The waves crashed against the shore, breaking the silence of the supposedly peaceful night. But tonight, there was no peace. No tranquility.
Only blood and battle.
THWACK!
Axel was thrown onto the sand, his breath knocked out of him by the hard impact. The knife in his hand slipped away, landing a few meters from where he fell.
Nova stood in front of him, her body trembling, her pitch-black eyes glowing in the dark. Her breathing was heavy, like someone fighting against themselves.
But was Nova still in there?
Or was the creature standing before him just a monster?
Axel gritted his teeth.
He scrambled quickly, trying to reach his knife—
SWOOSH!
Something hit the sand right beside him, creating a large hole. If Axel hadn't rolled to the side faster, his head would have been crushed by that blow.
He looked up—and saw Nova standing with her hands now bearing long claws, dripping with blood and sand.
"Nova…" Axel's voice was hoarse.
Nova slowly lifted her face.
For a moment, her black eyes flickered… as if something was fighting inside her.
Then, Axel saw it—something that made his heart sink.
Tears.
Nova was crying.
But her expression remained cold, still bloodthirsty, still… not the Nova he knew.
"RUN, AXEL!"
The voice echoed, not just from Nova's mouth, but as if it came from inside his head.
And before Axel could respond—
ZRAAGH!
Nova lunged at him.
THUD!
Axel felt his body hit the sand again, this time harder. Nova's hand gripped his neck, pressing him down until Axel's breath hitched.
Their eyes met.
Axel could see it.
Behind the darkness, Nova was still there.
But the force controlling her was too strong.
Too dark.
Axel gritted his teeth, then raised his knee towards Nova's stomach with all his might.
THWACK!
Nova staggered back.
Axel quickly got up, grabbed his knife lying in the sand, and stood panting.
Nova clutched her stomach, her breath ragged. But when she lifted her face… that eerie smile returned.
She felt no pain.
Nova was truly no longer human.
Axel felt a chill creep down his spine.
What if Nova had gone too far?
What if the only way to save her… was to end her?
That thought hit his heart like a boulder.
But Axel knew he couldn't hesitate.
If he hesitated, he would die.
Nova growled softly. Then, in a flash—
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the air.
Nova stopped.
Axel too.
From the direction of the forest, someone stood with a gun pointed at Nova.
The figure stepped forward, into the moonlight.
And Axel couldn't believe what he saw.
It was someone who should have been dead.
Someone… who knew everything about this island.
Axel held his breath.
"No way…" he whispered.
Nova turned, her black eyes flickering again.
Nova still stood in place, her body rigid. Axel also hadn't moved, his brain still trying to comprehend what was happening.
The figure emerging from behind the trees stepped forward, breaking through the shadows. The moonlight finally revealed his face clearly.
Axel was stunned.
Impossible.
That figure should have been dead.
"L-Logan…?" Axel's voice trembled.
Carter, who had been hiding behind the rocks, held his breath. His eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost.
The figure smiled thinly. "You still remember me, Axel?"
Nova growled softly. Her black eyes gleamed sharply, but her hands clutched her head as if holding something back.
Logan lowered his gun slightly, but not completely. He observed Nova with a calculating gaze.
"She's infected," he murmured.
Axel looked at Nova. "She's still fighting. I can see it. She hasn't changed completely!"
Logan sighed, then looked at Axel with an unreadable expression. "You know what you have to do if she changes completely, right?"
Axel clenched his fists, his heart sinking at those words.
Nova suddenly lifted her face. Her movements were stiff, as if something was fighting inside her. Her breath was ragged, her eyes blinking rapidly.
"You…" Nova's voice was hoarse, almost inaudible. "You should be dead…"
Logan smirked. "Should have been. But you know, this island has many wonders."
Axel felt something was wrong. He looked at Logan sharply. "How are you still alive?"
Logan didn't answer immediately. He only looked at Nova for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Axel. "Because I found another bunker," he said softly. "And that's where I found something worse than anything on this island."
A heavy silence fell over them. Only the sound of the waves accompanied them.
Axel swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"
Logan looked at Nova again. "I mean… this virus isn't just about turning into monsters."
Nova growled, her body shaking violently. Then suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Nova disappeared.
In a flash, her body darted into the shadows, running towards the forest with inhuman speed.
Axel immediately ran after her. "Nova!"
Logan didn't stop him, but he let out a long sigh. "This is going to get worse."
Carter ran to Logan's side, panting. "What the hell is this?! You should be dead! We saw your body! We buried you!"
Logan only glanced at him. "Should have been, yes. But I'm not the only one who's returned from the dead."
Carter was silent. His face grew paler.
Meanwhile, Axel had already plunged into the forest. Darkness enveloped him, only the rustling of leaves accompanying him. His heart pounded, his eyes searching for Nova's figure.
"Run, Axel…"
Axel stopped.
That voice.
It was Nova's voice.
But where was it coming from?
"Run before I… kill you…"
Axel held his breath.
He could see her now—Nova's figure standing between the trees.
Her hands clutched her own chest, her body shaking violently. The moonlight filtering through the leaves revealed her increasingly altered face.
Her skin was paler. Black veins spread beneath the surface.
Axel felt fear creep down his spine.
"Nova…"
Nova slowly lifted her face. Her dark eyes were filled with tears. "I can't stop it… I can feel something… in my head…"
Axel wanted to approach, but Nova immediately raised her hand, stopping him.
"Don't come closer…" her voice trembled.
Axel stood still.
Nova took a deep breath, then said in an almost whisper, "I… will change… I will lose control…"
Tears fell from her eyes.
"Then I will kill you."
Axel felt his chest sink.
"No," he whispered.
Nova smiled faintly—a smile full of sadness. "If I change… if I can't be controlled…" her voice grew softer.
"Axel… you have to finish me."
Axel immediately shook his head. "No. I won't do it."
Nova looked at him with a desperate expression.
"You have to."
Axel still shook his head. "No, I'll find a way to save you."
Nova smiled faintly again. "Axel… don't be stubborn…"
Footsteps sounded behind Axel. Logan emerged from behind the trees, his gun still in hand.
"Looks like I came just in time," he said, his eyes fixed on Nova.
Axel immediately stood between them. "Don't. I'll find a way to cure her."
Logan snorted. "You can't cure something that's already broken, Axel."
"She's not broken yet!"
Nova looked at both of them. Her breathing grew heavier. "It's all…" Nova bit her lip, then whispered, "…too late."
Suddenly, her body began to shake more violently. The black veins on her skin spread further.
Logan raised his gun. "Step aside, Axel."
"No!" Axel stood firm in front of Nova, his hands raised.
Nova fell to her knees, clutching the ground. "Go…" her voice was almost inaudible.
Axel reached out his hand. "Nova…"
THWACK!
Suddenly, Nova screamed loudly, her body tensed, then—
ZRAAGH!
Something burst from her back.
Something that shouldn't have been there.
Blood flowed from Nova's mouth as she looked at Axel—for the last time.
Then everything went dark.