In the central command post of Deltatron.

Billagi and Rogi materialized in the middle of the room. Before them stood a large, rounded table, and behind them, a monitor occupied the entire wall, displaying statistical data, army strength, and various other functions.

A man, seemingly in his late thirties, sat in a chair behind the table, picking his nose and holding a pack of cigarettes. Dark smudges marred his face, giving the impression of a recent brawl, but this was not the case. The smudges were ink stains, courtesy of his daughter's artistic endeavors during his nap.

"- Sir Snowden, we wish to report that we found a girl. Possibly mutated or infected," Billagi reported, her face impassive. "- She's covered in blood."

"- Oh, splendid. I'll take care of her," he replied, crushing the cigarette pack in his hand. "- You're dismissed!"

"- As you command!"

"- As you command!"

Billagi and Rogi squeezed their luminous spheres and vanished.

Edward Snowden, the Commander-in-Chief of the "Road of Dreams" base, reached for the keyboard before him and began typing furiously. New tabs, menus, parameters, data, messages, orders, and numerous other functions appeared on the wall-sized monitor. A list materialized. He pressed the "↓" key, scrolling the list to the middle. Among the extensive entries, he highlighted five names with statistical data ranging from 10,000 to 15,000.

Name and Surname: El ho Capitsu

Age: 17

Level: 13,390

Ability: Personality x3

Height: 159 / 170 / 183

Name and Surname: Yanus Pimpinan

Age: 18

Level: 13,500

Ability: God's Door

Height: 190

Name and Surname: Tiro Greezzl

Age: 16

Level: 12,750

Ability: Bloodhound

Height: 163

Name and Surname: Arazlo

Age:

Level:

Ability:

Height: 193

Name and Surname: Reiyza Timbre

Age: 19

Level: 10,000

Ability: Steel Body: 15 sec.

Height: 173

Having highlighted all five, a "" button appeared in the corner of the monitor. Clicking it, he summoned them to his presence. With practiced hands, he typed out a plan of action for their participation. Within seconds, the chosen individuals materialized in the middle of the Command Post, bathed in a bright light.

Arazlo stood where the light had been, clad in a simple t-shirt that accentuated her ample bosom and ripped jeans. Her hair, a vibrant blend of red and blue, was tied back in a ponytail. To her right stood Reiyza Timbre, sporting a rare schoolgirl uniform, a sight as uncommon as encountering a four-leaf clover. Next to Reiyza was Tiro Greezzl, enveloped in baggy clothing with long sleeves and clutching a baseball bat. To Arazlo's left stood Yanus Pimpinan, impeccably dressed in a military uniform, an RPG-67 respirator hanging around his neck. Beside Yanus was El ho Capitsu, also in a military uniform, but with two or three buttons undone around her neck.

Edward Snowden rose from his chair, papers in hand, and approached them. Towering over them at 215 centimeters, the papers looked like a mere notepad in his grasp. He handed the papers to Arazlo and said:

"- Follow the plan to the letter, and you'll get what you asked for! Understood!?"

"- Yes, sir!"

"- Yes, sir!"

"- Yes, sir!"

"- Yes, sir!"

They squeezed their luminous spheres and vanished.

Somewhere in Deltatron, in front of the entrance to a brothel.

"- Alright, we're sticking to the plan. Any questions?" Arazlo inquired calmly.

"- None whatsoever!" they all replied.

Reiyza entered first, heading straight for the bartender and taking a seat on a barstool.

"- Whiskey, please!"

"- Coming right up!" the bartender acknowledged.

Reiyza glanced around the nearly empty bar. Only a few patrons occupied tables in the back. The bartender served her whiskey, and she downed it in one gulp.

Her vision blurred, and her head spun. She looked around again, and the few patrons now seemed like a crowd. She leaned forward, supporting her head with her hand.

Beside the bartender was a door labeled "Toilet." Gerda emerged, having washed her hair. Reiyza spotted her and called out. Gerda approached and sat on a barstool. A moment of silence followed, broken only by the growling of Gerda's stomach. Reiyza hiccuped and offered to buy her a drink and some food. Gerda nodded, and Reiyza ordered another whiskey and some snacks.

"- Let's be friends?" Reiyza asked, holding up her glass.

"- Okay!" Gerda replied, clinking her glass against Reiyza's.

Holding her glass, Gerda asked:

"- Have you heard the saying, 'And we shall ascend to the heavens, and the horizons shall bow before us'?"

