Chapter 3

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Footsteps echoed through the dim, dark corridors of the hospital. The sound of battle could be heard in the distance. Small crystals lying on the floor among the ash and dust sparkled in the light of the lamps. An automatic door tried to close, but was repeatedly blocked by an arm lying in the dust.

"The explosion must have been bigger than we thought," said one soldier, noticing the flickering lights that occasionally illuminated the corridor. Some had been torn from the ceiling and large sections of the walls were cracked.

"All secure," another soldier reported, locking the door next to him.

"OK, move on to the next one," the squad leader replied, pointing to the next corridor.

"What did Tyler mean about it only getting worse?" Zane asked into his headset as they searched the third corridor of the hospital on the first floor.

The group moved slowly in a line through the corridors. Three soldiers were positioned at the front and three at the back. Nathan secured the way back while Zane and the group leader supported the top. Zero and Asagi were in the middle with some distance to the others.

"He probably meant that the infection could spread even further if we don't stop it quickly," Nathan reported back while his group sealed off the previously secured rooms.

"As far as I know, we are already in a class two outbreak," Zero added, watching impatiently from a distance as the group with Zane carefully opened room after room to check for possible infected or survivors.

The group leader and one of the soldiers in Nathan's group carried sensors capable of detecting the slightest movement within a radius of several metres. However, its use in the hospital was limited by the heavy insulation of the walls, so the sensor had only a small radius of coverage. However, it was large enough to pick up at least some of the movement in the adjacent rooms and the floors above and below.

In addition to the motion sensor, the group leader had another display on his arm, which he nervously checked constantly.

"How do you know this is Zero?" Zane asked in surprise.

"The creature earlier. It was one of the higher levels of the infected," he explained. "An outbreak is measured by the level of infection and thus by the number of infected and Akuryuma that appear."

Everyone listened to Zero's explanation as they ventured deeper into the hospital.

"Earlier you said something about the blood of the, uh... creature Zero," Zane hesitated. "What about it?"

"Right, you missed the lesson ..." Zero began. "The blood is infectious, if you come in contact with it, you will be infected as well."

"What?! Why are we even here? Aren't we in danger?" Zane started, turning to look at Zero.

"Quiet!" The group leader scolded him, causing Zane to jump.

"Sorry."

"But the question is understandable," the group leader said to Zane's remark. "We're here to evacuate potential survivors before they get infected and the outbreak spreads."

"Can I ask you something?" Asagi asked, walking close behind Zero as if she wanted to hide. "Shouldn't we wear protective gear if the blood is infectious?" She asked and looked at Zero expecting an answer.

"Right, we didn't get anything but the vests," Zane added, looking at his clothes.

"It's very simple..." Zero began. "We're all potentially infected already."

"What?!" Zane was startled, a murmur also went through the soldiers.

"That's right. As I said, we are all already considered first class infected," the group leader explained.

"But how come?" Zane asked.

"Radiation," Nathan replied.

"Radiation?"

"Exactly," Zero agreed. "In the previous outbreaks, radiation was always measurable. So it is assumed that the radiation is the origin of the infection, which then spreads through the blood."

"You mean that light from earlier?" Asagi asked.

"I think so, yes."

"You have a lot of knowledge... you are Zero, right?" The group leader looked at Zero again.

"A little, yes ..." Zero scratched his head, avoiding the group leader's gaze.

"That means we're all infected already? Are we going to..." Zane asked, hoping someone would contradict him.

"Not necessarily," the group leader said, turning around and giving the order to move on. "If we are infected, then only slightly, otherwise we would have ended up like the others a long time ago..."

"And what do we do then?" Asagi asked.

"That can be handled," Zero explained. "You should be safe Asagi," Zero smiled at her.

"Why is that?" Zane asked incomprehensively.

"Mytics are magical beings. The infection only works with biological matter. Since Mytics are of magical origin, their bodies are also made of magic."

"But we also have magic flowing through us," Zane objected.

