Return to Sol – The Exchange with Léna
After sowing confusion among her former friends, Léna left the bunker with clear satisfaction. A cryptic smile played on her lips as she reappeared in the dimension where Sol resided—an eerie space bathed in golden light, suspended between the real and the surreal.
Sol was there, seated cross-legged, his gaze fixed on a non-existent horizon. His immaculate white pants contrasted with the solar heat radiating from his body. He didn't even turn his head when he sensed Léna's arrival.
— "So, how were they?" he asked in a neutral tone, still lost in thought.
Léna crossed her arms, a provocative smirk on her face.
— "Just as expected. They were terrified, of course. But more than anything... they regretted."
Sol let out a dry, mocking laugh.
— "Humans are fascinating. They only understand the value of something once it's lost. You're living proof they never truly appreciated you."
Léna raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
— "That's one way to look at it. But I think, deep down... they were just scared. Scared of dying. Scared of getting their hands dirty to save someone else."
She sat beside Sol, her gaze lost in the golden light that bathed their space.
— "Do you really think their survival has any meaning?" she asked after a moment of silence.
Sol shrugged.
— "It was never a question of meaning. But of evolution. This world has no need for the weak. Those who can't keep up are doomed to disappear. That's the most absolute law."
Léna smirked, amused by the certainty in his voice.
— "So what now? Are we going to meet Hayden's little group?"
Sol stretched his arms lazily as he stood.
— "Yes. It's time they met us... officially."
Léna nodded, a glimmer of impatience in her eyes.
— "Perfect. I can't wait to see their reaction."
With a snap of his fingers, the golden space dissolved, and they vanished in a flash of light.
Hayden and Mary – A Decision to Make
Meanwhile, after defeating the zombies, Hayden remained in the courtyard for a while, staring at the sky, his katana still trembling in his hand. Mary approached him, her drone hovering nearby.
— "That was... intense," she said, breaking the silence.
Hayden nodded slowly, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
— "They were stronger than the ones we fought before. That wasn't normal."
Mary tapped on her screen, scanning the last data from the battle.
— "The golden aura surrounding them... I think it came from Sol. That guy's clearly toying with us."
Hayden clenched his fists.
— "If he wants to play, then we'll show him we're not pawns."
He turned to Mary, his gaze resolute.
— "We need to regroup. Who knows how long we've got until the next attack."
Mary nodded, and they set off together.
After several minutes of searching, they found William, Flora, and Katie—exhausted, but alive. Katie, still unconscious, was supported by William, who, despite his fatigue, wore his usual crooked smile.
— "You guys look like shit," he joked.
Flora groaned, clutching her injured arm.
— "Could say the same about you, William. You look like you got run over by a truck."
Hayden looked at his team, then let out a sigh.
— "We survived. That's all that matters."
A brief silence followed, as they all processed how close they'd come to death. But before they could breathe easy, a strange energy swept through the school courtyard.
The Encounter with Sol and Léna
A blinding light lit up the courtyard. Suddenly, before them, two figures appeared. Sol, as always, dressed in white pants, stood tall—imposing, almost divine in his golden aura. Beside him stood a woman clad entirely in black, wearing a tight athletic outfit, arms crossed, her gaze cold. Léna.
The group tensed immediately, on high alert. Hayden instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his katana.
Sol offered a calm smile.
— "So we finally meet. You've grown a lot in a short time."
William narrowed his eyes.
— "And you are... who exactly?"
Sol smiled wider.
— "I'm the observer. The one who guides evolution. The one who decides who deserves to survive."
Hayden stared at him, impassive.
— "And what are we, then? To you?"
Sol shrugged.
— "Interesting anomalies. I wanted to see how you'd react to my creations. And I must say... you didn't disappoint."
He paused, then added more seriously:
— "The zombies you just fought... they're not strangers. They're the same ones you killed in front of the karaoke bar, Hayden."
Silence fell like a hammer. The group's faces tensed.
Mary whispered, shocked:
— "You mean... those things were already dead before?!"
Sol nodded, clear amusement in his eyes.
— "Death is just a concept. It all depends on who controls the cycle."
A sudden chuckle broke the tense atmosphere.
— "Speaking of the dead coming back..."
The group turned toward the voice. A figure stepped forward, her cruel smile gleaming under the moonlight.
Léna.
She placed one hand on her hip and bowed slightly.
— "Good evening, my dear old friends."
Hayden felt a chill run down his spine. He clenched his fists as memories of the karaoke night flooded back.
— "Lila..."
Léna frowned.
— "Léna," she corrected, her voice sharp.
Flora, eyes wide, murmured:
— "This can't be real..."
William, ever the pragmatist, shook his head.
— "I swear, this world keeps getting weirder."
Despite her fatigue, Katie stared at Léna with a mix of anger and pain.
— "What have you become?"
Léna smiled, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
— "Something far beyond anything you could imagine."
Sol spoke again to conclude:
— "This world is changing. You must decide whether you want to evolve... or be crushed by the tide."
Hayden, his eyes locked on Sol and Léna, took a deep breath. He knew this encounter marked a turning point.
And for the first time in a long while, he no longer had any doubts.
The Principal's Intervention – An Inevitable Failure
The heavy silence that followed Sol's words was broken by the sudden arrival of several adults.
The school principal, Mr. Lancaster, marched forward firmly, flanked by several teachers and staff. He wore a long beige coat, and though not a fighter, his gaze held unwavering determination. Behind him, some teachers looked hesitant, aware of the danger they faced, but their respect for their superior kept them moving.
Mr. Lancaster stopped in front of the students, placing himself as a barrier between them and Sol.
— "I don't know who you are exactly, but I won't let you threaten my students!" he declared firmly.
Still on guard, Hayden felt a mix of respect and worry rise within him. The principal was brave, but he had no idea what he was dealing with.
Sol, arms crossed, watched the man with amusement.
— "Oh? An adult who still believes his authority matters in a ruined world?"
Mr. Lancaster didn't flinch.
— "It is my duty to protect these young people—whether from criminals, monsters, or tyrants like you."
The teachers behind him nodded, trying to mask their fear.
Léna, silent until now, sighed.
— "Pathetic."
With a mere flick of his hand, Sol's golden aura flared. In an instant, an invisible pressure crashed down on the principal and his group.
Mr. Lancaster froze, his legs trembling under the crushing force. The teachers dropped to their knees, some gasping for air beneath Sol's overwhelming presence.
— "Look around you," Sol said, calm but merciless. "The rules you knew mean nothing. The authority you think you hold... is just an illusion."
Mr. Lancaster clenched his fists, trying to resist, but it was clear he stood no chance against someone like Sol.
Hayden stepped forward, ready to intervene, but Léna turned her icy gaze on him, and he realized any move might escalate things further.
Sol approached Lancaster, lowering his head slightly to observe him.
— "But I'll be generous. You've done nothing to deserve death. So I'll simply leave you with a reminder."
He placed a single finger on the principal's forehead. In an instant, a searing heat flooded through Lancaster, as if his very soul had been exposed to a blinding light.
His legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees, gasping, his eyes vacant.