Chapitre 2: 2. New Allies, New Enemies.
Ethan and Lily set out the next morning, their newfound companions trailing behind. The city, a skeleton of its former self, loomed around them, each corner hiding potential threats. Abandoned buildings, once teeming with life, now served as grim reminders of the world they had lost.
They moved silently, ever-vigilant. The survivors—Mark, Sarah, and the others—were wary but hopeful. Ethan could see the glimmers of determination in their eyes, a stark contrast to the despair he had grown accustomed to. It was a reminder of what they were fighting for and what they had to lose.
As they approached the edge of the city, the ruins gave way to more open terrain. Here, the dangers were less about surprise attacks and more about exposure. They had to cross vast stretches of open ground to reach the supposed safe zone, each step a gamble against detection by Nightwalkers or Ascendants.
Lily, ever the scout, took the lead. Her movements were fluid, practiced. Ethan admired her skill, recognizing in her a kindred spirit—someone forged in the crucible of survival. She signaled for them to halt, scanning the area ahead.
"There's movement up ahead," she whispered. "Could be anything."
Ethan nodded, motioning for the others to stay low. They advanced cautiously, every sense on high alert. As they crept closer, the source of the movement became clear—a group of survivors, huddled around a makeshift barricade. But something was wrong.
Ethan recognized the signs of an ambush. The survivors were too exposed, their defensive position too obvious. He signaled for Lily and the others to hang back and approached the barricade alone, his weapon ready.
"Who's there?" a voice called out, trembling with fear.
Ethan stepped into view, hands raised in a show of peace. "Name's Ethan. We're just passing through."
The survivor who had spoken—a gaunt man with hollow eyes—lowered his weapon slightly. "We don't want any trouble."
"Neither do we," Ethan replied. "But this doesn't look right. What's going on here?"
The man's eyes darted nervously to the shadows behind Ethan. "They'll be back any moment. We... we were trying to hold them off, but—"
A gunshot rang out, cutting the man off mid-sentence. Ethan dove for cover as a group of Ascendants emerged from the ruins, weapons blazing. The ambush had sprung, but Ethan was ready.
He moved with lethal precision, his makeshift weapon tearing through the attackers with ease. The other survivors joined the fray, their desperation fueling their fight. Lily was a blur of motion, dispatching enemies with ruthless efficiency.
The battle was chaotic, brutal. Ethan's powers surged within him, a dark energy that amplified his strength and speed. He reveled in the fight, each blow a step closer to his ultimate goal—vengeance.
As the last of the Ascendants fell, the surviving survivors looked to Ethan with a mix of awe and fear. He could see the question in their eyes—who was this man who fought with such ferocity?
"We need to move," Ethan said, his voice cold and commanding. "There could be more of them."
The survivors nodded, quickly gathering their belongings. The gaunt man who had spoken earlier approached Ethan, his expression one of gratitude and trepidation.
"Thank you," he said. "We... we didn't think anyone would come."
Ethan nodded curtly. "Stick with us. We're heading to a safe zone."
The man nodded, relief washing over him. "I'm David. These are my people. We'll follow you."
The group, now larger and more determined, set off once more. Each step was a test of their resolve, but with Ethan and Lily leading the way, they felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but for the first time, they had hope.
As they traveled, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He scanned the horizon constantly, his instincts on edge. The world had ended, but the fight for survival—and revenge—had only just begun.
---
Hours turned into days, and Ethan's strength slowly returned. The wound in his side healed, though it left a jagged scar. He and Lily scavenged the city for supplies, avoiding both Nightwalkers and the Ascendants. They learned to move silently, like ghosts, blending into the shadows to avoid detection.
One evening, as they sat around a small fire in their shelter, Lily shared more about her past. She had been a nurse before the fall, working in a hospital overrun with the sick and dying when the virus first struck. She had seen the transformation of humans into Nightwalkers up close, had witnessed the despair and fear in their eyes before they lost all humanity.
