In a small village nestled deep within a forest, the last remnants of humanity clung to existence. Their numbers, once great, had dwindled to a mere 3,000 souls – a stark reminder of a fading past and an ominous future. Each time they ventured out for resources, a contingent of 500 soldiers would depart, yet only a handful would ever return. Fortunately, those few survivors brought back enough to sustain the village for a while. A magical barrier and a mystical gate protected them, allowing them brief respites from the dangers beyond. This fragile existence continued until their population stabilized at 3,000, and then, the catastrophe struck.
Dark stood by the hut, next to a freshly cut pile of wood, gazing at the gray horizon. In the distance, soldiers were gathering, preparing for another perilous mission to gather resources. He gripped his axe tightly, as if drawing courage from its cold steel.
Rose approached him with hesitant steps, her eyes a mix of worry and determination. "Dark, don't tell me you're thinking of joining them."
Dark slowly turned his head towards her, exhaling deeply. "I have to, Rose. We need resources. The village is barely holding on... I can't just stand by while everyone faces this fate."
Rose shook her head violently, tears welling in her eyes. "No, Dark! You can't go! What if you don't come back? What if... what happened to them happens to you?"
Dark lowered his gaze, avoiding her eyes. "Rose, we are family. But I'm the man of this family now. If I don't take responsibility, who will?"
Rose took a step closer, her voice trembling. "If you insist on going, then I'm coming with you. I can't let you go alone!"
Dark looked at her in astonishment, his voice rising slightly. "Rose, you don't know what you're saying. It's dangerous out there! Trained soldiers barely make it back... and me? I barely know how to defend myself! You're younger than me... I can't risk your life."
Rose didn't back down, her eyes burning with fierce defiance. "And you? How can I let you risk your life? I know I'm young, but I'm not weak. If you're going, I'm going with you. I won't bear losing you too."
Dark fell silent for a few moments, as if her words had left a deep impression on him. He didn't want to admit it, but her presence beside him gave him a sense of comfort and reassurance.
"Rose..." he said in a low voice, then sighed deeply. "I can't stop you. But if you come with me, you have to abide by everything I say. I'll be responsible for you."
Rose smiled faintly, as if she had won a small battle. "I will, Dark. But promise me one thing... promise me we'll come back together."
Dark smiled sadly, and said nothing. Instead, he reached out and gently placed his hand on her head, just as he used to do when she was a smaller child.
"It starts tomorrow, Rose. We have to prepare," Dark said firmly, giving his sister a tender look.
Rose nodded, then grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the hut. "If you're so determined, let's talk to Vatoum. She needs to know."
The two entered the hut, where Vatoum sat on the floor, playing with her old doll. She looked up at them with childish enthusiasm, but quickly noticed the seriousness on their faces. She put the doll aside and asked in a worried voice, "What's wrong?"
Dark sat beside her, while Rose sat on the floor in front of her. He gently extended his hand towards Vatoum's and held it, saying softly, "Vatoum, tomorrow I'm going out with the soldiers to get resources."
Vatoum froze, then slowly pulled her hand away. "Why? Why do you have to go? Can't someone else do it?"
Rose looked at Dark with concern, then placed her hand on Vatoum's shoulder. "Dark wants to help all of us. It won't be easy, but we'll be fine."
Vatoum looked at them, and tears began to gather in her eyes. "But... what if you don't come back? What if what happened to Mom and Dad happens to you?"
Dark was silent for a moment, as if the words were stuck in his throat. Vatoum's words were like an arrow piercing his chest, but he gathered his courage and looked at her with gentle eyes.
"Vatoum..." he said in a voice filled with emotion. "I won't let that happen. I promise you I'll come back. I'll do everything I can to stay alive... for you and Rose. We're family, and I won't leave you two alone."
Vatoum looked at him with a hesitant gaze, then rushed into his embrace, hugging him tightly. Rose joined them, hugging them both in turn.
"We need to stay together, always," Rose whispered, her eyes shining with emotion.
Dark patted Vatoum's head, then said with a sad smile, "I'll be fine. We're stronger than we think. What happened in the past won't happen again... I'll protect you both with everything I have."
The three remained in a long embrace, as if trying to condense their memories together into a single moment, before morning came and a new day full of challenges began.
The next morning, soldiers prepared for a dangerous mission. They were strapping on their packs while Rose and Dark surveyed the atmosphere around them in the center of the soldiers' square.
Then, the magical gate slowly opened.
But suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet, followed by a low whisper among the trees.
