《The Black Tide》 Prologue - Diary Entry ¨C 003 | Year 151 | Month 5, Day 3| Post-Fall Stage: Resonance! I felt it. Just for a moment, I felt it. It was cold, bright, and sharp. Instructor Leven tells me that I''ve been ''chosen''. He tells me that I''m lucky and should be honored. The World Authority funded this Aether Zone. They monitor us through these beacons. I''ve never seen one though. Their hidden, somewhere. Still, it''s much better than living in the Wastelands. Entry ¨C 024 | Year 152 | Month 3, Day 21 | Post-Fall Stage: Resonance (Upper Threshold) The World Authority sent down a message today. They said that two cities in the east had been recaptured. Can''t believe people believed them. Some of the initiates cheered, as if they would be posted in the Safe Havens. They weren''t born in the dirt like the rest of us. I know better. Growing stronger doesn''t get you inside. It gets you used. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Still, I have to get stronger. Entry ¨C 041 | Year 153 | Month 8, Day 13 | Post-Fall Stage: Forging ¨C Core Formation. They sent over an Authority Official over to observe the Core Trials today. No name. Just a coat with the Authority''s insignia. His eyes were like drones¡ªflat and scanning. He only spoke when a kid failed the Compression. He was down, screaming and begging. He burnt out, then collapsed, still breathing¡ªbut barely. "Insufficient stability, reassign the resource." He said. Guess we were just resources. Not soldiers. Not humans. But I already knew that. I''ll keep walking this path. Not because I trust them, but because I want to grow strong enough the protect the ones that I love. Entry ¨C 078 | Year 154 | Month 10, Day 3 | Post-Fall Stage: Forging ¨C Substage 2 (Core Stabilization) We got new robes today. Authority issued. White trim, with a mark of progress sewn into the collar. I couldn''t help but feel proud, just for a moment. They say that with more power, comes more responsibility. That sounds noble, until you realize you''re really nothing but a name on a piece of paper. Aether''s just another currency, and some of us will be too poor to keep it. Entry ¨C 105 | Year 155 | Month 12, Day 3 | Post-Fall Status: Preparing for Ascension Trial. They say that Ascension tests not only your power, but also your loyalty. I''m not sure whether it''s loyalty to the Authority or to something else. One of my instructors, Instruction Rhys, pulled me aside today. He asked if I "Had any connections," since my "progress was too stable." I didn''t. My family was killed in one of the breaches. I was raised by a scavenger outpost until the World Authority drafted me here. He looked disappointed. My trial is tomorrow. They say that if you''re pure, you''ll pass. Otherwise, you''d be unraveled from the inside out. I''m scared, but hopeful. Journal end. Chapter 1 - The Ridge Ash drifted down like snow, softly settling upon the rusted metal and rebar. Alexander''s boots crunched against the dust-covered ground as he approached the pre-Collapse factory, it''s infrastructure barely holding on. Overhead, steel beams groaned against the wind. He adjusted the strap on his scavenger''s bag and kept his pace. In his hand was a Geiger counter, flickering green¡ªit was still safe, barely. Alexander was young, about 15 years of age. He didn''t look like it though. His body was lean from hunger, littered with dirt and grime. His eyes were sharp, the eyes of someone who had discarded his naivet¨¦. He reached his hands into a half-buried panel in the concrete, prying it open with a makeshift crowbar. Inside was a bunch of scrapped data chips, a few old cables and processing units. It wasn''t much, but he''d still get a sizeable sum if Reeva didn''t lowball him¡ªagain. He took what he could and began heading back. ¡­.. Greyreach couldn''t be found on any map. It was simply a small hub established and run by scavengers. Alexander approached the gates, his head down, careful not to stare at anybody else. The half-broken good for nothing turret guarded the main entrance, only there to intimidate people from other hubs. He could feel stares tracking him as he walked by¡ªsome were of recognition, while some were of hostility. At the edge of the hub was Reeva, a middle-aged woman with streaks of white in her hair. She was leaning on the counter of a small hut. Black market goods and other scraps were scattered on a table within the hut. Alexander set his scavenger''s bag on the counter and opened it. Reeva scanned the items in the bag, taking them out one by one. "This is it?" she asked. "Scavenge them yourself if you want anymore." Alexander said, his voice mildly annoyed. "I''ll give you twenty creds for these." "Forty" Reeva snorted, "Fine, thirty creds, take it or leave it." "Deal." He snatched the credit chip off the counter and left before Reeva could change her mind about the deal. .... The hub wasn''t active like it was supposed to. Kids weren''t playing in the mud alleyways, and many of the vendors had either closed shop or left. Hushed whispers of a conversation entered Alexander''s ears as he listened in, "¡­ Dead zone''s moving up again. " "Cleared zone, my ass. It hasn''t even been a few months since the third breach." "Heard another scout team went dark." Alexander had heard enough. He resumed his journey back to his home¡ªif you could even call it that. .... His tiny shack sat on the eastern edges of Greyreach. It was small and quiet, just enough to stay out of sight. He closed the door behind him and took off his jacket. His shirt clung to him, damp from his sweat. