Ampelius awoke to the dull light of dusk. The stiffness in his muscles and the silence of the apartment made him uneasy. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a gentle blue shadow over the apartment. The room was bathed in muted gray light, the remnants of the day fading like distant memories. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dimness, and listened to the quiet hum of the city—a symphony of distant traffic, faint voices, and the occasional clatter from a nearby alley.

Slowly, he sat up, his body aching from the uncomfortable position he'd slept in. Grogginess clung to him like a heavy blanket, making it difficult to fully awaken. He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep, blinking away the lingering haze clouding his thoughts.

The usual noises of the city were subdued, the stillness unsettling. Just as his mind began to clear, the sudden ringing of the phone shattered the evening's tranquility. The sharp sound startled him, his heart racing momentarily. He stood up, feeling the cool floor beneath his bare feet, and made his way to the small table where the phone sat, each step hesitant, as if anticipating more unwelcome news.

He picked up the receiver on the third ring, bringing it to his ear with unease. "Hello?" he answered, his voice still thick from sleep but edged with caution.

“Ampelius, is Emmett still there?” Bella's voice crackled through the line, filled with concern.

“No, he left the apartment a few hours ago. I haven’t seen or heard from him since. I thought he was meeting you?” Ampelius replied, his voice tightening as his mind began running through possibilities.

“Yeah, he was. I tried to call earlier to see where he was, but nobody answered. I’m just a little worried, that's all. I thought he’d be here by now,” she said, her words faltering slightly, revealing her growing anxiety.

“Well, give him a few more hours. He has a lot of friends around here; maybe he got caught up in a conversation with one of them. Or better yet, he's at the bar—you know how he is with those friends. Try not to worry too much,” Ampelius said, forcing a light tone though a knot of unease was forming in his stomach.

“If that’s what he’s doing, I wish he would have told me first. He’s usually good about letting me know, at least when he's off work. Plus, we agreed to meet at my place tonight,” she said, her voice rising with concern, the worry now clear.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Bella. It’s not like we can carry handhelds around. If he returns here, I’ll have him call you,” Ampelius replied, trying to sound reassuring, even as his own worry deepened.

Ampelius knew Emmett wasn’t the type to go anywhere without consulting her or someone he trusted. His time in the military had molded him into a security-first mindset, and he always weighed the risks before making a move.

“Thank you. But tell him I’ll kill him myself if he pulls this stunt again. I’ll drag us both to hell,” Bella said, her frustration clear, though a hint of humor undercut her anger.

“Of course! I’ll pass along the message that if you end up in hell, he’ll be tagging along for the ride," Ampelius replied with a chuckle. "Now relax, get ready for the trip, watch something on TV, or do whatever you need to do to keep busy, okay?”

“Yeah, okay, you’re right. I’ll watch TV to keep myself preoccupied. Thank you,” Bella said, her tone softening though the worry still lingered beneath.

She hung up the phone, leaving Ampelius to ponder his cousin's whereabouts. He tried to push the worry aside, convincing himself that Emmett was fine. He’s resourceful and capable of navigating the city's complexities better than most. Yet, a nagging doubt lingered, making it hard to completely dismiss his concern.

Now thirsty, Ampelius walked to the kitchen, grabbed a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with cold water. He drank the entire glass, savoring the coolness that helped calm his nerves. He refilled it three more times before he was satisfied, each gulp soothing his dry throat. He set the glass down by the sink and let out a deep, exaggerated breath before sitting back down on the couch. The weight of uncertainty settled back in as the quiet apartment seemed to close in around him.

As he sank into the cushions, Ampelius tried to distract himself from his worries. He flicked through the TV channels, searching for something to occupy his mind, but nothing seemed to hold his attention. Still, the nagging feeling that something was off wouldn't leave.

Forty-five minutes later, just as he was beginning to relax, the phone rang again. Startled, Ampelius glanced at the clock. Who could be calling at this hour? He’d been in the bathroom, relieving himself of all that water, and missed the call. The phone stopped ringing, but a moment later, it started again, the insistent sound echoing through the apartment.

This time, he felt a sense of urgency. He quickly finished up in the bathroom, hastily washed his hands, and rushed to answer it, his heart pounding as the phone's ringing seemed to grow louder with each passing second.

“I swear to the goddess, if it’s you, Bella,” he thought angrily as he picked up the receiver.

“Hello?” he answered, his voice edged with irritation and concern.

It was Bella; she was sobbing and hyperventilating, barely able to muster the courage to speak.

“Something terrible has happened to Capsai! The city has been destroyed!” she cried out, her voice breaking, each word laced with panic.

Ampelius took a moment to process her words, disbelief and confusion swirling in his mind. Destroyed? The word echoed in his thoughts, refusing to make sense.

“Destroyed? What are you talking about? What happened?” he asked, his voice tense, his grip tightening on the receiver as dread seeped in.

