Chapter 7: The Point of No Return. Part 2

Gitta: Why have we come to the coliseum? —he asked.

He wasn't happy with the trip, of course. His priority was to return to the shelter, to The Mansion, where his partner Haeri was waiting for him.

The high doors of the arena were closed, huge welded metal plates reinforced with steel chains. It wouldn't be possible to open them without special tools, so there was no reason to be in front of the Great Arena.

Izzy: It must be empty... —she muttered, in agreement with the disgust.

Audrey (Kiss): No no. We won't stop here. The place is a little further ahead. We're almost there.

A wide path surrounded the arena, and on its edges, there were different buildings that were mostly shops and schools, judging by the price and name signs. Audrey searched for a particular settlement, entering between the passages.

After a few minutes they came to a humble abode among the others, completely out of place compared to the imposing arena.

Izzy: ...

Its dark wood construction and rice paper windows certainly gave it an oriental appearance. A structure of curved roofs and vines climbing its pillars. This was a martial arts school, her school.

The group carefully advanced behind the girl, who extracted a set of keys from her bag.

Gitta: Do you live here?

Shaun: I hope so. I don't like the idea of ​​waiting outside again, you know.

Audrey (Kiss): Let's say I do live here.

Izzy: It's more important to check if it's safe.

Audrey (Kiss): I blocked the entrance before leaving and only two people have the keys, my master, and the young lady in front of you. I guarantee you that it's empty.

Resting both hands on the silver handles, she pushed the doors hard and thus separated the sliding doors.

They entered with the sound of their steps on the planks echoing under their feet.

The tatami was covered with dry leaves blown by the wind, some footprints of dirt, and on the walls, arches and traditional banners of all sizes.

Garwin found one of them curious, especially the one that imposed the greatest presence.

It was a bow, almost two meters long from end to end, composed of a black carbon fiber structure and blades reinforced by a network of graphene tubes, designed to withstand unimaginable stresses. Additionally, it was surrounded by a system of mechanized pulleys and a hydraulic assistance module. It was the kind of impossible weapons that are only limited to display.

To one side of the dojo, a long open gallery displayed standing practice targets, some still pierced with arrows.

And at the end of the hallway ahead it was possible to see two entrances, separated by a tiny shrine that held ancient offerings, melted candles and incense ashes piled on silver trays.

All in all a beautifully guarded place of worship and tradition.

Audrey (Kiss): ...Wait here. I'll be back in a moment.

She hadn't given herself time for replies when she was already seen running towards the end of the hallway, separating from the group and entering the left entrance on her own. She knew in advance that someone would ask again why they were there.

Izzy: …

After descending a narrow hallway she reached the new room.

Audrey (Kiss): Yes... it's empty —she frowned and arched her lips, for a result she had already foreseen.

She observed the room. It was small, with a single window on one side and a stretcher on the other, just as she had found it before she left.

She didn't live there. This was a school, after all, although she usually kept her things there with the permission and trust of the owner.

This room was shared, and she was looking for the person she did it with.

She walked to the center of the place and bent her knees until she was kneeling. With a look of discomfort, she slid her hand on the cold wood.

A small drop.

She slid her fingers further.

A puddle.

Both dry.

Old reddish stains spread across the entire floor of the room. Too much blood spread to fill the veins and arteries of a single person.

However, that did not surprise the girl. She had seen this scene before, and if anything was different it was the growing repulsion she felt.

Audrey (Kiss): ... Where...?

She sighed heavily, trying to let out her troubled content, and walked over to what looked like a closet against the wall.

Inside she could see different clothes hanging, some colorful, others with extravagant designs, and her hand reached for one in particular. She had come there for two reasons, and she had found at least one of them.

There was a suit of armor. Hardened leather and firm metal scales, which she lifted with reverence and at the same time ease.

She removed the now worn shirt she wore and her simple jeans to begin dressing.

She started with a thin gambeson that fell to her knees. Then the metal pieces; the straps were custom fitted to her torso as were the bracers on her forearms.

