Chapter 7 THE GOLDEN LIGHT
The crack spreading across the floor widened with a deafening roar. Concrete shattered and steel supports twisted like fragile branches. Survivors stumbled backward as chunks of debris crashed into the chamber. The golden light pouring from beneath the shelter grew brighter with every passing second until it illuminated every corner of the underground station. Ethan shielded his eyes and struggled to remain standing as violent tremors continued shaking the structure.
The Alpha did not move.
The massive beast stood motionless near the center of the chamber while its glowing eyes remained fixed on the widening chasm. For the first time since Ethan had encountered the creature, it looked uncertain.
That terrified him more than anything else; the Alpha had torn through walls it had commanded entire packs of infected wolves, it had spoken with absolute confidence.
Now it looked afraid; something strange shifted beneath the city and the movement sent another wave of tremors through the shelter.
People screamed and rushed toward the tunnel exit. Rachel grabbed Tyler and pulled him away from the expanding crack while Marcus helped Sophia avoid falling debris.
The floor suddenly exploded upward as massive stone slab shot into the air before crashing against the ceiling, dust filled the chamber
The world became noise and chaos; then everything stopped as silence settled over the shelter, nobody dared speak and lowly the dust began to clear.
Ethan looked toward the crack his stomach tightened because something was there at first he thought it was a statue; the shape stood partially inside the glowing chasm, completely motionless.
Its body appeared humanoid, its height exceeded three meters, golden veins covered skin that looked more like polished stone than flesh, long black hair hung around its shoulders. Its head remained lowered, its eyes remained closed; the entire shelter stared in disbelief.
The figure looked old as though it belonged to another age entirely, nobody knew what they were seeing; then the Alpha slowly lowered its head.
This gesture stunned everyone; how can the king of the infected be bowing.
Ethan could hardly believe it, the wolves obeyed the Alpha, the infected feared the Alpha yet the Alpha was bowing to this thing.
The implications were horrifying as deep vibration suddenly echoed through the chamber.
The figure made a tiny movement sent a wave of pressure through the shelter, several survivors collapsed immediately; others gasped for breath. Ethan felt as though an invisible weight had settled across his shoulders.
The figure slowly raised its head.
Its eyes opened and every light source in the shelter instantly shattered, the lanterns exploded; the remaining electronics died, leaving only the glow from the figure
Its gaze swept across the chamber; the moment those eyes landed on Ethan, the pressure intensified as pain shot through his body, his veins began glowing once more
Ethan fell to one knee as heat surged beneath his skin the sensation felt stronger than ever before, his blood seemed alive.
The figure continued staring at him and the Alpha remained bowed; nobody understood what was happening, then a voice echoed inside Ethan's head.
You survived! Ethan's eyes widened, the figure had not opened its mouth yet he heard the words clearly.
What are you? Ethan whispered, the voice returned.
I am The first!!
confusion filled Ethan because the answer made no sense
"The first what?"
Silence followed, then another wave of images slammed into his mind. Ethan cried out, he saw cities, ancient cities; massive structures unlike anything humanity had ever built. He saw creatures roaming across endless landscapes, he saw war, destruction and extinction.
The visions continued.
Blackthorn Research Facility;The images flashed rapidly as researchers examining glowing samples, machines extracting golden liquid, test subjects screaming, the virus, the pandemic; everything has a connection.
The visions ended as abruptly as they had begun.
Ethan nearly collapsed, his breathing came in ragged gasps; the figure finally spoke aloud. Its voice echoed through the shelter.
"The children of man never learn."
Fear spread among the survivors, even the sound of its voice felt wrong but Victor stepped forward despite the danger.
What are you? the figure turned toward him, tor a moment Ethan thought Victor might die. Instead the being simply observed him, then it answered.
“I existed before your species learned fire”
Nobody knew how to respond because the statement sounded impossible yet looking at the creature, Ethan found himself believing it; the figure slowly stepped out of the chasm, the ground cracked beneath its feet.
The being examined its surroundings, its expression remained unreadable; then its gaze settled upon the Alpha, the giant beast immediately lowered its head further.
A servant before a king, a king before a god, the hierarchy became clear instantly.The figure raised one hand and the Alpha trembled.
"Your evolution proceeds too quickly," the being said but the Alpha remained silent.
"You have disrupted the cycle." the words confused Ethan.
What cycle? the being lowered its hand then the Alpha slowly stood upright once more, no punishment followed yet the exchange revealed something important, even the Alpha answered to this creature.
A distant howl suddenly echoed through the city above, the figure tilted its head slightly listening as the howls multiplied; thousands of infected creatures were gathering across Ashvale.
Ethan could feel it, the being looked upward.
"They have awakened." the statement chilled him, the Alpha wasn't the only threat, the wolves weren't the only threat; there were more. The figure turned toward the survivors its glowing eyes examined each of them; many looked away immediately, others began crying while few dropped to their knees.
The being showed no emotion as though humans meant nothing to it. Suddenly a tremendous explosion shook the shelter.
The ceiling cracked as t second explosion followed. Marcus looked toward the tunnel entrance.
"The military."
Everyone turned a the explosions continued.
The military had arrived.
Gunfire erupted somewhere above, heavy weapons, missiles, machine guns. The sounds echoed through the underground station, the military was attacking something or everything.
The figure closed its eyes briefly before speaking;
"They never stop fighting."
Another explosion shook the shelter and the Alpha growled, the being opened its eyes.
"Go."
The command echoed through the chamber and the Alpha immediately obeyed. Without hesitation the giant beast sprinted toward the tunnel exit and disappeared into the darkness, nobody attempted to stop it.
The infected king had been unleashed; deafening roar erupted from outside moments later then came scream that signifies that the battle had begone; the being turned back toward Ethan as every survivor watched nervously, he approached him slowly.
One step, then another; the pressure inside the shelter intensified. Ethan forced himself to remain standing, the being stopped directly before him. Its glowing eyes examined him carefully, then it spoke words that made his blood run cold.
"You are not immune."
Ethan froze,everything he believed shattered instantly as the being continued.
"You are transforming."
Silence consumed the chamber, the survivors stared in disbelief.
Ethan's heart pounded.
"No."
The denial escaped automatically, the being showed no reaction.
"The process has already begun."
Ethan looked down at his hands, golden veins flickered beneath his skin and for the first time he noticed they weren't fading rather they were growing.
The ancient being stepped back, its expression remained calm, then it delivered one final warning.
When the transformation completes, humanity will either gain its greatest protector or its final king."
And somewhere above the city, the Alpha unleashed a roar so powerful that every infected creature in Ashvale answered at once.