"- Nope, what's that saying?" Reiyza responded.

"- It's my grandfather's. He used to say, 'And we shall ascend to the heavens, and the horizons shall bow before us. One day, you too shall conquer those horizons!'"

"- I hic get it."

Just then, El entered the bar and approached Gerda and Reiyza.

"- Oh, El, how's it hic going? What are you doing here?" Reiyza slurred, already intoxicated.

El smiled faintly, grabbed Reiyza's arm, and flung her towards the door.

"- Hey, what are you doing to my friend?"

El, in her third personality, merely glanced at Gerda. In that instant, Gerda vanished from the barstool and reappeared in front of El, delivering a powerful blow to her chest. El blocked the attack, but the force of it was so immense that a shockwave rippled through the bar, shattering bottles, glasses, and everything else in its path.

Sensing the plan going awry, Arazlo decided to intervene. She opened the door and, for the first time, felt a powerful aura emanating from someone.

Everyone was stunned, not by the opening of the door, but by the sheer intensity of Gerda's aura as she struck El.

Arazlo entered the bar, her footsteps heavy and deliberate. She stood beside the fallen Reiyza, observing the scene. // "Her first impression of Gerda: 'A kitten, how cute.'"

Most eyes were glued to Gerda's actions, but some had noticed the newcomer.

El chuckled softly and lowered her head. Through her thick, hanging hair, a glimpse of her smile and her blazing eyes could be seen. She swayed slightly, back and forth. Many wondered if she was unwell but took no action.

Arazlo inhaled deeply and bellowed, "Break!"

El ignored Arazlo, tilting her head slightly. Her face was contorted in anger, which quickly transformed into something else – a radiant smile, as if touched by a golden ray of sunshine. She lifted her head proudly and surveyed her surroundings, her gaze sweeping over each person in a fraction of a second. She then approached a rifle and picked it up. With a flick of her wrist, she swung the rifle like a sword, and it transformed into a short blade.

"- Ah, I was hoping to play a little longer, but it seems I'll have to wait," she said, tilting her head to the side. "- I'll await the true leader."

"- Hey, auntie, who are you?" a voice piped up from behind Arazlo.

El turned towards Arazlo.

"'Auntie'? What's this little brat calling me?"

At that moment, Arazlo turned and saw a girl who bore a striking resemblance to Gerda. A thought crossed her mind: "Wow, this is my paradise. No, no, wait, I need to control myself."

"- Ahem. It's not polite to address a young lady as 'auntie.' Introduce yourself first. Who are you?" El interrupted Arazlo's reverie, bringing her back to reality.

"- Hehehe. So you've finally decided to acknowledge me? Hehehehehe," Tiro giggled.

"- Hey, Tiro, you ran off right after the warm-up and now you're laughing?" Yanus asked with a smirk.

"- Shut up, I can do that too! I didn't run away!"

"- Oh, shall we test that?"

"- Yes, let's see who's stronger." Tiro's voice was filled with enthusiasm.

Observing their exchange, Arazlo interjected:

"- Hey, stop it already. I forbid any fighting until tomorrow, got it?"

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"- What? - How can you do that? - That's not fair!" they all protested.

"- Oh, you. Silence, all of you," Arazlo commanded, slamming her hand on the floor as if wielding a spear. "- If you don't quiet down, I'll have to shut you up by force."

"- Oh, so we're going to play, are we?" El grinned, flicking her wrist again, transforming the blade back into a rifle. Gerda cracked her knuckles. Yanus shook her head, and a cracking sound followed. Reiyza tried to stand but couldn't. Arazlo pointed her hand towards the group, as if holding a spear, her face etched with concern.

Arazlo, with heavy strides, initiated the attack. Extending her arm, she hurled an invisible spear. Yanus, grabbing Gerda, leaped back. The spear struck the floor, creating a gaping hole. El fired her rifle, but the bullet whizzed past Arazlo's head and embedded itself in the wall, causing a breach from which a bright light shone. Gerda jumped from Yanus's grasp and launched her own assault. Arazlo dodged, grabbed the spear's shaft, and swiftly incapacitated Gerda. "I'm sorry!" she thought to herself.

Yanus and Tiro watched in silence as Gerda, enraged, activated her gravity manipulation ability. The sudden increase in weight nearly brought Arazlo to her knees. Consumed by fury, Gerda lost control, her body surrounded by shimmering, transparent streams as she levitated above the ground. She hovered before Arazlo, her hand aimed directly at her, a powerful energy surge gathering in her palm.