And with a shock, something was flung from outside the gate, into the village through the portal. Human corpses, those of former soldiers, were thrown violently from deep within the forest, their limbs and entrails scattering upon impact with the ground. The burnt, blood-stained bodies bled rapidly, as if freshly carved from human flesh, still pulsing with life. Some organs separated from the bodies upon impact, falling around them like tender pieces of meat.
But it didn't stop there. The scattered corpses suddenly began to convulse, as if coming back to a new life. Eyes suddenly moved in their sockets, and lips trembled silently, as if begging for continued existence. A muffled voice emerged from one of the still-bleeding bodies. "If you dare, you will die..." Then, fire suddenly ignited in the corpse's head, turning it to ash in an instant.
Suddenly, the corpses screamed.
Loud, terrifying, and horrifying screams filled the air. Other bodies began to move, writhing on the ground, as if possessed. A soldier's skull was thrown far from its body, rolling in front of Dark and Rose, then gasping as blood seeped onto the cracked earth.
Rose shrank back in terror, while Dark watched in silence. "What is this... what's happening here?" Dark whispered, his hair bristling.
Rose, her face pale, whispered back, "They... they said, 'If you dare, you will die...'"
The silence in the air was an unbearable weight. The sound of other bodies moving, sliding on the ground, their heads slowly turning, their eyelids trembling, "If you dare, you will die..." It was as if the nightmare these soldiers had lived was being repeated, trapped between life and death, suffering an endless torment.
Then, suddenly, the corpses laughed. Evil, terrifying laughter.
Then they turned to ash.
After the terrifying incident at the gate, the soldiers were in shock. Some tried to hide their fear behind a veneer of composure, but anxiety was clear on their faces. Rose stood beside Dark, her eyes filled with dread.
Dark gently gripped her shoulders, as if trying to calm her. "We're going, Rose. We have to go. We can't stand here. If we stop, everyone in the village will die."
Rose looked at him, her voice trembling. "What if we don't come back?"
Dark squeezed her hand. "We will. We'll come back safe. We can't break down here."
Even the strong soldiers were filled with dread. "What if what happened to those corpses happens to us?" one of them said hesitantly. "I won't be alone here."
Dark tightened his grip on Rose's hand, trying to reassure her. "That won't happen to us. We'll be careful. We're family, we'll come back together."
As time passed, the soldiers began to accept the situation despite the fear in their hearts. They realized they had no other choice but to press on, for the sake of everyone in the village. Rose and Dark were a source of strength for them, even at their young age.
Once they stepped through the forest gate, darkness began to envelop them. The tall trees loomed like shifting specters in the gloom, and the cold air surrounded them, stifling their breaths. Sounds intertwined, the creaking of trees and the rustling of leaves beneath their silent steps.
The fog intensified rapidly, swirling around them, gradually narrowing their vision. The further the group advanced, the denser the fog became, transforming the world into a murky white obscurity. Trees vanished into the foggy clouds, as if absorbed into their depths.
Rose clung to Dark's hand, her eyes widening with fear. Their footsteps made a faint sound that echoed in the space, gradually disappearing into the fog. A chilling silence surrounded them, as if whispering of an unseen presence in their ears.
The Leader of the Soldiers (standing at the front of the group, facing the soldiers with a firm and powerful demeanor):
"Gather around me, soldiers. We are in a battleground here. Our only job is to survive and bring back resources, not to engage in pointless battles. My plan is simple: we will split into small teams, no more than five individuals per team. The goal is to avoid direct confrontations with enemies, and to move stealthily through the trees and fog. This is the only way to survive."
The soldiers exchanged glances, as if questioning the Leader's plan:
Dark (whispering to Rose anxiously): "Do you think this is enough? Splitting up like this?"
Rose (her brow furrowed with determination): "If it means we'll stay alive, then I agree."
Leader of the Soldiers (rubbing his chin with his finger, his features strained and grim):
"We must move quickly, taking advantage of the darkness and fog. Each group will follow its designated path carefully. There is no room for deviation. And never stop. Any halt could be fatal for all of us."
The soldiers began to ready themselves, preparing to split up:
Leader of the Soldiers (placing a hand on his sword, turning back to look into the fog, feeling something unnatural creeping into his heart): "And... be careful, don't stop until you reach the designated point. We will regroup at sunset."
Dark's Voice (with fear): "Leader, something... something is behind you!"
The Leader's face slowly turned, cold sweat freezing on his forehead, his eyes gleaming with terror. Behind him, in the fog, a massive shadow slithered, its limbs dancing in the faint light. It was a dragon, its eyes glowing with a strange light, casting dense shadows across the forest.
...To be continued.