The segmented skirt fell over her legs, its flexibility allowing the same range of motion she had always been accustomed to.

With the adjustment of the greaves on her legs, she was done. She had to be thankful for the modernized design based on clip buckles on the adjustments, or it would have taken much longer, when they were pressuring her precisely not to do so.

In fact, she was beginning to hear the complaints, voices coming from different rooms.

Audrey (Kiss): ...! —She grabbed her bag and headed back to the entrance.

They weren't complaints directed at her. There were different voices involved in an argument.

Shaun: Hey!

Unknown: Woah!

As expected, there was no one waiting for her, so she chose the only remaining option, entering the next room.

It was similar to the previous one with the difference of darkness; the windows closed by black curtains.

First she found Garwin, waiting with his arms crossed without losing his calm, and following his line of vision she noticed the presence of a new group in front, not new to her.

Audrey (Kiss): What are you all doing...?

Unknown: Audrey.

That person mentioned her name with the naturalness of an acquaintance. Then stepped forward.

Unknown: So this makes it more than clear. You have brought these people.

Thin build, blonde hair, tied in a ponytail, letting bangs fall over the impeccable features of a pale face.

Behind this person was a small group of people, some children, some young, some old.

Izzy: Do you know them? —the young woman questioned to the side.

Both groups looked at each other with fear and concern, not letting their guard down for a moment.

Audrey (Kiss): Uh, yes. But I don't remember telling that people could be let in. In fact, how did you get in in the first place? Jurik.

Jurik: Don't be scared. There's no danger —turned to the companions before turning to the girl, gently waving hands to calm the situation— I found the keys on the streets. Also, don't forget that the dojo doesn't belong to you, but to the master.

Audrey (Kiss): … I know. But—

Jurik: Didn't you guys hear the radio message? —interrupted her— We must let the neighbors in for their safety.

Audrey (Kiss): What message? What are you talking about?

Jurik: Meh, it doesn't matter —put hands on waist— The important thing now is that there are too many of you. Too many people for one single room.

Unknown man: Could it be that some of them are infected?

A middle-aged man massaged his partial baldness as he peered into the crowd.

Audrey (Kiss): I don't want to sound aggressive but what are you supposed to do here, in another school?

Unknown man: I think it's the worst time to talk about differences between schools right now, Audrey —slightly tilting his head he showed his gaze over his dark glasses.

Doger: (Heh, sunglasses in the middle of this darkness...) Uhm, I think I'm getting lost. Who can help me?

Izzy: Doger and Shaun found them while boredom was getting the better of them —she explained to the girl, approaching—. We thought they were looters but looking closely they don't look like one.

Audrey sighed.

Audrey (Kiss): Really... Meet Jurik, we usually train in this same dojo. And this is Cassian, from a nearby school.

Unknown man: Master Cassian, you forgot to mention. It's a pleasure, youngster —he nodded.

Audrey (Kiss): Yes... Anyway, this room is reserved for tributes and prayers. You must leave. All of you.

Gitta: Ah, excuse me. We didn't know that—

Jurik: It's an emergency. There's no time to respect traditions. We're waiting for help to come here, that's all. I don't know why you're so agitated.

Audrey (Kiss): …

Izzy: I don't know what history you have, Kiss, but it has no relation to us.

The girl declared without hesitation.

Audrey (Kiss): I know, I know. I just came to look for my master. I've had absolutely no luck in finding him.

Izzy: Is that why you followed us?

They met her when they arrived in the province, as a waitress at the La Qosta hotel-restaurant before the incident. They had no special reason to allow her to stay with them, but they had no reason to reject her either. They had just considered her a curious person, without questioning her true motives. Someone who could be helpful, and she was.

Audrey (Kiss): Look. I'm sorry I didn't tell you much earlier, but if I had...

Jurik: They wouldn't have helped you. Guaranteed.

Audrey (Kiss): Hey... Jurik. Don't start...

Jurik: Don't you think they have the right to know what you're involving them in? Not to mention that hiding information only hinders a search, obviously.