"Yes, but not in the concentration that Mytics have, Zane," Nathan explained.

⬢

"Ah, OK ... But that doesn't explain why we're not wearing any protective gear."

"Why? Because we had very little time to prepare. The order came from the regional leadership. They seem to want to get the outbreak under control as quickly as possible," the group leader explained. "Our protective equipment will at least protect us from attacks by the infected. But as Zero said, as long as we stay away from their blood, nothing should happen.

"What if the radiation reappears?" One of the soldiers near the group leader asked nervously.

"That's why we're here." Zane swallowed nervously at the group leader's words. "We should find the source of the radiation before there is any further contamination. This display on my arm shows me the radiation levels," he explained, raising his arm to show the people around him the display on his upper arm.

"If there is further contamination..." the group leader hesitated, "then we are probably too close. So we should hurry..." he made the situation clear to the troops.

They all looked at each other nervously.

"But if you are right and we go up another level Zero, Shelter will be here soon," Nathan picked up Zero's explanation again.

"Shelter is coming?!" Zane shouted so loudly that everyone could hear it even without the headsets.

"Shut the hell up!" the group leader told Zane again, who recoiled in shock.

"Sorry," Zane whispered a little embarrassed when Asagi started to giggle and Zero smiled too.

"I guess that got your attention, Zane," Nathan laughed as well.

"Focus!" The group leader warned them. "We're in the middle of something here!"

"We're sorry." Zero apologised on behalf of everyone as the group leader continued.

"Tyler let you come along far too easily..." he sighed. "But Shelter probably already knows..."

"They know?" Nathan asked.

"Probably. Any escape is reported to them. However, according to the agreements, they only get involved from a class three outbreak."

"Why is that?" Zane wanted to know, just as they were about to turn into the next corridor, when one of the soldiers, looking around the corner ahead of them, reported frantically.

"Sir!"

"What is it?" He asked as he ordered the soldiers behind him to stop with a clenched, raised fist.

"There's a light up ahead," the soldier reported.

"Light? Are the lights back on?" Zane asked.

"Coming. Hold position!" The squad leader ran to the soldier in front. When he was behind him, he tapped him on the shoulder and the soldier took a step back. What the...?" The squad leader said as he looked around the corner.

By now, everyone had gone as far as they could down the corridor, for it ended abruptly. Instead, a huge chasm opened up in front of them. There was a huge 30-metre hole in the ground, right in the middle of the hospital.

"It's pretty deep..." said one of the soldiers as he carefully leaned forward as small pieces of the ground fell beneath his feet.

"Something must have exploded," replied the next.

"Was that the bang from earlier?" Another asked.

"How deep are the bunkers?" Nathan asked suddenly.

"20 metres. That's enough for most bombings," one of the soldiers explained as Zane's eyes fell on the hole.

Zane turned pale and clenched his hands. All the debris from the upper floors had fallen into the hole and it was hard to tell how deep it was. Zero and Asagi, who had gone to the group leader immediately after the shock, were standing in the corridor with another soldier. The group leader had finished his report to the leadership and called out: "Come on, let's keep searching."

"What's the situation outside?" Zero asked, leaning against the wall.

"So far we seem to have managed to contain the outbreak, as there do not seem to be too many infected people. But there are problems evacuating the bunker. Some of the sealed entrances to the bunker cannot be opened. The electronics seem to be damaged, or something is blocking the gates from the inside. So our new mission is to go to the bunker entrance inside the hospital and try to unlock it from there.

"Aren't we too few for the job?" One of the soldiers asked.

"We'll get reinforcements for sure," remarked another.

"Unfortunately, we won't be getting any reinforcements..." the group leader began. "Despite the information about the outbreak, the Teikoku attack continues undeterred," he crushed the hopes of the young soldiers.

"Why is that?" Nathan asked.

"The Teikoku troops have been informed of the outbreak, but their attack continues. Therefore, all forces are occupied and no reinforcements can be sent to us."