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his face tense. He placed two fingers on his inner forearm, where an improvised seal of monster''s blood was drawn. He took in a deep breath. Circulate the Aether, reverse the flow of Corruption. Do not let them touch, only circling. Inside, energy stirred. He slowly threaded the Corruption around his body, careful not to touch his Aether Core. If they touched¡­ His hand trembled. His jaws clenched; teeth grit. Five seconds¡­ Ten seconds... Fifteen. Equilibrium. The pressure that had been built up released. Alexander crumpled down to the floor, breathing a very much needed sigh of relief. He was still here. Still in one piece. ... Later that evening, an unwelcome guest appeared. It was Tera. She had known Alexander ever since they were just little children. Their parents had known each other quite well and often helped each other. But Alexander had changed ever since the first breach. He''d grown colder, more distant. His shack, which barely accommodated him and his parents, had only one resident now. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. She stepped in before Alexander could say anything about it. She had black hair, though it looked grayer because of the dust. She wore a jacket that was clearly too beaten up for its own good, but she didn''t mind. Her eyes didn''t miss much as she glanced around. "You hear about the border?" "Yeah," he said. "I''m going tomorrow. Scouting. We need someone who knows the terrain well." "Not my problem." "But you''ve been near the ridge more than anybody else here." "I''ve also stayed alive only because I''ve gone by myself. That''s not a coincidence." She sighed, "You should leave this place, before it gets breached." Her mouth opened again, clearly wanting to say something, but she stopped herself. She turned around and left, leaving the door open behind her. Alexander stared at the fading back of Tera, "Damn it." ... The morning was cold. The clouds overshadowed the sun, bringing the temperature down to shivering degrees. Three scouts¡ªincluding Tera¡ªhad assembled near the front gates of Greyreach. They had been studying the terrain of the border between the dead zone and the cleared zone for almost an hour, planning their path. Tera tapped the map with her gloved finger, "So, we''ll follow the dried riverbed through sector 7-B, it should be able to cut travel time by a third." The older scout, Bren, shook his head, "It''s too dangerous. Whole place stinks of Corruption. We''ll go wide, skirt the east ridge." Tera stood her ground, "We can''t. If the dead zone is heating up, then we''d need to save as much time as possible. There''s no telling when it''ll roll us over." "Fine. Once we get to the Plateau Overlook, we''ll search for the last scout team. Be careful not to stumble into the Deadzone." Tera nodded, "We''ll leave in half an hour, get your gear prepped in the meantime." The third scout, a younger boy named Kale shifted his weight to his other leg, "Shouldn''t there be four of us?" Tera gazed past him, "He''ll show. Don''t worry." Kale, following her gaze¡ªflinched. Alexander was walking towards them, quiet as ever. He carried with him his scavenger''s bag, now equipped with gear. The silence weighed heavy until Alexander stopped beside the map and pointed at it, "We''ll cut through the sector." Bren grunted, "Guess we''re all in agreement." Alexander didn''t respond, his gaze already set on the horizon. ... The group made their way across the piles of rubble and scraps. They followed the riverbed through the shortcut and soon arrived at a small cliffside. Beyond it was a wasteland worse than the junkyard they had been living in. The earth fractured. Jutting peaks rose up unevenly, with fragments of metal sticking out from the dirt. There were no signs of any plant life, only collapsed structures that had once been a part of a military facility. The air was thin, and the lighting was especially dark. Tera spoke up, "Anything?" "Movement," Alexander said, "Just by the northern side of the facility." Besides them, Bren tightened the straps of his bag, "They weren''t kidding, it feels like the Deadzone