The destruction of Blackstone Nest unleashed something far worse than any of them could have imagined. The glowing cores embedded in the cave walls sent pulsating energy through the earth, spreading faster than wildfire. Outside, the crimson sky deepened, casting an unnatural, suffocating light over the hills surrounding Silver Rock.

As Ethan’s group stumbled out of the cave, battered and blood-soaked, the ground beneath them shuddered. The air hummed with an ominous vibration, and a distant roar rolled across the horizon. It was no longer just the sound of mutated creatures—it was the sound of the world unraveling.

Ethan’s jaw tightened as he turned back toward the glowing fissures creeping out from the cave mouth. “We didn’t stop it,” he muttered, his voice heavy. “We made it worse.”

“Define worse,” Mason said, wincing as he tied a crude bandage around the gash on his leg.

“Worse as in everything we’ve faced so far? It’s nothing compared to what’s coming,” Ethan replied, his voice low and filled with grim certainty.

Despite their exhaustion, Ethan refused to leave empty-handed. “If we’re going to survive what we just unleashed, we need everything we can carry,” he said, his voice cutting through the group’s fatigue.

The cavern was a blood-soaked battlefield. The corpses of mutated creatures lay in grotesque heaps, their glowing cores pulsing faintly like dying embers. Ethan led the group back inside, stepping over steaming entrails and pools of gore as they scavenged.

Ethan knelt by the shattered remnants of the nest, prying loose fragments of glowing cores embedded in the walls. The jagged shards burned faintly in his hands, their energy unstable but potent. “We can use these,” he said, his voice resolute.

Kyle uncovered a battered rifle buried beneath a pile of gnawed bones. Though rusted and damaged, the barrel and receiver were salvageable. “Not perfect,” he said, inspecting it, “but better than nothing.”

Each glowing core was carefully extracted from the mangled bodies of wolves, raccoons, and the massive bear. The extraction process was gruesome—Ethan plunged his blade into flesh, his hands slick with blood as he pried the cores free. The stench of burning tissue filled the air as the creatures’ remains twitched spasmodically.

* Mason found a satchel near a human skeleton, its contents intact. Inside were a small journal, a map of Silver Rock and its surrounding areas, and several crude drawings of mutated creatures. “Whoever this was,” Mason said, flipping through the pages, “they knew something about the spread.”

The group’s arms were full by the time they left the cave. Behind them, the glow of the nest intensified, veins of light spreading like cracks in the earth.

The destruction of the nest marked a turning point for Silver Rock. In the two weeks that followed, the town spiraled into chaos. The accelerated spread of mutations, coupled with the deepening crimson sky, pushed the town to its breaking point.

Wolves with grotesque, elongated limbs and massive crows with wings sharp as razors began attacking in coordinated packs. Survivors whispered of “hive leaders”—massive creatures that directed the others.

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At night, the sky seemed to amplify the creatures’ aggression. Reports of glowing-eyed monsters prowling the streets became routine, and few dared to leave their homes after dark.

After multiple failed evacuation attempts, the National Guard declared Silver Rock a “containment zone.” Their patrols were pulled back, leaving the town to fend for itself. Entire neighborhoods were abandoned, their residents either fleeing or succumbing to the growing horrors.

Amid the chaos, Ethan’s group doubled down on their preparations at The Forge. The loot from the nest, combined with their relentless training, made their base more formidable than ever.

Using the core fragments, Ethan enhanced his energy blade, embedding shards into the hilt. The weapon now emitted a sharper, brighter hum, cutting through steel during testing. Dakota’s crowbar was similarly upgraded, its electrified edge crackling with lethal energy.

* Mason’s core grenades were modified for greater range and explosive power. He tested one outside, the blast leaving a smoldering crater littered with glowing debris.

* The rifle Kyle found was repaired and mounted as part of an automated turret system Mason rigged near the perimeter. “It’s not perfect,” Mason said, “but it’s another layer between us and them.”

Two weeks of training pushed the group to new limits. Their bodies, once merely fit, now resembled battle-hardened warriors.

* Ethan: His muscular frame was lean and ripped, his shoulders broader from relentless sparring. Scars crisscrossed his chest and arms, each one a testament to his survival.

* Dakota: His powerful physique had reached its peak, his chest and arms massive from lifting and combat drills. His crowbar seemed lighter in his hands, each swing carrying devastating force.

* Mason and Kyle: Both had gained lean muscle, their smaller frames honed for speed and precision.

Their drills had also grown more violent. Ethan pushed them to their breaking points, simulating real-life ambushes and overwhelming odds. “This isn’t just training anymore,” he told them during one session. “This is life or death.”

On a supply run to a looted hardware store, the group encountered Jake Cooper and his gang. They stood near a burned-out car, their laughter cutting through the tense silence of the ruined street.

“Well, look who it is,” Jake sneered, his bloodied knuckles gripping a makeshift club. “The apocalypse nerd and his wannabe tough guys.”

Ethan’s expression remained cold as he stepped forward, his energy blade sheathed but ready. “Move.”

Jake smirked. “Or what? You gonna show me how ‘tough’ you’ve gotten, Graves?”

Dakota cracked his neck, stepping up beside Ethan. “Keep talking, Jake. Let’s see how well that works out for you.”

Jake’s gang bristled, but Jake hesitated, his bravado faltering. “Whatever,” he muttered, motioning for his lackeys to back off. As they walked away, Jake’s girlfriend, Anna, cast a lingering glance at Ethan before following.

“Next time, we won’t walk away,” Jake called over his shoulder.

“Next time, you won’t walk at all,” Ethan said quietly.

Every passing day brought Ethan closer to the moment he’d been dreading and anticipating—his vengeance against Jack. He knew where Jack lived. He remembered the exact path he’d taken on that fateful day when Jack betrayed him. But Ethan also knew time wasn’t on his side.

For now, he had to focus on the growing dangers in Silver Rock. The fight against Jack would have to wait—though the thought of it burned in his mind like a second heartbeat.

The glowing cracks from the nest’s destruction continued to spread, turning Silver Rock into a living nightmare. Entire sections of the town were consumed by mutant infestations, and the once-familiar streets became warzones.

Ethan stood on the roof of The Forge one night, watching the crimson sky pulse with an ominous rhythm. His bloodied hands gripped the railing as his jaw clenched.

“We’re running out of time,” he muttered.

“We’ll make it,” Dakota said from beside him, his voice steady. “We’ve come too far to die now.”

Ethan’s gaze remained fixed on the horizon. “We don’t have a choice.”

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Time Until Cataclysm: 75 Days, 4 Hours, 8 Minutes.