The Wildlands

After searching for an hour the three found a small cave and entered. When they did they noticed signs of an old fire.

''Someone camped here before,'' Eve spoke as she sat down.

''Yeah, it was probably a Runner hiding from monsters. It seems to be at least a few months old.'' Ayla commented as she got comfortable.

As the three sat down Lex got a bad feeling and turned to them. ''Run now.''

They rushed out of the cave just before an explosion erupted from it. Dirt and rocks flew all over the place.

That's when they spotted an armored worm-like monster lunging at them. Lex pulled out his Gearhearts and started firing as they fled.

The three sprinted through the forest until they saw a bridge in the distance but Lex spotted a group of Hive Spawns and Devourers trying to cut them off.

He accelerated, swiftly closing the gap between him and the monsters. With precision and agility, he unleashed a barrage, each shot finding its mark with pinpoint accuracy.

As the enemies fell before him, the girls came to a halt, watching in awe as he dispatched the creatures with ease.

But as they did he spoke. ''Continue running and find the professors.''

Eve hesitated but Ayla grabbed her hand and dragged her across the bridge as Lex kept firing at the enemy.

His bullet tore through their bodies but there were too many Hive Spawns as they closed in on him.

Just as he reached the bridge a large Hive Spawn appeared on it and started attacking the metal and tearing it to pieces.

Lex panicked and didn't know what to do but his senses warned him of an incoming attack and brought his Gearhearts up to defend himself.

A sharp talon hit against them and he was sent flying and crashed into the ground. He came to a stop with a grunt.

he quickly tried to get to his feet but it was a struggle as his body hurt but it soon started healing.

Lex pointed his weapon at the monster and fired a charged-up mana bullet. It shot out so fast the thing couldn't dodge it so it connected.

The explosion was massive and more of the Hive Spawns were sent flying. As they were Lex kept firing until he didn't see any more monsters.

That was when his senses kicked in again as he jumped to the side as a pair of talons pierced the spot where he was just standing.

Lex quickly fired at the thing but it dodged and swung its talon wide. He tried to move out of the way but wasn't quick enough as he got hit.

He felt his stomach tear open as he was flung back and landed on his back. Lex held his injury but it soon healed itself.

When it was done he jumped up and tried to fire again but a sudden attack slammed into him.

Lex was caught off guard as he was sent flying into the river and swept away. While this happened to him Eve and Ayla didn't know what happened as they fled.

They ran for an hour until some Gearknights found them and escorted them back to the carriages.

The professors went out looking for him alongside the knights but couldn't find anything apart from the scene of a battle.

After searching for an hour they had to retreat back to Celestial City before the swarm overran them.

Eve was hysterical while Ayla showed no emotions but deep down she was worried for the boy who helped her.

Lex floated down the rough river for hours until he passed through abandoned cities and towns.

He ended up getting caught in some debris in a fishing village further south as day turned to night and the cold weather set in.

Lex awoke abruptly to the sound of rain drumming on a tin roof. Disoriented and groggy, he slowly sat up, blinking away the remnants of sleep.

As his vision cleared, he found himself outside an unfamiliar and weather-worn hut, its timeworn walls barely holding together.

Lex dragged his aching body to the shore and crawled out, as he was doing that he realized that the Gearhearts were missing.

But as he thought about them they appeared in their holsters which shocked him until he remembered the bond.

He shrugged before standing up and started to look around before him lay an abandoned steampunk-styled fishing village, frozen in time like a forgotten relic.

The village was nestled along the rugged coastline, its cobblestone streets winding between buildings of brass and iron, now partially obscured by creeping ivy and rust.

The most striking feature of this forsaken place was the fleet of steampunk-like boats that lay half-sunk in the shallow waters of the harbor.

Their once-mighty propellers were now overgrown with seaweed, and their intricate gears and cogs had succumbed to the relentless march of time.

Lex marveled at the ingenuity that had gone into crafting these vessels, even as they slowly surrendered to the forces of nature.

As he ventured deeper into the village, Lex could almost hear the echoes of long-forgotten voices and the rhythmic clinking of machinery.

Abandoned shops and workshops stood as silent witnesses to the bustling life that had once thrived here.

Dilapidated houses bore the scars of time, their ornate steampunk decorations now faded and tarnished.

Lex's footsteps echoed through the empty streets as he explored this hauntingly beautiful place.

He couldn't help but wonder about the people who had once called this village home, the fishermen who had braved the treacherous seas, and the inventors who had crafted these marvelous machines.

While he wandered through the ruins he kept his guard up and weapons out in case he got attacked but the village seemed dead.

No Hivefiends seemed to be present so he relaxed and started searching for anything that could help him.

Lex only had the Shadow Cloak, Gear armor and his Gearhearts to help him as he looked around.

[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]