Author's note
Well, a quick message before I start this part, I now have an account on X. For now it will serve as another place to post about the work, as it will probably be, due to its size and dimensions, the main place of interaction. It will direct to the patron, which is the main one, even though it is a bit abandoned, something I need to change. But in general that's it, follow to support, as well as to find out about releases.
@Ponti_Zero
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Looking at the message flashing on all the screens, Sete was curious.
What were they fleeing from…?
— Immediate Evacuation —
Taking off his helmet, he began to survey the room around him.
Chairs scattered and toppled on the floor, with some monitors knocked over, gave the place a somewhat chaotic air.
Besides the computer screens and the large display, small TVs on the walls bore the same message, glowing brightly.
"Father, what is this place?"
Still by the power panel, Father also removed his helmet, producing a faint decompression hiss.
"A military bunker, designed to control combat forces outside it."
Hearing an unfamiliar term, Sete furrowed his brow.
"Military?"
Turning, Father began to walk.
"Yes, it's a force tasked with defending a state or nation."
Quickening his pace, Sete followed him, trailing through the corridors of the abandoned bunker to do what had brought them there.
"What do you mean?"
"Well…"
As they moved through the facility, searching for the best way to explain, Father fell silent for a few seconds.
"Imagine our family is a nation. Yuliya, Ísis, Leon, Victor, and Mia all have their roles to help at home, but in my case, besides those, I have the duty to protect you all, at any cost. That's, in a way, similar to the role of the military, though on a larger scale, protecting non-combatants, or civilians."
A force aimed at protecting others… the old world seemed so fascinating.
Thinking about the world that once existed was always entertaining, piecing together how people lived, what they did, and how they had fun, just by observing what remained.
Archaeology… Sete recalled reading about it in one of the books they had at home.
Though some books offered glimpses into everyday life, most covered basic knowledge from that era: biology, mathematics, and the like.
The only ones useful for that were fictional stories, but those were scarce and unreliable.
Wait.
Realizing something was missing, he turned to Father.
"…But what about me?"
In a more serious tone, Father replied.
"Your role is the same, to protect your siblings at all costs. That's why we're here."
Stopping near a sturdy-looking door, it slid open automatically with a faint scraping sound.
The interior, fully lit, revealed a few empty shooting ranges, occupying only a small part of the room.
There were tables and counters, some chairs, and a vending machine.
On the other side, most of the room was a wide shooting range, with a few targets still hanging.
Protect my siblings…
…
Standing in one of the sections, Seven held a weapon.
Mostly made of wood, the bolt-action rifle bore several signs of use, like scratches and some dirt stains on the wood.
But there was no rust on the metal barrel, coated with a layer of grease.
Right beside him, watching his every move, Father spoke.
"Rest the stock on your shoulder and aim. Notice that even when you try to steady it, your aim will waver slightly, so every time you're about to shoot, hold your breath and aim, then release the air from your lungs after firing."
He had already fired several times, with Father periodically giving instructions to improve his handling and posture, while increasing the target's distance.
That's why I keep missing…
Even if it was a small thing, the farther the target, the greater the bullet's trajectory would deviate.
"Let's start over, remember to apply the tips I gave you."
Removing the stock from his shoulder, Sete took a deep breath and lowered it, relaxing his stance.
"Begin."
With Father's monotonous words, he started to move.
First, check the weapon.
Pulling the bolt, he removed the empty cartridge from the previous shot, which fell to the floor with a soft clink, leaving the chamber open.
Load.
Taking a bullet from the counter, Sete quickly inserted it into the chamber, then closed it, sliding the bolt to the locked position.
Aim.
Resting the weapon on his shoulder, somewhat awkwardly, he assumed a firing stance and took aim at the target.
Prepare.
Holding his breath, he placed his finger on the trigger and steadied the weapon, only to be interrupted by Father.
"You're forgetting the safety again, release it."
— Click —
It wasn't the first time he'd forgotten; it kept happening, something that irritated him.
Why do I keep messing up…
With a bitter taste, he pushed it aside, waiting for Father's next command, who, after one last check of the weapon and Sete's posture, stepped back.
Understanding he had permission to shoot, he continued.
Carefully…
Since the target was so far, a harsh or clumsy squeeze could easily throw off the bullet's path.
Because of that, gently, Sete pressed the trigger.
Activating the mechanism, it produced a loud bang, followed by a strong recoil that pushed Sete back. He managed to control it, though, stiffening his arms and bracing his body, feeling his shoulder ache slightly.
The bullet, flying at high speed toward the target, made a sharp sound on impact.
Releasing the air from his lungs, he lowered the weapon.
Realizing he'd finally hit the target, excited, he tried to see where, even though it was far away.
"Check the weapon."
I forgot.
Tempering his excitement, Sete pulled the bolt twice before placing the weapon on the counter.
