CHAPTER-VII
The car stopped right in the ruins of a city. Once, this was one of the most famous cities in the world: Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, a nation always known for its military might. There wasn't much of interest left; every building had been leveled to the ground. Dust and debris tumbled as they were blown by a wind coming from the opposite direction.
"Let's get back in the car; we need to go deeper," Kyle called out to the group.
They sat back inside the vehicle. Kyle started the engine and continued the journey. They would drive further into the city until they found something substantial. Dianne rolled down her window, letting the passing wind sweep across her face. Her hair fluttered in the soft, cooling breeze.
"This world is truly beautiful, isn't it?" she remarked.
"If humans hadn't gone to war back then, none of this would have happened," Alisa countered.
"Kaizo, were there wars in your home world too?" Kyle asked.
"Of course there were. My world is ruled by the strong. World kings who possess unparalleled high-level 'Power.' Not to mention that man..."
"That man?" Alisa asked curiously.
"His name is Orion. He's a being from another planet. Honestly, his presence is used as a scapegoat by the world kings. If they commit atrocities, they blame Orion, claiming he enslaved them simply because he's far stronger than anyone else. I'm afraid he might grow resentful and actually turn evil. When I go home, I'm going to take down those kings, and I'll face Orion to see who truly deserves to be the strongest in the world," Kaizo explained.
"I see," Kyle murmured, his foot pressing the accelerator as he focused on keeping the car straight.
"By the way, where are we headed?" Kaizo asked.
"The Arkae Tower—a mysterious spire that is likely a nest for the Alpha Symbiotes. It's a tower of flesh that twitches constantly. I want to meet one of them face-to-face and force them to give us whatever information they have," Kyle answered.
"Aren't they our enemies? We don't even know how strong they really are. Besides, why do we have to ask them?" Dianne challenged.
"Looking at the current state of the world, is it possible that anything other than them—the Symbiotes—caused the extinction of humanity? I'm sure they have a plan, but they're too mindless to laugh about it. Fortunately, some of them can speak. Those annoying, disgusting creatures," Kyle explained.
"Yeah, whatever you say. I don't understand anything about this world anyway. I'll help as much as I can to face the threat, but the planning is up to you," Kaizo reclined his seat, unintentionally pressing against Alisa's thighs as she sat behind him. She became flustered and shy.
The car sped across the barren plains. The dust from the road left a thick trail billowing behind them. In a short time, the sea breeze moved inland, sweeping the dust from sight. From behind that haze, a woman stood tall and silent. A thin smile slowly traced her face. Her eyebrows, slanted downward toward the center of her face, gave her an angry expression, but coupled with her smile, she looked devious and suspicious. The Secretary spread her arms, and suddenly a pair of white wings with blackened tips appeared miraculously from her back. With one flap, she soared into the sky. Her loose feathers drifted in the air, left behind in her wake.
After a busy day on Olympus, Charles finally found a moment of peace alone in his room. He reached for a heavy black suitcase, slowly dragging it down from the top of a wardrobe. He managed to lower it safely and opened it to reveal a laptop. After booting it up, he quickly began typing complex programming code. This allowed him to access the CCTV cameras installed at every entrance to his home without being detected. By linking the footage to his tablet, he could now use the laptop securely. He set up a radio device, adjusting it to receive broadcasts. With a bit of fine-tuning, he successfully connected to the radio in Kyle's car.
He grabbed some fruit from his fridge and returned to his bed to contact Kyle and check on his status.
"Check, check. Halo? Is anyone there?" Charles called out.
"Symbiote Cook-off, can we help you?" Kaizo's voice crackled back.
"Uh... can I speak to Kyle?" Charles asked.
"Sorry, he's driving. Just talk to me," Kaizo replied.
What Charles didn't know was that Dianne was playfully pointing her pistol at Kyle's head so he wouldn't talk to Charles. She was teasing him.
"I see. Kaizo, can you explain your current situation? What do you see?" Charles asked.
"Well, I see something at the end of the road. There's a strange, tall, cone-shaped structure. The sides look like dark red muscle fibers," Kaizo answered.
