Day 2
Date: January 2nd, 2060
Location: Camp Havoc
Lucian woke up with a groggy sensation, his hand instinctively reaching for his temple in a futile attempt to quell the throbbing headache he was experiencing. Disoriented and reluctant to confront the latest revelation, he lay motionless in the bed.
Abruptly, something materialized in front of his vision, forcing him to snap to attention. "What the hell?" Lucian muttered, his eyes fixed on the enigmatic message.
SYSTEM INITIALIZING
The prompt vanished as quickly as it appeared, making him wonder if he was hallucinating. But then another message emerged.
SCANNING USER
"What's happening?" Lucian voiced his confusion to no one in particular, trying to dismiss the bizarre messages. It just had to be now, of all times, that he was losing his marbles.
PROFILE CREATED
As the pop-up disappeared, this time a more comprehensive wall of text appeared which had him much more intrigued and worried.
General Information
Name: Lucian Arcades Age: 18
Race: Human Sex: Male
Origin: Earth(United States) Wave: 10th
…
Military Information
Position: Trainee Occupation: Scout
Mission: Basic Training Service: 0
Station: Camp Havoc Unit: None
Honors: None Engagements: None
….
Personal Statistics
Rank: Regular Human
Body: 0.99
Mind: 1.25
Spirit: 1.16
Energy: 1.10
Total Battle Prowess = 4.50
-
Engrossed in perusing the seemingly strange and very personal information, Lucian was interrupted by a speaker, pulling him out of his contemplation.
“I see you’re awake.”
Turning his head, he found a stern-looking nurse standing over him at his bedside.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe-fwgVdgt9Ber9FZxBti4AfVOFonmHjWGiLReGgf9FQER8nS2qb9QSrLpCv5oauj5K4ejhz6OB5YUeIExfmFc6hpbr9Zg60w8fhVATpizMWh5_5ULEGdpm2mNpI6pdzwekS84Gl33IR0O6xt175QVL1fsQ?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
“Who are-...” Before he could get a word in edgewise, the nurse cut right to the chase.
“You’re in the medical tent of Camp Havoc. You were brought in after you fainted. Your vitals are fine, but if you keep passing out come back here. If that’s all, clear the bed. I will have more patients here later.”
Getting shooed out of the tent, Lucian stepped outside along with his meager possessions. As he emerged, he was greeted by a bustling scene of people running, exercising, and performing various physical activities.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXemya5MryfcK_mXWsqqJTWtj59mfZ1zROl7E9kXV5JLqxoBqm0imNh2C015msLMjbnqX2tWiSnuYSs6OM1CTJoJ2U1hsjcbABO0apjAx_U5RvT5Dlu4YnlKPO1Hzdmkw2Ndq4M9kZ4lUukYqICpAJmugxYB?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
A voice behind him caught his attention. It was the same Sergeant who swore them in, still donning his characteristic hat. In the Sergeant's hands were a bundle of clothes, boots, and other items.
"Well, well, if it isn't our fainting recruit," the Sergeant greeted, approaching Lucian. "Good to see you're finally up. Follow me; I'll take you to your tent."
Lucian trailed behind, a part of him knowing it was unwise to be inquiring from the man, yet he did so anyway. “Is it really true, Sergeant? Has a century truly passed here?”
Turning to look at him for a hard long while, the man answered. "You better get that notion out of your head, soldier. You're here to train, not feel sorry for yourself. Leave any personal matters behind at the door when you are in the military. Am I clear?"
All Lucian could do was nod his head as it was clear he wouldn’t be getting any pity from the man. Still, he moved on to his next concern. “Do you know anything about weird messages appearing out of nowhere?”
"It appears your neural implant is up and running. We covered its functions earlier today. You can learn about it in your own free time or ask your squadmates."
Finally reaching their destination, a large make-shift tent, the Sergeant opened the flap, and barked out "Atten-hut!" Nine figures immediately stood up, and Lucian even recognized one of them.
“L squad, meet your newest member. Make him feel welcome. These will be your teammates for the duration at the Boot Camp.”
Taking them in as they did him in turn, Lucian could sense an undercurrent of tension. To add on top of that, his annoying implant decided to rear its head at that opportune moment.
WOULD YOU LIKE A HEAD-UP DISPLAY OF USER PROFILES?
Y/N
Ignoring it for now, he listened as the Sergeant carried on. "Alright, at ease, soldier. Rest up, we will be at it again tomorrow at 0500 sharp," he declared before departing, leaving Lucian to acclimate to his new unit.
Feeling the unease and awkwardness lingering in the air more keenly with the Sergeant gone, it prompted Lucian to break the ice as he gave his fellow squad mates a prefatory nod before heading to the only other unoccupied cot.
Arranging his belongings, a tall, lanky man with a thin mustache and pockmarked skin broke the silence with a thick Louisiana accent. "Looks like they've sent us the fainter."
"Baby obviously needs his mommy!" quipped a squat man with the sideburns, chuckling alongside his companion in shared amusement.
Another person, a short, fierce-looking woman with tan brown skin, joined the one-sided conversation. “We are already off to a wonderful start, thanks to him.”
“Come on guys that is enough,” a young brown-haired mousy boy tried to put a stop to the taunting even though there was no need since Lucian barely cared as he was more preoccupied with his thoughts.
Then a lean, well-built man who clearly looked to already be the leader spoke up. "We all know that a team is only as good as its weakest link."
Promptly, the same woman who had been part of their group and saved his life in the baren, dead plains snorted out loud. The young man turned to face her and asked challengingly, "You got something to add?"