"Let's see where you hit this time."
Pressing a button beside the booth they were in, the target began moving toward them.
It's really loud.
When in the city and his Father went hunting, Sete sometimes heard shots from a distance; as expected, up close, they were deafening.
But that made them even more incredible, letting him feel both their power and the range they had, compared to a bow.
"Your aim has improved a lot; after the corrections, you maintained a good hit rate on all targets."
Now close to them, the silhouette had a bullet mark right in the center.
"What do we do now?"
Eager to find out what was next, he turned to Father, having already shot at all possible distances, this last one being the maximum available there.
"Stop."
Like water turning to wine, his expression completely changed, his shoulders slumping.
"What? Why?!"
"Your shoulder needs to recover."
After numerous shots, his shoulder had started to ache from the recoil.
"Oh, this? It's no big deal, just a nuisance, look—"
Moving his arm, he tried to prove it was nothing, but…
"Ow!"
Feeling a sharp pain, he stopped moving his arm, lowering it slowly, dejected.
"As I said, we'll stop for a while so you can recover."
"But Father, I won't always have this chance, I can't let this beat me and go home."
After days of studying, the day to practice with firearms had finally arrived. For him, losing it over shoulder pain was unacceptable.
I don't know when we'll come back here, if before winter or only next year…
"We're not going back yet. You'll rest a bit and switch weapons to spare your shoulder. Your training isn't over; there are still different weapons to test."
"Alright!"
Celebrating, Sete felt his shoulder ache again, making him take care.
Turning, Father headed to a corner of the shooting range, where there were chairs, a counter, and two backpacks.
Searching through his, he pulled out some dry biscuits, jerky, and a water bottle.
"A break to eat won't hurt either."
Sete, spotting the food, rushed toward it.
"Thanks!"
After all the training, even if relatively light, and the walk they'd had, Sete felt hungrier than usual.
Also taking some kind of medicine wrapped in paper, he placed it with the food.
"This will ease the pain, though it won't heal, so rest until it takes effect."
A bit surprised, Sete took everything.
"Thank you."
Sitting down to eat, he paused when he noticed his Father only sat nearby.
"Aren't you eating too?"
"No, I'm not hungry."
Taking some boxes from the backpack, he began counting the bullets in each and sorting them.
"Alright…"
Looking at the medicine he'd been given, Sete unfolded the paper, revealing a fine brown powder.
The pills must have run out…
Though he didn't know much, Sete understood some things about the medicines they had at home.
Only the ones we make must be left… which means Father will head to the citadel in a few days…
Somewhere outside the city they lived in was the citadel, the place where they usually bought hard-to-find or non-produced items.
Tipping the paper, Sete consumed the medicine with a bit of water.
Bitter, like Yuliya's tea…
Folding the paper, he set it aside.
"…Father, when are you going to the citadel? Will you wait until mid-autumn?"
Finishing counting the bullets, Father stored some, leaving the rest out with a small, full box.
"I don't know, maybe late autumn. I'd like to take you this time, but I'm not sure if I can leave Ísis alone yet, like I do with you."
I'd love to go…
Being a place with other people, he was curious about what he'd find there, as he'd heard from his father that a few machines still worked, similar to the piles of scrap they found in the city.
However, in recent years, only he could manage the house while Father was away, handling tasks like gathering fruits and herbs near home. Because of that, he hadn't been to the citadel even once, despite always wanting to see it.
"But if things go well, maybe I'll take you this year. It all depends on how Ísis behaves in the coming days."
She's been doing much better, even handled things well when I went after the rabbit…
Pausing for a moment, recalling the previous night, Sete stopped eating.
"…I don't know if I can go… she had a nightmare yesterday, from the look on her face and how she acted when she woke up… it must have something to do with her past…"
Father, slightly surprised, turned his head toward Sete but soon looked ahead, thoughtful.
"Well, that complicates things a bit. Even after all this time, she still struggles with it."
Lowering his head, Sete nodded.
"Yeah…"
Even though it's been years since she was rescued…
Though his sister, she wasn't by blood. She was rescued by Father after losing her entire family to humanoids, after they tried crossing the city with a group of survivors.
The only thing left of her family were those three medallions… and the terror that haunted her…
Even after she arrived home, right after waking, she'd scream a single name he'd never heard, crying.
White wanderers.
That's when he learned of their existence, after asking Father, who explained what they were, though only after seeing one did he understand the reason for such terror.
Furrowing his brow, he turned to Father.
"…Father, how was Ísis rescued? Since wanderers only live in the city center?"
A bit surprised by the sudden question, he took a moment to respond.
"…It was a remarkable event. I don't know what that group of survivors did, but they made the humanoids chase them even outside the center, which is why we heard them screaming."
"The people were that close to home?! The humanoids too?"
