as at the monsters outside.
Elyra took a step back. "Kael… what…?"
Kael exhaled. "I'll explain later. Right now, we need to survive."
---
The City's Collapse
Outside, the city was falling apart. Fires raged, sirens blared, and the infected multiplied rapidly. Military forces arrived, but they were unprepared, their bullets often ineffective against the more mutated creatures.
Kael led Elyra through the streets, avoiding both the infected and the military, who were now treating all civilians as potential threats.
He had seen this before.
They won't last long.
He needed to reach a safe zone, but more importantly—he needed to find the source of the infection. He had already made one change by saving Elyra. Now, he needed to make more.
This time, I won't let everything fall apart.
---
To be continued…