"Are they stupid?! Shouldn't they be helping us in this situation instead of attacking us?" Zane asked angrily.

"Whatever," the group leader continued. "We should prioritise the opening of the bunker."

"Does that mean that we give up the evacuation of the hospital?" Asagi asked dismayed while holding her arm.

"But we can't leave her here," Zane protested.

"I can understand you, but if we don't free the people in the bunker, there could be even more victims," the group leader tried to explain while the soldiers looked uncertainly between the group leader and Asagi and Zane.

"You should know by now what can happen," the group leader reminded them as he turned into the corridor that was flooded with black sand.

Following his gaze, they all realised what he meant and lowered their heads in horror.

"Maybe there are still survivors," Zero tried to lighten the mood when he patted Asagi on the shoulder.

"But Zero. What about Carol?" She looked at him while he gave her a forced smile as if to say that everything would be fine.

There was silence.

"What if no one's alive?" Zane asked, remembering the man at the main entrance.

"You can't think like that!" Zero shouted back angrily.

"I'm sorry, it just slipped out," Zane apologised, taking another step back in shock. "I didn't mean it like that..."

Seeing Zane in front of him, Zero was shocked by the tone of his own voice and immediately started to apologise as well. "No, I'm sorry, I got out of control..."

The mood seemed to have hit rock bottom, everyone was afraid. They all doubted the usefulness of the operation. Not just Zane, but the soldiers as well. The group was on the verge of breaking up before the mission had even begun.

"Do you want to give up already?" The group leader asked the troops, sensing the depressed mood.

"What do you mean?" Zane asked.

"If you give up now, you can't save anyone," he began, feeling all eyes on him. "The bunker is radiation proof, and all civilians should have been taken to the bunker as soon as the alarm for the attack went off. Or do you think we just ran wild?" The group leader laughed.

"Does that mean we're going to save someone after all?" Zane asked with clenched fists.

"That's what we're here for," the group leader slapped Zane's arm in a motivational gesture.

"Guys, did you hear that?" Zane turned to them enthusiastically.

"We have headsets, Zane," Nathan laughed from behind, while Zero nodded at Zane with a grin.

The soldiers looked at each other and nodded, infected by Zane's new courage. Asagi looked at Zero who gave her another smile, but this time a real one.

"Come on then!" Zane shouted again.

"You should still be quiet!" The group leader grumbled while a giggle went through the group.

⬢

The minutes passed and they reached the sixth passage, but all they found was black sand and dust. Silence had returned to the group.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Zane finally broke the silence, hoping to dispel the resurgent melancholy and distract himself a little.

"Clear!" One of the soldiers checking the next room said.

"As for the source of the radiation... probably an infected one," the group leader replied hesitantly, before turning his gaze slightly towards Zane and the distant Zero.

"An infected one?" Zane asked, confused. "Why is that? I thought they were only created by the outbreak? "

"Yes, but ..." Nathan hesitated as well, looking in Zero's direction. "You know there are..."

"You mean infected, like those in the outskirts," Zero went on and Asagi looked at him. He looked a bit pale and bit his lip. Is it my fault?

"What?!" Zane was startled.

"Exactly ..." the group leader said and looked at Zero. "We're looking for someone infected, like on the outskirts of town."

"In most cases an infected person was the reason for the radiation," Nathan continued the explanation.

"Why is that? And what is she doing here in the city?" Zane asked desperately as his eyes fell on Zero, who looked away. Was it Zero? No, that can't be!

Meanwhile, Zero was confronted with glimpses of the group.

Zane thinks it's my fault too. I never brought them here... I just took care of them.

Everyone knew that Zero had gone out to the outskirts of the city to look after the infected. The news had spread across the net in no time. So it was understandable that everyone suspected Zero. He was the only one who had contact with them. The fact that he had once tried to bring some of the girls to town only added to the silent accusations he was now facing.

They are good girls, they would never ...

