Kaden arrived with his trainees at the border between Ashbourne and Yalvora. Each of them stood armed, prepared to train, to learn, and to understand the ethics and strategy of conquering a Shade.
As usual, Kaden carried his trusted assault rifle and wore a box-like backpack for ammunition storage.
Dr. Eliya Ward arrived with her reinforced, suitcase-shaped container, which held several pistols, a good stock of sterilization chemicals, plus her defensive chemicals which included sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), and nitric acid (HNO₃).
Eliya's expression was unreadable, but her fingers twitched, she felt scared and determined at the same time.
It was going to be her first encounter, with whatever that came with it she was ready.
Ryder came with a tranquilizer gun slung over his shoulder and a sleek ballista crossbow on his back. He carried an arrow casing strapped to his side, its compartments filled with neatly arranged bolts. He had learnt how to aim and shoot as a hobby before the Earth's civilization was ruptured now he was doing it for survival. He was felt like he was born ready to encounter this fateful day.
Jaxon, always the heavy hitter, brought not one, but two assault rifles, and lugged a compact machine gun as if it weighed nothing. The weapon gleamed under the morning sun, as if it was hungry for action. Jaxon had a huge smile on his face, he felt like he waited ages for this moment.
The four stood at the peak of a ruined structure that pierced through the border wall, watching the horizon stretch into an endless skyline smeared with ash and dust.
Eliya stood fierce and alert, her posture bold. There was a sudden surge of courage in her an audacity to confront whatever came their way head-on.
"I'll draw the attention of any Shade close by so you all better be ready" Kaden began, voice calm but commanding. "This one's not as deadly as the Shade Queen we'll face at Cinderfall."
Jaxon nodded firmly, already brimming with anticipation, while Ryder and Eliya exchanged wary glances. A ripple of unease passed between them like a cold wind.
"When the Shade comes," Kaden continued, "do not fear. Fear makes your grip weak, your aim wild. Instead, take a deep breath. Listen. Plan. Observe before you strike. Some Shades react to sound. Others attack by sensing vibrations. Learn what fuels them... then use it against them."
Eliya shifted slightly, her hand brushing the cool metal of her case.
"All Shades have weak points," Kaden said, eyes scanning his team. "Their legs. Eye sockets. Arms. Even their armpits. But always aim high. One miss could cost you. A well-placed shot might only wound it, but if it feels outmatched, it'll retreat. Bullets rarely kill them outright."
He stepped forward, raising his rifle. "Let's hope your weapon choices do the job. You're not skilled with them yet, but you will adapt. In time, you'll become the most skilled Shade hunters in Ashbourne."
He fired ten rounds skyward. The deafening shots echoed through the ruins.
"Any Shade nearby will hear that... and start heading our way," Kaden muttered.
"Jaxon," Kaden called. Jaxon turned immediately, his eyes gleaming with eagerness. His brow furrowed in focus. He was ready to pounce.
"I've placed a decoy doll in one of the dilapidated buildings along Work Street. Your mission is to lure the Shade toward us, rescue the doll, and deliver it to the Sentinel Outpost. Treat it like a real human, like your life depends on it. We'll hold off the Shade, after we defeat the shade we will continue our mission to find the black archive while you stay behind and protect Ashbourne."
Jaxon nodded with a steady breath. He was born for this kind of mission.
Minutes passed. The silence grew heavy. Kaden's drones picked up no movement, no monstrous signal. Everything was still.
He brought out a flash charge, activated it, and threw it far into the distance.
"What was that?" Eliya asked, watching the light burst.
"Something I call a trigger," Kaden replied, stepping back. "I don't rely on rifles alone. I use these on missions to draw attention. Right now, we're making noise to attract the Shade. It'll sense human presence."
The charge exploded in a brilliant flare, shaking the ground. Then came a loud frightening roar.
"It's coming," Kaden said, voice low. "Brace yourselves."
Hearts pounded. Breaths shortened. Ryder and Eliya tensed. Their eyes darted to every shadow.
Suddenly, the Shade emerged, its sinewy body dragging across the field, knocking down barricades, its claws ripping through the remnants of the street. The air filled with the sound of scraping metal and crunching debris. Long limbs lashed out, scattering fragments of ruin in every direction.
SCENE SHIFT: MONITORING ROOM, UNKNOWN LOCATION
The scene from Ashbourne zoomed out from a micro-cam, now displayed on a large, curved monitor.