I remember hearing some screams near home!
That day, Sete was helping his Father late in the greenhouse when they heard distant screams.
Realizing something was wrong, Father grabbed him quickly and ran home, only to leave immediately afterward, fully armed.
I remember him running so fast home, even carrying me.
"It wasn't the people, but the humanoids; the screams were theirs. When they chase something, they use it to signal their position to the others."
"What? They scream—"
Stopping mid-sentence, Sete recalled that the humanoid he encountered did the same, screaming when it realized he was fleeing.
It was more like a roar, but it sounded like a cry of terror…
Recalling that moment, Sete felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
"…"
Watching him silently, Father read his face.
"The one you encountered screamed too, didn't it?"
"…Yeah, it was a loud, terrifying scream, but it felt more like a cry of pain or something…"
It didn't sound like a roar, but a cry of despair…
Recalling that moment and the wounds on the humanoid, the scream that terrified him seemed less and less like a roar.
"…"
Seeing Sete lost in thought, seizing the moment, Father grabbed the backpack. Rummaging through it, he pulled out something wrapped in a worn, yellowish-white cloth.
"I think it's time to give you this."
Snapping out of his thoughts, Sete looked at the object with curiosity.
"What's that?"
"Open it to find out."
Taking it, he began unwrapping the cloth, revealing the object.
"A gun!!"
It was a matte carbon revolver with an inscription in relief on the barrel.
— Tauros —
The weapon, though marked by use, was remarkably well-preserved. Besides the barrel detail, it had the number 1197 on the grip.
This…
"Since you're doing well in this training, it's time to carry one and leave the bow with your sister."
"Thank you, Father! I didn't expect to get one today!"
Expecting to go through more lessons before carrying, it was a surprise for him.
"No need. You've done very well with the shots, as well as the handling. From what I've seen, you're capable of carrying one, but know this: a revolver isn't for hunting, but for defense. That's its purpose."
Noticing his father's more serious look, Sete felt a heavy weight on him.
"…"
"The helmet you used is yours too. Take good care of it, as it belonged to your mother."
Looking at it, right beside him on his backpack, Sete had a look of disbelief.
"…But Father… wouldn't it be better to give it to Yuliya?"
I never even met her…
Though he liked the idea of keeping it, it was largely because it was, for the most part, an impressive piece of equipment—a small thing, since it carried an emotional weight that, for Yuliya, who lived with her and remembered her, would mean more.
He knew his mother loved him, as he was the son she always wanted, but he wasn't sure if it was right to keep it.
"…Your mother left this for you. She also left things for Yuliya, but besides choosing your name before she died, she wanted you to have some of her things, including this helmet."
Looking at it, marked by use but well-maintained, Sete finally agreed.
"I understand, I'll keep it then…"
"That's good. Your mother would be happy, as I am. She loved you so much, son."
Reaching out, Father placed his hand on Sete's head.
"Besides these items, take these bullets, as you'll need to carry some from now on. When you need more, just ask me, but use them wisely."
That's why he was sorting bullets…
Looking at the bullets he was handing over, he noticed they were already sorted and counted, except for one group, which had only six, black in color.
Why are they so different…
"I think the medicine must be working by now. Let's continue the training."
***
Inside the bunker, Leon, Victor, and Mia stood in a line, with Ísis opposite them, holding a small list.
At a distance from the group, seated at a table, Yuliya watched everything with a smile.
"Everyone got their backpack?"
"Yes!"
They answered in unison.
Preparing to head out, with everyone wide awake, Ísis began the final check of what they'd carry.
"Knives?"
"Yes!!!"
"Canteen?"
"Yes!!"
"Rope?"
"Yes!"
With each question, the trio's vibrant enthusiasm faded more and more, but Ísis seemed unfazed, checking each item methodically.
Watching it all, still smiling, Yuliya murmured:
"You're going out for a few hours, not traveling the world…"
Several minutes later, finishing the check, Ísis began reviewing the list in a low voice.
"This, this, and this we're already taking…"
Her siblings, now bored, waited for her to finish.
Then, stopping her reading, she looked up toward the room.
"Wait!"
Running, she headed that way, leaving everyone there completely confused.
Entering, she began looking around, then, remembering where she'd left it, started moving again.
Approaching her bunk, she crouched to crawl underneath.
"Found you!"
There, a bow was stored, along with a quiver.
Sete's bow!
Grabbing it, she pulled, but due to its size, it knocked over a small box, making it open and spilling three amulets.
Dropping the bow, Ísis quickly picked up the box and put them back inside, but paused before closing it.
Worn by time, they had a simple round shape, but a slightly dirty golden hue.
"…"
After a few seconds, with a melancholic look, she finally closed it.
Standing up, she equipped the quiver and left the room.
"Let's go!"
With a smile, she began leading them to the exit, for their first mission.