"That's the Arkae Tower. Oh, I forgot to ask—there are four of you now, right? Can we get introduced? I'm Charles, the head of broadcasting on Olympus. What's your name?"
Kaizo looked back and pulled Alisa closer to speak to the radio.
"Hey, I'm Alisa. Alisa Swift, another Meta-human. I've lived on Earth for a long time. Nice to meet you!" Alisa replied.
"Charles, is that you? I'm curious—why can the virus infect a 'fake human' like Alisa, but it can't overcome the immunity of a normal human like Kyle?" Kaizo asked.
"What? What did you say? She's infected?" Charles was shocked.
"Yeah, strange, isn't it?" Kaizo replied.
"Is Dianne okay? And you—are you not infected either?" Charles asked anxiously.
"I'm fine. Besides, the virus can only spread to a Meta-human through a bite, and Alisa's consciousness isn't even affected. As for Kaizo, he repels the virus. It's cool," Dianne answered. Because she was busy answering, Kyle managed to snatch the pistol back, finally allowing him to speak freely without threats.
"Charles, keep this a secret. Don't try to dig for the truth, because we might face others in the same situation—it's just that they failed to maintain their consciousness and became part of the Symbiotes. That's all. We've arrived at the Moscow Arkae Tower. Goodbye," Kyle explained. Kaizo then cut the call.
The four of them stepped out of the car, slowly approaching the bizarre building.
After hearing the explanation, Charles took his notes and began revising what he had written about Alpha Symbiotes. On a sheet of paper, he wrote his theory: "Alpha Symbiotes are Meta-humans infected by the Radiate virus. Not only does it restore their human traits, but it also grants them additional powers. What those powers are remains a mystery."
Charles then used his device to search for Alisa's identity. On the official government portal, every mission involving Meta-humans sent to Earth was documented. By sorting the search to the oldest records, he found the mission to seek vaccine materials. Charles found a list of the ten people assigned to that mission; one of them was Alisa Swift. However, the mission was declared a failure, and all members were listed as missing and deceased. Details of the task and how it failed were inaccessible. For some reason, the records stopped after the failure was declared. There was no explanation.
Charles turned off his devices and carefully placed them back on top of the wardrobe. He returned to his bed and lay down. "I hope you guys are okay," he whispered to himself before sleep finally overtook him.
On Earth.
The four of them were walking together slowly. No one knew what dangers lay ahead. Strangely, they hadn't seen a single Symbiote so far—perhaps they had all chased Kaizo when he first arrived, or they were avoiding this tower. Kaizo, walking at the back, suddenly froze as he stepped on something that sounded like snapping wood. The sound was so loud everyone stopped.
"CRACK!"
Something snapped under Kaizo's feet. A wide hole opened up, and Kaizo fell inside. Fortunately, the hole was shallow; it turned out to be an underground tunnel. Kyle, Dianne, and Alisa looked down into the hole to see Kaizo standing up and brushing dust off his clothes.
"Seems like we can check this out later," Kaizo muttered.
"Kaizo, while we enter the tower, you should explore this tunnel. There might be something they're hiding," Kyle requested.
"Are you serious? Will you three be okay in there?" Kaizo asked.
"He's right, Captain. Even if there are three of us, it doesn't mean we're safe inside that tower," Dianne said to Kyle.
"We need to save as much time as possible. If anyone can explore a new place safely, it's Kaizo. Besides, our opponent in the tower is likely just one person, considering the tower is too narrow for any other type of Symbiote," Kyle explained.
"I see. Alright. Kaizo, be careful down there! I'll wait for you to come back!" Alisa said to Kaizo.
"It's all good!" Kaizo replied. He drew his sword and ran into the darkness. It didn't take long for several Symbiote limbs to be tossed out of the hole.