Noticing Gerda's attack, Yanus swiftly reacted. Without raising her hand, she flicked her fingers, and Gerda vanished.

"- What happened?" Arazlo asked, bewildered.

Bang-bang Two more shots from the rifle missed their mark, grazing Arazlo's skirt.

"- Why are you standing there? The fight's still on!"

Tiro's anxiety spiked. She clutched her chest with one hand, the other hanging limply at her side. She slowly advanced towards El. Arazlo leaped slightly and disappeared from Tiro's view, reappearing behind her a moment later. With a powerful swing, she knocked Tiro unconscious. Tiro slumped to the ground and vanished.

A few seconds later, Arazlo realized that not only had Tiro disappeared, but so had Yanus, El, and Gerda.

The bar door opened again. Anticipating their return, Arazlo turned, but her hopes were dashed. Elizabeth stood in the doorway.

"- Damn, they're gone. And what kind of magic was that? Ugh... No luck getting them to join the rebel ranks," Arazlo sighed.

Pitch black darkness.

"- Damn it, we failed again. Where did you send us?"

"- Well, you know, to a place where we can escape."

"- What?"

"- Ouch, ouch, don't shout! We just fell into my space."

"- Hey, is everyone here? Let's count!"

"- Okay."

"- One."

"- Two."

"- Three."

"- Silence"

"- So, where's the fourth?"

"- Wait, let's do a roll call."

"- Alright, Yanus."

"- El."

"- Tiro."

"- Silence"

"- Is that all? There are three of us. Where's Gerda?"

"- No idea, I'm sure I grabbed everyone."

"- Damn it, what are we going to do with her?"

"- I don't know, she's definitely not here!"

"- Daaaaaamn it!"

Somewhere on the outskirts of the continent, a city burned, its flames slowly dying down. Gerda materialized out of thin air, standing in the heart of the inferno.

"- This, this, where am I?"

Her first questions upon arrival.

"- It's a bit toasty here."

The intense heat caused Gerda to fidget and moan, her body instinctively reacting to the scorching temperature. She scratched at the hot ground, causing it to crumble beneath her, and she tumbled into a partially decayed sewer pipe. The current swept her away.

The rusty pipes carried her through a thick sludge of earth and other debris. The current propelled her further and further, and after five minutes, the end of the pipe was in sight. Beyond it lay a precipice. As she neared the edge, she desperately tried to grab onto something, her fingers scraping against the pipe walls, but the current was too strong. She reached the precipice and plunged into the abyss.

To avoid being carried further downstream, she leaped out of the water and froze in mid-air, her powers allowing her to defy gravity.

Her first impression upon exiting the sewer pipe was that of a subterranean realm, a dungeon of sorts. Below her lay a bottomless pit, a repository for the city's waste. Metal and wooden barricades, constructed from whatever materials could be found, surrounded the pit. Even handwritten signs were visible, such as "Do Not Approach" and "DANGER ZONE." But these weren't the only markings. Various symbols adorned the walls, including the hammer and sickle, the swastika, the Star of David, and others.

She hovered fifteen meters above the pit, carefully surveying her surroundings. A passage led deeper into the dungeon. After several minutes of observation, she spotted figures in tight-fitting suits and masks emerging from the passage. They carried devices resembling radiation detectors and mops, likely conducting an inspection or cleanup. Behind them trailed a throng of people, their appearance starkly different from those in suits. They wore ragged, blackened clothing, perhaps from arduous labor. Their feet were bare and swollen. Most were silent, maintaining formation and refraining from any outbursts, except for a few who expressed their discontent. Among the throng were children, naked and clutching blackened bread crusts and charred mugs. They didn't exhibit much energy but remained quiet. The children, aged four to eight, were all emaciated and covered in grime.

Upon reaching their destination, they lined up and began shouting their names or identification numbers. The group of worker slaves numbered around fifty, while the supervisors numbered four.

One of the masked figures retrieved a package bearing the "" symbol from his chest pocket. Inside were small pills, the size of grains of rice. He took one out and held it in his hand. The other three approached him and began whispering amongst themselves, their conversation neither hurried nor prolonged. Reaching a consensus, they lined up near the barricades. The one on the far left began to call out names from a book titled "The Condemned."