The woman remained aloofly silent, reclining back on her bed with her hands tossed back. Gradually, the tent descended into small conversations among a close few.
The others that made up the squad was an older latino man who sat silently on his bed. Next was a dark-skinned young man who was intently working on a device with tools in hand. The last was a pale-skinned nervous man who tried to fit in the best he could by forcefully laughing alongside every joke, no matter how bad.
Amidst these dynamics, Lucian grappled with his own thoughts, occasionally catching snippets of others' comments.
“Look at him, thinking he is better than us.”
Regardless, he still couldn't believe it. It made no sense. How could a whole century have passed here, not a decade like on Earth?
How could he even begin to wrap his head around it, forget coming to accept it?
He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare, unable to escape this twisted reality.
For his father, a hundred years would have passed for him and he would be long dead by now which he didn’t know how to feel about. His brother, sixty years should have passed for him, if he were alive, he would be an old man in the twilight of his years. As for his sister, he didn't even know what to think, would she be truly older than him by now?
The weight of his grief threatened to consume him entirely. He didn't know how to go on like this.
He had been ripped away from his loved one from such an early age, leaving his life asunder. Then he was left to fend for himself all alone after everyone's absence. Now he had to try to make it in a dreadful world and try to search for his family who he was separated by a vast chasm of time.
The prospect seemed daunting. For all he knew they might all be dead, and this was all pointless. Lucian felt lost, alone, and hopeless. What was the point of living, when he had nothing left to hold on to?
Suddenly a shout pierced through from outside accompanied by a ringing noise. “Lights Out. Lights Out!”
In response, everyone turned off their lights, and darkness fell over them like a blanket. Lucian was left to his own dark thoughts as night fell over the training camp.
-
The next morning everyone was greeted by the sounds of loud shouting and banging. “Up and at them,” the hard-eyed instructors of the training called out as they came outside. Lucian had on his new uniform, setting aside his old clothes back at his tent, and filed in with everyone.
Before they even had their breakfast they were told to run, everyone in his squad seemed to be used to it at this point so Lucian joined them without saying a word.
It was grueling, especially since he hadn’t been keeping up his strict, training regiment like he used to so he was put through the wringer. For breakfast, they were given the same weird-looking pasty artificial food. Feeling famished after the morning’s strenuous exercise, Lucian was forced to partake of the bland mush barely keeping a hint of decorum while the others dove in like hungry wolves.
Then they were right back at it as they did more exercises, running courses, discipline training, marching orders, and other drilling instructions.
As the sun slowly set in the evening, they changed their setting as they sat in classrooms covering a wide range of military knowledge that they were made to memorize. He was thankful that he had a mind that could absorb anything like a sponge, but it was still as intense as the physical activities they had done throughout the day with the instructors just as brutal.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc3PBixnLw71AC0SdRQYEPw2l00hSbn2P9Tz1NWLSGhCN3LAY3pQcEa1g9OeVT4MlWQ_I3u52z4ZDxllIemjeR8OC1fBH1WN4lGAT3DftDzUrgXBHqlUROZyw56Prsai11eeUgZJEoths2ZcnJcsOfXYL7O?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
After such a weary day, both physically and mentally tired, they turned in with barely a break before it was lights out. Then the next day began.
-
Day 5
They say man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and Lucian embodied that perfectly. With only a span of a few days at the training camp, he seamlessly integrated himself into the rhythm of life there. The only transformation that took place more subtly was that he became more silent and solemn which signified something more concerning.
His squadmates gave up and left him alone when he refused to respond to their antics, and they moved on to other stuff. The young man who defended him tried to strike up a conversation with him on multiple occasions, but he was too immersed in his own misery and detachment to pay any attention.
He was left to his own devices most of the days which was increasingly becoming detrimental to him. He had cut himself off from the world and drew in on himself more and more every day.
Even his instructors seemed to take notice of it as one day he was called out on it.
They were at a firing range with vast wide-open areas and targets far off into the distance. Standing before them was their instructor for the day, the very same drill Sergeant.
“Gather up, you maggots. Today marks the day you are formally introduced to your weaponry,” the Sergeant bellowed
Seeing the great array of firearms gleaming in neat rows on racks before them, the Sergeant commanded. “Go ahead and grab yourself one!”
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXclJO_rZgIDjbB3CpIkjUg59WR_YQ6lumQzDWlkoKh_PQprfsyfB9uvquaL8gZLh7lNUqOVXQojdQ10qIR-R178o1k4ywTM8DuOorOnanTEr2V76XQ8nqGhYjLZFPK4O67hLM9p2qFmQ3U8SKEu8JnGIw-w?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
Obeying their commands, they were back in formation now each armed with a gun. The Sergeant also grabbed one for himself and began to provide a demonstration. “This is the standard-issue MX-51 rifle. A versatile firearm employed by the vast majority of the soldiery. To operate it, link it to your neural implant by uttering ACTIVATE WEAPON.’”
Following suit, Lucian along with his peers received a pop-up on their neural interface.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LINK WITH MX-51 RIFLE?
Y/N
Watching the others as their people lit up, Lucian was stuck in a predicament with him not knowing how to operate his implant. Luckily one of his squad members, the young mosy boy, came to his resume.
“Just think yes,” he mouthed.
Doing as recommended, Lucian was glad to see he got his gun working and even received a message.
WEAPON ONLINE
Nevertheless, this was something he needed to rectify soon, he couldn’t continue this way without knowing how to operate this thing in his head.