Are they blaming Zero? Zane wondered, trying to find a solution when he realised that the soldiers were all looking at Zero. He would never do that! But how can I make it clear to everyone? What should I do...?

"Anyway," the group leader began. "At least that was the reason for most of the smaller outbursts in the past. But yes, it's strange that it happened in the middle of the hospital. It's almost like sabotage or a terrorist attack... "He continued as he turned away from Zero and ordered the soldiers to move to the next corridor.

Questions raced through Zane's mind. Zane knew little about the outbreak, let alone the infected.

He had skipped class.

The only class he'd ever skipped. But now he regretted it. If he knew more about it, he could help Zero. But now he had nothing to soothe the soldiers' reproachful looks.

He wanted to ask Zero, who seemed to know more about it than Nathan, but should he? The subject was already exhausted, and asking Zero for more information would only add to the suspicions already weighing on him. So he decided to put the questions aside.

The moment would come when he could ask Zero everything.

"How much longer until we reach the control room?" Zane asked the soldier, trying to distract Zero.

"Two more corridors, then we reach the stairs in the basement," one of the soldiers replied, projecting a holographic map from his arm display.

They walked on. Zero could hear some whispering between the soldiers, but then a shock startled everyone.

"What is this? Another radiation burst?" Zane asked nervously.

"We're all going to die, that's all!" Another soldier shouted, crouching down and holding his head.

"Pull it together!" The squad leader shouted before the panic spread as gunfire could be heard in the distance.

"Someone's fighting!" Zero shouted.

"That must be the other group!" Assumed another soldier.

"They probably need help!" Zane shouted and started running.

"Hey wait!" The squad leader yelled, holding out his hand to grab him. "Damn it, go after him!"

Hearing the gunshots in the distance, Zane ran down the corridor as the stairs appeared in front of him. The group leader and the others followed at a distance. All the security measures they had followed so far went out the window with Zane's spontaneous sprint.

"Zane, wait!" Nathan called after him, and in the next instant he was leaping over the railing of the stairs.

Zane landed on the other side of the stairs and continued down, following the sound of the struggle. One floor, two floors, three floors. When he reached the fourth basement, he continued to follow the sound.

He ran down the hall. The walls here were more damaged than on the first floor. Cables hung from the ceiling and the lights flickered badly. There were large cracks in the walls and the floor had risen sharply in places and was broken.

Zane looked around. The bullets had stopped. In the distance he heard a scream followed by a thud.

Zane ran in the direction of the corridor where he had heard the scream, while the group leader and the others struggled to follow.

A side corridor... it must be there. Zane ran on as he stopped in front of the emergency lit side corridor.

"What the...?"

The white light from the lamps flickered, revealing a soldier pressed against the wall. The wall behind him seemed to have given way as it curved inwards. The man's blood, spurting from his mouth, ran over a massive black hand wrapped around his neck.

Zane followed the hand as it turned into a black cloak. In front of the man stood a four-metre tall figure, completely wrapped in a black cloak. The head itself seemed to be covered in some sort of sack, riddled with holes, with lights shining through them.

"Zane, stop!" Nathan shouted, having finally caught up with the group leader and the others before Zane could run any further.

"What are you doing?" Zane shouted. "Let go of that man!"

"What the hell?!" the group leader shouted in shock, his attention drawn to the colossus by Zane's words.

"What's that? Zero asked in confusion as the colossus turned towards them. Immediately, the soldiers trembled and pointed their weapons at the creature staring in their direction. In the corridor behind the colossus, soldiers lay sprawled on the floor, some of them in pools of their own blood.

"Did that thing..." one of the soldiers began to whisper.

Then the Colossus pulled his hand out of the wall, still holding the limp soldier.

"I said let him go!" Zane shouted angrily as he tried to approach the colossus, but was held back by the group leader.

"We're retreating..." the group leader swallowed.

"What?!" Zane protested.

Then the soldier, still holding the Colossus, flew across the room and collided with one of the soldiers, who was trembling as he aimed his rifle at the Colossus.