"- Andrew, Liber, Marie, Mariana, Dmitry, Rudy, Amalia, Agel, Merlin, Nikita, Nikolai, Ramses, Daniel! All those I named, step forward!" His voice was deep but rough, likely that of a man between forty-three and fifty-five.

The named individuals stepped forward and approached the second figure from the left, each receiving a pill. They held the pills in their trembling hands, fear gripping them.

The second figure from the right held up his hand, signaling them not to swallow the pills yet. The one on the far right retrieved a radio from his boot and spoke into it: "- You can come out now, they're ready!" The conversation ended there.

A group of two emerged from the passage, carrying papers and sporting the "" symbol on their chests and backs, indicating their affiliation with the medical department. They approached the masked figures and handed them the papers, which bore writing and a seal with blood droplets. After handing over the papers, they turned to those holding the pills. The medical personnel introduced themselves: "- Alright, I'm Artes, and this is my assistant, Dmitry. I'll keep it brief. You folks have been granted the honor of taking a dose of a super-powerful pill that will give you freedom. But be warned," he said, rummaging through his chest pocket and pulling out a revolver, "- anyone who refuses to swallow the pill will get a bullet in their gut or their brains!" Finishing his speech, Artes aimed the revolver at the group.

"- Come on, others are watching us," Dmitry protested. "- There are children watching!"

"- C-c-children? They're slaves, don't forget their position! Think before you speak, or I'll blow your head off, and voila, I'll be running the show!" Artes snapped, abruptly pointing the revolver at Dmitry.

"- Hey, hey, are you serious?"

"- Dead serious... Oh, my nose itches," he said, firing the revolver. The shot echoed through the dungeon. "- Oops, oops, I did warn you."

The bullet struck Dmitry between the eyebrows, but that wasn't all. The revolver was not only unusual in shape but also possessed immense stopping power. The bullet pierced through Dmitry's head, shattering it into pieces. His body flew back several meters and lay lifeless. Artes, revolver in hand, brought the barrel to his lips and blew a hot stream of air from its depths.

The air stream dissipated, and Artes lowered the revolver, approaching Dmitry's body. He crossed himself and retrieved a small bag containing salt and garlic from his pocket. Taking a large bite of garlic and sprinkling salt on Dmitry's corpse, he raised his left hand to his face and aimed the revolver at Dmitry's right arm with his right hand. Averting his gaze, he pulled the trigger with a smile. The bullet tore through Dmitry's arm, severing it from his body. Artes didn't stop there. He aimed at Dmitry's stomach and fired again in the same pose, creating a gaping hole. The impact caused Dmitry's body to twitch before falling still once more.

After three shots, Artes stood motionless, the revolver still aimed at Dmitry's body. The silence would have lingered had a girl not collapsed beside him. She was emaciated, her chest riddled with sores, her skin dry and flaky. Her hair was falling out, leaving her nearly bald. The others didn't react to her fall, too afraid to move. Artes, startled by the girl's collapse, spun around and aimed the revolver at her skull. His finger rested on the trigger, and the girl cowered, trembling in fear. Artes slowly squeezed the trigger, but no shot rang out. The revolver was empty. Frustrated, he burst into laughter, his cackles echoing through the dungeon.

When his laughter subsided, Artes holstered the revolver and gestured towards the "condemned" with his fingers.

"- The ritual offering is ready! Eat to your heart's content. However, you should swallow the pills before you eat!"

The "condemned" erupted into a frenzy, rushing towards Dmitry's corpse like a pack of wolves. They tore at his flesh, their hunger insatiable. The gruesome feast didn't last long. An old woman slowly emerged from the dungeon, muttering, "Let sleeping dogs lie."

She continued muttering until she reached Artes. She waved her hand, and Artes bowed. The old woman whispered something, and Artes flinched.

"- Alright, kids, the ritual is ready to be performed. You know what to do, right?"

The "condemned" stopped their feast and approached the barricades. Each climbed onto a metal or wooden railing and stood upright, facing the pit. The others, along with Artes and the old woman, stood behind them.

The old woman crossed her fingers and traced the Star of David symbol in the air. After completing the symbol, she chanted: "- Come to us, oh darkness that encompasses the world, the one true god, the alien life."

As she spoke, the flow of sewage into the pit ceased, and a thick, dark cloud began to form within it. Those behind the old woman and Artes bowed before the cloud. Those in front trembled. The cloud, now five meters wide and seven meters tall, emitted thunderous sounds. Spear-like objects, thirteen in total, shot out from the cloud and impaled the "condemned."

