Outside in the borders of the city, the wind picked up in their speed, that made Eve groan with each step she took. Her hands held the tablet tight under her coat. She lifted her goggles to shield her eyes from the snow and ashes, due to the smoke from the biggest factory in the city.
Her lungs protested a little, but she stood straight, walking ahead. Minutes later she thought if she took her friend's help as usual. Then, in her field of vision, she notices something faint, fading in black was heading in her direction. Her fingers lifted the goggles to clean them.
The big figure came closer till she chuckled to herself, seeing it was just their city armor trunk with people wearing all-black battle suits made of different materials. One of the men lowered his goggles as he waved and laughed at her.
Eve knew him; he was one of their family friends, blond-haired with handsome features and eyes as green as a forest. If anyone came close to him, they would notice the small purple hue in his iris was changing between green and purple.
Eve always described it as the most beautiful eyes she ever saw.
"EVERLY!!"
The man shouted and waved his hand high with a stupid smile on his face, which made her cheeks hot. Clearing her throat, she sees the truck stop in the middle of the snow then he jumped from its roof to land in front of her.
"Hey, Zack, how are the borders going?"
"The usual—some monsters roaming around in fragments land up ahead... As long as they're scared to come here, it's all good. "
Zack added with confidence that made Eve smile a little.
"By the way, what are you doing?"
Zack asked, his eyes roaming over her figure and layering of coats on her.
"Oh, I… I want to go and check with the robots logistic for doctor gem "
"Alone? Don't Layla normally go with you?"
Zack asked, concerned
"She is... busy. "
Eve answered, looking at the giant mechanical plasma gun with interest, on the roof. While the driver was smoking in boredom, he gave her half a smile.
"Too risky… You know their alert warning to change the 'isle stone 'will start in an hour from now? What's more, why on earth did Gem let you go?!"
Eve was fully aware of this since her parents called her early this morning to tell her to stay inside the dorm when the alert happened, but… so she only shrugs, making Zack rub his temples to calm his upcoming headaches.
"Seriously?! Everly, this is no joke. That's why alerts exist. You never know if a gate will open all the sudden when the devices protecting us all disconnected "
It was known that in each of the remnant cities of humanity there was a device that had something that prevented gates from opening inside the cities, and it needed to be protected, or the city would fall.
"If you stop talking, maybe I'll be done already. Besides, the founder of the city will ask about those dates later when the device will get connected again."
Zack's sighed. then said
"Alright, then I will go with you. "
Eve's eyes widened at his words, but he turned around, then moved toward his friends, then explained to them to go back without him.
To her, it was annoying how everyone treated her like a child. She was kinless but not hopeless. What's more, so far along the years, they changed the device's fuel every ten years, and nothing happened after.
Zach waved to his friends as they drove toward the city center, then said "Alright, let go, shorty. "Eve growled at him when his hand rubbed her head on top of the coat.
"Short and stubborn…just like Lewis, "Zack said with a hint of reminiscence in his tone. She only pulled his hand away. Remember the memories of her older brother Lewis that haunted her. She had a small hope he was alive somewhere in the fragment lands, but the fate of those who went missing in that place only crushed her hopes.
They kept walking ahead as Zack helped her every now and then when her foot got stuck in the snow. Minutes later they reach the city's first line of defense, with a big, pitch-black robot made of some sort of enchantment metal. It looks strong and has a smooth surface. As soon as they move closer, the robot head turns towards them, its red eyes glowing red, making Eve and Zack lift their hands as it scanned them.
".... Identity search …. search loading ... Search complete: Everly Adrion: gem assistance (bloodline: kinless), Zack Gillion: Soldier (bloodline: shifter) "
She Shaked her head at word 'assistance' then heard Zack saying to the robot.
"Only a soldier!?, I prefer the term 'support 'utility m....".
"It knows, but as you know Dr.Gem likes to mess around "
Zack only hummed an agreement. Feeling bored, he watched Eve climb on the robot hand and opened its helmet, doing something inside.
"Be quick… we already close for the alert announcement "
"I am!!" Eve argues back while pulling the tablet from her jacket, then connected to the robot. Zack got more impatient with time , after he heard the ding from where Eve is. He sighed in relief to see her come down. But their relief didn't last, when they hear the loud sound of the city speakers activated for the announcement.
"All the citizens of Winter Ray City !!, please stay closer to the soldiers of our city. I repeat, all the…"
Zack casted a curse glare at Eve, before she added anything, he gripped her by her coat and ran toward where they came from. Eve struggled in his tight grip, almost falling from the snow under her boots.
"W... wait!!"
"No!! We are going this instant!!" Zack said in a sharp tone, cut her words off, but then his footsteps pause. Eve bumped into his back confused. She saw his eyes widen in horror. Suddenly he lifted her onto his shoulder and ran fast, that when the veins under his skin glow like tree branches in a faint purple color.
Eve was flabbergasted by his actions. And why he used his kin. Just when she's about to scold him, her gaze lifted up and heard the robot moving its head to the defense line of the city. followed by her tablet in her hand beeped with warning signs on its screen.
"Warning!!…warning!!…A gate presence was scanned ".
"G… gate!!!?" Eve yelled in pure shock. Before the space around the robot starts to crack, split the reality that Eve has ever known.