Ampelius opened his eyes, his head pounding as blood rushed downward. The metallic taste of blood lingered on his tongue, and his shoulders ached from the seatbelt digging into his flesh, the nylon strap straining under his weight. He was hanging upside down, seatbelt straining against his weight. Shattered glass glistened below him, scattered inside and outside the vehicle, making any escape attempts treacherous.

  He reached up with his right hand to the seatbelt release, his fingers trembling as the cold metal of the button pressed against his skin. Bracing for the inevitable fall when a movement in his peripheral vision made him pause.

  A raccoon scurried in through the driver's window, pausing only to glance at him before continuing through the passenger side. For a moment, Ampelius almost laughed at the absurdity—a raccoon in the middle of this nightmare? But the thought died as quickly as it came. The animal's brief intrusion left him frozen. Was it another machine? Or just nature, oblivious to what was happening? When it vanished, he steeled himself and pressed the release button.

  He landed on the broken glass, sharp shards stabbing into his arms and back. A hiss of pain escaped him as he felt warm blood trickling down his skin, soaking into his shirt. Despite the searing pain, he forced himself to stay still, listening for any signs of the machine that had rolled him over.

  Silence.

  Ampelius gritted his teeth and began to crawl, each movement deliberate to avoid worsening the cuts on his hands and knees. The glass crunched beneath him with each shift, sending jolts of pain through his nerves. The sweet, pungent smell of gasoline grew stronger as he maneuvered through the driver’s window. He feared the fuel tank had ruptured but couldn’t be sure. The acrid tang of smoke mixed with the stench, burning his nostrils as he struggled to suppress a cough.

  After another tense moment of silence, he stood, scanning his surroundings. Only trees and the morning sun filtering through the smoky sky met his gaze—no sign of the transforming machine.

  Suddenly, the sound of metal crunching forced him to spin around. The raccoon-like machine was perched on top of the overturned truck, its sharp, reflective eyes scanning the interior. It moved with an unsettling mix of animal-like grace and mechanical precision, its behavior eerily familiar yet entirely alien. Ampelius froze, his pulse racing as the machine’s head tilted almost inquisitively.

  “What the hell is it looking for?” He wondered, his muscles locked in place. Fear twisted his gut, but part of him couldn’t look away, morbidly fascinated by the creature’s strange mimicry of nature. Was it built that way for camouflage? Or was it to mock them?

  When it realized he wasn’t inside, the creature flipped the truck upright with a single, powerful motion.

  Ampelius watched in horror as it spat a sticky, jelly-like substance onto the vehicle. The substance ignited instantly, engulfing the truck in flames. The heat of the explosion hit him, searing his skin as he stumbled back, shielding his face with his arm.The machine scanned the area once more before darting off toward the road, disappearing into the forest as quickly as it had appeared.

  Ampelius exhaled shakily, the brief reprieve doing little to calm his nerves. The image of the machine’s glowing eyes and unnerving movements was burned into his mind. “What are you things?” he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the crackling flames.

  The growing fire would surely attract attention. He looked around, weighing his options. Given the machine’s direction, the road was risky, but the dense trees offered a safer, albeit more disorienting, path. He chose the trees, hoping to stay hidden as he ventured deeper into the wilderness.

  Minutes later, he reached the base of a steep hill. It offered a vantage point, he thought. As he began the climb, a high-pitched mechanical squeal echoed behind him, followed by the crunch of a tree snapping in half.

  "What the hell was that?" he whispered, glancing back to see nothing but swaying trees. He continued his ascent, each step heavier than the last.

  When Ampelius finally reached the top, the view took his breath away. Mount Nerva loomed to his left, spewing green ash clouds, the occasional flash of lightning illuminating the sky. The city of Vetera, shrouded in black smoke, was barely visible behind him. To the right, a distant town was under siege by turtle shells, tracer fire lighting up the sky as explosions rocked the ground.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Directly ahead, the land seemed untouched, the sun rising above the mountains. He spotted a turtle shell hovering over a burning tree near the wrecked vehicle he had escaped from. The fire had spread, igniting the forest. With no other viable options, he decided to head toward the rising sun, his best chance of survival. As he descended the hill, he noticed the silhouette of a massive object slowly descending from the clouds, hidden by the trees. Upon reaching the base, he sat down to catch his breath. The wind had picked up, drowning out the distant sounds of battle. Suddenly, a deafening mechanical squeal roared from the hilltop. He saw a wolf-like machine howling at the sky, flames spewing from its mouth.

