"How are you holding up, Sarah?" Asher asked. "Can you go on?"

She nodded, her face taut with underlying worry. "Mm. I think so..."

Asher hesitated for a moment, taking in her expression. "All right. Let's go."

Navigating through the ruins of the city, Asher and Sarah found their path more challenging than anticipated. Though devoid of monsters, the streets were littered with rubble and debris, forcing them to find alternate routes. What should have been a brief journey stretched into the evening. The urgency of the encroaching night spurred them on, and they reached the subway station just as the last light of the day began to fade.

The subway, once boasting immaculate tiles, now bore the scars of destruction. Asher and Sarah treaded carefully, the sporadic flicker of fluorescent lights casting an unsettling glow over their path. Dust from crumbling tiles blanketed the platform, growing thicker as they ventured deeper into the subway. Every so often, the scuttle of a rat would startle Sarah, its quick movements barely visible in the dim light. Walls, marred by the damage, still displayed remnants of advertisements, their colors distorted and interrupted by deep cracks. A profound silence enveloped the subway, its weight almost tangible.

As they entered, a stairway invited them to descend, leading to the train platform and onward to the tunnels that connected to the next station—closest to the police station. Reaching the base of the stairs, they were met with a vast open space designed for trains to momentarily halt and offload or take on passengers. With careful precision, Asher dropped down onto the train tracks from the platform, assisting Sarah as she followed suit. As they treaded the dark tunnel, punctuated by intermittent lighting, an unexpected glow caught their attention. Turning a corner to the right, they saw the orange glow of a fire. It wasn't emanating from the ceiling lights but from what seemed to be a makeshift bonfire.

Realizing this, Asher motioned for Sarah to stay silent. Suspecting others might be nearby and uncertain of their intentions, they approached the tunnel's bend cautiously. Peeking around the corner, Asher was met with an unexpected scene. The space was occupied by numerous people, settled in makeshift tents and gathered around bonfires made from station debris. What struck Asher most was the makeup of the group: without exception, they were either elderly, young children, or individuals with some sort of disabilities.

"Hya!" Suddenly, just as Asher was taking in the camp's details, a sharp sound from behind startled him. Whirling around, he was met with a chilling sight: Sarah, held at gunpoint, her captor's arm locked around her neck. The young man, with short ginger hair and appearing to be in his late twenties like Asher, wore an unexpected uniform — that of a police officer.

"Don't move, or things won't end well," the young man warned, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on Asher.

"Let's calm down. We're not here to cause any trouble," Asher responded evenly.

"Back up," the man ordered, pushing Sarah forward and forcing Asher into the camp's open view.

"Huh? Grandma! Look over there!" a child exclaimed upon spotting Asher emerging into the clearing.

"Stay behind me," the elderly woman instructed, urging the children behind her, eyes warily fixed on the unfamiliar figure. But as a second person came into view, her tension melted away. "It's Liam! He's back!" she exclaimed with relief.

"Liam is back?!" The camp stirred at the proclamation, waves of relief and joy evident in their reactions at the sight of the familiar face.

"But who are they? Are they part of 'their' group?!" someone in the crowd questioned, eyes narrowing at Asher and Sarah.

Asher caught snippets of their whispers, puzzled by the mention of 'their group.' It became evident that things were more complex than he'd initially thought. Monsters might not be the only threats in this world, a realization underscored by Liam's aggressive approach.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Did 'They' send you? I thought we finally managed to shake them off, but you lot are stubborn, aren't you?" Liam growled, pressing the gun harder against Sarah's temple.

"Hey! Take it easy!" Asher raised his hands defensively. "I don’t know what group you’re talking about. We’re not with anyone. We're just trying to reach the police station, hoping for some refuge and answers."

Liam studied Asher with skeptical eyes, clearly unnerved by their sudden arrival.

"Mister... I'm scared." Sarah's voice trembled, tears forming in her eyes as she looked pleadingly at Asher.

The sight of the terrified teenager seemed to shake something within Liam. He hesitated, then slowly released his hold on her. The guilt was evident on his face; he was a law enforcer, yet here he was, threatening an innocent young girl and her protector.

"Mister!" Sarah ran towards Asher, wrapping her arms around him tightly, seeking solace in his embrace.

Liam exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry about all that. It's nothing personal. I just had to be sure you weren't with 'Them'."

"It's understandable to be cautious in these uncertain times," Asher said, gently comforting Sarah. "But if you don't mind my asking, who exactly are you referring to?"

Liam sighed, running a hand through his ginger hair. "We've been on the run from a group that's taken advantage of the chaos. They're not the monsters you might expect, but humans — ones that have banded together and have been... well, let's just say they're not looking out for the common good. "

Asher nodded slowly, processing the information. "So, it's not just the monsters we need to be wary of. It's people too."

Liam's eyes darkened, "After the Tower of Awakening sudden occurrence, some people gained abilities, powers if you will. Instead of using them to help or to find a way out of this mess, they've been exploiting those gifts for their own gain, for control and dominance."

Asher's face tightened, realizing the gravity of the situation. "So, they've essentially become another form of monster, using their newfound powers for harm rather than good."

"Yes, fortunately, most of them didn't advance past the easier levels of the Tower of Awakening, so their powers are somewhat limited. But their leader is a different story. Like me, he's made it through the Normal difficulty mode and can still access the trials. Instead of working to better the situation, he's been rallying criminals and other nefarious types, consolidating power and influence on Earth."

"Why haven't you confronted them? It hasn't been that long since all this began, and they probably don't outnumber you by much. Your group seems sizable," Asher pointed out.

Liam sighed, "While our numbers may seem significant, I'm the only one in this group who has awakened any power from the Tower. As you can probably tell, our members are primarily the elderly, children, or those with physical or mental challenges. My theory is that the Tower of Awakening selectively chooses individuals based on physical capability and a specific age range. As a police officer, my primary duty right now is to safeguard these vulnerable individuals, finding them a secure place from both the numerous threats outside." Liam asserted.

Asher found himself increasingly admiring Liam. The man seemed to be the embodiment of integrity, and Asher felt fortunate their paths had crossed.

"Why are you still here in the subway? Being a police officer, you'd know the route to the police station through the tunnel," Asher inquired.

Liam hesitated briefly before replying, "That was my initial plan. But we encountered an unexpected obstacle that halted our progress."

"Obstacle?"

Liam nodded gravely, "A few meters ahead, there's a massive, vortex-like portal. If you're familiar with video games, its significance might not be lost on you."

Asher's eyes widened in realization, "A... Dungeon portal?"

Liam affirmed, "Exactly! Being the sole awakener of this group, I attempted to venture out and find others like myself who could assist in navigating and clearing that dungeon. But I hadn't come across any, until now. I presume you both are Awakeners as well? If you don't mind me being selfish, but are you willing to help me?"

Asher studied Liam intently. In such unpredictable times, the idea of joining forces with strangers was fraught with uncertainty. But everything about Liam — his demeanor, his evident commitment to protecting the vulnerable — suggested he was both loyal and trustworthy. Considering the challenges ahead, particularly the dungeon that lay in their path, Asher realized that there was strength in numbers. Teaming up seemed not just beneficial, but perhaps essential for their survival.

Asher reached out, offering his hand both as a gesture of goodwill and a sign of newfound camaraderie.

"I'm Asher Gray, a Necromancer."

Grinning, Liam grasped Asher's hand firmly, reciprocating the introduction. "Pleasure to meet you, Asher. I'm Liam Smith, a Gunslinger."

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