In the eastern forest,
where trees cradle slivers of sunlight like untold secrets,
Darkness breathed quietly.
The wind carried the whispers of fallen leaves as if warning of an approaching danger.
"We're in the eastern forest," SHOUTNA stated.
"Deploy the reconnaissance drones!" ADEL ordered.
SIGMA and BETA merged with the dark.
A terrifying silence…
"I've found them!" ADEL told them.
"At coordinates 40.71° N, 74.60° W…"
"What are they doing?" SHOUTNA asked.
"They're…
just sitting on a rock in the middle!" ADEL stammered.
SHOUTNA closed his eyes for a moment
Then commanded the three
"Alright — everyone takes your positions".
"level up 35 of 50."
SHOUTNA climbed a tree like a concealed shadow,
and MIZIANI gripped his spear as if reciting a war verse.
"LAXIS, activate." SHOUTNA's whisper —
His last before catastrophe.
At that moment,
AYOUB, TAHARA, and ZARYOUH had surrounded the clearing with BOW and AXE,
waiting for SHOUTNA's signal to strike.
BUT Just as SHOUTNA was about to issue the order,
suddenly…
BOW turned toward SHOUTNA and smiled.
A smile of death
A figure appeared behind SHOUTNA…
and pressed a dagger against his neck.
"Drop your weapon
My dear old friend."
SHOUTNA's eyes widened.
"You…"
Back at the factory—
ADEL shouted through the monitors:
"It's a trap!"
But it was too late…
The area is filled with soldiers.
"Drop your weapons!"
A man stepped forward—
wearing a white suit,
and a Joker mask…
His weapon aimed directly at SHOUTNA.
The three froze for a brief moment.
"You…"
Behind the screen,
ADEL whispered with hesitation:
"What is the JOKER doing here…?"
ZARYOUH, AYOUB, and TAHARA exchanged glances.
They had made their decision…
to fight until the very end.
Their eyes said only one thing—
that death…
was nothing more than a guest
They awaited without fear.
The JOKER smiled.
"I wouldn't recommend that."
But—
SHOUTNA stopped them.
"Do what he says."
Behind him,
MIZYANI's gaze remained fixed on the JOKER.
One by one…
They dropped their weapons.
"You've caused the Organisation a lot of trouble."
The JOKER said with clear satisfaction.
"BOW, AXE… time to leave."
"How boring…" AXE muttered.
And suddenly—
black trucks surrounded the area…
and swallowed the Shadows,
one by one.
*****************
Back at the factory, the others watched the catastrophe on their screens.
"We have to go now!" MESNAS shouted.
"Even if we go, we won't arrive in time!" ZAKI replied in despair.
"Track them!" MESNAS turned to ADEL.
"Their trucks use jamming devices…
I couldn't trace them!" ADEL answered, shaking in shock.
"MOHITO! … we must contact MOHITO!" ADEL tried desperately.
But the radio gave no reply… silence was the only answer.
"What's happening?" MESNAS demanded.
"The Hounds' and the team radios aren't working," ADEL said, stunned.
"This can't be,"
ZAKI said,
The features of despair are beginning to show on his face.
"Has the Organisation captured them?" ZAKI stammered.
"Are we… the only survivors?" The question hung in the air.
Suddenly — the factory door burst open!
Two figures stood in the entrance…
"You two…!" ADEL cried, astonished.
*******
An Hour Before the Catastrophe — in TZARIA
SOLIMON checked his phone in silence,
while OBASO watched MOHITO and BELL exchanging words by a blazing fire.
"I've always wondered… how did you all meet?"
OBASO directed the question to SOLIMON.
"I'm the last to have joined the team,
and everyone avoids talking about the past…
as if a ghost haunts them.
And because I'm grateful —
for being given a warm place after the cold cells of the Organisation —
I never pushed.
But now…
I really want to know.
What happened in the mission to rescue me?
What is the event you fear remembering?
Especially MOHITO…
whose expression changes whenever you point to that day."
SOLIMON was silent for a moment,
then looked with eyes carrying the pain of memory.
"You're right…
You deserve to know the truth."
he took a deep breath
"Everything began with—"
A ringing phone cut through the conversation.
BELL answered:
"What's up, CLAY?"
"It's a trap!
Leave the place now!
The Organisation is storming us!"
CLAY's voice screamed through the line.
BELL stood suddenly.
His face drained of colour.
"What do you mean?"
"Run now …!" The line broke with gunshots.
"What happened?" SOLIMON and OBASO rushed forward.
"We must leave immediately," BELL screamed.
As everyone tried to comprehend the call,
the sound of a helicopter approached the building.
MOHITO stepped out to see the sky fill with guided rockets aimed at them.
"Get down!" MOHITO shouted.
But it was too late…
The factory became a ball of fire…
And the helicopter vanished into the horizon,
leaving behind utter destruction and unanswered questions.