Audrey (Kiss): Tsk...

Jurik rejoiced at her annoyance and looked away at the newcomers.

Jurik: We were attacked.

Shaun: Dreamers? —he asked.

Jurik: What is that?

Shaun: I mean the virus.

Jurik: No. It happened many weeks ago, before all this hustle and bustle. In the middle of the night, and in the middle of our training session, someone invaded the dojo. When we heard the noise and arrived at the room, the intruder was standing right in front of our master. The room was covered in arrows and yet our teacher was prostrate before him. Unbelievable...

Audrey (Kiss): It's not unbelievable! We don't know what he was looking for exactly. That bastard just took advantage of the fact that the master was sleeping.

Jurik: You know very well that the master could even take on all of her students at once if we put her to the test, and none of us could even touch her.

Audrey (Kiss): Yeah, sure, we wouldn't do anything just like we couldn't help —she said with some sarcasm—. That guy...

Jurik: Ah... I couldn't hit a single arrow. When he attacked us, he was too fast, too accurate. He broke my bow and sent me flying somehow —commented—. I was lucky, a comrade got his ribs broken. And when we realized it, he wasn't there anymore. He wasn't even looking to steal the school's funds or equipment. There was just something missing, and that something was our master.

It was to be expected. A global catastrophe would take all of people's attention, however, it wouldn't eliminate the conflicts that were previously and currently occurring; looting, kidnappings, accidents, poverty, corruption would continue to happen.

The world would keep turning, and people would continue to be people.

Izzy: Couldn't you report him to the police at the time?

Audrey (Kiss): We did, but there was no way to properly identify him. He was dressed in black; he was a little bit taller than... Gitta maybe, and he had a white scarf on his arm. That's all I could tell the officers. And they... they didn't even bother to look.

Izzy: (A white scarf on his arm...)

Jurik: They did, Audrey. You're wrong —corrected her—. The police did search for a whole week but they didn't find anything, you mean.

Audrey (Kiss): …

Jurik: We haven't heard of the master since then. It was just a coincidence that I found her lost keys near the entrance yesterday. She could be anywhere (or nowhere) —shook the head— So... If you've seen a very tall woman, white skin, long hair and blind, it would be useful to know. Her most distinctive feature is definitely her blindness.

Izzy: ...We haven't found a woman with that description.

Audrey (Kiss): I didn't know where to start looking, so I was hoping to discover something when I saw you two —she referred to Izzy—. You travel all over the provinces, don't you? It's your goal.

Izzy: Not exactly —she clarified.

Garwin: However —the boy intervened. He had been on the sidelines for most of the discussion—, if you need a hand with that, you can stay with us, Kiss. ​​I suppose you've had your reasons and now we have a clearer idea of ​​your situation. But —he stressed— you'll have to give us more details about it, young lady. No complaints.

Audrey (Kiss): Yes... of course. I will. Uhm, thank you. Really.

Garwin: It's a pleasure. And regarding this matter at hand, you shouldn't worry about space; we'll take you all equally to our shelter.

Unknown boy: But we were told to wait —a young boy stepped in front of the group— because… because of a virus… and that it was dangerous and…

Garwin: We are not going to wait —he answered abruptly.

Unknown boy: Oh. Well… O-Okay.

Garwin: Everyone will come to the shelter —he reaffirmed, looking at the rest— Without exception.

Jurik: Do you have a shelter? A decent one? We could end up locked up for weeks until help comes. It better be a minimally comfortable place… What was your name? You have to introduce ourselves by the way.

Garwin: Call me Gar, and yes, it is more than decent. We nicknamed it Mansion for a reason. But we have a serious problem.

Taking a step closer he placed himself in the middle of both groups, raising his hand until he slid it over the only window in the room, pulling aside the dark curtains.

It was difficult to see outside, it seemed to be covered in dust, but sliding his hand once more over the glass made it clear; the fog, extremely dense, no longer a color within the red spectrum, but approaching blue.

It was getting dark. Night was coming.

