CABIN IN THE WOODS

  BRIKEN, GRATA - 7:23 AM

  A secluded cabin rests in the middle of a forest filled with stumps. No trees can be seen in sight, nor branches sprawled around the grass. Had it not been raining, the ground would be illuminated by sunshine due to the absence of leaves. The uncanny sight would be enough to make any man think twice about entering the area, though a particularly stubborn one opts to push through.

  Zack Evergreen knocks on the wooden door six times, with each knock louder than the previous. After a brief pause, the door creaks open.

  On the other side was a disgruntled Entro Gruff who had clearly let himself go since the incident. His eyebags reached all the way to his nose and he had developed a beard that grew wildly in different directions. In his right hand was a half-empty glass bottle of alcohol with the label ripped off, which Zack briefly glances at before glancing at Entro himself.

  “Is this what you’ve been up to?”

  “I don’t recall ever criticizing you for your smoking… so let me drink in peace.” Entro answers before taking a swig of the bottle. He re-enters the house as Zack follows him, closing the door.

  DIMLOW MOTEL

  DOSLIGHT, NAZENDEL - 8:01 AM

  Nick wakes up in a motel room that he and Elena rented last night. He finds Elena standing in the corner of the room, staring out the window.

  “Is the rain ever gonna stop?”

  “The storm should be gone in a few hours.” Answers Elena as Nick gets up from the bed, rubbing his eyes.

  “Did you even sleep, Laine?” Nick asks as Elena shakes her head.

  “No. I was busy checking out the entrances leading to Evernight, and it seems like they’re all completely barred as well. We’re running out of options, Nick.” Elena replies, turning her head towards him.

  “Fuck… There’s gotta be some way to reach Evernight.” Nick comments as he takes out a pair of clothes from his bag.

  “We can always force our way through. An army hasn’t stopped us before.” Elena points out as Nick changes in front of her.

  “You’d stoop to their level?”

  “We’ve already discussed this.”

  “We’ve discussed self-defense, not senseless slaughtering! This…”

  Nick remembers the conversation he had with Elena at the Aurus Docks. Under the comfort of the summer sun, Elena had him convinced that they were rebelling for the greater good.

  “...this isn’t what heroes do.” Nick states as he finishes changing, disappointed at Elena’s current mindset.

  “Maybe we aren’t meant to be heroes.” Elena retorts, storming out of the room. Bewildered at her suddenly rushing off, Nick decides to clean the room they rented. He shakes the dust off their beds before feeling guilty over making Elena leave, subsequently chasing after her.

  ENTRO’S CABIN

  BRIKEN, GRATA - 8:33 AM

  Inside the lonely cabin, Entro and Zack sit by the fireplace while committing their respective vices: drinking and smoking. Entro rests his head on the tip of his rocking chair as Zack lights his cigarette from the fire. The crackling fire sends out small sparks as the logs under the chimney continue to burn while Entro’s rocking chair creaks going back and forth during the rain. For most people the ambience in this room would have been perfect, however the implications of Entro’s depressing situation beg to differ.

  “...I buried him here.” Entro says, breaking the silence. Zack takes a puff before replying back.

  “Was Roscher too dangerous?” Zack asks as Entro shakes his head.

  “No… I just didn’t want to visit that fucking cemetery again.” Entro replies before taking another swig.

  15 YEARS AGO

  AQUADVENTURE

  ROSCHER, GRATA - 8:46 PM

  Inside a dimly lit aquarium, a small girl peeks through the window of a glass water tank. She observes a school of guppies that swim by, followed by three stingrays. A large shadow looms over the stingrays as the girl looks up, witnessing a huge white whale swim by. The girl admires the majestic beast for a few seconds before turning to her father.

  “Daddy! What’s that one called?” The girl asks as her father turns to her. The father is none other than a young Entro Gruff, with much shorter hair and a much leaner build.

  “I believe that’s called a Beluga, darling.” Entro answers as the two of them continue to observe the said animal swimming away.

  “It’s so pretty…” The girl comments as Entro smiles.

  “Indeed it is.” Replies Entro as he walks through the aquarium with his daughter. The two continue appreciating the wonders of nature, with Entro’s daughter in particular captivated by the beluga that they occasionally pass by.

  After finishing their aquarium tour, the two return to the entrance where the young girl tightly clutches Entro’s arm.

  “Can we go back, daddy? I wanna see the balooga again!” The child pleads with her father.

  “Sorry, Amber, but daddy still has work tomorrow.” Entro responds as the child frowns.

  “Can’t we stay just a little longer?” Amber continues pleading as Entro sighs, giving in to the child.

  “Okay, ten more minutes, or else Uncle Tyson’s gonna be mad at us.” States Entro as an excited Amber rushes back into the aquarium. Entro’s phone vibrates as he opens it to find out that he received texts from an unnamed number.