“Stop playing around with it,” the Sergeant growled at some idiots waving their guns about all willy-nilly. “Make sure the gun is set to Non-Lethal, it should already be pre-set, but double-check.”
Watching the recruits comply, the drill instructor continued with his explanation. "This rifle offers two modes: Lethal and Non-Lethal. It fires various types of rounds, both explosive and non-explosive, with semi-automatic and automatic fire rates. Today, we will focus on non-lethal training. Live round fire will come later. For now, split into your teams and practice."
The squads dispersed into their designated squads and went to their own target practice. Everyone seemed to be having fun as they took joy in shooting buck wild shots except for Lucian who stood on the periphery, consumed by his own despondent mood.
Staring off blankly into the distance, he received a notification offering him AIM ASSIST, but he dismissed it absentmindedly. He was only broken out of his thoughts when a voice addressed him from behind.
“You want to tell me what's wrong, recruit?” It was the Sergeant, his face marked by a scowl.
“Nothing, Sir,” he answered as he stood at attention.
“Really now?” the man asked as he stared him right in the face to which Lucian refused to cave in under the pressure. Even his squadmates took notice of the confrontation as they stared on.
All he gave in answer was, “Yes, Sir!”
Chuckling softly, the officer nodded his head and said. “Alright, recruit. Why don’t you head into the firing range.”
“Pardon me?” Lucian exclaimed in disbelief.
“You heard me, walk yourself right over there,” the man said, without a hint of inflation in his tone.
Looking back and forth, Lucian straightened himself to his full height and stared up at the man. “I am going to have to respectfully refuse, Sir.”
Without a word, the officer reached toward his belt and pulled out his baton, smacking it into his open palm. “Don’t give cause for punitive discipline, recruit. I won’t ask twice.”
Lucian's gaze held a mixture of incredulity and defiance. For a long drawn-out moment, an internal struggle unfolded until he very reluctantly did as he was told - entering right into the shooting range which anyone would tell you was highly dangerous. He hoped this wasn’t leading to where he thought it was.
“What are you all gawking at?” the Sergeant turned back to look at his squad. “Get back to firing!”
“B-but Sir…” the young brown-haired called out timidly.
“Did I stutter?” the man roared.
“T-this is bat shit crazy!” the thin lanky man with the mustache spoke up.
“Yeah,” his close heavy-set companion agreed.
“Man, I didn’t sign up for this shit!” Even the dark-skinned young man agreed.
To top it all off, the silent older man simply got up and simply said. “I am out of here!”
Lucian would have said he felt touched if the next thing that happened didn’t make him feel dismayed.
Moving more than humanly possible, the Sergeant covered the distance between him and the older man in a few steps. The man looked surprised more than anything as the officer picked him up with one hand, held him high up into the air, and slammed him down on the earth with a resounding slam.
Standing back up without a word as the older man groaned on the floor, the Sergeant dusted himself off and then turned to face everyone. “Do I need to shoot myself? Because I promise I won’t miss!”
Silence greeted the man’s question as everyone stood frozen in place either in shock or alarm.
“Well then, get to it. SHOOT, SHOOT,” the man bellowed. As if acting on reflex nearly everyone started firing. Lucian could only wince back, holding his hands out in front of his face as if that would really do something.
“If I were you, recruit. I would recommend that you stand still. Or else who knows… a stray bullet might hit you.”
Lucian was barely listening as his adrenaline pumped into his system and panic slowly set in. Then his self-preservation was set off as a bullet passed his calf and the part of him that wanted to live made itself known
Rarely was survival instinct rational, without a second thought he bolted like a wild hare trying to get out of there no matter what.
He felt a round graze past his ribs and one hit his shoulder, however, he could barely care. Finally, by some miracle, he was able to make it to safety and collapsed to the ground.
Coming over to stand over him, the Sergeant smiled down at him. It was at that moment that more than anything Lucian wanted to clobber the man in the mug, but he barely had the energy for it.
“I see that you are more lively than before. Finally, that spark to live has lit in your eyes!”
“You did all that just to get me out of my bad mood?” Lucian asked in disbelief.
Bending down to look him head-on, the officer replied. “Trust me. I’ve seen a lot of good men who went dead inside. In the end, they got their wish. Now let’s get you looked at. You’re staining the floor with your blood!” the Sergeant said as he helped him get up.
“The rest of you,” the Sergeant turned around to face his squad. “You better have hit the marks by the time I come back!”
Without uttering another word, the man led him toward the bustling medical tent, where recruits bearing an assortment of bruises filled the space. Nurses scurried about attending to their wounds. They were met at the entrance by the same older nurse, who had a cigarette in her mouth.
“I see you’re back,” she commented to him.
Then turning to face the Sergeant, she stated. “Let me guess, you were responsible for this?”
With a confident grin, the man boldly started flirting with the nurse. "What can I say, Anne? It's tough love!"
Rolling her eyes, the nurse shooed him off. "Get out of here. I'll have him patched up by the end of the day."
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"Sure thing. See you later," the man winked as he departed.
Observing their exchange, Lucian had the sense there was some history between them.
“Come along,” the nurse said, pulling him out of his reverie.
Guiding him a cot, Lucian sat down as he was examined and then had his wounds treated. With that, he was left to rest as the nurse had other people treated from the soft moans and groans emanating from them.
As he laid back on his cot, Lucian couldn’t help it as intrusive thoughts began to surface. Despite his dislike of the Sergeant, he had to admit that the man was right. This was no way to live, and he couldn't continue down this path. Moreover, he couldn't afford to lose hope just yet.