Bella continued to cry, her words muffled by distress. In the background, Ampelius could barely make out a news anchor on her TV, speaking about some sort of devastation in the city, but the details were lost in the noise. The garbled sounds of panic and urgency on the broadcast only added to the chaos. He tried to calm her, speaking gently but firmly, his voice a steady anchor against her rising fear.

“Bella, take a few deep breaths and explain what’s happening,” Ampelius said, his tone steady, trying to ground her amidst the panic.

“Apparently, all communication to and from the city was suddenly cut off. Nobody has seen or heard from anyone there since. Oh, now the news is talking about a hiker who was on a nearby mountain and claimed to have witnessed the devastation as it happened. Allegedly, he recorded it and handed his camera over to the authorities,” she managed to say between sobs, her breath hitching as she fought to stay calm.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Ampelius paused, his thoughts racing as he tried to make sense of the situation, his heartbeat quickening—a mix of fear and frustration bubbling inside him.

“So, was the city attacked, or was there a natural disaster? Have they released the footage?” he asked, trying to piece together the fragments of information, his voice tense with the need for clarity.

“No, not yet. They have no idea what’s happening. They’re trying to gather information and get a view of the city from the air, but the military has sealed off the airspace and set up roadblocks on all routes to the city. I’ve even heard fighters flying overhead,” Bella said, her voice trembling, each word steeped in fear.

“There must be something serious going on if the military has sealed off all routes. I know the Iron Vandals have a presence there; maybe they made a move against the Romans?” Ampelius suggested, though he knew it sounded far-fetched. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play.

“To this scale? I doubt it. They wouldn’t destroy an entire city like that. They want independence, not full-on destruction. The hiker explained that the whole city was on fire and that some sort of glowing blue light was scattered across the sky. Those lights must be our military; they said they sealed the airspace, right?” Bella countered, her skepticism clear.

“I mean, it could be. Maybe those lights are flares?” Ampelius speculated though he felt increasingly unsure, the uncertainty gnawing at him.

“I’m unsure of everything right now,” Bella admitted, her voice wavering, a fragile note of desperation breaking through.

“You still haven’t heard from Emmett, have you?” Ampelius asked, his concern for his cousin growing, the question hanging heavy between them.

“No, and I’m becoming extremely worried now,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

The roaring engine of a military fighter jet flew past the apartment, shaking it with a low-altitude flyby. Ampelius walked to the window and peered outside, looking up at the sky but seeing nothing. The city felt more oppressive than ever, a simmering tension hanging in the air.

“I just heard one of the fighters. It must be flying between the buildings. I didn’t see it, though; it was moving too fast," he said, his voice tight. "Okay, pack the essentials and get here as soon as you can. We need to find Emmett before the military shuts down the city,” Ampelius instructed, urgency creeping into his voice, his mind already racing with possibilities.

“I mean, it could be. Maybe those lights are flares?” Ampelius speculated though he felt increasingly unsure, his uncertainty gnawing at him.

“I’m unsure of everything right now,” Bella admitted, her voice wavering, a fragile note of desperation breaking through.

“You still haven’t heard from Emmett, have you?” Ampelius asked, his concern deepening for his cousin, the question hanging heavy between them.

“No, and I’m becoming extremely worried now,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

The roaring engine of a military fighter jet flew past the apartment, shaking it with a low-altitude flyby. Ampelius walked to the window and peered outside, looking up at the sky but seeing nothing. The city felt more oppressive than ever, the tension simmering in the air.

“I just heard one of the fighters. It must be flying between the buildings. I didn’t see it, though; it was moving too fast," he said, his voice tightening. "Okay, pack the essentials and get here as soon as you can. We need to find Emmett before the military shuts down the city,” Ampelius instructed, his urgency growing as his mind raced with possibilities.

Bella acknowledged his words, and they hung up. Ampelius stood by the window, staring into the darkening sky, his mind racing with worry and unanswered questions. He still had no idea what was happening, but it seemed unusual for those fighters to fly around Vetera like that. The city felt suffocated by a thick sense of dread.

For a minute, he debated whether there had been a massive terrorist attack or an armed uprising against the local Roman government. The Empire spanned most of the planet, so separatists, rebellions, civil unrest, and terrorist attacks frequently occurred where stability was low. He knew the signs of chaos—he'd seen them before during his time in the military. And yet, this felt different.

Realizing the apartment was getting darker with the sun now gone, Ampelius turned on a couple of lamps to light up the room while he waited for Bella’s arrival. He flipped through channels on the TV, curious about what the news was discussing. He found the news broadcast with a bold, breaking headline flashing across the screen.

The audio was spotty and sporadic at best, and the video itself was distorted. Ampelius frowned, suspecting a signal issue. Listening closely, he could make out a few scattered words: "green," "rocky," "connection," and "blackout." Suddenly, the video switched to what appeared to be a glowing green tephra ash cloud billowing from Mount Blackrock—the volcano near the city of Capsai. The eerie green hue cast an unnatural light across the screen, amplifying the sense of dread creeping over him.

“Mount Blackrock erupted? Why is it glowing green?” he said aloud, his voice tinged with confusion.