"What is Kaden Mercer doing?" asked a man clad in thick red armor, lounging on a high-backed chair. His name was Rael Skyes.
He watched intently, though the micro-cam had no audio feed. The movements on-screen were enough to catch his interest.
"I told you, sir. He's fearless and strong," said one of the raiders Kaden had fought earlier.
"He's drawing a Shade to himself? He must be mad," Rael muttered.
His control room was staffed with surveillance experts, monitoring external zones across Earth's decayed surface.
"Trust me, sir. He'll chew that Shade like lettuce," the raider added with a chuckle.
Rael smirked but said nothing.
BACK TO ASHBOURNE BORDER
The Shade charged toward them with a screech that split the air.
Eliya, heart hammering, moved on instinct. She raised her pistol and shot the Shade in the shoulder. It roared, staggered. Ryder stood frozen until Jaxon jumped in, unloading bursts from his machine gun straight into the creature's snarling face.
"Woo! That's what I'm talking about, baby!" Jaxon yelled.
Ryder finally snapped into action, grabbing his arrows and launching one straight into the Shade's eye socket. The creature howled in pain, flailing, smashing its limbs against walls and cars.
"Now comes the real deal," Kaden said, tightening his grip on the rifle. "Learn to dodge its retaliation."
The Shade sprang at Eliya. She tried to jump back, but it struck her with a wild swing, sending her tumbling down the slope into a forest of dried leaves.
Next, it lunged at Ryder. Jaxon intervened, firing again, distracting it. The Shade grabbed a metal beam and slammed it onto Jaxon's gun, breaking it. Jaxon didn't stop he ran circles around the Shade, dodging effortlessly. The monster twisted and stumbled in its own disoriented state.
Eliya climbed back up, scratches lining her arms. She hid behind a boulder, aimed carefully, and shot the Shade twice in the head.
She ducked again, holding her breath. If she couldn't outrun it, she'd outsmart it.
The Shade roared, its body beginning to twist uncontrollably. It thrashed and entangled in its own limbs, unable to figure out the direction of the last attack.
Kaden jumped in, unleashing rapid fire. "Watch its body language!" he shouted.
Ryder nodded, firing another bolt from his crossbow. The Shade turned toward him but remained trapped in its twisted form. Ryder rolled away, dodging its strike.
Eliya brought out a vial of nitric acid and flung it into the Shade's open mouth. It swallowed and began writhing, the toxicity of the acid penetrated the shades stomach hurting it. Its scream was unlike anything before.
Jaxon, seeing the distraction, sprinted toward Work Street, to retrieve the doll.
The Shade spotted him, the one responsible for its entanglement and it screamed. It crawled after him, enraged.
Eliya tossed Jaxon a spare pistol. He caught it, turned, and fired into the Shade's remaining eye. It went blind, stumbling. Screaming. Backing away.
Kaden reloaded. Ryder shot again. Eliya fired a second pistol. The trio moved as one. The Shade cried out and finally retreated, staggering like a drunk, defeated, back into the shadows.
SCENE SHIFT: MONITORING ROOM
Rael Skyes watched the Shade flee from the screen.
"I need them," he said calmly.
"Told you, sir. It was like ABCD for them," the raider grinned.
"I've been watching Kaden Mercer ever since you told me about him. He's strong. Vivacious. Skilled. But what's his mission?"
"No idea yet, sir," one of the workers replied. "He just resides at the Sentinel Outpost in Ashbourne."
"Hmmm. Strange to see a survivor that powerful without a goal," Rael mused.
"Maybe he's rescuing people," the raider said, pointing at Eliya on the screen. "He fought us to protect her."
"You mean her?" Rael asked, leaning forward.
"Yes. She refused to open her suitcase. We pretended we'd kill her to make her talk. Then Kaden stormed in, and even bullets didn't stop him."
"Interesting," Rael muttered. "Clearly, the virus infected him... but he didn't mutate. He can't die easily."
He pointed again at Eliya. "She's carrying something valuable. Find out who she is, where she came from. And Kaden... he's mine. His immunity will play a vital role in my New World Order."
Rael leaned back, lips curled in a devilish grin as the monitor showed Jaxon returning with the doll, waving it triumphantly at Eliya and Ryder. Kaden gave a simple nod, the quiet approval of a leader who saw his team becoming something more.