  "Is that the same machine?" Ampelius muttered, panic rising in his chest. He sprinted toward the nearest group of trees, glancing back to find the wolf gone, replaced by two Zavons who peered over the hill's edge. He remained still, watching as they disappeared from view. Seizing the opportunity, he moved deeper into the forest.

  Minutes later, he stumbled upon a group of boulders overlooking a small valley. He climbed onto a smaller boulder nestled between two larger ones, offering a clear view. To his right, he spotted the wolf-like machine charging toward a group of entrenched Roman soldiers, who appeared unaware of the impending threat.

  The wolf triggered a series of anti-personnel mines, sending dirt and debris flying. Unfazed, it continued its advance, drawing the soldiers' fire. Heavy machine guns roared to life as a soldier fired a rocket launcher, striking the wolf with a direct hit. The machine tumbled, dirt and flames erupting as it skidded to a stop. The soldiers' cheers were short-lived, however, as something grabbed Ampelius’s foot, yanking him backward.

  He looked down to see a Zavon dragging him toward a beam of white light in the forest. He kicked at it with his free foot, but the creature tightened its grip, seemingly indifferent to his struggle. This Zavon, he realized, was the one that had injected him and Nova, the one that had been tracking him all this time.

  "It all makes sense! You’ve been tracking me this whole time!" Ampelius shouted, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut. The Zavon ignored him, continuing toward a descending turtle shell, its hatches glowing with white light. Two more Zavons emerged, communicating silently with gestures and strange noises. Suddenly, a bullet struck one of them, and chaos erupted. Ampelius was released and immediately fled, dodging bullets from the Roman soldiers who had opened fire. He ducked behind a tree, bark exploding around him from the impacts. The turtle shell overhead took two direct hits, one of which set it ablaze, debris raining down on the Zavons below. Ampelius took the opportunity to run, but the Zavon that had been tracking him gave chase.

  He sprinted through the trees, narrowly avoiding a cloud of dark gas. Another turtle shell appeared, disembarking more Zavons and the wolf-like machine. Desperate, Ampelius headed toward the distant gunfire, hoping the soldiers could fend off his pursuers.The incline of the next hill slowed him down, but adrenaline pushed him to the top. He looked back to see the wolf and Zavon closing in. No time to waste, he ran toward the chaos ahead, where Roman soldiers and Zavons were locked in battle. He spotted a wooden cabin surrounded by soldiers, deciding it was his best shot at survival. A soldier noticed him and shouted, "Drop! Now!"

  Ampelius hit the ground as bullets whizzed overhead. When he looked up, the wolf-like creature was down, but the Zavon had taken cover. He sprinted toward the cabin as the soldiers continued firing. The moment he reached the door, a soldier was violently thrown inside, a fish hook-like object embedded in his chest, blood gushing out.

  Ampelius backed into a corner, the gunfire outside growing faint. The door suddenly swung open, and a soldier staggered in, the same fish hook protruding from his chest. As he collapsed, a tentacle dragged the body back outside. The Zavon stepped into the cabin, advancing on Ampelius as the roof disintegrated in a blinding blue light. A clear capsule descended, its walls slowly disintegrating. Ampelius tried to flee, but a blue ray pinned him down, the weight of it crushing him. He gritted his teeth, straining against the invisible force, but his body betrayed him, too weak to resist. The Zavon lifted him into the capsule, sealing him inside as it ascended.

  Ampelius watched helplessly as the ground fell away, the capsule rising higher and higher. The city of Vetera burned in the distance, Mount Nerva spewing ash and fire, and the world around him was consumed by chaos. The devastation felt surreal, as though he were watching someone else’s nightmare. His thoughts churned, caught between the destruction below and the unknown awaiting him above. A bright flash above him drew his gaze, and a blinding white light engulfed him. The silence was deafening, the emptiness pressing against him like a shroud. His breathing slowed, each inhale pulling him deeper into the void. The weight of his failure and the uncertainty of what came next coiled in his mind, taunting him.

  The urge to sleep overpowered him, heavy and relentless. He fought it, forcing his eyes open, trying to anchor himself to the faint memories of what he’d left behind. Would he wake to more torment? Or was this his end, floating alone in nothingness? Eventually, the exhaustion won. Ampelius surrendered, his mind slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep. The darkness embraced him, cold and unyielding, as the last vestiges of thought faded away.