Three months had passed since the meteor shower.
Life inside the base slowly found its rhythm again. The four of them shared jokes and laughter, and smiles started to feel natural once more. The weight of killing that first monster, a human who had turned into something else, had been heavy on them, but time allowed them to recover.
They also settled on a name for the creatures. Fade. It came from the scientist who first mentioned it during the broadcast, and the word stayed with them.
A month ago they stopped going to the seventeenth floor. Their only task there had been to clear debris, and that job was finished. If the floor still collapsed now, it was something beyond their control.
For the most part life felt almost normal again. Almost.
The only problem left was food and water. Supplies were running out, and the bridge Thomas saw in his bangungot had not fallen yet. Because of that, he refused to leave the building. The others accepted his decision for a while, but they finally set a limit. One more week. If the bridge still stood, they would leave no matter what. Without supplies they would not survive. Thomas agreed, not because he wanted to, but because he had no choice.
With that settled, Iris, Bryan, and Nevin began packing whatever they could use once they stepped outside.
Thomas stayed by the window, his eyes fixed on the red bridge in the distance. He waited each day for it to fall, believing it would be the sign that the time had come. When his gaze shifted lower, he sometimes watched the people below.
The people in the safe zone were very different now compared to before the broadcast. A new leader had been appointed, and he guided the people below with a few others.
Right after the broadcast, a meeting was held. In that meeting, a small group of men and women volunteered to step into the pink fog and try to transform, hoping they could hold on to their sanity. It was a desperate choice. Staying meant starving, going at least gave them a chance. Out of hundreds in the safe zone, only a few were willing to risk it.
They were sent out that same day. Hours passed with no word, and those waiting inside grew restless. By the next day, only one man returned alive, and from then on he became their new leader.
He explained what had happened. Keeping your mind was only the first step, but survival also meant killing monsters and finding a grey fragment. The fragments did not drop easily, even after several kills. Of the first group, only two had failed to keep their sanity. The rest did manage to transform, but they were not strong enough to face the Fades and were hunted down one by one. He had been lucky, finding weaker Fades he could kill.
His return inspired more to try. With him leading the hunt, gathering grey fragments became easier. Sanity still depended on the person, but once that hurdle was cleared, his protection gave them a real chance to fight and survive.
The second group, however, showed how fragile their hope was. This time many volunteered, but only two successfully transformed and retained their sanity. The rest became Fades. One of the two was killed soon after in a fight.
Even with those losses, the attempts continued. After two more batches, the safe zone finally had a few people who could move in and out of the fog freely. The rest stayed inside but still contributed however they could. Some even started farming, trying to stretch what little food remained.
In the present, Thomas stood by the window, watching the people below. They looked different now. There was hope in the way they moved, a sense that they had something to look forward to. It was nothing like the first and second month, when it had been clear that many had already given up. Humans really were adaptive beings.
Just as things seemed brighter, an abnormal cry tore through the air.
"WRAHHHHH!!"
The ground shook violently, and windows facing the direction of the sound shattered under the force.
Before they could recover, another roar followed, answering the first.
"HOOOOOOO!!"
The shaking grew worse. Streetlights, signboards, and traffic lights that had already been loosened by the first cry finally gave way and collapsed onto the ground.
Thomas's eyes went wide as he looked toward the source. He could not believe what he was seeing.
"Guys… Guys…" His voice was unsteady.
"What?" Bryan called back, still crouched under the table with Nevin and Iris.
Thomas did not answer. Nevin, curious as always, pushed himself up to see what had caught Thomas's attention and joined him at the window.
"Oh my!" Nevin shouted, his voice breaking.
"What is it?" Bryan asked again, but no one replied.
He and Iris climbed out from under the table and moved closer. When they reached the window, the sight froze them in place.
Two massive figures loomed in the distance. They were not like the others. These monsters, Fades as the scientist had called them, were far larger. At least three meters tall. The pink fog blurred their shapes, but it was still possible to see their outlines clearly enough.
The two Fades were clashing on the red bridge.
Along with the two giant Fades, many others gathered around them. At least a hundred fades stood still in the fog, their outlines faint and hard to see. Since they were not moving, the mist around them stayed calm. Only the two clashing figures stirred it with constant motion.
The fight was pure brute force.
The first had a massive frame. Gray skin covered thick muscles, a single glaring eye sat above a heavy jaw, short bristled hair stuck close to the scalp, and a thick tusk curved from its mouth. It looked like a one-eye ogre.
The second was leaner but dangerous. Scales ran across its body, its arms ended in long blade like claws, a thick tail moved behind it, and a thin tongue flicked in and out. Its head was snake like, closer to a komodo dragon than a human.
From the start, the ogre held the advantage. Each swing landed with crushing power, forcing the lizardman to stay on defense. The lizardman kept slipping away from the strikes, but it had a weapon of its own, an acid spit.
The ogre had to keep its distance. Sometimes it twisted aside, sometimes it grabbed whatever debris it could reach, raised it as a shield, then tossed it at the lizardman. Each exchange left more damage on the bridge beneath them.
The battle dragged on and the red bridge began to fail. Acid ate into beams while the force of each hit shook the frame. The structure reached its limit.
After a few more heavy blows, the bridge collapsed.
The fight broke off as the bridge gave way. The two sides were forced apart, each landing on opposite ends with groups of Fades behind them. The one-eye ogre gave a deep grunt and turned its back. The other Fades on its side followed as it walked away. The battle ended with no clear winner.
The four of them stayed frozen in place. It took time for them to process what they had just seen.
"Those Fades are incredible," Nevin said, still wide-eyed.
"Don't praise them. They're the same ones hunting humans in the pink fog," Bryan replied sharply.
"They can't enter the safe zone, right? We'll be in danger if they can," Iris added.
Thomas finally spoke, his tone lighter than expected. "Guys, I think you forgot the most important part."
"That they're big and strong? Or that the other Fades were following them?" Nevin guessed.
"No, not that," Thomas said. His eyes brightened as he looked at them. "The red bridge has already collapsed. That's our sign. It's time to go out!"
Their supplies were almost gone. They had already started packing in case they were forced to leave, even if the bridge never collapsed. But now it had finally happened. The red bridge had fallen.
"Ohhh! You're right. What I thought was impossible actually happened. Your dreams are really accurate!" Nevin said, amazed.
"By the way, where are we going?" Iris asked suddenly. She understood they had to leave, but she had no idea where Thomas planned to take them.
"In my dream, when the bridge collapsed, a faceless lady appeared. She told me to go north," Thomas explained. "Where in the north, I don't know. But we can head to Hope City first. My grandfather is there. From there we can make a plan."
"I think you forgot something, Thomas," Bryan said with a strange tone.
"No, that's it. That's my dream," Thomas replied.
"No, not your dream. I mean the issue if we go north." Bryan's eyes narrowed.
"Oh…" Iris's voice trailed off as she realized what he meant. She went quiet.
"What is it?" Nevin asked, his curiosity flaring.
"Oh…" Thomas copied and gave a slow nod, but his expression betrayed him.
"Thomas, stop pretending. I can see on your face you don't know," Bryan said flatly.
"Anyway, let me explain," Bryan continued. He pointed outside. "We're in this safe zone, right?"
"Yes, yes, then?" Thomas replied, trying to follow.
"Look carefully. Do you see any path we can take, in any direction?"
Thomas and Nevin fell silent.
"We're surrounded by pink fog on all sides. If we head north, we won't have a choice. We'll have to pass through the fog."