Ampelius knelt beside Olivia, his chest tightening with grief as he fought back tears. He reached out as if to say something, but the sudden approach of soldiers, their flashlights cutting through the darkness, snapped him back to reality. With a final, sorrowful glance, he whispered, “I’m sorry, Olivia. Requiescat in pace.”

  Before he could stand, a beam of light caught him, and gunfire erupted. Ampelius threw himself against the wall, barely avoiding a bullet. He returned fire, emptying his rifle’s magazine before dashing into the metro tunnel. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran, glancing back to see three Roman soldiers standing where he had been moments before. Another soldier hovered over Olivia, his flashlight illuminating her lifeless form as the others fanned out to search for him.

  As one soldier neared the edge of the tracks, his light swept down the tunnel. Ampelius pressed himself into a small alcove, holding his breath, praying he’d remain unseen. The seconds stretched into what felt like hours until a loud shuffling noise distracted the soldier, pulling his attention away. Seizing the opportunity, Ampelius discarded his empty weapon and sprinted deeper into the tunnel, the soldiers’ frantic shouts and gunfire echoing behind him.

  The screams that followed were unlike anything he had ever heard, something guttural, primal, the sound of men being torn apart. His pulse quickened as he slowed to a near sprint, the darkness enveloping him, heightening every sound. His instincts screamed at him to run, but he forced himself to stop, to listen. The screams had ceased, replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of his ragged breathing.

  A sudden, bone-chilling screech reverberated through the tunnel, followed by a shockwave that rattled the very walls. The tunnel began to collapse around him, chunks of ceiling and wall crumbling away to reveal shafts of sunlight. The harsh light pierced the darkness, casting Ampelius in its spotlight, and at that moment, he saw hundreds of scorpion-like creatures, the size of dogs, clinging to the walls, ceiling, and floor just beyond the reach of the light.

  His movement drew their attention. Some recoiled from the sunlight, while others prepared to pounce. He quickly grabbed a jagged piece of debris, ready to defend himself. One of the creatures lunged at him, its high-pitched squeal filling the air as it hit the sunlight. It convulsed midair before Ampelius swung his makeshift weapon, sending it crashing against the wall in a splatter of dark tan blood.

  More creatures swarmed, testing the sunlight. Two collided mid-leap, falling to the ground, their bodies convulsing in the deadly rays. Ampelius watched as they withered away, a reminder of the sun's power. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, another creature leaped from the ceiling, landing right in front of him. It attacked, but Ampelius blocked with the rebar, using his other hand to grab a concrete chunk just as its tail struck, shattering the concrete but knocking him to the ground.

  The creature loomed over him, ready to strike again. He rolled aside, narrowly avoiding the lethal tail, and swung the concrete chunk with all his might, crushing the creature’s fragile body. Blood spattered as he pounded it repeatedly, ensuring it was dead before backing away. Ampelius glanced back at the sunlight, where two small ash piles and a horde of creatures still paced, hissing in frustration. He realized the sunlight was his only shield. “So, you bastards don’t like sunlight?” he taunted just as the light began to fade, casting the tunnel back into shadows.

  Panic set in as the creatures, no longer hindered by the light, charged at him. Ampelius swung the rebar wildly, fending off the first wave, but his arms grew heavy, and fatigue set in. Just as he was about to be overwhelmed, a series of bright UV floodlights blazed to life behind him. The creatures caught in the light convulsed, their bodies rupturing before collapsing. The survivors retreated into the darkness, leaving Ampelius to collapse in exhaustion. As he lay there, two human figures approached, their outlines blurred by his fatigue. “Are you okay? I’m sorry we couldn’t get here sooner,” one of them said in a thick Latin accent.

  “A second later, I’d have been their dinner,” Ampelius replied, looking up at the two soldiers. They wore grayish multi-cam uniforms with Roman eagle insignias on their armor, their weapons at the ready. They offered him a hand, helping him to his feet.