is creeping back to this place." Tera hissed, "Focus." He wasn''t wrong though. Alexander furrowed his brows, "It shouldn''t be this quiet." He approached some pipes that stuck out the cliffside and crouched down. On it was thick and sticky black substance. He dragged his gloved fingers across the blood, examining the substance on his fingers. He frowned. He knew what it was. He stood back up, "Monster''s blood. Pretty recent, too." Tera''s voice dropped an octave lower, "Then whatever breached the Ridge must be close. We must get to the Plateau Overlook, quick." ... By midday, they had arrived at the Plateau Overlook. It was a flat stretch of land that also served as an outlook into the Deadzone. Bent rebar could be seen peeking out of the ground, possibly part of the camp the previous scout team set up. Scattered gear and blood dotted the ground. There were no bodies. On the ground were tracks, mostly human ones¡ªmostly. Claw marks were carved into the earth. And at the edge of the cliff was an imprint. It looked as if a chunk the cliff had been bitten off. The chunk must''ve been roughly twelve to fourteen in diameter. Tera knelt beside the imprint, her eyes narrowing, "What the hell leaves an imprint like that?" "D-does that matter? We''ve already seen enough. We should just log it and go." Kale said, his voice shaking. Alexander slowly walked over to the edge of the cliff. If one looked over the horizon, they would be able to see Corruption spread everywhere. The Corruption slowly grew more concentrated the further one looked. Black veins branched across the earth, slowly pulsating as if alive. The Corruption had spread closer. Before, they would only see the Corruption if they carefully examined the ground that was a few hundred meters away. Now, it seemed as if it were about to make its way up the cliff edge. And then he froze. He chest tightened, the equilibrium between the Aether and Corruption shook. "We''re being watched. It''s strong." That''s when the roar ripped through the air. Alexander and the others quickly covered their ears, though it still didn''t stop their eardrums from almost bursting. Then, there was silence. The ground vibrated. Like it was breathing. And then it attacked. ... "Run!" Alexander yelled, pulling Tera up from her kneeling position. The group took off running, each person separating into different directions. Alexander looked behind him at the monster. It was vaguely quadrupedal; its limbs were unique. Some were large and thick like a hammer, while the others were sinewy. Its skin was a pale gray, with black veins crawling inside it. It was a fallen¡ªa human who had walked the Path of Corruption but had fallen. It was a Hollow, a stage that was equivalent to the Forging stage. The monster roared again and began charging towards one of the scouts. It''d chosen Tera. Its movements were erratic, it''s limbs seemingly flailing around with no sense of direction. Tera pushed her legs forward, her mind filled with fear. The monster slowly closed the distance between them and, with it''s sinewy limb, lashed at her. Tera had no time to think--she instinctively dived to the ground, the arm barely missing her. She was down, too slow to get up in time. The Fallen didn''t stop. It surged forward, gaining more speed. Bren and Kale were too far away to help even if they ran at their full speeds. Time slowed to a crawl. Alexander saw all of it. He saw how the arm of the Fallen raced towards Tera like a whip. He saw Tera''s face¡ªetched with fear. He saw the way the ground cracked underneath the Fallen''s feet; how Tera''s fingers dug into the ground as she scrambled. And then¡ª He felt it. Fear, anxiety, but most importantly, rage. He didn''t know why, but he felt that he had to save Tera. Left with no other choices, he allowed the balance between the Aether and Corruption inside his body he so painstakingly kept be destroyed. The Corruption collided with his Aether Core, igniting with an explosion of energy and power that fractured Alexander''s body. Cracks appeared across his body, with bones shattering one by one. He only had a few seconds. He moved, and in an instant, he arrived in front of the Fallen. He unleashed a flurry of berserk punches that slowly but surely battered the Fallen to death. The Fallen roared with rage. It swung down it''s hammer like appendage, creating a deep crater in the ground. Alexander barely dodged it in time, his body screaming in pain. He could feel himself on the verge of blacking out. With no time to spare, he leaped towards the Fallen''s head, wrapping his legs around its neck. The Fallen tried desperately to force Alexander off, but to no avail. Alexander folded his hands together, raised them up, and smashed down with as much force as he can. His arms snapped, bending unnaturally, but it had done its job. Accompanying the snap was a guttural crack. The