The three of them continued their journey until they reached the entrance of the tower. After sharing a look, they stepped onto the fleshy floor. Inside, the stench of rotting meat hit their noses, accompanied by thick blood and mucus dripping from every corner. Right in front of them, someone sat on a massive, horrifying throne. The man appeared cold and professional, dressed in neat black clothing. He had a side-part hairstyle, and only his mouth was visible because his eyes were covered by a metallic visor like Alisa's. On the metal plate covering his eyes, a pair of curved lines were etched—a pattern familiar to the Razorbill bird.
The man slowly stood from his throne. He stood tall, slightly angled to the side. He tilted his head up in an arrogant display.
"Lowly creatures, what is it you want?" the Razorbill said.
"You!? Kael Ashshore, do you remember me!?" Alisa shouted, immediately recognizing the man's face and voice. It seemed the Alpha Symbiotes were indeed victims of that mission.
"Kael? Oh, this body. Sorry, he's dead. I am not Kael," Razorbill said as he approached them. His wide, arrogant smile grew more irritating.
The three of them immediately took up combat positions.
"If you have no business with me, it's better if you just die. It's better than being tortured for a lifetime," Razorbill said.
"Wait, I came here to ask questions," Kyle said, sounding a bit panicked.
"Hoo, asking questions? What might those be, if I may know?" His deep, smooth voice added to the intimidation.
"What is your actual plan?" Kyle asked.
"Plan? You think we have a plan?" Razorbill answered.
"You don't?" Kyle shot back.
"Well, we would love to bring the humans from up there down to join us, but there is no further plan," Razorbill said.
"I see," Kyle murmured.
"Since you already know, it's time for you to die!" Suddenly, Razorbill pointed his arm, and three waves of frost shot out. Dianne, alert, instinctively dodged. Alisa and Kyle were trapped in ice. Dianne fired several heat lasers at Razorbill, but unexpectedly, he dodged with incredible speed.
Razorbill moved behind Alisa and Kyle. He said, "One wrong move from you, and your friends will die forever."
"No," Dianne said.
"Yes," Razorbill countered.
"No, please. Anything you want, just release them!" Dianne cried out in panic.
"Anything I want, eh?" Razorbill approached with a wide grin. He walked toward Dianne and lifted her chin. His hot, stifling breath made Dianne's throat ache.
"You want something from me..." Fearful, Dianne began to cry. Her body shook violently, and her heart hammered so loudly she could hear it. She closed her eyes as tears flowed down to the floor.
"Pathetic," Razorbill said, suddenly turning his back.
Dianne let out a deep sigh of relief, losing her focus. Because of that, Razorbill suddenly spun back and lunged. He slammed into Dianne and bit into her neck. Dianne screamed in pain, her hands reaching up as if trying to grab onto something that wasn't there. Dianne sobbed while Razorbill bit harder.
Dianne slowly lost consciousness. Her vision faded until her eyes closed completely. Her mouth continued to call for Kyle, and her mind only imagined the future she dreamed of with him. Razorbill stood up and wiped his mouth, which was smeared with synthetic Meta-human blood.
"Dammit, what's going on here!?" Kaizo snapped in confusion. The Symbiote heads he was carrying fell as he raised both hands to his own head.
Razorbill slowly turned and stared intensely at Kaizo. But unlike before, he smiled without a sneer. He slowly backed away and laughed. "Strange barbarian, too provincial," he said before manifesting his black wings and soaring into the sky, disappearing through the clouds.
Kaizo looked at the ice next to him. With one finger, he pointed and created a massive, intense flame. It instantly melted the ice, freeing Kyle and Alisa.
"Where is he!? What happened!?" Kyle shouted in a panic.
Alisa, crying from fear, immediately hugged Kaizo, rubbing her face against his chest to release her terror. Kyle realized Dianne was lying on the floor. He rushed to her, hugging her body and trying to wake her up in a panic. He called her name repeatedly, but there was no answer. He was trembling so hard his teeth chattered. Alisa was speechless, covering her mouth in heavy shock.
Kaizo asked Alisa, "How did you make that inhibitor device? I can't control biological elements, but I can create any non-biological element."