There was still his sister he needed to find who was now all but a young woman. Also, the thought of his brother brought a wry smile to his face as he imagined him now being a grumpy old man. And there were countless other people lost to him that he needed to try to track down.
This time shenanigans in this strange place were only a mere setback for him and he couldn’t allow it to utterly crush him.
After a while, Lucian was more or less kicked out of the medical tent and headed back to his own shelter. When he came right outside the door, he heard snippets of hushed whispers going on inside. He was able to catch only some of it at the tail end and decided it was better to enter than milling about.
Abruptly as he walked in, the conversations cut off as everyone turned to face him, they looked slack-jawed to see him and also relieved.
“Are you alright?” The first to speak was the young browned-haired mousy boy. Then as if the dam had burst, everyone started speaking all at once.
“Man, that Serg is insane,” declared the thin, lanky man.
"Yeah, I've heard that's what being on the front lines does to you," his friend added.
"Did you see how he tossed Ruben like it was nothing?" the fiery woman remarked.
"My ribs still ache from his juiced up body slam," the older man gruffly expressed.
“The Military is just the rabid attack dogs of the Sanctuaries elites!” The dark-skinned young man remarked with a snort.
Lucian watched as everyone chatted amongst each other and got along well. It seemed like him facing a very risky citation was what brought everyone together like this.
Unexpectedly, Lucian felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face the well-built man who had mostly ignored him until now. "I'm glad to see that you're alright."
Unexpectedly, Lucian felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face the well-built man who at this point was all but the leader of the squad. “I am glad to see that you are alright.”
“And not the alternative?” Lucian asked with a small dig.
"Yeah, that was messed up. I never thought something like that went down in the military," the young man admitted, and Lucian noticed that everyone was discreetly watching their interaction.
"I don't blame any of you for what happened. If there's anyone to blame, we all know who it is," Lucian stated, letting bygones be bygones. Moreover, he wanted to make a fresh start and make up for his lack of effort in interacting with the others.
"Why don't we introduce ourselves? I haven't had the chance to get to know all your names," Lucian suggested.
“Mark Smith,” the man was the first one to start off and even went further than that. “I’m here because my whole family served in the military from my father, uncle, and brother.”
“Henry and Dave. We have been best of friends since forever,” the pudgy short man spoke up, representing both himself and the tall, lanky man.
“Yeah, when one of us got drafted we both signed up!” Henry intoned.
“Alice Jones and I suppose it was time to finally sign up since my little brother is nearing the age of majority,” the fierce woman stated.
"I'm Charles Evans," the young mousy boy nervously stated. "I signed up because I want to get my mother into the Inner Wall."
"Don't get your hopes up, kid," the dark-skinned man shook his head. Returning to the introductions, he said, "I'm Luke Dwane. I ended up here because I was part of so-called 'radical elements' while I was simply protesting the inhumane conditions at the factories."
"Ruben Alfonzo, and my story is too long to get into. Let's just say I was part of an outlying community that got overrun by the undead," the older man sighed.
“My name is I-ivan Reid, and I am here because I was part of some youth delinquency…”
Unable to hold their laughter, the two friends looked at each other then the young man, and broke into even more laughter with some others joining them. “You a gang banger? Come on, at least tell a believable lie.”
“I WAS… I mean sort of,” the pale-eyed man tapered off.
“What about you?” Mark asked the silent woman.
“I have no interest in your little team-building bullshit,” the woman stated with complete disinterest.
“Well excuse us for trying to be nice bitch,” Alice sneered.
“You want to come say that to my face?” the woman dangerously narrowed her eyes at the much shorter woman.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Mark got in between both women facing off. “This is voluntary. It's up to each individual if they want to share.”
Attempting to prevent further conflict, Lucian chimed in, "I suppose it's my turn now to properly introduce myself. I'm Lucian Arcades, and I assume I'm part of the newest wave, the 10th wave."
“Arcades. Where have I heard that name before?” Marcus muttered but he was drowned out by the exclamation that came from the others.
“You really are from Earth?” they all seemed to ask him at once, staring wide-eyed at him and filled with hope.
Lucian was surprised at the level of zeal coming off each person and it really put into perspective what it meant when people were actually trapped here for 100 years.
It was astonishing and very fascinating, but also heartbreaking to learn that people actually grew up in such a grim, unfamiliar world.
"Yeah, we both are," Lucian replied, indicating the woman who had been part of their group that arrived here together. "Did none of you ever see Earth?" Lucian couldn’t help asking.
“I came here as a kid in the 8th wave with my family,” Mark replied.
“Same here,” Luke affirmed with a nod.
“I was a bit older when I came in the 9th wave,” Alice stated.
“Yeah, we were teenagers when we came in the 9th wave,” Dave added, gesturing between himself and Henry.
“I was actually born here,” Charles muttered. “My mother would always tell me tales of old Earth.”
“Me too,” Ivan admitted.
“I was part of the 7th wave,” Marcus shared with them.
With that, they continued making short talk as they all got to know each other better. Lucian had to admit it was sort of nice as they felt a better sense of camaraderie. After being alone for so long, having people to talk to and get to know was great for his well-being.
It wasn’t long before lights out was called, heading to bed, for the first time in a long while Lucian was genuinely looking forward to the next morning.
-
Day 7
It was barely a week into the training camp that the first death happened.
“Why do we fight?” The Serg, his great bane, called out, standing on the periphery as they ran along the tracks in neat single-file lines.
“To protect the citizens of the United States and all its interests,” they answered in unison, including Lucian who was amongst the group.