  Stay inside. I hear there’s been a mass breakout of demedioms from Evernight and people are dying left and right.

  Lock your doors and hide yourselves. Keep safe, everyone.

  Entro panics upon seeing the text, rushing inside to retrieve his daughter. He calls out her name several times, receiving no answer in response.

  “Amber!” Entro yells out as he pushes his way past a group of people.

  “AMBER!” Entro screams out once more as he sprints through the hallways of the aquarium.

  “AMB-”

  Before Entro can call out her name a third time, the glass tanks suddenly shatter as water gushes out into the aquarium, submerging the people alongside the sea creatures. Entro is caught off-guard, flailing wildly in the water as several people scream in terror.

  Entro manages to catch himself after colliding with a pillar, though the rest of the people continue to be pushed away from the indoor current. Entro marches his way through, determined to find his daughter as he finds a shirtless blonde man in the center of the hallway, standing completely still. The man sports the marking “PB” on his left shoulder, the very same Falco Bivelli that Luke and Celeste would subdue fifteen years later. Entro stares at Falco, who glances back before firing a huge blast of water towards the wall, escaping into the night.

  Though he just survived a strange encounter with a seemingly powerful demediom, Entro’s current priority was finding his daughter. He continues on, eventually finding Amber at the end of the hallway, caressing the fatigued Beluga whale. Entro hurries towards Amber who looks back at him with a sad expression on her face.

  “Daddy… It’s in pain…” Amber sorrowfully says as Entro inspects the beluga. The white whale can be seen bleeding from its stomach after being pierced by a piece of broken glass.

  “...Is there anything we can do to help it?” Asks Amber as Entro stares at the beluga once more. The poor creature was clearly on its last legs, though children sharing Amber’s naivety would be unable to notice.

  “...I’m sorry darling, but I think it’s time for it to rest.” Entro replies as Amber tearfully looks back towards the Beluga, resting her head against it. The beluga acknowledges Amber’s kindness, giving her a painful smile.

  Just as they are about to leave, two Eternal Drive soldiers arrive at the scene, pointing their firearms towards Entro and Amber. Entro immediately raises his hands while Amber continues embracing the dying animal.

  “We’ve got eyes on Project B in the Nascent Aquarium! They seem to be making contact with an aquatic creature!” One soldier says through his lapel mic. Inaudible noises can be heard from his earpiece as he speaks to Entro.

  “Move out of the way, sir! There’s an extremely dangerous individual behind you!” The other soldier says as a confused Entro looks behind him, seeing his daughter crying over the injured beluga.

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  “I’m sorry, but there must be a problem here. This is my daughter behind me!” Entro tries reasoning with the soldiers.

  “Sir, please! Do not attempt to protect the suspect, or else we will be forced to arrest you as well!” One soldier shouts out.

  “SHE’S NOT A FUCKING DEMEDIOM!” Entro yells, trying to plead with the two soldiers. The beluga raises its head in one last act of perseverance as Amber smiles. Amber’s smile, however, is soon coated in blood as one soldier shoots the beluga straight in the head. A horrified Amber freezes still as Entro screams. He turns his back, trying to protect his daughter but fails as she is shot right in front of him. Her blood splatters onto his face as it crumbles. Entro clutches his daughter’s corpse as the two soldiers debate in the background. Their murmuring, however, is drowned out by a deafening ringing sound in Entro’s ears.

  “What do we do about him?”

  “Shit, might as well kill him too.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “That’s what Damon said, right? Leave no witnesses.”

  Before the two soldiers can make a move, one is suddenly shot in the head from behind. The other turns, but is quickly dispatched as well as a young Tyson Gruff walks towards the gruesome scene. A completely petrified Entro still clutches his daughter in his hands as a nauseous Tyson tries to hold himself together in the presence of his broken brother.

  1 MONTH LATER

  ROSCHER CEMETERY

  ROSCHER, GRATA - 5:37 PM

  In the Roscher Cemetery, Tyson and Entro Gruff stand in front of the grave of the latter’s daughter.

  “What are you feeling, Entro?” Asks Tyson as the wind howls.

  “...Rage. Nothing but rage.” Entro coldly replies as he stares at Amber’s grave.

  15 YEARS LATER - PRESENT DAY

  ENTRO’S CABIN

  BRIKEN, GRATA - 8:46 AM

  “That…” Entro says before picking up another bottle of alcohol off the ground.

  “...was the day I swore that I would never have to bury a loved one again.” He continues, opening the bottle and taking a large sip. Zack silently watches before finally speaking his mind.

  “I can’t… accept a future where those people hold so much power over everything.” States Zack.

