Dynami

11 years had passed.

On the streets of the western region of Kayka, Koji was sitting on the curb of a highway. With a stern expression, orange hair, and red clothes, he held a seemingly important note in his right hand.

"Kill Mike Richers. If you execute the target within 24 hours, I will reward you with $10,000. If it takes longer, you will get $5,000." The note was signed by Leal, a gang leader in the city.

"I hope Leal pays up properly. I need to gather more money; only then can we go to Umeke," Koji commented, looking at the note in his hand with disdain.

Beside him stood Spherea, a three-meter-tall demonic and humanoid shadow, part of the writing etched into Koji's right forearm, the result of a negligent ritual performed by Norman in 2014.

"You have no idea how much I hate not being able to taste. This popsicle looks so good," said the shadow, ignoring Koji's comment about money while licking a strawberry popsicle.

"You're lucky. Strawberry popsicles are awful. Maybe nothing that comes from strawberries is good."

"Huh? Really? I had no idea my bearer was a flavor expert."

"Who knows? Maybe I'm also a pilot," Koji joked, mimicking a pilot in the cockpit. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain Koji. Shhhhh Shhhhh."

"That was hilarious," said the shadow, showing no reaction, not even a smile, and clapping slowly.

Suddenly, the city's loudspeakers and alarms echoed a single emergency alert.

"Attention, citizens of Kayka. We inform you that a new horde of Gyakus has been sighted in the neighboring city, Dynami. These creatures are highly dangerous and violent, so we urge you to stay away from the borders with Dynami. If sightings increase, take shelter in the support bunkers scattered throughout the city. The military forces are on alert for rescue operations."

Gyakus was the global term for the colossal and abnormal monsters that emerged fiercely in the world's largest metropolises. For this reason, the world's major powers were compelled to create two organizations: Alliance and Tower.

The announcement concluded:

"We are working closely with the authorities in Dynami to monitor the situation and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the citizens of both cities."

To Spherea's surprise, Koji walked towards the state's most important bridge, the Viridis River Bridge, located on the far west of Kayka, on the border with Dynami.

"Do you know where you're going?"

"To Dynami. Our target is there, unfortunately, we need to go," said Koji, showing the target's ID with a photo to Spherea.

"Mike Richers? Will this guy at least get you $5,000?"

"Leal is paying a lot for this guy's death. That's why I took the job, and let's go before this sun kills me," Koji said, giving Spherea a weak slap on the arm for motivation.

Against the tide of people desperately fleeing the area near Dynami, Koji and his shadow walked until they reached the Viridis River Bridge, where soldiers were processing the integration of citizens from Dynami to Kayka. Usually, civilians moved from Dynami to Kayka, not the other way around.

Phil, an experienced captain, was in charge of the borders. His short hair, white beard, and scars demonstrated his extensive battle experience.

"Good morning, may I enter Dynami?" Koji asked the captain while munching on a bag of Doritos.

"Are you suicidal?" the soldier retorted, staring him down with a slight smile.

Quickly, another soldier named Roger alerted Phil.

"Captain, to your side."

Huh?

The tall and terrifying Spherea, with its elastic smile, appeared beside the experienced Phil as a protector of Koji, but the captain was unfazed.

"So, you're a bearer? That's great news," Phil said calmly, looking up at Spherea.

"What are you talking about?" Koji asked, disinterested.

Phil walked a few meters towards Dynami's entrance, and Koji followed, seeing a huge line of people eager to leave the city. The captain looked at Koji and said,

"The government notified us that the situation is out of control. The entire city might be evacuated in a few hours. Those creatures are not normal; surely, you know ordinary humans can't get close to killing one of those things."

"Okay, I get it. You want me to help you, right? Fine, I'll help," Koji said after looking at the worried faces of the people in line.

"Great. But the most affected areas are a bit far from here, so I'll have Officer Roger take you to the rescue base in the city," the captain said, pulling the soldier Roger closer.

"What? Koji is going to help the military save lives? Wow, what a sudden change of heart," Spherea mocked, smiling and clapping for his partner.

With a panoramic view of the city, Koji felt uneasy when he looked as far as he could down the streets of Dynami and saw no one. So he asked Phil,

"How many people dead?"

"We know that the northern, eastern, and central district areas were completely affected. Not to mention that the creatures are still in those areas, which are the most populous in the city, so the estimates are at least 500,000 dead."

A military urban combat vehicle called Marruá AM21 was suddenly parked beside Captain Phil by the soldier Roger.

"Let's go, let's go. I want to test this engine," Roger was excited and smiling, finally getting to drive a Marruá.

Koji and Spherea approached the vehicle. Phil, with a serious face, asked the bearer and his shadow,

"Can we count on you?"

"We were going to enter Dynami with or without you," Koji replied with a more amicable expression while opening the passenger door.

"Take them to the rescue base in the eastern zone as quickly as possible. We don't know how many Gyakus are in the area," Phil said, imposing responsibility and seriousness on Roger.

It was almost nine in the morning when the Marruá AM21 crossed the first blocks of the eastern region of Dynami towards the rescue base. Numerous helicopters hovered over the area to quickly capture survivors. Koji, who was in the passenger seat, asked Roger with some curiosity,

"Any idea how many Gyakus are inside the city?"

"As far as we know, there are four. We've been informed they're spreading throughout the city," Roger said, his left hand on the steering wheel while rummaging through the glove compartment with his right hand.

Focusing on the road, Roger pulled out a paper from the glove compartment and handed it to Koji.

"This is a description a friend left about a creature before he died," the soldier said, concentrating on driving but with a slightly shaken expression.

Koji sensed Roger's controlled emotion and, out of respect for him, decided to read the description silently.

"An adult gargoyle, at least 35 meters tall, with a crocodile head, three tails, and two huge wings."

"I can't find this normal; it's impossible to sleep well knowing these things exist," the officer affirmed, now shaking his head in denial and anger.

Roger had no idea, but Koji sensed the presence of a being.

"Roger, listen to me. I'm going to get out of the vehicle now, and you just accelerate towards the base, understood?" Koji said, looking at the soldier with concern and his right hand on the door handle.

"What? Are you crazy? We're almost there; the captain asked me to take you to the base," Roger replied, firm, dividing his attention between the road and Koji.

"There's a creature behind us. If you don't do what I'm asking, there's a good chance we'll die. What do you think about that?"