[ Chapter 1 - Memories ]

[ Year - 2153 ]

[ United States - New York City ]

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An old man leaned against a dissecting table, lifting one leg up and sitting down comfortably, ready to watch the given tape.

The old man picked up the remote and clicked [ yes ]

Tape playing...

[ Video player ] In the year 2136, a significant discovery occurred as rare minerals were unearthed. These minerals were initially believed to emit radiation and potentially serve as a novel power source for nuclear plants. Remarkably concentrated, these minerals emitted minimal radiation in their proximity, and individuals accidentally exposed to them exhibited a surprising lack of premature deaths or cancer due to the minerals' low radiation emissions.

[ Video player ] However, as the collection of these minerals escalated, a series of inexplicable events began unfolding. The incidence of missing persons surged by a staggering forty percent, and following contact with these minerals, unknown murders increased by thirty percent. This alarming trend led the government to incentivize rural communities and cities to relocate upon discovering such minerals, hoping to curb the unsettling developments.

[ Video player ] Despite these efforts, the situation worsened unabated. Missing person cases and unsolved murders persisted, increasing by ten percent each month. Then, catastrophe struck. The earth trembled, unveiling a new threat — the "other worlders," apex creatures from below. Tombs emerged from the ground, rendering lands infertile, and an overwhelming darkness enveloped the world as these beings, "other worlders," took over, forcing humanity to abandon its once-idyllic existence beneath the sun.

[ Video player ] Fast forward to the current year, 2153, humanity continues to hide, eking out survival by scavenging the remnants of fallen cities. Resources have become scarce over time, impeding deep explorations due to financial constraints. In 2149, a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of the "hunters."

[ Video player ] Initially, these hunters were regarded as saviors, garnering financial support from humanity. However, their performance fell short of expectations. Although they initially dispatched weaker foes with ease, their capabilities waned against progressively stronger adversaries. As a result, humanity was compelled to retreat even deeper into subterranean dwellings, as the hunters' limitations became apparent.

Video finished, replay? [ yes / no ]

[ Old man ] Huh, has it been 17 years since the start of the apocalypse?

The old man sighed, with a gloomy smile, remembering all of his joyful days when he still was a brat.

The old man reminisced about the years before the apocalypse has befallen, before letting a tear roll down the face.

[ ??? ] Team head!

A woman with a white coat and a clipboard in hand came running up to the old man, shaking, as if she was scared of something.

The old man stands up and turns around, wiping the tears from his eyes before putting on a poker face.

[ Old man ] What is it, Natasha?

The old man wondered for what reason she came rushing to him while barely managing to stand still.

[ Natasha ] We got a delivery, a-and a huge one at it too!

Natasha reeked with excitement, but also quivered as if she was scared at the same time too.

[ Old man ] Is it an undead golem?

The old man wondered for Natasha's rush for such a minor delivery made by the hunter team.

[ Natasha ] No no no no!

Natasha seemed panicked while she grabbed the clipboard and held it with both hands near her chest, tightly gripping it while staring down at the floor.

[ Natasha ] I-It's a l-lich!

The old man froze in place, wondering if he was hearing the news right, the old man let out a cold sweat.

[ Old man ] W-wait a second, there is no way in hell, that I'm hearing this right, repeat that for me again, could you?

The old man grabbed his coat's back tightly into his hand, out of sight for Natasha to try and relieve his excitement and fear of the lich.

[ Natasha ] A lich, a-a live one.

The old man stumbled back, as if to avoid falling from the shocking news brought by his team member.

[ Old man ] Where is it.

The old man asks Natasha on whereabouts of the 'live' lich he heard from her, thinking it's a prank of some sort.

[ Natasha ] It's at the entrance to the lab, we didn't let them in, because we needed your clearance to let in such a dangerous creature into the lab.

The old man noticed that Natasha was shaking and sweating while holding the clipboard near her chest.

[ Old man ] "It's not a prank!"

The old man thought to himself.

