276 THE EVACUATION
The train station of Silver City had become a pressure chamber.
Sirens wailed overhead, their echoes ricocheting off concrete pillars as dust sifted down from the ceiling with every distant impact.
The air reeked of ozone, scorched metal, and raw fear.
Thousands of civilians were crammed shoulder to shoulder along the platform—families clutching hastily packed bags, children crying into their parents' coats, elders staring blankly at the darkened tracks as though they might still lead to salvation.
"This is the only way out," someone whispered desperately.
"If we don't leave now, the city will fall to the alien monsters," another voice cried.
"The power's gone. The shields are gone. Silver City is finished—we have to leave!" a third shouted.
Dorin stood near the edge of the platform, her eyes glowing faintly as she focused, her senses stretching outward into the rails and tunnels beyond.
"The trains are coming," she said, her voice tight. "But only to the perimeter. Once they cross into the city grid, everything dies—power, signals, even backup cores."
The Blackout of Silver city caused the trains to stop outside of the city. If they reach any closer, they will lose power.
Lander swore under his breath.
He watched a train screech to a halt far down the tracks, its lights flickering wildly before stabilizing. It had stopped too far away.
"So, we have to reach the trains," he said grimly. "On foot."
"Yes."
Before either of them could move, armored barricades slammed shut at the far end of the station.
Private security forces poured in—sleek armor, polished weapons, family crests stamped proudly on their shoulders—fanning out with rehearsed precision.
Behind them came the wealthy families of Silver City, emerging from guarded corridors with entourages in tow. They dragged luxury cases and sealed relic vaults across the platform, moving with cold urgency, as if the city above them wasn't already burning.
A security commander raised a gloved hand."Clear the platform. Priority evacuation is now in effect."
Confusion exploded into outrage.
"That's not priority," Lander snapped, stepping forward. "That's leaving the rest of us here to die."
The commander didn't spare him a glance."Step back, sir."
Lander didn't move.
"There are kids here," he said, his voice rising. "Innocent people. Your trains have room for all of us. Let us through."
One of the nobles curled his lip. "We are not leaving the city crammed together with these hobos."
"We paid for Silver City," another added coolly. "We built the rails. We leave first."
A third waved dismissively. "Wait here you scums. The trains can come back after we're gone."
But everyone knew the truth.
Once the wealthy were gone—once the power, influence, and profit left with them—there would be no reason for the trains to ever return to save the ordinary people.
"No—they won't come back for us!" someone screamed from the crowd.
"Charge the trains!" another voice roared.
Dorin seized Lander's arm. "Lander—"
It was too late.
He tore free, turning to the masses, his voice slicing through the noise like a blade.
"You hear that?" he shouted. "They're sealing our exits. They're abandoning us. If we wait for permission, we die here."
The station froze—just for a heartbeat.
Then fear collapsed into fury.
A mother screamed.An old man slammed his cane against the concrete.A bottle arced through the air and shattered against a glowing security shield.
"They're lying!" the commander barked. "Stand down!"
Lander climbed onto a cargo crate, looming over the crowd like a spark over dry fuel.
"The trains stop far from the city!" he roared. "If we don't move now, there won't be another chance. Miss this—and they will never come back for the rest of us!"
Security lines tightened. Weapons hummed as safeties disengaged.
Dorin felt it—this was the exact moment panic hardened into open revolt.
Lander raised his fist."We don't need their permission. If they won't save you—save yourselves!"
"Tunnel B!" Dorin shouted, her voice amplified as glowing markers ignited across the station. "Follow the lights—don't stop!"
The platform detonated into chaos.
Civilians surged forward in a tidal wave of desperation and rage.
Barricades buckled. Security shields flared, cracked, and failed under sheer weight and numbers. Lander leapt down into the crowd, dragging fallen people back to their feet, shouting directions as order dissolved completely.
The guards panicked.
Someone fired a shot.
But there was no fear left in the crowd—only hysteria.
The mob crashed into the security lines, overwhelming soldiers and VIP patrons alike. Armor meant nothing against thousands of bodies moving as one.
Even the guards couldn't hold them back as the people broke through, flooding toward the tracks, toward the trains, toward their only chance to live.
Behind them, the roar of invisible creatures of the night lurked. There was no return, only going forward.
-----
Thornrose moved swiftly beside the Priest, leading what remained of the Syndic of Fracture toward the outer edge of the city.
They were abandoning Silver City—but not through the train stations.
Too many civilians were flooding those routes now. In that chaos, there was no guarantee they would even reach a platform, let alone escape.
The Syndic had prepared for this long ago.
If the city fell, there was a contingency.
"Where are we going?" Thornrose asked as they slipped through a ruined corridor.
"A hidden base beyond the city," the Priest replied without slowing. "We have stashed vehicles. Helicopters. Enough to get us out of this damn place."
Thornrose hesitated. "And the Temple of Fracture? Are we really abandoning it?"
The Priest stopped and slammed his fists.
"What do you suggest?" he snapped. "We couldn't even defeat that boy and the girl. And they had Nullrose on their side."
A bitter silence followed.
"We should have let Nullrose leave when she asked for it," Thornrose said quietly. "If we had, we wouldn't have lost the battle in the temple."
"It's too late for regrets," the Priest said coldly. "Move."
The air suddenly shifted.
Pressure slammed down around them, sharp and suffocating, as something descended from above. The ground cracked under the impact.
"Well, well," a familiar voice said. "Geeky Priest… looks like it's also too late for you to escape."
Damen stood before them.
Earlier, he had driven the alien hordes out of the city, tearing through their ranks and throwing their army into disarray. It wouldn't stop the invasion—but it would buy the civilians time…. Time to flee.
Then he came back.
He had tagged the Priest earlierand marked him in his favorite list. His tracking had led him here at last.
Damen stepped forward, his presence alone crushing what little resolve remained.
The Priest stumbled back. "Help me!" he screamed to the Syndic members.
Thornrose froze, panic tightening his chest. "What can we even do?" he whispered. "We've lost all our powers…"
The Priest turned desperately to Damen. "You—how are you still using your powers? Didn't the Death Note take your meta powers? Your blood essence?"
Damen tilted his head."Do I really have to explain everything to you?"
After slaughtering thousands from the alien horde, his blood stats had replenished with every kill. Even now, though his reserves were slowly draining inside the city under the Blackout, he had more than enough blood left.
Enough to finish this.
Damen's hand closed around the Priest, lifting him effortlessly into the air. The Priest screamed as gravity released him.
In a blur of motion, Damen rose into the sky—dragging the Priest with him—and vanished, leaving the remaining Syndic members behind in stunned silence.
Thornrose exhaled slowly.
Then he straightened.
"Proceed with the evacuation," he ordered grimly. "We leave the city. Without our leader."
And the Syndic of Fracture fled Silver City—broken and leaderless.
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