Garwin: We have to go back. The Dreamers were lurking in the residential area the last time we saw them. If those damn things... —he breathed for a moment with a look of repulsion marked on his face— If those damn things reach the shelter, it's over. And to prevent that from happening, we need a vehicle, any vehicle.

Cassian: So with Dreamers you mean those creatures from hell —he intervened, taking a step back—, from the deepest hole of the avernus.

Jurik: Master Cassian, have you not traded with the locals for several years? You finance the very Gran Arena de La Quilla. You're not going to tell me you don't have a car or two, do you?

Cassian: It's the end of time, Jurik. Everything has been over since it all began. Let's be more prudent, and make our time on this earth last as long as possible.

Jurik: Heh, he says that because he runs chains of businesses all over the province. No matter what, he'll never want for anything —shrugged— Not before this disaster, nor after it's over.

The man was going to respond vulgarly to the insolent comment but he stopped himself.

Cassian: …We can sit and argue all day if you want. That's not going to convince me to leave. We'll wait quietly until the authorities arrive as they've announced.

Just as he had declared, he sat down on a chair in the room, placing his stick between his knees.

Unlike them, Izzy wouldn't hesitate to come to an agreement. She had sad it multiple times already; they did not have time.

Izzy: You mentioned that you are in charge of multiple businesses in the area —she said calmly—. If so, do you know a certain warehouse in the area, square-shaped, gray, near the residential area? Two windows up, two down.

Cassian: Mm yes, miss. It's on the way to the commercial area, before the residential area as you say, just a few minutes by car; it's a food warehouse that my family and I opened a few years ago. It was where my whole venture began.

The man talked too much. Garwin knew what his partner would get to.

He remained expectant.

In retrospect, the last time they traveled alone in the area they had no choice but to hide and escape.

Izzy now saw options; saw a group of people, some from different disciplines trained to face a conflict. Unlike other shelters she had been to, it was the first time she hadn't found only civilians, ordinary citizens.

Izzy: That's where we came from. Or rather, we fled. It was invaded by Dreamers.

Cassian: What!? W-What did you say?!

The man stood up immediately as if his limp had never existed. He took off his dark glasses and looked at her, overwhelmed.

Cassian: M-My wife is there! She works there!

She was not fazed by his reaction.

Izzy: Then you will understand that we need a means of transportation as soon as possible.

And he looked at the ground, thoughtful.

He could not wait and believe that his family would be fine as he had planned. Although he had heard about an emergency radio transmission warning about the spread of a more than unusual virus, it did not specify exactly where it had spread or the most affected areas.

Still, he had some suspicion that the new group was lying only for the purpose of convincing him, however, he knew well that there was a possibility that their announcement was true, and as a businessman he would not lean towards miracles or empty words, but perhaps towards possibilities.

Cassian: Today is the last Friday of the month…

Izzy: ...?

Cassian: After each season, we transport the competition equipment for routine maintenance in succession, from the arena to the armory workshops —he swallowed a bit of saliva— T-There must be at least one truck on standby. Yes…

After hearing this, Izzy turned to Audrey beside her. She looked at the new armor she wore, but did not say a word about it.

Without weapons, Garwin was hurt. With one, Audrey was able to attack the Dreamer despite having broken it afterwards. And she herself, in her American football suit, was able to withstand an impact that could easily have opened her torso wide. Considering these events, therefore, she perfectly understood why Audrey had equipped herself heavily.

If they wanted to have a minimal chance of survival, the Replicas were essential. Not only against Dreamers, but also against any other threat.

The people in front of her had not witnessed firsthand what these monsters could do. Their ignorance would serve the purpose well.

She then turned to what would now be a large cohort, observing each of those present with her fine, clear eyes.

Izzy: Let's leave immediately.

They walked under the dim light of the rooms until they returned to the entrance, next to the gallery.

Then moved urgently, checking their few belongings for the last time. They were all strangers to the place so there was not much to take, except for the students; Audrey took one of the bows that decorated the walls without thinking too much and at her side, Jurik took the largest bow, the impossible bow.