Fallen''s head had been mostly crushed by Alexander. The Fallen fell, and Alexander with it. He rolled off the Fallen, his body broken and battered. His face carried a slight smile, before he blacked out. Chapter 2 - Left Behind The first thing he felt was pressure. Then soreness and aching throughout his entire body. His ribs throbbed with every breath, like someone was beating it with a hammer. Alexander opened his eyes to a familiar wooden roof. It was dark, except for the few rays of sunlight that shined through the cracks. He was alive. It shouldn''t have been possible¡ªor at least, he thought it wasn''t. He heard some shuffling besides him, then came a voice, "It''s about time." Alexander breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Tera''s voice. "How long-," he coughed, "was I out?" "About a week," she said, "You were unconscious. Convulsing, and breathing irregularly. We thought you wouldn''t make it." "Shouldn''t have." "Don''t say that." He winced as he tried to sit up, his muscles screaming at him. He felt his bones creak, and crack. His body had healed fast, but it also healed wrong, he could feel that his bones weren''t in place. He felt the bandages wrapped all around his body like a cocoon. The Corruption throughout his body had dulled to a low hum. The Aether in his core circulated quietly. They were separate, though barely. It seemed that his body had naturally stabilized itself out of desperation. Tera''s voice broke through his thoughts, "The World Authority is here. They want to ask you some questions." Alexander didn''t respond. "Look, you have to leave this place," Tera spoke, this time with worry in her voice, "You know what the World Authority does to hybrids. They disappear. That''s why you have to leave, before the World Au-" The door to the shack was opened, interrupting Tera. A man stepped in, clearly not belonging to the Wastelands. His dark coat was too clean, it was clearly tailored¡ªnot scavenged. Reinforced on his shoulders was the Word Authority''s insignia. 7 towers, rising above the sun. His boots were spotless, almost shiny if not for the dust from the Wastelands. His hair was groomed, and his expression was natural. His eyes were scanning every part of Alexander. A data pad clung to hand like a parasite. He didn''t move like a soldier; he moved like someone that never had to. Two guards stood outside the door, still as a statue. They stood with their sleek, black plating reinforced armor. Their helmet visors segmented like insect eyes. Each guard carried their own Aether-Pulse rifle, but their real weapons were their bodies. They always had enhanced reflexes, stabilized cores and moved with almost no wasted movement. Alexander could feel them tracking each and every twitch of his muscles. The agent adopted a soft smile when he spoke, "You''re awake. That''s good. We weren''t sure if you were gonna make it." His tone was friendly and soft. "Our scanners picked up some¡­ unusual energy spikes. The ones we see in most Forgers. " Alexander said nothing. "Now, this wouldn''t be unusual on its own, but the problem is that your readings indicate that you''re unawakened." Tera spoke up, "I told you¡ªhe just overexerted himself during the fight. That''s all." The agent didn''t even glance at her, "Overexertion doesn''t explain how this boy managed to fight at the level of a Forging stage Aetherian. We''re just trying to understand how and why." "So, you came all the way out here to understand something that even your machines couldn''t understand?" Alexander said, his voice had hints of mockery. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "We came because anomalies matter," The agent replied, "Especially anomalies of this sort." Alexander held his stare. "We''re just trying to make sure that you stay safe." Tera scoffed, "You people never gave fuck about us in the first place. Why the switch up?" The agent ignored her, "Tell me something, Alexander. Your family doesn''t have any unusual family ancestry, right? Parents from Deadzones, perhaps." Tera spoke up before Alexander could, "His parents were regular scavengers, that''s all." The agent finally looked at Tera, his smile still on his face, "Of course." He turned back to Alexander, "Well, if anything strange happens¡ªaches, hallucinations, instability¡ªbe sure to tell us. Early warnings save lives." Alexander nodded once. Not in agreement, just acknowledgment. "Good." The agent logged something in his data pad, gestured to his guards, "Rest up. For now." He stepped out of the shack, closing the doors behind him. Tera turned to Alexander, "They know something''s off." "Doesn''t matter. I''m leaving tonight." Tera flinched slightly, but nodded in understanding, "Where¡­ are you gonna go?" "I''m going south of the Ridge." Tera blinked, "You mean Darkfall?" "Yeah." "You really believe it exists?" "I have to." She