It had been a week into training and noticeable changes had already been brought about in Lucian. He had grown accustomed to the intensive training regimen and could feel himself getting stronger and filling up.
“Who do we fight?” the Sergeant bellowed, walking back and forth at the head of the line.
“The relentless hordes of undead!”
"Well, that's the most cookie-cutter answer I've heard before, almost like it was lifted right off a military recruitment poster!" The man shook his head.
"Nevertheless, it's correct. But who among you has actually seen an Undead here? And I don't mean on the Holovids, but a real one, up close and personal."
Silence greeted the man’s question as the recruits looked at each other. “Well, come on. Speak up. Don’t be shy!”
In response, a few hands were raised, including Lucian's. The Sergeant nodded his head as if expecting that. "I see, so a couple of you, huh? That's good. As for the rest of you, let's just say it's your lucky day—or maybe not," he chuckled at his own joke.
Getting led into a different area of the camp, the recruits exchanged apprehensive glances as they followed the officer. They arrived at an enclosed structure guarded by four armed soldiers at the gates, who wordlessly allowed them to enter.
As they stepped inside, Lucian's attention was drawn to the colosseum-like place, it had wide open muddy dirt ground with stands above encircled by metal chains. But what caught his eye even more was the imposing steel doors along the arena's perimeter. It trembled occasionally, hinting at something or someone behind it.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeEtuMFjo46FZRQ5hll74vk9UnXMvp06RpXJYN1eZEmx2IzZcRkvc61yqHdfNEn9qGwC8hPt1_0wVZ8u3rs71dDv24mS5Rk9E_T0fh_qL8YpuuXF0_MqRuhCLum3JYK89fEzYMd5FbBynM9uIG0sPeMVHtp?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
"Welcome to the Death Pit!" the Sergeant announced, gesturing to the grim surroundings. Other soldiers joined them, positioning themselves on the sidelines as if anticipating an upcoming event. "We will visit this place periodically for our more specialized training," the Sergeant explained. "For now, I can only say, don't panic or run. Just acquaint yourselves with your new, uh, friends." With that, he grinned and departed, leaving the recruits to stand there feeling unsure of what was to come.
Lucian's unease grew as the soldiers approached the massive steel doors and began to open them one by one. Initially, nothing happened; the doors stood wide open, and the dim light barely penetrated the dark recesses within. "Is that it?" one recruit muttered, jinxing it. As if in response, growls and eerie sounds emanated from the depths.
Loud, familiar, chilling screeches filled the air as shadowy figures darted out from their enclosures. Panic erupted among the recruits, with only a few, including Lucian, maintaining their composure. One of the forms came within a short distance of him, its hands grasping out, wanting to rend him apart and devour his flesh.
Finally, he had a closer look at the writhing and thrashing thing before him. It bore a close resemblance to a man, albeit a grotesque one; its eyes had long lost their color, leaving behind milky whites without a hint of iris. A gruesome, long gash ran across its mouth, revealing a row of blackened teeth. Its flesh was in advanced stages of decay, with tissue nearly sloughing off. Its pale, sickly skin contrasted starkly with the tangled mop of filthy black hair. To anyone familiar with pop culture this was unmistakably a zombie.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfe_aHcpE57JVJjuRQvweyw11sM45bSHnDt97cDQCpU7tr2A63TSqBKseJHsk1N2GghbxZk1-0tHjCRBoQcHIuZhvpRWDzSm21kRbcw9RPdzUSkp7I86xCP-wFbOFDT354zFQ7iF_BRNedqb_IzVYOgkzlb?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
Lucian also noticed a long chain tethered to the creature, preventing it from running amok. However, his fellow recruits seemed oblivious to this, running around in frenzied terror, resembling chickens with their heads chopped off. Soon, everything delved into chaos.
In their mad haste, some of the recruits stumbled right into the waiting hands of the undead. It was a horrifying spectacle to behold as blood rained, flesh was torn, and anguished cries of pain and fear reverberated across the pit.
Lucian stood motionless watching all the pain and suffering unfold, a part of him already desensitized to the brutality. But he also felt each blow and wound as if it was him being dealt them.
Just then, the Sergeant came back in, and you could see the wrath almost spilling out of his eyes. With a nod, the soldier on the sideline started reeling back the undead by their chain into their cages. There were groans and cries coming from the ground by the recruits injured or cowering in fear.
The Sergeant took one look at them all and roared. “Get up, you useless maggots! Right now!”
Slowly everyone did as told, standing at attention the best they could. There were some people bleeding from minor cuts and bruises, while others had large gashes, and sadly one person was even bleeding out on the ground.
The Sergeant walked up to the poor young man with his throat grievously ripped wide open. Lucian couldn’t help but notice the sinister black veins spreading out from his nape. Now that he looked closer, he saw that everyone who had been injured had those same ominous back veins coming from their wounds.
The dying young man feebly reached a hand out as if begging for help, or maybe he noticed the coldness in the Sergeant's eyes. In one fluid motion, the gruff officer pulled out his sidearm and put the young man out of his misery. Lucian flinched back at the echo of the shot and could only turn his eyes away at the sight of the gruesome execution.
This exercise was a complete and utter disaster!
Turning to face them, the fury on the Sergeant’s face was evident. “What did I tell you to do, huh?”
None of them dared to meet the Sergeant's gaze, shifting uneasily on their feet. The cold, furious eyes of their instructor swept over them as he continued without pause. "You were given a single order, just one, and you couldn't even follow it. Now look at what you have wrought," he said, gesturing to the deceased trainee with a bullet hole between his brows.