"We thought we could contain it," Lily said, staring into the flames. "But it spread too fast. And then the Ascendants showed up, claiming they had a cure. But it was a lie. They just wanted control."
Ethan listened, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. The Ascendants had promised salvation but delivered only death and subjugation. He had seen their brutality firsthand, had watched them slaughter innocents without hesitation. They were no better than the Nightwalkers.
"We'll stop them," Ethan said firmly. "But we need more than just the two of us. We need allies."
Lily nodded. "I know of a few places where survivors might be hiding. It's risky, but if we can find them, we might stand a chance."
Ethan agreed. They spent the next few days planning their next move, gathering as much information as they could about the Ascendants' movements and the locations of potential survivor camps. It was dangerous work, but they were determined.
One morning, as they prepared to leave the shelter, Ethan noticed something odd. A faint signal on his old military radio, a garbled transmission that seemed to be repeating. He fiddled with the dials, trying to make out the words.
"...if anyone can hear this... we need help... Ascendants closing in... coordinates... please hurry..."
Ethan's heart pounded. It was a distress call, and it was coming from not too far away. He showed Lily the coordinates.
"It's a trap," Lily warned. "It has to be. The Ascendants use those kinds of signals to lure survivors out."
"Maybe," Ethan said. "But if it's real, they need our help. And if it's a trap... well, we can handle it."
Lily hesitated but finally nodded. They packed their gear and set out towards the source of the signal, moving quickly but cautiously through the ruins. The closer they got, the more they saw signs of recent activity—footprints in the dust, discarded supplies, even a few hastily built barricades.
As they approached the coordinates, they heard faint sounds of a struggle—shouts, gunfire, the growls of Nightwalkers. Ethan signaled for Lily to stay back and crept forward, peering around a corner.
A group of survivors was under attack. They were cornered in a small courtyard, fighting desperately against both Nightwalkers and Ascendants. It was chaos, and they were losing.
Ethan didn't hesitate. He charged into the fray, his makeshift weapon swinging. He took down a Nightwalker with a single blow, then turned his attention to the Ascendants. They were heavily armed and well-trained, but they hadn't expected an attack from behind. Ethan's fury drove him, each strike precise and lethal.
Lily joined the fight, her movements swift and deadly. Together, they turned the tide. The Nightwalkers fell first, then the Ascendants. The remaining survivors stared in shock as Ethan and Lily finished off the last of their attackers.
"Who are you?" one of the survivors asked, a young man with a makeshift bandage around his arm.
"Ethan," he replied. "And this is Lily. We're here to help."
The survivors introduced themselves—Mark, Sarah, and a few others. They had been part of a larger group that had been ambushed by the Ascendants. Most of their friends were dead or captured.
"We were trying to get to a safe zone," Sarah explained. "We heard there was a place where people were gathering, trying to rebuild. But the Ascendants found us first."
Ethan felt a surge of hope. If there was a safe zone, a place where people were gathering, it could be the start of something bigger. A real chance to fight back.
"Do you know where this safe zone is?" he asked.
Mark nodded. "We have the coordinates. It's a few days' journey from here. But it's dangerous. The Ascendants are everywhere."
Ethan glanced at Lily. They both knew the risks, but they also knew they couldn't stay in one place forever. They needed to keep moving, to keep fighting.
"Then that's where we'll go," Ethan said. "We'll get you there safely. And then we'll figure out how to take the fight to the Ascendants."
The survivors looked relieved, grateful. Ethan felt a spark of something he hadn't felt in a long time—purpose. It wasn't just about vengeance anymore. It was about survival, about rebuilding a world that had been shattered.
They set out the next morning, the group now larger and more determined. Each step was a test of their resolve, but with Ethan and Lily leading the way, they felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but for the first time, they had hope.
---
As they journeyed, Ethan noticed the group's morale gradually improving. There were still moments of fear and uncertainty, but there were also glimmers of camaraderie and mutual support. Even in the face of overwhelming odds,
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone