Austin, who was listening to the lady speak, was perplexed. What could be worse than what all she just said? How can innumerable death get any worse than, well, being innumerable? Deciding to listen even more closely, Austin heard every word she said next, immediately realizing just how worst things could get.
"We believe the combinations of the solar storms and solar flares from the Sun co-opted with the invasion from the space rocks burning through our planet's atmosphere, aided of climate change, allowed the the succession of a microscopic biological sybiot-agent species breach Earth's lower atmosphere which resulted in the most wide-spread, calamitous epidemic this world has ever known. We call it: 'The Taking' - A ruthless microscopic symbiotic virus that mutates organic matter within living organisms on a cellular level.
"It is dangerous. Extremely contagious. Uncontainable. Costly. And thought to have been cureless...Until evolution, however, arose a new generation 𑁋 one, not only immune to its fatal effects, but, also, one that have adapted to possess extraordinary abilities. And, while not everyone was immune, as there were a lesser percentage of humans possessing these extraordinary 'Traits,' as we call them, there was still a high percentage of the remaining human race that was still susceptible to the deadly effects of the Taking.
"So, to combat this threat, the surviving governments of the world banded together with all their remaining power, resources, and wealth they had left to form the Research Associates of the International Department of Studies & Affairs, or "RAIDRA," pronounced as RAIDAR.
"Our sole purpose as RAIDRA associates is to find a cure to the Taking. In your cells, deep, deep down within the nuclei of your cells and genetic coding, lies the answers - the answers for humanity's salvation!
"But, to get to the cure, the path will not be without its hardships. You have passed the Labyrinth Trials, but make no mistake: Do not expect an easy path from here on out, because the road to the cure will be rocky. That much of a warning is a must-be-said. However, you can achieve the wonders no one else can. Believe in yourselves as we believe in you and know that the fate of the human race lies in your successes. In time, be ready to begin the next phase. For now, rest. Replenish the energies you will need for the next trials. And, finally, always remember: 'RAIDRA knows best'."
And that was the end of the recording. Before anyone could move, Zach asked "What now, guys?" everyone looked to Reya and Aaroon, who looked to Austin, who, honestly, had no idea what to do 𑁋 He just didn't know; he hadn't planned this far ahead; he had been so busy trying to survive to do so.
Austin took a moment to think. He knew whatever struggles they were about to undergo would be much tougher than what they had already endured — from the video, that much was guaranteed. Still, he was tired. He wanted to rest and just not have to think about this stuff.
His friends needed him, though. They wanted his judgment, they needed it. He had gotten them this far, he may as well lead them to the end of this journey, however it ends. Plus, he still had more questions.
Taking a heavy sigh, Austin looked at Reya, then at Aaroon, before turning to Zach and the rest of the Meadowers behind him. He had decided that the first thing they needed to do was find a way out of this place. He can come up with a more detailed plan after that.
"I guess...we𑁋," Austin began, when a clicking sound cut Austin off and they all turned around to see Caesar, bloody, in rags and covered in dirt and soot and cuts and scrapes and other wounds and bruises. He was holding an armed crossbow, its arrow pointed directly at Austin's chest.
espite this and all his instincts and even the Voice within Austin screaming at him to run the other way, Austin felt the need to help his fellow Meadower. But, Aaroon beat him to it, stepping forward to speak.
"Now…," his voice was rasped and dry, causing even Austin to flench at how soulless it sounded out loud. "We… die."
"Caesar…," Aaroon began speaking in warning, but Reya stopped him with her hand.
"Don't, Aaroon. Look," She pointed at multiple wounds in his thighs. "He's been bitten. Be careful."
"Caesar," Austin tried, anyways, hands up in surrender. "Drop the weapon. Look, we've made it. We're out of the Labyrinth𑁋."
"We're out of the Lab𑁋," he repeated, his eyes beady and unfocussed. "Maybe...But we aren't really free, are we? Look around. The recording said it all. No. I'll do us all the favor of mercy and end it all on our own terms — On my terms."
But, just as Caesar pulled the trigger, it was like time slowed down. Austin saw that Cleo had leaped in front of him - that Caesar had looked shocked as the THUNK came from the flesh that was Cleo's direction, but, by the time he could move, Cleo was on the ground with an arrow in her chest, gasping for breath, as she struggled to breathe. And, as a single tear fled from her drying, lifeless eyes, a silence fell upon the entire room as Austin and everyone around him heard her dying words: "Find him… my brother… Save him, brother…". And she let out a final huff, and her chest 𑁋 it moved no more.
Austin wasn't sure what happened next himself. He was told that he was so grief-strictenned and he did remember feeling the grief-fuelled rage, but his friends had to tell him what happened after the rage had blackened his vision: Apparently, he leaped at Caesar before the boy could draw another arrow. He snatched the crossbow from the other boy's grip, and threw it across the room before raining down a series of bullet-like punches to the boy's face.
Austin was just so enraged. It felt like he didn't just lose CLeo: He lost Jackson. He lost Ryker and Zether. He lost Atlanna and Trevor. He lost so much in the last week alone 𑁋 so many people he felt as family he didn't remember having, even despite not knowing half the names of those people 𑁋 And Caesar killing Cleo; that was the last straw.
Austin couldn't remember much after Aaroon, accompanied by a few of his scouts, dragged Austin from atop the boy who just killed someone he considered a little sister, but he was told they weren't sure if Caesar was gonna make it or not. And, for once, Austin couldn't bring himself to care.
He remembered the appearance of men in black escorting them away from their fallen, out a door furthest to one they came in from; He remembered seeing a blinding light on the other side and wondering "Am I dead?" out loud before he was pushed towards that light and he really wished he had died, because then he wouldn't have to feel the grief of so much loss, knowing that the worst was yet to come.
He knew his trials had only just begun.