Discomfort washed over everyone, and they couldn't bring themselves to look in the direction of their fallen comrade. The Sergeant, however, was relentless. "If you're terrified by a mere couple of these undead, the weakest and most pitiful among them, some shambling corpses, what will you do when you face an entire horde? Do you think it was mere talk when we mentioned confronting an unending tide of these creatures? You can't hesitate, you can't flinch, you can't think—you must only kill, kill, kill! We don't want cowards who flee at the first sign of trouble; we don't want traitors who give in to the foes. We want soldiers who follow orders to the very end!"
The Sergeant paused, his eyes hard and grim as he addressed them all. “Are you those soldiers or not?”
Silence met his question as uncertainty and fear hung heavy in the air, but they didn't need much time to think before the Sergeant's bellow demanded an answer. "Speak up. I can't hear you!"
“Sir… Yes, Sir,” they replied hesitantly.
"Are you the men and women ready to confront any threat that comes your way, no matter what?" the Sergeant pressed on.
Gathering determination, they responded more resolutely, "Sir, Yes, Sir!"
"Are you the individuals who would lay down your lives for your brother in arms and the safety of all the citizens of the Sanctuaries?"
“SIR, YES, SIR!”
"Good!" The Sergeant nodded, appearing somewhat mollified. "Let this be a lesson for all of you today about where cowardice leads. You'll return to the Pit soon to continue your training, where you'll face the undead one-on-one. I expect you to conduct yourselves as true soldiers. Is that clear?"
“YES, SIR,” they affirmed.
“Wonderful. Now pick up your comrade for proper burial. I want this lesson to stick with you forever.” Lucian made no comment as he helped carry the dead recruit, thinking it could have been any of them. He also noted to himself how ther drill sergeant used such a life-and-death situations to hammer home the lesson and slowly begin indoctrinating them.
“Those who are injured, head over to the medical tent,” the Sergeant added as an afterthought.
Leaving in a somber procession, Lucian turned to his squadmates who all looked downcast like everyone else, and whispered the burning question that remained on his mind. “What were those dark veins on the injured people's bodies?”
“Necrosis! The lethal curse of the undead,” Marcus grimly stated.
“It isn’t as deadly as before since there is a cure for it,” Mark clarified. “But before, anyone bitten would have been a goner. Still the dead can get reanimated if not disposed properly. That’s why we burn all our dead or chop them into small pieces so nothing could resurrect from the corpse.”
Lucian recoiled at that image that popped into his head and tried to get rid of it, but it stuck with him. “I guess that answers some questions,” he muttered, thinking back to the mauled corpse of the older man that still haunted this dreams.
“Trust me, this is the least of our worries out there,” Alice remarked, cryptically. Feeling too tired today to follow that tred of mysteries, Lucian continued carrying the dead body silently.
-
Day 10
After the disastrous trip to the pit, which had resulted in the loss of one of their own numbers, a solemn and somber atmosphere hung over the camp. The recruits continued their training at the same pace, but the specter of death never left their minds.
“Greetings, trainees,” their instructor for today welcomed them with an affable smile.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcr70ENVSC37KO3iRNXtLO-qdxk6Vni62d2HiHBtYltNjeWcf2zgqsW4-tl4WQHp2bclnoXsJ-Bq3wCnVbwZC-zSC-nIAzQCf5War_VVCHXiSADse6JHtsegOmC6g6aSjN4igr_BNoMbSl59_-bp5MoW1PJ?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
Today, they found themselves in the armory warehouse, a vast space filled with endless rows of military-grade equipment. The array of weapons and gear was staggering ranging from all types and it was more than enough to arm an entire army.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXenpOtXcKBdQeISFTTRQZA3EJSJ3y3da1gPaThJkST3mVjg1sGZFqIhMq-7deCpYiKaM-JBrh-eATTWGbo1V9BoZC-fIhtOkTRBtEjYG0Cpt3iiSZgIsE8tPnAb_kgphPDsgQhgKwyI_sAJqK2cL5yDtElo?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
Their instructor barely fit the picture of a traditional hard-edged rank-and-file soldier and looked more like a school teacher as he began his lesson. "Alright, today we will cover a topic of utmost importance—a technology that has revolutionized warfare as we know it and will be your most crucial asset on the battlefield."
Slowly a portion of the wall lowered revealing a row of peculiar skeleton-shaped machines. “Introducing the Exoskeleton suit, more commonly known as the Jacket amoung the regular soldiery. Created by one of Humanity's great inventors, our Iron Lady!”
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfi8sLqAOSm5bfoghzFrvrdw-gBNIV2MeJh0yVvb6JPI71GeMO7XThI5obFSKr95pYsywbfaFnuv24oiWz4ocFhHksmndgpa0EC3I5fp0PewAejGeGyZtkeK89zPOEPy2ZrXshrQi8mGlHAKbfkfsJ4Gpqb?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
Approaching one of the suits, the instructor began to put it on for demonstration. "This, right here, is an Assault-Class Exosuit—the go-to for most combat roles. There are of course more specialized types like the heavy, stealth, engineer, medic, and so forth."
Standing before them in the suit, the instructor moved toward a massive slab of stone that had been conspicuously set out. The recruits watched as the instructor powered up a fist, hearing the electric whirring of the machine. With a swift, powerful strike, the man eviscerated a large portion of the stone, almost like a giant beast had taken a large bite out of it.
In the silence that followed the awesome display of power, the instructor continued on as if nothing unusual happened. "As you can see, these suits provide a substantial power boost to our soldiers, enhancing their speed, reflexes, strength, endurance, and much more. They will be what gives you a fighting chance against the undead."