hesitated, "You''ll disappear there. You know that, right?" Alexander nodded. Tera sighed, "Fine, I''ll help you pack." ... The agent, whose name was Cadwell, walked towards his temporary camp. His expression was dark; his steps were heavy. He walked into the tent and took out his comm bead. He injected some Aether into it, lighting up a holographic screen. On the screen was another man, his face had a deep scar that ran from his eyes to his mouth. The man on the other side spoke, "Did you confirm the anomaly?" Cadwell didn''t speak immediately. He removed his gloves from his hands, flexing his fingers as if speaking required physical preparation. "Not conclusively," he said, "But he fits the description. He emanated no energy. He survived with no external tech. That can''t be random" "Hybrid?" Cadwell''s eyes narrowed, "If he is, then he''s perfectly stable. No bleed or imbalance at all." "We buried that program, if word of these hybrids gets out- " "He''s not from that program, and even if he was, nobody would trace it back to us." "Then what do we do?" "We stay in position and don''t engage. At least, not yet." There was a pause, then, "You want him to run." Cadwell smiled faintly, "I want to see what he becomes." The screen flickered off and he placed the comm bead back into his pocket. "Let''s see just exactly what you are, Alexander." ... The wind cut through Greyreach at night. The fires that would be in the middle of Greyreach had died down. There were no lights and nobody on the street. Most people were asleep, and those who weren''t knew better than to wake them up. Alexander drifted through Greyreach like a ghost, his bag slung over his shoulders. His black hair and dark clothes seemed to blend in with the night, as he was almost invisible to the naked eye. Each stepped sent pain traveling throughout his body, but it was manageable. Tera had been waiting at the southern gate, where the junkyard thinned out into the Wasteland beyond. She didn''t say anything as he approached, just stared. The silence was almost enough to drown win. Finally, she broke it. "You sure?" she asked. He wasn''t, but he nodded anyways. She walked up in front of him, "You don''t have to go tonight," she added, "let your body catch up." "I''ll just be a sitting duck." "And where exactly are you going? South of the Ridge? To go chase some rumor that''ll probably get you killed?" Her voice trembled. "It''s better than waiting to get dissected." Tera flinched at that¡ªbarely. "They don''t know for sure." "They know enough, and that''s all that matters." She didn''t argue. Instead, she looked at the ground, her voice dropping. "You saved my life. Back at the Ridge, when you¡­ snapped. I know what it cost you." He didn''t respond. She rummaged through her jacket coat. Finally, she took out a pouch. Inside it was some rations and an old comm bead that she had fixed up not long ago. "What''s the comm bead for?" "I just figured that it could remind you of me." He took the pouch from her hand, "Thanks, Tera." Tera finally looked up; her eyes glassy but steady. She spoke quietly, "Promise me you''ll come back." Alexander hesitated. He wasn''t sure if he would, or rather, if he could. He didn''t know why, but he felt guilty. "I''ll find you. When I can." That was all Tera needed. She smiled. "Then go," she said, "Before one of us says something stupid." He nodded, then walked. No hug, no turning back. Just footsteps fading away into the night. Tera stood there until the darkness consumed Alexander''s figure. She sat down on the dirt, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her shoulders trembled unevenly. ... The sun rose, and Tera walked the streets aimlessly. She hadn''t felt this way in years, and it was something she so desperately wanted to go away. She stood in front of the hut Alexander lived in for so many years, hoping that maybe Alexander would pop out. She knew he wouldn''t. "You knew what he was, and you let him go." It was Cadwell. Tera was startled. She turned around and backed away. Cadwell stood a few paces behind her; hands held behind his back, his soft smile still plastered on his face. "No, I didn''t." She said, her voice firm. "Oh, don''t lie, you''re not very good at it." he added, "We both know what he is, we just have to decide what you are." "What do you want?" "Oh, nothing much really. I just want you to join us." Tera was taken aback by the offer, "And why should I do that?" "Well, it''s simple really. You''ll either be useful to us, or labeled as compromised. We''ll have to make you disappear, quietly, of course." Tera clenched her fists. She looked down at the ground, her eyes conflicted. She didn''t want Alexander to find her dead. She managed to hiss out, "Fine, I''ll cooperate." "Good. We leave in two days." He turned and left without a word, leaving Tera standing there, her fists clenched.