Ren, known as a top-tier alpha, had an uncanny ability to spot even the tiniest things in the pitch black, picking out details using the faintest glimrs of light.
Kestrel, thanks to her intense psychic abilities and her many tendrils, could detect the approach of any creature with emotions, even in absolute darkness.
Their journey was one of mutual reliance. They leaned on each other’s unique skills, alerting and shielding each other from the mutated creatures hiding in the shadows. This trust in each other’s abilities beca so natural that it almost proved to be their downfall.
At that ti, when their enemy made his move, his approach was eerily silent and smooth, reminiscent of a shadowy cat moving stealthily in the night. More terrifying was his complete absence of emotion. No hints of malice, anger, or even tension. It was like he was emotionally void.
By the ti he stepped into the faint light, he was alarmingly close to Kestrel, wielding a small, deadly blade, poised for a quiet strike.
Years of battlefield experience kicked in, and Ren, without hesitation, grabbed the incoming blade with his hand. His black glove was easily cut, and blood began to seep, dripping to the ground.
The blade stopped a re half-inch from piercing Kestrel.
Fueled by adrenaline and fury, Ren delivered a swift kick to the attacker, wresting the blade from him and pinning him down.
With the enemy neutralized for the mont, Ren held his own bloodied blade nacingly over the attacker.
"Hold on, please wait!" A young voice broke the tension.
From behind a crumbled wall, a dim light erged. A girl, dressed in white, holding an oil lamp, cautiously showed herself.
"I’m so sorry about this. Please, don’t hurt Ronin," the girl, her deep black eyes illuminated by her lamp, stepped closer.
Kestrel, not used to the light after such a long ti in darkness, blinked and shielded her eyes.
"It’s surprising to see anyone making it this far these days," the girl said, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and shyness. "I’m Taja. We’ve lived here for as long as I can rember. It’s been ages since we saw outsiders. We thought you were monsters. Please accept our apologies."
To Ren and Kestrel’s astonishnt, they were now faced with a young girl, probably no older than seventeen, with eyes that sparkled with curiosity. She was thin, and there was a kind of innocent charm about her gentle smile.
By watching Taja closely, Kestrel deduced that she wasn’t an alpha or a beta but seed like any regular human.
From the way Taja spoke, it sounded like after she and her companion had found their way into the underground areas, they had been living there for quite a while, staying out of sight and surviving against all odds.
Kestrel couldn’t fathom how soone as delicate as Taja and an alpha who didn’t seem particularly strong could have lasted in these dark and dangerous depths for so long.
Ren’s expression grew tense, holding the man beneath him, ensuring he couldn’t escape.
"Please, we’re sorry! Let Ronin go," Taja begged, her hands coming together as if praying, "We honestly thought you two weren’t human."
Ren narrowed his eyes, saying, "There’s sothing on this blade."
"Yes, but it’s only a light sleep potion we use to catch food. You, being a strong alpha, shouldn’t be affected by it," Taja explained, her eyes welling up. She glanced at Ronin, who was pinned by Ren, a clear ssage in her eyes.
Ronin, in a bid to show they ant no deadly harm, picked up the blade and gave himself a similar cut to Ren’s, showing the blade wasn’t poisoned to kill.
"We could invite you to our ho. We have dicine for the sleep potion and lots of food," Taja said, her smile revealing cute dimples that made it challenging to stay mad at her. "It’s safe. The creatures don’t co by in the daylight."
After sharing a look between them, Ren and Kestrel seed to decide to trust the two.
With Taja lighting the way with her oil lamp, and Ronin by her side, she talked nonstop. "It’s been so long since I’ve talked to soone other than Ronin. We’ve gathered so much food at ho. I can’t wait to share a big al with you."
The bond between Taja and Ronin was evident.
Throughout their trek, Ronin constantly stayed near Taja, lending a hand when the path got rough. Every ti Ronin helped Taja, Kestrel would sneak a peek at Ronin, as if thinking about sothing.
"Why stay down here? Why not try to get back above ground?" Kestrel asked.
"It’s not that easy," Taja said, her voice turning soft. "The upper levels are swarming with creatures. We’re not strong like you two. Plus, after being down here for so long, the outside world might be too much for us."
