The walls surrounding the central base stood tall like giants. Several dark spires had remained situated at those walls, giving them an eerie look. However, this eerie place was the line that divided the dead zones from human civilization.

At the top of the walls, several soldiers strolled the empty spaces in between. Down below another legion seems to be entering the wall while one was leaving. The soldiers, the humans walking inside, had blood dripping down their shoulders; some looked weak and others were equally injured even with basic healing performed on them.

As they entered the safety of the walls, strength left and some of them fell on the hard ground, bruises covering their bodies.

The others who had managed to stand didn't seem surprised at the sight of their comrade falling on the floor.

"Go help them!"

People shouted as the medics rushed forward.

A thick scent of blood and something pungent spread through them soon, filling the open square.

Not far away, a man with broad shoulders and white hair stood watching the scene unfold. His stern gaze reflected the chaos before him, sharp and unflinching—until it wasn't. Slowly, the hardness in his eyes faded, replaced by a quiet worry. His brows drew together, and the firm line of his lips curved downward into a frown.

Commander Alos Greast sat in his office, the room dimly lit by the soft glow of a lamp on his desk.

Moments later, the door burst open. A young woman stumbled inside, papers scattering across the floor as her eyes met the commander's. Panic flashed across her face as she dropped to her knees, hastily reaching for the fallen reports.

"Ah—s-sorry, Sir! I'll pick them up right away!"

Alos didn't move. His calm, unreadable eyes followed her for a moment before he lifted a hand. A faint breeze stirred, sweeping through the room. The scattered pages rose from the floor, swirling gently before settling neatly into his grasp.

"There's no need," he said quietly, his voice low and composed, motioning for her to stand.

His gaze fell on the papers and then his frown deepened.

The woman flinched and added.

"Another group encountered a sudden attack from monsters. It was unexpected… again." The woman paused and added. "Many were injured… Several died. Medics rushed as fast as they could… but it was too late."

"I see."

That's all Alos could muster to say.

His gaze fell on the report once again as she read it with a solemn face. The air grew heavier the more he read and then he raised his head to look at the woman ahead before speaking.

"What about Commander Syl—"

Alos froze as a gentle wind hit his ears. He turned his head to look at the window. He stepped forward and leaned forward to look out—toward the east, to be specific.

'Someone has used the whisper of wind… Asher, he went east. And I gave him the charm.'

Alos mind fell into a cycle of thoughts. He couldn't remember the exact reason for why he gave this charm to Asher; however, that itself was suspicious.

'The wind has come from far… out of its range even… I will need to search for him.'

The longer he thought, the more his brows furrowed together.

"Is there any problem, sir?"

The woman asked, taking a step forward.

"No… actually yes. There is a problem. I will be gone for a moment so—"

Boom!

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The walls trembled as a violent shock rippled through the ground, sending vibrations up their legs and stealing the balance from their steps. Dust fell from the ceiling, and for a brief moment, the entire room seemed to hold its breath.

Alos let out a hiss at the sudden blast.

"W-what just happened!?" The woman said as she had fallen on the floor. Her eyes trembled and she looked up with her face going pale.

"Go alert everyone. Ring the bells; it's an emergency." Alos said, taking a step as wind wrapped around him.

The room grew chilly and the air seems to have gone still. The stillness was unnatural and oppressive as the woman's mind fell into utter chaos.

Alos ignored the woman's wrinkled face and focused his senses in all directions. The wind flew everywhere, filling the whole building in seconds and then sweeping through the whole base. The wind soon bounced back, returning with whispers only Alos could hear.

His eyes lit up as he looked at the window and flew straight out of it.

Outside, at the heart of the great base of Kalista, a man stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He wore a dark robe that fluttered faintly in the breeze, a white chain hanging loosely around his neck. His expression was calm—almost bored—as he gazed toward the horizon, waiting for the winds to arrive.

And they did. Almost instantly, the atmosphere grew heavy—thick enough to choke on—as Alos's feet met the ground. The faint wind turned still, pressing down on everything around. The man leaning on the wall lifted a brow, surprise flickering across his otherwise composed face.

"You came faster than I anticipated."

He said with a mocking voice, his lips lifting upward in a smile.

"Did you do this?"

Alos asked with pursed lips.

Dry blood—thick and dark—stained the walls and the ground, splattered as though someone had tried to paint the place with madness. The metallic scent clung to the air, heavy and unmoving. Yet, not a single body could be seen nearby. Alos closed his eyes briefly, extending his senses outward, but there was nothing—no movement, no breath, no life within two hundred meters.

The man only smiled.

'Asher… you are on your own.'

Alos thought as the air surrounding them ceased to exist.

***

The leaves rustled as a gust burst forth from the feather I'd been gripping tightly. It moved like a bird breaking free from its cage, wings unseen yet full of force. The sudden surge of wind struck me, pushing me back a step as the air around shimmered with its release.

"What was that?"

Sion asked.

I shook my head.

"I don't know. But it's bad news."

The wind itself wasn't the problem. It was the strings—the faint, glimmering threads that bound the monsters, catching the pale light in an eerie glow. A chill crawled up my spine as my heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last. I took a step back, eyes fixed on the shifting light ahead.

"Captain Asher, what's happening?"

Bob appeared at my side, his voice barely a whisper.

I didn't answer at first—my eyes were fixed on the monsters being dragged into the forest, their bodies gliding silently through the air.

"I don't know…" I finally said, my tone low. "But it's something from beyond. A strong one. My senses are screaming at me to run."

I winced as the words left my mouth, forcing myself to keep a straight face.

Sion glanced at me and so did Sol.

They both turned deathly pale as a sudden scream resounded in our ears, sending chills down our spines.

The sound wasn't human; it was something primal and something dreadful that had come piercing through the air like a spear that had stabbed through flesh. My blood ran cold as my hands trembled.

"What the hell was that?" Bob whispered with a trembling voice.

The forest turned cold—icy breath sweeping through the air—and then it happened. Two massive claws tore through the trees, splitting the forest apart. The earth shook as trunks snapped and roots ripped free from the soil. Dust rose in thick clouds, carrying with it the foul stench of decay and rotting roots.

The black trees fell with a loud thump and we held our breaths.

No one made a sound—no, we couldn't.

In the face of that terror, all we could do was watch.

Strings shot upward, glinting faintly as the monsters were lifted into the air, their bodies hanging by the neck like hanged men beneath a storm-lit sky.

The creature stood among them—its skin a sickly shade of purple, veins pulsing faintly beneath the surface. A single, enormous eye opened in the center of its chest, unblinking and alive. Its face was nothing but a nest of horns, twisting and branching outward like a crown of bone.

Its towering form loomed above us, far too vast for mortal sight. My neck strained as I forced myself to look up, the sheer weight of its presence pressing down like a living nightmare.

My eyes strained as I watched countless strings unravel from its talon-like fingers—thin, glimmering threads that caught the faintest light as they weaved through the air like living things. Each one moved with purpose, coiling and tightening around the lifeless bodies still hanging above.

A sharp throb pulsed through my skull, growing heavier with every heartbeat, as though something unseen was pressing down on my mind. I took a step back, slow and shallow, careful not to make a sound. The air itself felt thick—dense with malice and awe.

And yet, despite the weight crushing my chest, a thin smile crept across my lips. It didn't belong there, not in this moment. But I couldn't stop it.

To kill a monster, we need another monster.

And this one had finally arrived.

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