Upon piercing their bodies, the spears began to drain their blood. The bodies withered, transforming into mummies. Then, the cloud retracted the spears, leaving behind desiccated husks. The cloud churned and writhed before slowly dissipating into ash. The flow of sewage resumed, carrying the ash away.

The old woman sighed, eager to leave, but then she noticed Gerda. She had never encountered such a person, such power, before. She coughed slightly and addressed Gerda, who was still hovering above.

"- Child, who are you?"

The old woman stared directly at Gerda. The others only noticed her after the old woman had spoken.

Upon seeing Gerda, those behind the old woman and Artes bowed and exclaimed, "Oh, LORD!"

The corpses on the railings swayed and tumbled into the bottomless pit. Gerda slowly descended and perched on a railing. The grime that covered her body solidified, and she fell to the ground before the old woman, her body trembling. The old woman was shocked, unable to comprehend what was happening. She rushed to Gerda's side and checked her pulse, then touched her face. As soon as her fingers made contact, burns erupted across Gerda's face. Her entire body was ablaze, and she moaned in agony. The old woman exchanged a glance with Artes, signaling that Gerda needed to be taken to the dungeon.

"- What? Why me? Take them!" Artes protested, feigning reluctance.

"- Silence! I'll lock Batti up otherwise!" the old woman threatened.

"- Whaaaaaat? Don't touch Batti, I, I can't bear your threats, not him!" Artes whined.

Further argument was futile. Artes scooped up Gerda and carried her into the dungeon. The others followed, leaving the abyss behind.

.....

The dungeon was damp, dark, and expansive, with high ceilings and a vast perimeter. Flickering lanterns illuminated only a fraction of the space, while fiery torches provided the majority of the light.

Artes, carrying Gerda, navigated through rows of makeshift shelters, heading straight for a house reinforced with wooden beams. The old woman followed, her hands clasped behind her back, stopping at the entrance. She glanced at the others and said, "- You're dismissed!" before entering the house.

The slaves dispersed to their shelters, while the masked workers continued deeper into the dungeon.

...

The house consisted of a single room. A fireplace stood in the far corner, with a sofa nearby.

Artes approached the sofa and gently laid Gerda down. A cat that resided in the house, previously asleep near the fireplace, leaped onto the sofa and curled up beside Gerda.

"- Hey, Artes!" the old woman called out. "- Bring a towel and some cold water."

"- I'll be right there," he replied, his voice weary and tinged with nervousness, as he left the house.

The old woman, her gaze darting between the corners and windows, approached the sofa and sat beside Gerda. She crossed herself and held Gerda's hand.

...

Four hours passed. The old woman awoke with a start, realizing she had fallen asleep. Artes stood before her, a proud grin plastered on his face. The old woman blushed and asked, "- What are you laughing at?"

"- Just that her fever has broken. And you looked so happy holding her hand while you slept."

The old woman quickly wiped her sweaty hand on her clothes, then turned her attention to Gerda. Gerda was sleeping peacefully, a serene expression on her face, while the cat nestled against her chest, also asleep. A look of joy spread across the old woman's face. She rose from the sofa and sat at the table in the middle of the room. Artes, puzzled, sat opposite her, awaiting an explanation. The old woman scratched her head, lost in thought.

The silence would have stretched on indefinitely had Gerda not coughed, her cough tinged with blood. The burns on her face were still visible. She opened her eyes and awoke to an unfamiliar orange ceiling. She was lying on a soft sofa, a cat nestled against her chest. She tilted her head and saw the old woman and Artes.

"- You're awake, my dear."

"- Cough Where am I? And who are you?"

"- My name is Agatha, and you're in a dungeon beneath the city of Fieri Di."

"'Oh, she's awake.'"

"- Who's that?"

"- Oh, this is Artes, a worker..." Agatha began to introduce him, but Gerda interrupted.

"- No, not him, I mean the voice."

"'You mean me?'"

"- What voice?" Agatha asked.

"- You! The one talking to me!"

"'You can hear me? What a turn of events! In my two years of life, I've never met anyone who could hear me.'"

"- Shi-si," Gerda said calmly.

"- Shi-si? Oh, you mean the cat? She's right here... Wait, how did you know her name was Shisi?" Artes blurted out, astonished.