"Damn it! Open fire!" The squad leader shouted, and the soldiers immediately opened fire on the creature, which raised its hand to its head. The bullets pierced the creature's cloak, but some seemed to bounce off with a metallic sound.

Undeterred by the hail of bullets, the colossus began to move towards them.

"Look out!" Nathan shouted as he fired a huge fountain of water into the corridor, the rune of which began to form as soon as the soldiers opened fire. The fountain hit the colossus, which was pushed back a few metres along with the soldiers lying all over the corridor.

"Well done Nathan!" Zane shouted immediately.

"You can always count on wizards," one of the soldiers agreed in relief.

"It's not over yet," Zero said as he saw the colossus in the distance.

"We're retreating. Come on, let's go!" The group leader demanded with a stressed voice.

"Asagi, can you..." Zane started.

"No!" Nathan interrupted. "The passage is wet, if Asagi fires a lightning bolt now, it could hit us as well."

Zane swallowed nervously when he realised his mistake.

"Let's get out of here!" One of the soldiers repeated the order of the group leader when the colossus started to straighten up.

Zero gently pushed Asagi in front of him and signalled for them to follow the soldiers. "Zane, build a wall of ice," Zero shouted as the colossus started to move, unaffected by Nathan's attack.

"Good idea!" Zane replied, placing his hands on the ground. In an instant, runes began to form on the ground. The magic poured through his hands into the runes, and in the next moment a wall of ice shot out of the ground, blocking the passage where the colossus stood.

"Well done! Come on now!" Shouted the group leader, who had already run a few metres ahead and was now waiting for the stragglers.

"What the hell is that?" Nathan asked as they passed the group leader who was making sure everyone was there.

"That's not an Infected, that's for sure..." the group leader swallowed. "But I doubt he would have let us through ..."

"Why is that?" Zero asked.

"The control room is in the same direction..."

"What?!" Zane asked as he heard a knocking. The sound came from the ice wall. There was another knock, followed by a loud crack. They stopped in shock.

"Damn it, quick!" The group leader ordered, getting the group moving again. "There's another way to the control room, but it's longer," he explained nervously, sweat running down his forehead.

Then they heard the sound of ice breaking through the corridor. "He broke through!" One of the soldiers shouted, looking back.

The colossus had shattered the already weakened ice with a thrust of his shoulder, tearing a huge hole in the wall. Weakened by the colossus' impact, the ice wall lost its structure and collapsed. Huge chunks fell to the ground around the creature, which barely moved. The chunks simply bounced off its massive form.

"Squad two, take the civilians and go to the control room," the squad leader ordered the soldiers as they ran down the corridor.

"And what are you going to do?" Zane asked.

"We're going to stop this," he smiled at Zane, trying to convince him.

Zane was about to disagree when a soldier shouted again.

"He's coming this way."

"Come on!" The group leader would allow no disobedience.

They kept running, hearing the heavy footsteps of the Colossus in the distance. They were almost back at the stairs where the path parted. The Colossus seemed to be catching up slowly, as its footsteps barely grew louder.

"This way!" One of the soldiers yanked Zane's jacket to the right as they ran out of the corridor.

"But..." Zane looked at the team leader who nodded at him.

"Come on, you have to evacuate the civilians!" He urged them, and group two, consisting of two of the soldiers along with Zane and his friends, ran into the right corridor.

Shortly afterwards, the colossus in the black cloak stomped out of the corridor. He stopped for a moment and looked around. He seemed to be scanning the area. First he looked down the right corridor, which, like all the others, was dimly lit by the flickering light of the lamps. Then he looked to the left, where the soldiers had taken cover behind the rubble or in the adjoining rooms. Finally, he turned right to walk down the corridor.

Then the sound of a crash, followed by a rolling noise, caught the colossus' attention. He turned towards the sound and saw three grenades at his feet.

This version is a purely grammatical rewrite. No changes in the Story