While the commander and the others searched for clues, I carried Winter to a room and gave him a healing potion. I stayed beside him, channeling the healing magic I could. His body was cold. I kept my eyes on his chest, counting each shallow breath.
Then he coughed.
His eyes snapped open.
He saw me—and panic took over. He jumped back and summoned his weapons without hesitation.
I reacted on instinct. The swords I had placed on the table began to disappear, but I lunged forward, grabbing one just in time. Steel rang as I deflected his strike. I caught the other blade with my gauntlet, the impact sending pain up my arm.
"What are you doing?" I shouted.
"Traitor," Winter spat.
He kicked me in the chest. It didn't do much damage, but the force pushed me back a few steps. I caught my balance quickly.
Winter staggered instead.
Blood spilled from his mouth as he spat it out, breathing hard. His body shook as exhaustion caught up to him. He tried to stand straight, but his legs failed him, and he dropped to one knee.
Before he could move, the commander stepped in and struck him hard in the head.
Winter collapsed, unconscious.
The room fell silent.
Before Winter could move again, the commander stepped forward and struck him hard on the head. Winter collapsed onto the floor, unconscious. The room went silent.
"Report what happened here. Right now," the commander said in a cold, serious tone. I told him everything—from how I found Winter inside the dome, to how he attacked me and called me a traitor.
"Heal him. Quickly," the commander ordered. Everyone moved at once. Healing magic poured into Winter, but when he coughed again, blood spilled from his mouth. This time, I stayed behind Matthiew as Winter slowly opened his eyes. He was conscious, but too weak to stand, and the healing continued.
"Winter," the commander said, "report what happened in the last two days."
Winter looked at him with unfocused eyes and asked, "Who are you?"
The commander's expression darkened. He grabbed Winter's face and pulled him closer. "Just report," he said. Winter tried to push his hand away, but he didn't have the strength. After some time, the healing finally stabilized him. His wounds closed, his breathing slowed, and he was helped onto the bed. Only then did he speak.
"Professor Abel and I were on the terrace," Winter said. "Then giant birds appeared—creatures I've never seen before. They fired flames at us. We blocked them with water spells. Another bird attacked from behind, but we dodged and sliced it down together. That's when we heard people screaming. The emergency bell rang. We knew something was wrong."
He paused, gathering his breath.
"We jumped. First, we cut down the two birds flying above us, then landed on them as they fell. While falling, I saw men in black robes below—along with an army of creatures behind them. They looked up and cast fire spells at us. We blocked it by kicking the bird's body at them, then broke through the glass and entered the building."
Winter's eyes hardened as he continued.
"Inside, more men in black were fighting the researchers and soldiers. I moved through them, cutting them down to weaken their formation. I grabbed one from behind and cast a lightning spell—electrocuted him. Then another. I attacked from their blind spots, one after another. When they realized I was the threat, they abandoned their fights and came for me."
He clenched his fist.
"I dodged while the soldiers and scientists fired at them. When they were distracted, I struck. High-speed slashes to the neck. The soldiers supported me—never giving them a chance to counterattack. One by one, they fell."
Winter stopped speaking.
"The floor I was on… was clear."
I asked the soldiers to report what happened. They said they were searching for Head Michael, but before I could learn anything more, several men suddenly jumped up from the lower floor. They barely landed before soldiers fired fire spells at them. The men fell back, and the soldiers rushed in, trying to slash them, but the attackers blocked the strikes with their weapons. I shouted for the scientists to support the soldiers, then jumped down myself. As I was falling, a giant fireball came straight at me. I couldn't dodge in time. It hit me midair and sent me crashing hard onto the ground floor. Pain shot through my body as I rolled to the side. The ground shook. Something landed where I had been a moment ago. I stood up and ready my weapons, my breath uneven. When I looked ahead, I saw him clearly now. A man stood there, gripping a massive hammer, staring straight at me.
I rushed forward and slashed for his neck. He twisted aside at the last moment and swung back. I slipped past the attack and kicked him hard in the face, sending him flying backward. I raised both swords, smiling, as he steadied himself again.
Before he could move, the wall behind him shattered. The ground erupted, a spike tearing straight through his chest. I didn't waste that single second. My blade flashed, and his head fell to the ground.
More men in black robes charged at me. I slammed my hand down and reshaped the battlefield. Spikes burst from the ground, piercing them one after another, killing them instantly.