Ronin, standing close, gently patted Taja’s head in comfort.
Kestrel felt there was more to the story, her eyes once again resting on Ronin, curious about the real reason behind their underground life.
They walked for what felt like ages, the dim light from the kerosene lamp revealing the remnants of a forgotten world. They passed old storefronts, streets once bustling with life, silent marketplaces, and even a grand movie theater, its marquee now dulled with age. Eventually, Taja led them to what she proudly called ho.
It was a cozy space, surprisingly organized. Supplies filled every corner: fuel containers, batteries, cooking pots, and even a bed. Walls were lined with bookshelves holding a wide variety of reading material.
But what caught their eyes most were the stacks of food supplies. Cans, boxes, all neatly arranged and towering in the corner. They seed fresh, reminding Kestrel and Ren of the standard rations alphas used.
Interestingly, Kestrel noticed several backpacks designed for alphas and a few sets of alpha clothes in another corner.
"Make yourselves comfortable," Taja said cheerfully. "Ronin, can you get the antidote for our guest?"
Ronin moved away from Taja, heading to a cabinet. He took out a big dical kit and began sifting through its contents.
"I can’t tell you how glad I am to have company," Taja gushed. "It’s been so long since I spoke to anyone besides Ronin."
Kestrel, her expression unchanging, locked eyes with Taja. "But he’s already died, isn’t he? How can you have conversations with soone who’s not really alive anymore?"
The warmth on Taja’s face faded imdiately.
From the mont they arrived, Kestrel had been observing. Ronin seed to move and even perform actions, like caressing Taja’s hair, but there was a void in him – an emptiness that suggested no presence of thought or feeling. His psychic landscape was just... vacant.
Ronin wasn’t alive in the traditional sense. It seed he was nothing more than a puppet, every move, every gesture controlled by Taja.
As Kestrel spoke, Ren swiftly pulled out his blade, lunging at Taja with lethal precision. But, against all logic, Ronin appeared almost out of thin air, positioning himself between the blade and Taja. Ren’s knife plunged into Ronin’s chest, yet he showed no reaction, no pain – he simply stood there, a lifeless barrier protecting Taja.
A smirk curved Taja’s lips as she peered out from behind Ronin. "Feeling the effects now, aren’t you?"
Ren’s brow knitted in frustration.
Typically, alphas boasted robust constitutions, making them resistant to most normal sedatives, even in large amounts. The scratch from the blade earlier had seed trivial, so Ren had brushed it off.
Initially, only a minor numbness tingled at his hand, barely affecting him. But once inside this room, the drug’s impact intensified rapidly, making his senses dull and reflexes slow.
Ren found himself puzzled by the strength of the drug. Perhaps it was so relic from the old world, from the Polluted Zone, a place with mysteries and remnants of the past.
Stumbling, he pulled back his shiny crimson blade, using it almost like a crutch to keep him upright. The strength in his body was draining away fast.
Ronin, anwhile, was like a statue. Even with a blade lodged inside him, he showed no sign of pain or emotion. It was as if he could just keep going until soone or sothing broke him apart.
A troubling thought crossed Ren’s mind—The real target for the attacker had probably been Kestrel. That knife was ant for her, not him.
Now, on the verge of collapsing, Ren rasped out, "Kestrel," his voice heavy with effort. "Use it."
Kestrel’s eyes darted to him, realizing what he was suggesting. The technique they were considering required near-perfect sync between them and was filled with danger. Doubts clouded her mind.
"I’m putting everything in your hands," Ren declared, his voice hoarse. He dropped to one knee, sweat pouring down his face, making it shine under the dim light. "Now!"
One last hesitant glance from Kestrel, and then a thick tendril shot up from the ground, latching onto Ren’s forehead.
Ren, who seed monts away from passing out, jolted back to life. His eyes snapped open, cold and emotionless. Slowly, with a strength that wasn’t his own, he rose, drew his blade, and took a protective stance before Kestrel.
Facing off against them was Taja, with Ronin by her side – an emotionless puppet under her control.
And there, defending Kestrel, was Ren, who had voluntarily handed over the reins of his body to her.
Taja and Kestrel’s eyes locked over the alphas that stood before them, an intense, silent understanding passing between them.
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