  “Neither can I, Zack… but everything we’ve done has amounted to nothing. I even ended up breaking the promise I made to myself.” Entro replies before getting choked up.

  “...I never should have involved him in this.”

  “It’s not your fault. We all went in knowing the risks.” Zack assures Entro.

  “I let my brother die, Zack. I was there, it should have been-”

  “Maybe. Maybe it should have been you. But we can’t change the past.” Zack says, getting up from his chair and snatching the bottle away from Entro’s hand.

  “Do you think this is what he’d want for you?” Asks Zack as Entro returns silence.

  “I’m not gonna sit by and watch you destroy yourself.” He continues, tossing the bottle out of the window. It shatters as the beer spills on the grass.

  “What would you have me do, then?” Entro asks.

  “Join me. I’m going to bring the fight directly to their doors, and I need allies.” Zack answers as Entro looks towards the fireplace, deflated.

  “It’s hopeless. There’s no stopping Eternal Drive.”

  “We’ll never know unless we try.”

  “We have tried and we failed. Our time is over.” Entro argues.

  “Our time might be over, but the next generation still exists.” Zack retorts as Entro’s ears perk up.

  “You always wanted to be a martyr didn’t you? To die in an act of martyrdom, inspiring countless individuals…” Zack continues as Entro contemplates.

  “...so tell me, Entro. Would you rather die a martyr, or drink yourself to death in this lonely cabin?” Asks Zack as Entro chuckles.

  “Jason.” Zack mutters, garnering Entro’s full attention.

  “Diaz?” Asks Entro to which Zack nods.

  “He’s alive. He’s the one who fucked with our plan.”

  “I thought he was killed on the night of the breakout?”

  “I thought so too. But there’s no mistaking it. Every scar Omega left on him was still there, and more.” Zack answers.

  “...So the demediom project got him too, huh?”

  “No.” Replies Zack, as Entro raises a brow in confusion.

  “That night… I left him to die. Apparently Estreval saved him, and now he’s acting on his own free will.” Zack disappointedly states as Entro goes silent.

  “We all have regrets. Hell, my life’s filled with them. But it’s what we do with those regrets that make or break us.” Says Zack, turning to Entro.

  “I’m not going to force you if you refuse. But I will force you to fix the sorry state you’re in.”

  “My dream… was to leave my impact in this world. If you’re fully convinced that we would impact the future of this nation…” Entro says, standing up from his chair.

  “...then I’d have nothing more to lose.” Entro continues as he reaches his hand out. He had no one and nothing left to cling to but his dream.

  There is nothing more terrifying in this world than a man with nothing to lose. Eternal Drive’s mistake was taking everything from the people little by little, eventually leaving them with nothing. Only then can its actions be justified, by subduing people who cannot be reasoned with any longer.

  It can only recall, however, that everything started with the system it created in the first place.

  “Good. They have everything to lose.” Zack responds as he shakes Entro’s hand, referring to Eternal Drive.

  “I have to ask, where did this surge of motivation suddenly come from?”

  “...A stupid boy is going to end up getting himself killed. I can’t let that happen.” Answers Zack as Entro smiles.

  “Ha, I was correct. You have grown soft.”

  “It’s madness and stupidity! I’ve been trying to drive him out my entire life to give him a chance to chase his dreams in Valcove, but the little shit goes and chases after E-Drive instead!” Zack annoyedly replies.

  “...Perhaps you two are a lot more alike than the both of you’d like to admit.” Entro says as Zack ponders.

  “You did raise the boy, after all.”

  DRUMMER TOWN

  DOSLIGHT, NAZENDEL - 12:47 PM

  Nick and Elena finish visiting the entrances to Nazendel, all heavily guarded with countless soldiers, armored cars and drones standing by.

  “Goddamnit… Were they expecting us here?”

  “Most likely. They’ll probably end up blocking the Doslight exits too to trap us inside.” Elena answers.

  “Fuck… It’s because of that goddamn cyborg.” Nick frustratedly blames the man who blackmailed him.

  “Not exactly. This was always their plan. They were gonna weed us out city by city until we had nowhere to run to. We just decided to bring the fight to them ourselves.” Explains Elena.

  “Time’s ticking, Nick. You need to decide if we’ll force our way through, or not.” Elena continues as Nick sighs.

  “There has to be another way…” Nick mutters as he and Elena leave the area.

  “We can’t keep asking around. We don’t want to raise too much suspicion.”

  “If we’re gonna reveal our identities by forcing our way through, what difference will it make?” Nick replies as Elena looks at him disappointedly.