His mind spun with questions. Suddenly, he recalled the news from earlier that day—a clip showing a volcano spewing green tephra into the atmosphere. The headlines mentioned a military installation being attacked. Could there be a connection? he wondered, his thoughts racing. But he couldn’t remember where or when the military installation was destroyed; the details were frustratingly out of reach.

The audio remained spotty, and he could no longer make out the garbled words of the news anchor. Eventually, the sound went silent altogether, leaving only the distorted video on the screen. It continued to show the green cloud swirling ominously for a moment, but then the video abruptly switched to an eyewitness recording that wasn’t distorted. The clarity of this new footage was jarring against the previous static and distortion.

“This must be the recording she talked about,” he muttered to himself, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

He could barely comprehend what he was watching. Capsai was ablaze! Black smoke rose past the camera's view high into the sky, choking the horizon with a thick, unbroken column. His eyes were glued to the TV, completely absorbed in the chaotic scene. He didn’t even notice Bella enter the apartment. She walked over and sat next to him, her expression mirroring his disbelief, her face pale, and her hands trembling slightly.

“What the hell is happening?” she asked, her voice trembling, her eyes still glued to the screen.

“I have no idea. The audio was spotty at best, and I couldn’t make out any words. I suspect this has something to do with Mount Blackrock next to the city—some sort of eruption, I think,” Ampelius replied, brow furrowed in confusion, trying to piece together the fragmented clues.

“This must have been recorded right before the sun went down. I wonder if this is the recording they mentioned,” she said, leaning closer, her mind racing to connect the dots.

Suddenly, the video showed a glowing blue light hovering above a tall building in the distance. The building was bathed in an eerie blue glow, the light pulsating as it hung in the air, casting strange shadows that danced across the surrounding structures.

“Is that a flare? I’ve never seen a...” Ampelius started to say, his voice trailing off in confusion as the blue light suddenly shot toward the cameraman, moving with unnatural speed.

The speed at which it moved startled them both. The light shot toward the cameraman, illuminating everything in an intense blue glow. The camera panned up toward the source, capturing the blinding brightness, and then abruptly ceased recording. A moment later, the video switched back to the news anchor, who appeared equally stunned, his expression mirroring their disbelief.

“What did I just watch? What was that?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“I’ve got no idea,” Bella replied, her eyes wide, her mind still reeling from the footage.

“Damn audio; they need subtitles for these broadcasts. From what I understand, Mount Blackrock erupted, but it spewed out green ash smoke or whatever. Then, they tried to show a live video of the city burning, but the connection was extremely weak, so I didn’t see much. After that, they played the recording. But what happened after it shut off? Something must have happened. I almost wonder if someone found this camera and turned it in,” Ampelius said, shivering as he pieced the fragments together, his mind struggling to find a logical explanation.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the replay, both lost in their thoughts, before deciding to look for Emmett. They quickly gathered basic items: a flashlight, food, and a few water bottles. Ampelius tested the flashlight to ensure it worked, then grabbed extra batteries and stuffed them into the bag. As he zipped it up, a sudden bright blue flash from the window caught his attention, flooding the room with an eerie, unnatural glow.

Suddenly, all the lamps and Ampelius's flashlight shut off, plunging the apartment into near-total darkness. The room seemed to contract around them, swallowed by the void.

“What just happened? A power outage?” Bella asked, her voice edged with panic, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light from the window.

“I don’t know, but it affected my flashlight. I saw a bright flash from the window just before,” Ampelius replied, his voice steady but strained, trying to stay calm despite the unsettling blackout.

An eerie silence overtook the apartment as Ampelius cautiously walked toward the window. Meanwhile, Bella tried to turn on other electronics, but nothing responded—everything remained lifeless.

“Nothing is working; everything is dead,” Bella said, panic rising as she fumbled with the dead devices.

When Ampelius reached the window, he peered out into the city, now enveloped in total darkness. “Whatever that flash was, it affected the whole city. I can only see the dark outlines of the buildings and not much else,” he said, his breath fogging the cold glass as he stared into the void.

He opened the window and stuck his head outside, looking up at the night sky. A glowing blue explosion with a spider-web appearance spread out in a shock wave, expanding into several rings over the city. The rings pulsed and rippled, casting an unnatural light that flickered across the darkened buildings.

“Bella, come look at this!” he called, pointing to the sky toward the glowing explosion. She walked to the window and looked up, her eyes widening as she took in the sight.

“Is that what caused this blackout?” she asked, her voice hushed with awe and fear, the weight of the unknown pressing down on her.

Ampelius noticed a fading, dust-like smoke trail connecting the explosion to the direction of Mount Nerva. “It almost looks like it originated from Mount Nerva. You see that trail leading up to the center?” he said, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and dread, his gaze following the smoky path.

“Did someone fire a missile at us? What kind of missile knocks out electricity like that?” Bella asked, her voice trembling.

Ampelius remained silent, observing the sky and the trail leading to Mount Nerva. Whatever had caused the explosion, it had plunged the entire city into complete darkness. The silence outside only amplified the isolation and fear surrounding them.