Once they opened the doors the mist crept around them again.

Audrey (Kiss): ...

And taking one last look inside, she closed them.

They were blind.

One member looked at his own hand. He looked at the grey waves hiding it.

The winds had returned, traveling from one direction to another in an erratic course, climbing the walls of the abandoned houses like a living being.

Each gust of wind twisted around itself and dissipated only to thicken the mist that suffocated the town. The group took advantage of the gaps they caused to glimpse their own path.

They advanced hunched over in tight rows, their silhouettes barely visible as shadows. Their footsteps were muffled by the damp ground, covered in dead leaves and puddles of stagnant water. The wind with the smell of damp earth whistled between the twisted poles, the lack of electricity giving them no use.

Doger: !

A rickety, wobbly sign creaked overhead, ruffling the boy's messy hair for a fleeting moment.

They were tense, alert. It would only take a stumble, a word, or a minor mistake to be spotted. The fog would not be an inconvenience. For a Dreamer, it would be enough.

Squinting her eyes, her breath formed small clouds in the cold air as she looked up. With her hand she touched the material of the walls. Hard steel. Audrey had successfully guided them to the high walls of the Great Arena of La Quilla. And then she turned to the group following her, specifically to the self-proclaimed master.

He immediately knew what she wanted, so he went ahead and took her place as guide.

The large arena had multiple entrances and exits, if there was a means of transportation available it should be possible to find it behind.

And so it had been. After skirting the wall they were able to reach the warehouse, and there, parked, was the truck that had been promised.

Inside the warehouse, the metal shelves stood in disorderly rows, some leaning dangerously, others collapsed on themselves. The ground was covered with blurred footprints, some old, most recent. The loading dock was deserted. Wooden pallets lay overturned and splintered, some with remnants of plastic half-wrapped in packages. Also scattered boxes, some open and empty, others sealed with tape.

Only one vehicle remained there: a white, open-bed rural cargo truck, stranded in the middle of the darkness.

The group delved deeper into the warehouse before discussing how to proceed.

Shaun: Please tell us you have the keys —he muttered.

The man stretched his back, sore from the long journey. He looked at the young man.

Cassian: Huff... I can't have the keys to all the vehicles in my company, kid.

Shaun: Damn...

Garwin: It won't matter; I'll take care of it. Wait here.

Without wasting a second he approached the truck. The others watched him work.

Izzy: ...It'll take a few minutes. Let's check the boxes.

Doger: And what about the "Wait here"? —he questioned, who was already making himself comfortable by sitting on the floor.

Izzy: You said we were coming back empty-handed, Doger. We shall change that.

Taking a different course, she went even deeper into the area. Although she hadn't asked for it, some members of the group followed her, and so they began to rummage together in every box they could find.

Izzy: Be quiet —she murmured to some children beside her—, if you can't open a box easily, don't open it.

The curious little ones nodded and heeded her instruction.

Unknown girl: What are we looking for, ma'am?

Izzy: ...

She paused for a moment to answer.

Izzy: Canned food and bottled water will do.

Unknown girl: Yes.

The young Audrey devoted herself to investigating on her part. Her incredible sight was drawn to the symbol of the Great Arena stamped on a particular group of boxes.

Audrey (Kiss): But it's...! Gitta, Shaun, would you help me open this?

Shaun: ...Of course?

She pulled out a set of keys from her bag, on a keychain that included simple survival tools. She turned and unfolded the small knife to use in cutting the tape that sealed them. Shaun and Gitta took the object down from the shelf.

It was just what she thought. The shine of the metal was reflected faintly on their faces. These were the pieces of armor and weapons that were to be sent for maintenance.

Replicas.

Shaun: Guh, they stink.

Audrey (Kiss): It's the smell of discovery —she said happily— Quick, let's equip Gitta. This should be his size.

Gitta: Excuse me? —he tilted his head.

Audrey (Kiss): If all of you were complaining so much about the time, then hurry up. Come on. Take off your shirt. You too Shaun.