Pausing then to look at them each in turn, he asked with a grin. “So who wants to give it a try?”
To say that they were eager to give it a try would be an understatement. There was nearly a stampede of over-excited recruits vying to be the first one in the suit. Their instructor quickly intervened, breaking it up and making them form orderly lines as they took turns one by one.
However where there was the will there wasn’t the skill. Each and every single one of them was a complete neophyte when it came to the Exoskeleton suit. None of them could even barely walk straight in the thing as they kept stumbling onto the ground like newborn children trying out their motor skills for the first time.
When it was Lucian's turn, he fared no better than the rest, but he could feel the additional speed and strength that the instructor mentioned right at his finger’s tip… if only he could control it and wield it with the same ease that their instructor showed.
The term "jacket" was an apt name for the suit, as the main components of the Exoskeleton suit were concentrated around the upper body, hugging him snugly like a coat. The spinal frame held his posture ramrod straight, while the rest of the suit enveloped him like a cocoon.
“Okay, that is enough for today. We will continue this tomorrow. Don’t lose hope. This takes time, that is why we are here. I promise you before you know it, you will master it and it will become your second skin.”
-
Day 14
It was nearly two weeks into their training and to call them overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Every day they begin at the crack of dawn with physical conditioning; running courses, strength-building exercises, endurance training, and so forth. After that, it only ramped up with more specialized training like firearm practice, combat sparring, team building, and field exercises.
Then in the afternoon they were in the classroom covering military doctrine, battlefield tactics, organizational structure, and warfare scenarios. With that, they would usually call it a day, however for some reason that wasn't the case tonight.
All of the new recruits were brought to the medical tent, crowding into the place as their instructors stood silently before them along with the handful of nurses at the camp. From their somber stillness, Lucian knew this had to be something serious.
Entering the tent was the Sergeant followed by the Head Nurse who both came to stand before them.
With no greeting, the Sergeant cut right to chase. “Alright listen up, you maggots. Today we are finally injecting you all with the Body Enhancement Serum!”
As soon as those words left the man’s mouth whispers filled with excitement and apprehension picked up. At this point, Lucian really didn’t enjoy being left in the dark, but from what he could obviously put together this had to be another method to bolster the power of the regular soldiery.
“Settle down,” the Sergeant cut through the chatter. “Our medical staff will be administering the Serum and tracking your symptoms to see if you have any adverse effects.”
It wasn’t only Lucian who was wondering what those negative reactions would be as many trainees gazed at each other in worry.
Seeing their unease, the Head Nurse stepped in. “Don’t worry about your pretty little heads. We have the counter agent on hand and will be able to neutralize the Serum. Also, there is a reason why we waited this long to give you the Serum. You’re all in the best condition of your lives thanks to the harsh training you were put through so if there is a good time then it is now!”
“She is correct,” the Sergeant nodded his head. “However I won’t put it like that. Fail me and I personally give you the boot!”
Getting dismissed, they moved on waiting their turns. Lucian followed in step with his teammates and since he had them as his only source of information about this world, he asked them.
“What’s this Body Enhancement Serum?”
Answering him was Mark in that now familiar strict, formal tone. “It's one of the core components that make up the modern soldier in this world; along with the Neural Chip and Exosuit.”
Giving him a more direct answer was Alice. “It says it all in the name. The drug boosts your body beyond the limits of ordinary means.”
“It's basically just amped-up steroids,” Luke shrugged his shoulders.
Taking great offense to that was of course Mark. “To summate the miracle creation of one of Humanity's greatest Leaders and Minds who is also the core pillar of the U.S. Military!”
“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck then it's most assuredly a duck,” Luke replied with a grin as soon both of them got into it.
“Who would think I would one day be a juiced-up soldier,” Ruben sighed.
“It's not that bad,” Charles tried to comfort the older man. “You will be the closest thing to a real-life super-soldier!”
“Kids,” the man wryly smiled.
Soon it was their turn as they went up one by one. They barely got to see what was going on as everyone went behind the curtain. It was without a clue that Lucian finally entered the small cubicle space.
“Come, have a seat,” the head nurse called out without looking back to face him as she was busy tapping away at her Holotablet.
Doing as told, Lucian didn’t have to wait that long before the woman wrapped up what she was doing and turned to face him. “Are you ready?” she simply asked him as she brought out a case.
Lucian could only nod his head, as the woman opened the case and pulled out a green vial. Before she shut it closed he saw two other ones; a blue and purple vial.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfBqexIwe7GrQjw6uV-m4Jgpm0WFsO1uITsYBXIeSfDpeCbohtmrR-4Z_ZjQfJL6bRxOq18wcn1Yly5XnSA9VAgjNkhIdszjBoCaCCHhoHf8TEMEMEWi8ctOEG9GqlnAa0gWrul3tKAxCRVqBfcy01iQks?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
With his curiosity getting a hold of him, Lucian inquired. “What were those other ones?”
“Don’t worry about things that don’t concern you. Pull up your sleeve,” the woman directed.
Following along, Lucian watched as the nurse put a monitoring device on his upper arm, then inserted the vital into the tiny opening.
“Communce injection sequence,” the woman spoke out loud as she pulled up her Holotablet with all his vitals.
At first, Lucian was wondering who she was speaking to, but then he got a pop-up in front of his vision.
COMMENCING SERUM INJECTION
As the contents of the vial emptied into his system, Lucian's eyes widened as a searing pain immediately engulfed him. His very blood was on fire, creating an agonizing, blazing inferno that consumed him from within. His skin felt like it had been bitten by thousands of ants, eager to devour him whole.
