CHAPTER 13: THE AUTONOMOUS ZONE OF ETHAR

  Southern Palusian, the port city of Ethar. 8:00 AM.

  I bolted upright as the nightmare peaked. Darkness lingered behind my eyelids, but Kael was still there, staring at me with lifeless, electric-blue eyes. His blackened claws dug into my shoulders as he lunged for my throat.

  I was drenched in sweat, a rhythmic chill racing down my spine. The terror of the dream wasn't just the threat of being killed or eaten—it was the truth I spent every waking moment trying to outrun. I hoped to find Kael, but if I met him as one of the monsters I loathed, would I feel love… or hatred?

  And what would I do then? That was the question I feared most.

  I forced my eyes shut, breathing until the tremors subsided. After dressing, I stepped out to catch a breath of fresh air, flavored with the salt of the distant sea. Deep inland, the Palusian climate turned sweltering again, shedding the freezing grip of the coast. No wonder so many people believed this continent was nothing but a wasteland of ice.

  "Miss Annie!" Lily cried out in delight. She threw herself into my arms, hugging me tight. "I'm so glad you're okay..."

  I smiled and hugged her back. Since last night’s chaos, this was the first time I’d seen her awake. I kissed her auburn hair and noticed Brian leaning against the doorway, watching us with a quiet smile. If not for him, I would have died.

  The memory returned in fragments: To buy the others time, I had charged the beast with nothing but a rusted iron rod. Its foul breath was inches from my face before the roar of engines cut through the night. Brian and a convoy of motorcycles had burst through the darkness, gunfire forcing the creature to retreat into the shadows. That was how I survived.

  Brian told me they were the defense force for Ethar’s largest settlement, led by a man named Hiroth. He added that Hiroth wasn't the sort of leader who risked his people lightly; Brian had been forced to lie, claiming I was the second immune survivor like Lily. I hated the deception, but do "right" and "wrong" even matter when the line between life and death has already blurred?

  To silence the argument forming inside me, I asked Lily about her time here. I was relieved to find they had treated her with kindness. They valued her gift; they had no intention of turning her into a specimen to dissect.

  "You should get ready," Brian said. "We’re meeting Lord Hiroth."

  Dust rose behind us as the military vehicle rolled toward the central district. In the harsh daylight, I could finally see where I had been brought: barley fields, makeshift wooden houses, and smoke rising from cooking fires.

  Along the road, faces gathered. Eager. Curious. Desperate.

  The news had spread quickly. Even laborers in the fields dropped their tools to catch a glimpse of us—the supposed hope for a cure in a world that no longer believed in one. As we moved deeper, the crowd became a sea of people. Thousands poured from clustered homes, surrounding the vehicle. Lily stiffened beside me, the fear of cruel crowds still clinging to her. I pulled her close, stroking her hair to steady her.

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  It took nearly thirty minutes for the guards to clear a path. I never imagined seeing so many living souls in one place again. Suddenly, I thought of Kael. If we had reached this place sooner… perhaps—

  I had asked myself that question more times than I could count. It never brought comfort. I loved him beyond reason, and every memory of him returned with painful clarity. The moments when we were most alone—most hunted—were the moments I felt most alive.

  Happiness within fear. Happiness within hardship. Happiness because he was there.

  "We’re here," Brian said as the car stopped before a grand, ancient castle.

  Isolated by a wide moat and towering stone walls, the only entrance was a wooden drawbridge. It lowered only after the guards confirmed our identity.

  "Lord Hiroth is waiting in the library," a guard announced.

  The interior was breathtaking—golden light spilling across polished floors, red carpets stretching beneath vaulted ceilings.

  "Lord Hiroth owned this castle before the Day of the Dead," our escort explained. "When the outbreak began, he poured his entire fortune into building this sanctuary."

  He detailed the defenses—concrete walls, steel fencing, and sniper teams. I had to admit, it was impressive. Now I understood why the people held him in such reverence.

  A massive oak door creaked open. Sunlight filtered through tall windows, illuminating rows of bookshelves that seemed to stretch endlessly. Near the far end, a man in his sixties sat quietly reading a red book with gold-stitched lettering.

  "Lord Hiroth," Brian greeted.

  Lily and I bowed our heads. Lord Hiroth marked his page, closed the book carefully, and approached us with measured steps. He didn't raise his voice, yet the room seemed to bend around him.

  "So," he began once we were seated, "you are immune to bites from the undead?"

  Brian moved to nod, but I stopped him. There was something in Hiroth’s gaze—sharp, perceptive. As if he could strip truth from silence.

  "I am not immune," I said quietly. "Only Lily is. I apologize for the deception. If your people suffered losses rescuing me, I will bear the responsibility."

  Hiroth studied me for a long moment. Then, he smiled.

  "Good. I prefer honesty. Only honest people can work for me."

  "Work... for you?" I echoed.

  "It is the price for your rescue," he replied. "I’m told you led a group to safety. That you remained composed when others would have panicked. Most would have lost control. You did not. And that is what I need for the captain of my rescue team."

  "The captain?"

  "I intend to establish a rescue unit. A team tasked with locating and retrieving survivors beyond our borders. I want you to lead it."

  I hesitated, but faced with his steady, earnest gaze, I could only answer, "...I accept."

  "Excellent. You may select your own team later."

  He turned to Lily with a warm look. "And you, child. Will you help Doctor Brian find a cure?"

  "Yes, sir," Lily answered without hesitation.

  We spoke for some time after that. It was clear that whenever Hiroth voiced an opinion, it carried an invisible weight. There was a quiet magnetism about him that left little room for resistance.

  By the time we left the castle, the sun stood high. Our guide led us to a house where a large crowd had already gathered.

  "Captain!" they shouted in unison as I entered.

  I froze. They swarmed me instantly, voices a desperate chorus of pleas.

  "Please, Captain Annie. My daughter is still at the central post office—" "My grandson is at—" "Please save them—"

  The news of my appointment had spread faster than I was ready for. I looked to Brian for help, but he only gave a helpless shrug. I pushed through the crowd and raised my hands, asking for silence.

  "Alright, everyone! I promise I will do my best to help you find your loved ones. But I need capable volunteers for the rescue unit. We prepare to head out tomorrow."

  As expected, a sea of hands shot up, eyes filled with a fragile, burning hope.

  This was a new beginning. And I did not yet know whether it would save us—or cost us everything.