"I wanted to thank you for saving us on her behalf."

"I was grateful as well, thank you for giving us the opportunity we hoped for."

"Saving you was just something I did out of convenience. I was meant to save that little girl initially."

"Now that we've met. I'm Panda and this is my friend and accomplice, Polar."

"I go by Crol."

"Let's leave this sorry place, I miss the sunlight already."

"Agreed, but how are we going to?"

"We could use my aircraft, I just need to modify it a bit."

The three of them traced their way back and follow Crol's lead, arriving at where his Garuda landed. Crol began working on the modification for what felt like minutes while the other two waited for him. After some checkups, the Garuda was good to go. Crol sat on the front seat while the other two each picked a seat next to his. Thus, the aircraft dug its way out of the underworld with the drills attached to it.

Still not having a single clue where his sister was, Crol could only rely on the map with a suspicious marked spot given to him a while ago. Digit analyzed the map and identified the marked area to be somewhere in the Northern region. But what was unsettling was the fact that it was inside a kingdom, protected by an enormous wall.

Crol had only heard about stories of various civilizations being built after the Catastrophe centuries ago. They emerged as a new beginning of mankind, each land led by a distinct government. The location that matched the marked spot Digit scanned was a part of the Pinelands, which meant it would be a long journey. Even so, Crol could not ignore the mere possibility that Tanya would be there.

As the Garuda went its way up North, Panda initiated a conversation with Crol in order to start seeing him as a comrade.

"Do you have something to search for on this journey?"

"Yes...do you?"

"I...no, we have something to achieve as well. Someone took something away from us and we seek to make them pay what they owned us."

"In my case, I intend to reclaim what was stolen from me."

"Then I guess coming along with you was the right decision."

"Same here, in this world one could not simply survive by being alone. Here's looking forward to work with you too."

"We have the same thing in mind as well, partner."

With that, Panda and Polar officially teamed up with Crol, from that point on they would be a team. Crol himself also expected to make allies along the way due to the very nature of his Apex ability. There would be stronger enemies on the upcoming road so getting stronger would be a must for him as well as his companions.

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With hope of finding his sister, he would not let anything get in the way even if it were to be a god.

...

Elsewhere in an office was a lady in purple checking the documents for the second time. Her focus was interrupted by the gentle knockings on the door. It was a henchman wanting to report something noteworthy. She permitted his intrusion and asked him to speak.

"My lady, we've detected the signal of the stolen aircraft model. We estimated that it's heading North."

"Is that so? That troublemaker finally presented himself to us. Soon, nothing will be able to stand in the way of our lord. If that's all, you're dismissed."

"Then excuse me, Ma'am."

The woman continued on her work then she personally went to pay her lord a visit to report. She saw him looking outside the window. The man in yellow noticed her and asked if she had something important to tell, to which she told him that the satellites found recent traces of someone heading North. He decided to hold a meeting afterward.

At a dinning room, several figures had presented themselves at the request of their superior. Eventually, the woman in purple and the lord arrived. He told his faithful servants to sit down.

"Greetings, everyone. It has been quite long since our last meeting. The reason I summoned all of you here because I need to announce something. It is time to proceed to the next phase of the plan."

"!"

"Yes, it is time we truly let the world know our strength. Everything we need to proceed has presented itself. As times go on, I get closer and closer to ascending and become the divinity that this world has been waiting so long for. However, there seems to be individuals who would eventually obstruct the path. Therefore I need your support as my loyal servants."

"We choose to devote ourselves and we will continue to do so until we can't breath anymore."

"Serving you has always been our job and we will not fail in any way."

"..."

"There he goes again, no words."

"I appreciate your unwavering loyalty and I will reign as my destiny tells me to."

With that said, the meeting ended with everyone leaving the room. Only the charismatic man in yellow sat there, murmuring to himself that he would rule everything and all like he always wanted.

...

Back to present time, Chella and her companions continue onward with their pilgrimage. With the goal to find the missing children in mind, she becomes even more excited than usual. On the contrary to her mood, the others are worried about finding people in a vast land with only a detector to assist the search.

"I guess if we find one, there will be another passenger on the ride."

"Only if they want to of course. We cannot ignore the consent."

"Right. We're making friends, not captives."

"Do you think Panda could become our new companion?"

"Yes, she isn't a bad person."

"I hope that she found the person she was looking for."

"This journey will be long, but for now let's head North. There aren't many towns in the Southern so if there were survivors, they would migrate up North."

"North from that old lab? It could be any kind of North. The entire continent isn't just a straight line for your information."

"You're right."

"Guys, this is no time to be doubtful. If we want to know, we should see it for ourselves."

"Sure, captain."

With that, they decide to go North in hopes of making new friends along the way. Gilbert as of now is still in deep thoughts about the prophecy given to him times ago, that he will see the shadow behind those he trusted. He ponders if it was just meant for him or someone else was mentioned in it. Seeing the enthusiastic children, he gets out of such thoughts.

The group doesn't even know that something big will soon unfolds itself. Whatever comes next will not be something you see in easy mode of a videogame. Even so, they must keep going for whatever answer each of them is seeking for.

End of season 1