  ROSE BEACH

  DOSLIGHT, NAZENDEL - 6:26 PM

  After hours of asking around Doslight about entry to Evernight, the two arrive at a beach filled with pink sand. The warm glow of the sun over the horizon compliments the sand, making their colors pop even more. Though the beach would make a fine tourist destination, as proven by several people splashing around in the water, Nick and Elena sit dejectedly at a table on a cafe balcony.

  It was already Nick’s third round of espresso after stressing out over finding an entrance to Evernight. Elena, however, had not touched her latte one bit since ordering it. The two remained silent at the table, with one reflecting hard about recent events and the other reflecting about future events. Elena eventually gets up from her seat, leaning on the railing of the balcony. Nick follows after finishing his third cup, the two overlooking the beach and admiring the sunset over the rose beach.

  “Elena, do you believe in happy endings?” Nick suddenly asks, getting Elena’s attention.

  “...I like to think that… people get the endings they deserve. Good people get happy endings, bad people get unhappy endings.” Elena answers.

  “What kind of ending… do you think we deserve?” Nick replies as Elena stays silent. The two were marching towards enemy territory with absolutely no intel or backup. If by chance their ending were indeed happy, it would prove that miracles do exist in this world.

  Elena walks away from the railing, descending the steps leading towards the beach. Nick follows her as Elena makes her way towards the sea. She continues, partially submerging herself as the water makes its way up to her waist. Nick treads around the water as Elena crosses her arms, tightly clutching her upper arms. She begins tearing up as Nick approaches her.

  “...What the hell’s wrong with you?” Elena suddenly exclaims. An astonished Nick is left speechless. He had noticed Elena being cold to him the entire day, but failed to realize why. Nick tries to apologize to diffuse the situation.

  “I- I’m sorry, Laine…”

  “You…” Elena says, turning towards him as tears run down her eyes.

  “...I thought you left me!” Elena continues. Nick realizes her issue was about last night, where he suddenly ditched her to explore Doslight.

  “Elena, I-”

  “I was looking for you for hours! You didn’t respond to my texts, my calls… ” Elena retorts.

  “I’m sorry. It was stupid chasing after him.” Nick continues to apologize.

  “Is everything a game to you? Have you forgotten why we’re here in the first place?” Elena emotionally replies before breaking down, the two standing awkwardly in the water surrounded by countless people having fun. On the beach, children were creating sandcastles. In the water, people were swimming to their heart’s content. The scene was eerily similar to when they fell in the Aurus Lake, only this time the roles had been reversed. They were no longer two happy people drowning out the chatter of passersby with their laughter. They were now two emotionally exhausted people drowning out the chatter of passersby with their heavy emotions.

  “I… thought you left me… right after we talked about how painful unsaid goodbyes were.” Says Elena as Nick walks up to her.

  “I know. What I did was idiotic and selfish, and I’m sorry.” Nick apologizes, realizing Elena’s attachment issues.

  “A part of me isn’t even sure if I still want to go through with this anymore. If I’m this sensitive about abandonment, I shouldn’t be the one going against a megacorporation.” Elena replies. Her faith in herself was dwindling after holding herself together for so long. Nick made her realize just how badly she got attached to people she loved. In the twenty eight years Elena lived in South Lavia, she never met anyone who made her feel the way like Nick did.

  “If that’s the case, then…” Nick says as he uselessly wipes Elena’s tears with his already wet hands.

  “Let's just leave… everything behind. Let's start over somewhere far away.” He suggests.

  “It’s not that easy, Nick…”

  “You’ve already been there before, haven’t you? You’ll get through this again.” Nick assures Elena.

  “And this time… you won’t be alone. You’ll have me.”

  Elena’s eyes widened at the impossible proposition. There was absolutely no way of them leaving Lavia, much less Doslight at that. However, Nick’s tone said otherwise. His voice was full of conviction, telling a promise that he would fulfill to the very end.

  Elena left Esper with no one to turn to, and nowhere to go. It seemed hopeless and futile at the very start, but things managed to work out twenty eight years later when she met Nick Altair. Her stagnant routine changed, her everyday life was altered in a way she had never seen coming. The colors of life she left in Esper finally returned with the arrival of this individual seeking to illegally sell firearms in her neighbourhood.

  Nick leans his head towards Elena, the two kissing under the beautiful sunset. The beach and sea was now a vibrant rose color, fitting as the two fully proclaimed their love towards each other at that very moment.

  As their lips pull away, Elena tells Nick with brand new conviction.

  “No. I promised to you that we’d see this through together. And we will.” Elena says as Nick smiles at her.

  Their fates intertwined the moment they met each other on the busy Aurus streets. They fought together, survived three major encounters with Eternal Drive and made promises to stay by each other’s side. The nation was clamoring for a savior. For someone to liberate it from the shackles of Eternal Drive.

  If not Nick Altair and Elena Mordegarde, then who else?

  To Be Continued…