His heart, initially steady, now thundered like the furious stampede of a thousand wild horses. He felt like a man who ran a marathon or two as each beat reverberated loudly in his ears, making him fear it would burst through his rib cage.
Amidst it all, he slowly felt his mind slipping as hallucinations danced at the periphery of his vision, like elusive specters playing tricks on his senses. The world became vibrant painted in outlandish colors, and reality faded from him.
Despite the excruciating pain and bewildering visions, an overwhelming sense of power surged within him, giving his body great vigour. Lucian swayed in his seat almost feeling tipsy from the newfound strength - he felt like he could do anything, be anyone he wanted, crush his enemies, and lay to waste everything.
He was on top of the world. He was…
Just as he reached a spectacular height with his grandeur, reality came crashing down all around him.
He didn’t know how he found himself with a bent and warped medical tray, and mad laughter coming from his mouth. Reeling himself in, Lucian was surprised to see that the whole room was a mess with everything scattered and broken onto the ground.
Still seated patiently on her chair was the nurse, who uttered. “Are you back?”
“What just happened?” Lucian asked horsley. His body felt hollowed out and drenched in perspiration. Wincing from pain, he looked down and saw that his hands were covered in blood, filled with scraps and bruises he had no idea where it came from.
“Come, have a seat, and let me fix that,” the nurse said.
Taking a seat, Lucian gritted his teeth as the nurse rubbed an ointment on his hands then started wrapping them. Then she spoke while she was busy with that “You just came down from your High. All things considered, you were pretty tame, and took to the Serum very well.”
“So I’m the one who did all this?” Lucian simply asked.
“Yes, and like I said you are better than a lot who decided to engage in more risky behavior while under the effect of the Serum.”
“What was in that drug?” Lucian honed in on.
“Now that is classified information. So forget even trying to learn about it. For now rest, you will be tired and still feeling the lingering effects.”
“Alright,” Lucian nodded his head, seeing he had no choice but to leave it at that. Be that as it may, he asked the last question that bothered him. “Is this it though? All that effect, and I don’t really feel that different.”
“How the Serum works, especially with such light dosage, is that it gives you small incremental gains. If you look closely at your profile right now you will see around a .001 increase across the board which is something you will rarely see if not one the first couple hits. So this is just the first dosage of what is many more and it will take time to produce the desired effect we are looking for.”
Exiting the confines of the medical tent, Lucian as always turned over what he learned in his head. The sensation of the drug still lingered in his veins, a potent reminder of the miraculous stuff contained in this new world.
He couldn’t deny that his curiosity was piqued and his thirst for knowledge, as insatiable as ever, gnawed at him to learn more.
This wondrous and powerful drug sounded too good to be true and he wondered what they weren’t being told. There always was a catch!
However, that wasn’t what weighed heavily on his mind. How grim was the world out they had to undergo all this? What kind of horrors lurked beyond the safe confines of the Sanctuary walls? What terrors could possibly warrant the need for such a wide array of enhancements?
The thought of those great unknowns sent shivers down his spine. Were they really going to face great hordes of undead, terrors beyond their wildest imaginations, and powerful malevolent forces?
Yet deep down, a part of him yearned to peel back the layers of secrets in this world, to uncover the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface. Everything was fraught with peril and uncertainty, but the mysteries waiting to be unveiled beckoned to him, and Lucian wanted to learn about it all.
However he needed to stay on track, his goal was clear - to find his family members. Everything else, no matter how tantalizing, was a distraction that he didn’t have time to indulge in unless it would help him with his objective.
-
"So that is him?" A voice emerged from the shadows, its source obscured by the dimly lit room. The place had several screens displaying closely the recruits from various angles as they went about their day.
image [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfrq5nMo9HKQoM6Dgmod7qZIME4LHtRnLFl9qAvibl8F3rCPdmi0zC7OkLULT85NYsZWIyHdv6CKYtCfA4nvhOgpyoiO4gTJihy0xTVSnYvi24AljKGlJ78Sxm6pz1LuRXZ-5zkNhPwz2ZoTQ3Vcgjuwps?key=_k90D5ZTWoCvdMmp0oxFrA]
In the room, three individuals were observing one particular screen with our young protagonist Lucian, who was walking in a pensive mood as he made his way toward his tent, unknowingly under watchful eyes.
"Yes, he is doing fine, as you can see," responded an older man with a paunch. The introduction of this man had eluded Lucian due to him being unconscious at that time and he turned out to be the person in charge of the camp, Chief Warrant Officer Michael McKee.
The Sergeant, whose rough exterior belied a sense of responsibility towards his trainees, voiced his concern. "If you don't mind me asking, what brings a distinguished Specialist, or to be precise, a Ghost, to our modest, little boot camp? And why the interest in my young recruit?"
"I do mind, in fact, and it is none of your concern," retorted the mysterious figure. "Also regarding the reports I've reviewed, there have been a few incidents that drew my attention."
A predatory grin crossed the Sergeant's face as he retorted back boldly. "How I choose to train my recruits is my prerogative. I couldn't care less if they were the sons of Inner Sanctuary elites or High-ranking officers."
“Enough, Erickson,” the Officer intervened. Then turning to face the shadowy individual he asked, “What do you need from the boy?”
“I will be merely observing, so you don’t have to worry,” the man gave them some reassurance.
“In that case, feel free to avail yourself of anything you need,” the officer generously offered.
The shadowy figure paused before unexpectedly inquiring. “Well, on that note, is there any opening in your training camp?”