  “This is Sox 1; we found a survivor, status 7B yellow,” one soldier reported on his radio.

  “Copy Sox 1, standby for further instructions,” came the response.

  “Who are you?” Ampelius asked, still catching his breath. “You don’t look like the city garrison.”

  “We’re not. We’re professional soldiers of the First Legion Infantry Regiment. We’ve just besieged the city.”

  “Have you seen anyone else trying to escape? What’s the situation out there?”

  “You’re the first civilian we’ve encountered since the siege began. As for the rest of the city, it’s a mess. Most major cities on the West Coast are under attack, but it seems contained within the cities.”

  The radio operator interrupted again. “Copy Genetrix, proceeding as per your instructions. Tribune Paula wants this survivor escorted back to base for questioning.”

  The leader nodded, turning to his men. “Set up defensive positions and hold here until I return. Show diligence, and watch for those creatures. As for you,” he said, turning to Ampelius, “stay close. We’re taking the train car back.”

  “How long is the trip?” Ampelius asked, following them onto the train.

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  “Not long, maybe half an hour. We’ve established a position here, so it should be a smooth ride.”

  Ampelius settled into a seat, exhaustion pulling at him as the train started moving. “You can rest,” the soldier said. “I’ll wake you when we’re close. By the way, you can call me Cicero.”

  “I’m Ampelius,” he murmured, letting sleep take him.

  He awoke to a gentle tap on his foot. Blinking, he saw Cicero standing over him. “What happened?” Ampelius asked groggily.

  “Nothing, we’re about to exit the tunnel. I thought you’d want to see the outside.”

  Ampelius stood, anticipation quickening his pulse as the train emerged into the open air. The untouched suburbs of Vetera stretched before him, surrounded by steep mountains. But the sky was a dark, ominous red-orange, stained by smoke from the burning city.

  “It’s like dusk, but it’s not,” Cicero said, pointing to the westward sky. “The city’s burning, turning everything into ruins.”

  Ampelius watched the landscape pass by, a stark contrast to the destruction he’d left behind. Refugees moved eastward, carrying what they could on their backs, while Roman military vehicles rumbled through the streets. The train slowed as they approached a station, finally stopping near a group of buildings.

  Stepping off the train, Ampelius followed Cicero, his eyes wide at the sight of the massive artillery gun attached to the train. Soldiers bustled around it, preparing to fire.

  “By order of Tribune Paula, we’re to escort you to her office,” a soldier said, leading them inside a nearby building. The halls were packed with soldiers and civilians alike, and the atmosphere was tense.

  The shock of the artillery firing rattled the building, and dust fell from the ceiling. “I keep thinking this place will collapse every time they fire that thing,” someone muttered.

  “How many rounds do they have? It’s been firing nonstop,” another soldier replied.

  They reached a door guarded by two soldiers. After a brief exchange, they were waved inside, where Tribune Paula sat behind a desk piled with papers. She looked up, smiling. “Have a seat, gentlemen. We have a lot to discuss.”

  Ampelius sat, his heart pounding. “You must be the survivor from Vetera. Ampelius, right? You’re the first we’ve found alive.”

  He nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

  “Unfortunately, we need to detain you temporarily. You’ll be questioned at a secure facility in the mountains. But for now, let’s get you cleaned up and fed. Cicero, take him to his quarters.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Cicero replied, leading Ampelius down the hall. “This was a post office. Now it’s our headquarters. Your room is down here.”

  Ampelius entered the room, noting its sparse furnishings. “Thanks, Cicero. I’m not very hungry, but if you have fruit, I’ll take it.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll be back shortly.”

  Left alone, Ampelius explored the room, finding nothing of interest. He sat on the cot, staring at the ceiling as the artillery fired again. Fatigue pulled at him, and he lay down, drifting into an uneasy sleep. A loud knock jolted him awake. Cicero entered, placing a tray of fruit and water on the desk.