I turned—and saw Luka standing there.
I opened my mouth to speak, but giant rocks flew toward me. I cut them apart mid-air, pieces crashing around me. Fire spells followed, forcing me to dodge again and again. Then Luka was suddenly beside me. Her punch hit my stomach, throwing me back.
I crashed through a wall and landed hard in the field outside .
Moments later, Luka came outside along with many more men .I looked all around and saw I was sorrounded by many creatures which have human like body but many animals features while many those same birds was hovering over me .
"What the hell were those creatures, and why was Luka attacking me?" I shouted.
Before I could think further, every bird in the sky opened its beak at once. Fire poured down like rain. I slammed my hand into the ground and raised a wall of earth just in time, the heat washing over it. The animal creatures rushed me next. I blocked their claws, cut them down one by one, blood splashing the ground. Through the chaos, I saw Luka move toward the facility. She turned back once, looked straight at me—and smiled. That smile stayed in my head.
"Then what happened?" the commander asked.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "After that, everything blurred." I only remembered losing control, trying to reach the facility, forcing my way through. The creatures kept stopping me. They were fast—too fast. One of them knocked my sword away. Another ripped the second from my hand. Claws tore across my body, shallow but many. Then I was thrown hard to the ground. No weapons. Surrounded. I didn't think anymore. I released everything. Wind blades tore outward as I rose, spinning, cutting anything that came close. The ground lifted with me, spikes bursting upward again and again, piercing beasts, tearing birds from the sky. I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. I only knew that everything in my way had to die.
"I was about to lose consciousness. Lying on the ground, surrounded by corpses, I whispered an apology without knowing. With the last of my strength, I raised a dome around myself And then, finally, I lost consciousness"
****
After explaining everything, we sat in silence. I apologized to Luka, but none of us understood who—or what—the person that looked like her was.
Before we could think further, a soldier came running. He said all the bodies outside had turned into ash. We rushed out and saw it ourselves. Not a single corpse remained. Every creature was gone.
"Winter, Matthiew, Luka—search the entire facility," the commander ordered. "Anything left behind. Research, records, formulas."
We searched for over an hour. We found nothing. Every document was gone. Every formula erased. Even my lightning formula had vanished.
The commander moved to search the head office, but it was destroyed as well. While checking the ruins, we found a paper hidden inside a flower pot, buried in the soil. It was written by one of the professors, explaining everything in short.
They are after the Head. I'm certain of it. I hid inside the head office and I saw everything from here.
They gathered the soldiers and the scientists together, forced them into one place. Then one of them stepped forward and drew something on the floor then one of those creatures kill and in seconds the drawing started to glow red .The air felt wrong the moment it formed.
Before anyone could react, the circle activated. In a blink—everyone was gone. Just like that.
Luka is with them. I don't know why or how, but I saw her. I swear it. If anyone finds this, be careful of her .
Luka looked shaken. "I didn't do anything," she said quietly.
"No one is blaming you," the commander replied. Then his tone hardened. "First, we contact the other facilities. Then we find out why those bastards attacked us."
"one thing doesnt make sense" I said as everyone looked at me ."what" the commander asked .
"before the attack I clearly saw head Michel inside the facility . but after the attack and after reading that letter we now know they didnt capture him . so if they didnt take him then where is he now" .
as I finished saying this everyone went silent .
I could see surprise on their faces as they started to think about it .
even the commander looked troubled as if he had just realized something important .
the commander started walking back and forth . no one spoke at first ,then one by one everyone began sharing their theories . some said head michel might have escaped before the attack ,others said he could have been taken . the more they spoke ,the more uneasy the air became .
the commander didn't answer . instead he walked toward the open area near the center of the facility ,the place that was once covered in blood and now half dried into the ground . he stopped suddenly .
something there caught his eye .
he bent down and wiped the dust and blood with his hand . deep marks were carved into the floor ,not by spell but by raw force ,as if someone had deliberately cut the stone itself . the shape slowly became clear .
H . M .
T . TOR
the commander stiffened . his face hardened as he straightened up .
"everyone ,come here . now ."
we rushed over ,and when I saw the marks my chest tightened .
"…head michel . traitor ," I said loudly ,the words tasting bitter in my mouth .
the commander said nothing . he just stared at the ground for a long moment ,then turned away .
"yes " said the commander .