Alisa explained in detail how the bracelet worked, from the materials to its function. Kaizo nodded and approached Dianne, whom Kyle was still mourning over. Kaizo pressed his palms together, and when he slowly opened them, a metal plate shaped like a patch appeared. Kaizo knelt and saw the bite wound, which was turning black with dark veins spreading out. Kaizo applied the patch, which seemed to instantly freeze the spread of the virus. Dianne's body would slowly change into a Symbiote, but at least she would not lose her consciousness. Dianne would become an Alpha Symbiote.
Slowly, Dianne opened her eyes. The blurriness faded until she could see clearly; she saw Kyle looking at her with an emotional smile. Kyle hugged her warmly. They embraced, releasing their fear. Dianne thanked him repeatedly, while Kyle kept apologizing, feeling guilty for the reckless idea that led to this. He felt responsible and ready to die if Dianne wanted revenge. Kyle also realized that Dianne had turned into an Alpha Symbiote because of him.
"Enough, Captain. Let it be. Let this pass. I wasn't skilled enough, and it added to our burden. Next time, I'll be more careful," Dianne said, slowly releasing the hug. She held Kyle's shoulders, and they looked at each other. Seeing her Captain filled with guilt, she nodded and wiped the tears from his face, giving him a sincere smile. Kyle smiled back, and they embraced again. "I'm so glad you're alive," Kyle whispered.
Alisa and Kaizo, watching them, were moved and smiled. Alisa then called Kaizo and tried to hug him again. Kaizo accepted and returned the hug, saying, "I'm pretty experienced with this kind of thing," as he stroked the back of Alisa's head. He was truly skilled in any situation.
Slowly, the light faded. Dark clouds gathered, bringing the rumble of thunder. The terrifying sound seemed to force them into hiding. Sensing rain was coming, they walked back to the car together, arms around each other. Dianne smiled back at Kyle. Kaizo and Alisa laughed as they playfully kicked each other's feet.
They entered the car just as a heavy downpour began, making the road invisible. The sun had set, and night had fallen. They decided to rest instead of continuing. For safety, they kept the lights off and the doors locked. Kaizo created a curtain so Symbiotes outside couldn't see them.
Dianne asked to swap seats with Kaizo. Kaizo agreed; he and Alisa sat in the back while Kyle and Dianne sat in the front. Kyle and Dianne held hands, smiling at each other. Kaizo lay in Alisa's lap and began to tell a story. "I remember exactly how my teacher trained me. He introduced me to this man—he was cold and serious, my sword master. His swordsmanship was incredible. His blade could even cut through dimensions."
"Can you do it too?" Alisa asked.
"I'm not that great yet. Besides, after I go back to my world, I'm going to look for a tool that can make me a real god," Kaizo said.
"Are you really going to go home and leave me here?" Alisa asked sadly.
"This isn't my place, I just..."
"Have you ever had a relationship like this before?" Alisa interrupted.
"Yeah. I was foolish enough to date two women older than me at the same time—the three of us even lived together. When I met the teacher, I left them for power, even after they had given me gifts. When I go home, I don't think I'll have the courage to face them. I'm sure I hurt them, and I don't have the face to see them again," Kaizo shared his personal experience without realizing it.
Alisa laughed and said, "It sounds like your mindset needs fixing. If you leave, I won't forget you; I'll probably keep waiting for you, even if it kills me. They are probably the same. There's nothing wrong with putting aside your shame, admitting it, and apologizing. That's more than enough."
"Man, I didn't want anyone to know that story. Oh look, it seems they've fallen asleep. We should rest too, shouldn't we?" Kaizo pointed to the front seats; Kyle and Dianne were asleep, still holding hands.
Alisa removed the red cloth from her back and reclined the seat so they could sleep together under a blanket. Kaizo took Kyle's scarf to cover Kyle and did the same with Dianne's scarf. Kaizo whispered, "The scarves are the same—color, material, even the brand."
Alisa called Kaizo over; the bed was ready. They eventually huddled under the blanket and fell asleep. That night, amidst the heavy rain, the car seemed to disappear into the downpour—a quiet, peaceful, and warm darkness after an exhausting battle.