Night fell quickly.
Darkness covered everything, and the air felt colder. The kind of night where danger didn't hide… it hunted.
Nami looked around, uneasy.
Nami: "They'll come out now…"
Stefan stayed calm, but alert.
Andrew stepped forward.
Andrew: "We don't stay here."
They looked at him.
He pointed to his bird.
Andrew: "We fly."
Nami nodded immediately.
Nami: "Better than waiting."
Stefan agreed.
They climbed onto the bird, and within seconds it took off. The ground disappeared beneath them as they moved into the dark sky.
For a while, nothing happened.
No mutants.
No sounds.
Only wind.
Nami relaxed slightly.
Nami: "Maybe they can't reach us…"
Andrew: "Don't assume."
Below them, movement appeared.
Long shapes twisted across the ground.
Serpent beasts.
More than one.
Stefan watched carefully.
Stefan: "Good we didn't stay."
After some time, the bird slowed.
Its wings became heavier.
Andrew frowned.
Andrew: "It needs rest."
Stefan didn't like it.
Stefan: "Make it quick."
They landed.
The moment the bird touched the ground—
The earth cracked.
Mutants burst out.
Six of them.
Two big.
Slow.
But powerful.
Four thin and fast.
Barely visible in the dark.
Nami raised her rod, flames igniting instantly.
One rushed her.
She swung.
Fire exploded forward, forcing it back.
Stefan fired.
BANG
The shot grazed one, but it twisted unnaturally and kept moving.
Too fast.
One of the big ones charged.
Heavy steps shaking the ground.
Andrew moved forward.
Sword glowing faintly.
He slashed across its leg.
The blade cut deep, but the creature didn't stop.
It swung back.
Andrew barely blocked.
The impact pushed him back hard.
Meanwhile, two fast ones circled Stefan.
He activated his skill.
Shadow covered him.
He disappeared.
The mutants paused for a second.
That was enough.
Stefan appeared behind one and struck with his rod, flames bursting on impact.
It screamed and fell.
First kill.
But the others adapted quickly.
One leaped toward Nami again.
She stepped forward instead of back.
Flames surged stronger.
She struck directly at its neck.
Fire wrapped around it, burning deep.
It dropped.
Second kill.
But now the pressure increased.
The remaining four attacked together.
Andrew shouted.
Andrew: "Get back!"
His bird stepped forward, claws tearing into one of the fast mutants, throwing it aside.
Rex charged next.
Flames exploded from his body as he bit into another, forcing it away.
Stefan regrouped with Nami.
Stefan: "We can't stay!"
Nami: "Agreed!"
They moved together, covering each other.
The bird crouched.
Ready.
Andrew jumped on first.
Andrew: "NOW!"
Stefan and Nami followed instantly.
Rex leaped last.
The bird forced itself up, wings beating hard.
One mutant grabbed its leg—
Stefan struck it with full force.
Flames burst.
It fell.
The bird lifted.
They escaped.
In the air, breathing was heavy.
Nami looked down.
Nami: "They came from underground…"
Andrew nodded.
Andrew: "They sense through the ground."
Stefan understood.
Stefan: "So in air… we're safe."
For now.
Then—
Something moved in the sky.
Fast.
Too fast.
A shadow.
Before anyone could react—
A massive bat-like beast appeared.
Silent.
Invisible in the dark.
It struck instantly.
Its jaws locked onto the bird's head.
Blood sprayed.
The bird screamed.
Then the creature vanished into the darkness.
Gone.
Just like that.
The bird lost control.
Andrew: "Hold on!"
They fell.
Hard.
---
They crashed into the ground.
Pain shot through their bodies.
Before they could recover—
The ground moved again.
Mutants.
Six of them.
Different this time.
Two large ones.
Even bigger.
Slower.
But terrifying.
Four fast ones.
Faster than before.
More aggressive.
Stefan stood up first.
Stefan: "Fight!"
One rushed him.
He activated shadow sneak.
Vanished.
Reappeared behind it.
Struck its spine.
It collapsed partially—but didn't die.
Nami fought two at once.
Her flames burned brighter.
She moved faster now.
More confident.
She struck one across the face, then spun and blocked another attack.
Rex charged a large mutant.
Flames exploded around him.
He bit into its arm, holding it in place.
Andrew jumped high and came down with full force.
His sword cut deep into the creature's neck.
It roared violently.
The fast ones attacked together.
One cut across Stefan's side.
He stepped back, then fired.
BANG
This time—
Direct hit.
One fast mutant dropped.
Another jumped Nami.
She blocked—but barely.
It pushed her back.
Then—
Rex came from the side and slammed into it, throwing it away.
Stefan moved in instantly and finished it.
Second kill.
Now four left.
But they were getting tired.
The large mutants advanced slowly.
Unstoppable.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Stefan looked around quickly.
Stefan: "We don't win this!"
Andrew agreed.
Andrew: "We escape!"
Nami nodded.
Rex stepped forward.
Growling.
He charged the remaining mutants alone.
Flames burst violently, forcing them back.
Holding them.
Just enough.
Stefan: "MOVE!"
They ran.
Fast.
Without looking back.
Behind them, Rex kept attacking, slowing the mutants.
Then he ran back and joined them.
They kept moving.
No stopping.
No slowing.
Then—
Light appeared.
Sunrise.
The first rays hit the ground.
The mutants froze.
Then—
They screamed.
Their bodies started burning.
Without hesitation, they retreated.
Digging into the ground.
Disappearing into tunnels.
Silence returned.
Heavy breathing filled the air.
They stopped.
Alive.
Barely.
Stefan looked ahead.
Stefan: "…This is just the beginning."
Nami didn't argue.
Andrew stayed silent.
Because all of them knew—
The mainland would be worse.