  “Sorry to wake you. I’ll be back in the morning to escort you to the facility.”

  “Thanks, Cicero,” Ampelius said, watching him leave.

  He considered the fruit, but his exhaustion won out. As he adjusted the pillow, he felt something hard beneath it, a combat knife, a blade forgotten in haste. Smiling, he tucked it under his pillow, gripping it tightly as he drifted back to sleep. Suddenly, he awoke to a weight pressing down on his chest. Struggling to breathe, Ampelius reached for the knife, thrusting it into the attacker’s neck. The pressure eased, and he pushed the figure back against the wall. Bright red blood spurted from the wound, shocking him. He blinked, the room spinning. This wasn’t right. The blood wasn’t dark like a Zavon’s. As the figure slumped to the floor, Ampelius gasped: he stabbed Cicero. Blood pooled around the fallen soldier, his eyes wide in shock.

  “Why?” Ampelius whispered, his voice trembling.

  Numbly, he searched Cicero’s body, finding a handgun in its holster. He pocketed it, his mind racing. He had just killed a Roman soldier, but whether it was an accident or not, they wouldn’t take kindly to it. He had to get out. Ampelius moved to the window, peeking outside. The sun had barely risen, and the world was still cloaked in twilight. He carefully opened the window, listening for any sounds of alarm. Satisfied that it was clear, he climbed out, hanging from the ledge before dropping to the ground.

  He rolled under a nearby train as two soldiers rounded the corner, patrolling the area. They split up, one heading directly toward him. Ampelius held his breath, gripping the handgun as the soldier neared. The soldier’s flashlight swept the ground, inching closer to where he hid. A sudden siren blared, its wavering tone signaling an attack. The soldier turned toward the noise, giving Ampelius the chance to roll out from under the train. He raised his gun, firing a single shot that pierced the soldier’s skull. The body crumpled to the ground.

  Ampelius grabbed the fallen soldier’s rifle and ran. The sky above him exploded into chaos as hundreds of turtle shells descended, anti-aircraft fire lighting up the sky. He kept his head down, dodging debris and avoiding the explosions that rocked the ground around him.The massive railway cannon fired, taking out one of the shells, but the victory was short-lived. A fireball from Mount Nerva struck the ammunition stockpile, igniting an inferno that obliterated the cannon and everything around it. He swerved the truck to avoid the burning wreckage, narrowly missing a head-on collision with a military convoy.

  He pulled off the road, watching as the convoy engaged the turtle shells. Rockets and machine guns fired in unison, bringing down several shells before they retreated into the sky. The soldiers cheered, but Ampelius’ relief was short-lived. A blue fireball streaked through the sky, striking the ground in front of the soldiers. Dust and debris filled the air as the soldiers were thrown to the ground. When the dust cleared, a massive turtle shell lay in a crater, its size dwarfing the others. The shell pulsed with red and blue lights, transforming into a new shape. “What the hell is that?” Ampelius muttered.

  The machine resembled a giant raccoon, landing on all fours before charging at the soldiers. It unleashed a sonic wave, hurling vehicles and men into the air. Flames erupted from its mouth, incinerating anyone in its path. The soldiers fought back, but their weapons were useless. Ampelius watched in horror as the raccoon-like machine tore through the soldiers, its lasers reducing them to blue mist. “Holy mother of...” he whispered.

  The machine turned its attention to him, and Ampelius floored the gas pedal. The raccoon raced after him, its speed unmatched. He swerved through the trees, the sunrise casting long shadows across the road. The machine leaped, narrowly missing him as it crashed into a stand of trees. Ampelius drove on, but the machine recovered quickly, closing the distance. The road twisted and turned through the mountains, and he pushed the truck to its limits, the machine never far behind. As he rounded a sharp curve, the raccoon leaped again, slamming into the truck. Ampelius lost control, the vehicle tumbling down the hill until it came to a stop upside down.