Shaun: I won't take off my clothes in front of all these people —he claimed.

She turned to both of them after removing a thick white gambeson, made of textile fiber made from animal hair. Something dirty but perfectly functional.

Her face, now serious.

Audrey (Kiss): Look at me —she raised her chest, showing her similar armor—, I'm not joking. If you don't want to get hurt, you should wear this. Or have you forgotten what we're dealing with?

Shaun: I guess...

Gitta: ...

From his side, Gitta removed his own coat without hesitation and took the gambeson from the girl's hand.

Audrey (Kiss): That’s what I like. Good. I'll get more help to load the rest into the truck. He'll need you to help him put the pieces together, Shaun.

Shaun: Me? I have no idea how to do that.

Audrey (Kiss): It's easy. After he's wearing the gambeson, place each completed part on top. Replicas are always pre-fixed, you just need to adjust any loose locks you see —she explained—. Hurry up before Garwin starts the truck.

They both watched her retreat towards the rest of the group quickly. Again, without giving them a chance to reply.

Shaun: Ah, whatever... It's better than nothing.

Audrey (Kiss): Hey Jurik, Doger, and the others, I don't know their names yet. We need some hands to carry all that, if you could help.

The young woman told the group waiting at the exit.

Doger: I'm not doing anything anyway so here I go —he said, getting up to start sniffing—. Look at that, is it what I think it is? Armors?

Cassian: Girl, what do you think you're doing? I went with you so you could start that damn truck and go get my family, not so you could take my stuff and waste my time.

Jurik: Woah, calm down, sir. Calm down —said, moving to join others around the containers.

Audrey (Kiss): We're doing this while we start the truck —she clarified— and it's not like you'll have huge losses if we take this. Don't be selfish.

Cassian: "Selfish" for watching myself get robbed right in front of my nose? —he replied, hitting the ground with his stick to express his annoyance and frustration— When the situation is solved you'll pay for everything. You, to be more precise, Audrey.

Audrey (Kiss): Yeah yeah. I hope you remind me after the "end of the world". I'll be on the lookout.

Cassian: Tsk. Hurry up and turn on that thing.

The man leaned on his stick and pulled a box of matches along with a thick cigar from his jacket, then slowly headed towards the exit.

Audrey (Kiss): ...

Audrey really couldn't get angry with him, especially knowing that her family had probably already left this world. After all, they found no traces of survivors alive in that dark cellar.

She just wrinkled her brow in pity.

Audrey (Kiss): Hm... If we're going to do things like this maybe I should start calling myself only by my nickname... —she stammered to herself as she watched the man lighting his cigar in the distance.

The air was still heavy with water. Outside, the thick fog moved under the gusts of wind, now in the total darkness of the night.

Time was up.

As she looked back at the containers, the girl thought she saw something. An object or figure indistinguishable even to her, crawling by in the blink of an eye.

Audrey (Kiss): Pareidolia? Huff... This fog has me really confused...

Garwin: And it's time to sleep, but here we are, with one truck running at least.

The sound everyone was waiting for, the roar of a running engine echoing through the depot. Garwin leaned out from the driver's seat, arranging the wires he had extracted on the steering wheel.

Audrey (Kiss): You really turned it on —she approached excitedly— Well done.

Instead he exhaled heavily, exhausted.

Garwin: It's ready. Call everyone please.

Audrey (Kiss): Of course. I'll go get my stuff. Hey, Master Cassian! —she raised her hand when she saw him.

The man had heard them.

Then he dropped the match on the ground.

He dropped his cigar.

His stick.

And finally, his head.

Audrey (Kiss): Gh—

She still held her hand up, looking at the remains.

It had been incomprehensibly fast.

His torso, his legs, his arms, shaken and dragged in a single motion towards the fog.

It had only been an instant. No more than a second.

A moment so tiny that her mind was still processing what had happened.

She had managed to see the long, thin limbs hide in the darkness.

And she had seen nothing else.

To be continued...