Chapter 12 THE HUNTERS MARK

The silence that followed the Four-Eyed Alpha's declaration did not last long. The battlefield remained frozen for only a few seconds before the creature lowered its massive claw and turned away from Ethan as though it had already accomplished what it came to do. Across the ruined city, the infected began moving again. Some rushed toward retreating soldiers while others disappeared into the smoke-covered streets. Whatever strange phenomenon had occurred moments earlier seemed to have passed.

Ethan stood motionless on the hill while the golden veins beneath his skin gradually faded. His breathing remained uneven. The sensation that had surged through his body during the confrontation still lingered like a distant fire buried beneath his flesh. Around him, the survivors exchanged uneasy glances. Nobody said what they were thinking, yet Ethan could feel it. They had all witnessed the same thing. They had all heard the Four-Eyed Alpha call him the Last King.

The battlefield below descended into chaos once more. Gunfire echoed across the northern district. Explosions erupted among collapsed buildings. The military was retreating. Ethan could see armored vehicles abandoning defensive positions while helicopters disappeared beyond the skyline. Humanity had lost another battle. The realization settled heavily over the group as Marcus finally broke the silence and urged everyone to move. Remaining on the hill would only increase their chances of being discovered.

The Four-Eyed Alpha might have ignored them for now, but there was no guarantee it would continue doing so. Reluctantly, the group descended into the shattered streets and began moving west.

The journey was tense. Nobody spoke much. Even Tyler remained unusually quiet. Ashvale looked worse than ever. Fires burned unchecked throughout entire districts. Roads were blocked by overturned vehicles. The remains of military checkpoints littered intersections. Every few streets they encountered evidence of desperate last stands where soldiers and civilians had fought until their final moments. Ethan tried not to look too closely. The images reminded him of his family.

The memory of their final moments remained as sharp as ever. No amount of danger seemed capable of dulling that pain.As they crossed an abandoned shopping district, Victor suddenly raised a hand. The group stopped immediately. Years of military experience had sharpened his instincts and nobody questioned him anymore. He crouched beside a shattered storefront and studied the street ahead.

Ethan followed his gaze and noticed movement among the wreckage. At first it appeared to be infected creatures scavenging through debris. Then one of the figures stepped into clearer view. It was human.

The man carried an assault rifle, several others emerged moments later. Survivors, armed survivors. Victor's expression darkened.

"Not good," he muttered. Rachel narrowed her eyes.

"Bandits?"

Victor nodded.

The  collapse of society had created more than infected monsters. Human predators had begun emerging as well. Desperate people were willing to do terrible things to survive. Ethan watched the group ahead carefully. There were at least fifteen of them. Most carried military equipment. Their weapons appeared well maintained. More importantly, they looked organized.

The armed survivors hadn't noticed them yet.

Marcus quietly suggested turning back, but Victor shook his head. Another pack of infected was roaming the streets behind them. The safest route remained straight ahead. They would need to avoid detection and move quickly. For several minutes the group navigated side alleys and collapsed buildings while staying out of sight. Everything seemed to be working until Tyler accidentally kicked a loose metal pipe.

The sound echoed through the street, every armed survivor immediately turned for a moment nobody moved; then one of the strangers shouted.

"There!"

Gunfire erupted as the survivors scattered.

Bullets shattered windows and struck concrete walls. Ethan grabbed Tyler and pulled him behind an overturned delivery truck while Marcus returned fire. The bandits advanced aggressively. They were experienced enough to recognize weakness when they saw it. Their numbers gave them confidence. Unfortunately for them, they had no idea who they were attacking.

Victor fired with calm precision. Two attackers fell almost immediately. Rachel covered the opposite flank while Sophia kept Tyler hidden. Ethan remained behind cover until a bandit attempted to circle around their position. Instinct took over. He surged forward and slammed the attacker into a nearby wall before the man could react. The force of the impact surprised even Ethan. His strength had grown considerably over the past weeks.

The fight intensified, gunfire echoed through the ruined district. Bandits attempted to surround the group. Victor refused to allow it.

The former operative moved like a man half his age. Every shot counted. Every decision created another opportunity for escape. Yet despite their efforts, the numbers remained against them. More armed survivors appeared from nearby buildings. Someone had clearly established territory here.

Then a distant roar rolled across the city as everyone froze. The sound came from the eastern district. A second roar followed moments later.

This one was closer.

Fear immediately appeared on several bandits' faces.  One of them cursed, another lowered his weapon entirely. Ethan noticed the reaction.

They recognized the sound.

Whatever creature had made it was something even armed survivors feared.

The leader of the bandits shouted an order and his men began retreating. Their confidence vanished almost instantly. Within seconds they disappeared into nearby buildings. The sudden withdrawal confused Marcus until another roar shook the district. This time the ground itself trembled.

Victor's expression hardened.

"We move now."

Nobody argued; the  group hurried through the streets as quickly as possible. Smoke drifted across entire neighborhoods. Distant screams echoed from multiple directions. Ashvale felt less like a city and more like a dying battlefield. As they moved, Ethan noticed something unusual. The infected population seemed restless.

Packs that normally hunted independently were traveling in the same direction. Smaller creatures emerged from alleys only to rush eastward moments later. It was as though something was calling them.

Something powerful and dangerous.

Hours later the group reached an abandoned police station and decided to rest temporarily. The building offered decent protection and an elevated view of surrounding streets. Marcus barricaded the entrances while Sophia distributed what little food remained. Supplies were running low. Another problem they would need to solve soon.

Night fell quickly as the city became darker and more dangerous.

Ethan stood near a broken window overlooking Ashvale. Fires burned across the horizon. Somewhere in the distance another roar echoed through the darkness. This time it sounded different. Deeper. Older.

Behind him, Victor approached quietly.

"You're thinking about what happened."

It wasn't a question.

Ethan nodded.

Victor leaned against the wall.

"I don't know what the Four-Eyed Alpha meant."

Ethan remained silent.

"Nobody does."

The older man studied the city.

"But whatever it wants from you, it's willing to start a war to get it."

The words lingered long after Victor walked away.

Ethan stared into the darkness.

The Four-Eyed Alpha wanted him, the First One knew something about him. The infected reacted strangely around him, yet he still understood nothing. For the first time since the outbreak began, he wondered whether learning the truth would actually make things better.

Then movement caught his attention, across the street. On the rooftop of a distant building.

A figure stood watching the police station.

The distance made details impossible to see, yet Ethan knew one thing immediately.

It had been watching them for a long time.

The figure slowly raised one arm.

Then pointed directly at him a moment later it vanished into the darkness.

Ethan's pulse quickened.

Who was watching him from the shadows?