Zero

Divided and Fallen

ARTHUR

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

I jostled awake, wincing, as I broke out in a cold sweat. My clothes were drenched and every part of me ached at the slightest shift.

Pain was a familiar concept. One I knew all too well. It always found its way back somehow—each time more distinct than the last.

Jagged rocks and sharp stones ripped into my back. A cloud of dust hovered above.

I lifted my head out of instinct. A sense of dread pooled in the pit of my stomach. Every breath was met with a pulse of agony. Every nerve flared in protest. It took a monumental effort to stay conscious.

I spotted Varay laying sprawled on the ground. Blood soaked her uniform and wounds riddled her body. She looked worse than one of Ellie's target dummies.

With painstaking gasps, I crawled to her side, and she met me with a muddled gaze. Her breathing was shallow. My hands, unsure of how to help, remained awkwardly suspended.

"The others..." she croaked.

I looked down and shook my head.

She closed her eyes and sighed.

"We never stood a chance, did we?"

Her soft-spoken voice bled with solemn resignation. My mouth opened but I didn't know what to say, unable to find the right words.

Instead, I held her hand and stayed silent. Both of us already knew the answer.

"I couldn't do anything." She reached out with the stump of her crystallized arm. "I shouldn't be alive."

Something twisted inside of me. I've never seen the strong-willed lance so vulnerable before, nor have I ever heard her so despondent. I blocked out the whirling emotions within and focused on her injuries.

"It'll be all right," I said, squeezing her hand. The words rang hollow in my ears.

I helped her up to her feet as she looped her arm around my neck.

The air was deathly still, and not a sound was heard. Buildings were destroyed and debris surrounded our view. We were the only ones standing. It was chaos.

"Let's get out of here," I said.

Varay wobbled. "I am not leaving them behind."

I scanned the area and saw thousands of corpses scattered among the wreckage. Just looking at it made me light-headed. Though we managed to survive the initial onslaught, I couldn't trust myself to protect us in this state.

From the firm look being directed my way, I knew that Varay wasn't going to change her mind. How could I blame her?

With a heavy sigh, I relented and began guiding us through the carnage.

The Earthborn Institute was in ruins. Centuries of culture, history, and tradition... gone. Just like that. A vile stench of rust and copper pervaded the desolation where an eerie silence lingered in the underground tunnels. The absence was palpable.

While approaching the structure, I spared a glance at the uppermost level, where the Royal Palace was located. It didn't fare much better either.

Then, in the middle of my step, I froze—startled, by a dawning realization.

My face paled and I lost all sense of balance. Reality came crashing down with overwhelming clarity. It felt like I got doused in a bucket of cold water. The sound of my heart pounded like war drums. Bile rose in the back of my throat. I felt nauseous.