He neared one of the sinks in the lab and leaned on it while staring at the cracked mirror in disbelief.

[ Old man ] "If it's really not a prank, but a live lich was brought to the lab, does it mean that the hunters have finally got the power to defend humanity!?"

The old man grabbed his face with his right hand, whilst looking at the mirror with one of his eyes from the gap between the fingers.

He couldn't control his smile as he shook with excitement over the great news, his hand still covering his face.

The old man hastily turns around to Natasha.

[ Old man ] Bring me to the entrance and let me check out the live specimen!

Natasha took quick notice of the team head's mood and put on a faint smile while having puppy eyes directed at the team head.

[ Natasha ] Y-yes sir!

Natasha and the old man hurried over to the entrance of the lab, but upon coming there they noticed a big rowdy crowd near the entrance of the main hallway that lead towards the entrance to the lab.

[ Old man ] Make way!

The team head shouted to his team members.

The scientists made way for the team head and Natasha.

The old man looked around and saw a mix of happiness in some eyes and in most dread filled eyes overwhelmed by the specimen that is about to be brought in.

The team head stopped near the entrance to the main hallway to announce something.

[ Old man ] Everyone, listen up!

The old man shouted towards his crew members, effectively shutting up their quiet chattering between themselves and getting their full attention.

[ Old man ] In about one to two minutes, we will bring in the greatest sample we had ever been given!

Some of the team members faces lit up upon hearing the team head's announcement, and the others started chattering once again.

[ Old man ] However!

Everyone quickly shut their mouths and redirected their attention towards the team head once again, while some started anxiously pacing in the very back.

[ Old man ] What we are about to bring in will either spell our disaster or humanity's new found fortune!

[ Old man ] So I will order everyone here to go back to your department head's private lab's and remain there until I and my personal team are finished preparing the specimen!

Everyone was feeling pretty bummed out after hearing the news, as if a little kid was told "No, you cannot have that candy!" by their mothers.

Everyone slowly dissipated into the hallways towards their department head's lab, but some were still seen as trying to sneak a peak through the small glass in the door at head height.

[ Old man ] *Sigh* When will those men stop acting like children for once.

The old man snickered and let out a broad smile while holding up his hand.

[ Natasha ] Team head, let's bring the hunters in, we cannot delay their entrance any longer.

Natasha remarked, as to stop the old man from enjoying the moment and get to urgent matters at hand.

[ Old man ] You're right, Natasha, write down the date for the specimens delivery date and send the news to the authorities above us.

The old man spoke while heading down the main hall way to the entrance.

Natasha wrote the date while tagging along with the team head.

While Natasha and the team head neared the door, they started hearing strange noises.

[ ??? ] *Groans*, *Snarks*.

A strange creature kept making noises through the speakers near the entrance's steel double door.

The old man was disturbed by the noises of the creature that he squinted his eyes a little when nearing the microphone near the camera station next to the door.

The old man is now standing beside the door and is now pressing a red button while leaning down a little towards the microphone.

[ Old man ] This is Denma, the head of the laboratory, I got news that you have captured a high level enemy, is that correct?

The old man carried out the protocols as required before letting in the hunters.

[ ??? ] Yes, yes, we have captured a lich *Cough x2*, we need assistance and need it quick.

The women spoke through the cameras while holding onto the restrained lich.

The male hunter's knees were shaking and his physique didn't seem good, it looked like he was about to drop cold at any given second.

[ Denma ] I'm opening the door now, be sure not to let go off the lich.

The old man pressed a green button that was on the wall near the door.

Lot's of mechanical movement could now be heard, unlocking, cold mist, entered through the bottom of the door as it opened and the hunters stepped inside.

[ ??? ] Team head, quick, shut the door!

A member of the security team shouted from behind the doors of the main hallway.

Alerts were set off, the main hallways ceiling opened up, the alarms were coloring the room in red as the turrets emerged from the ceiling and pointed at the lich.

When the hunters entered the hallway with the lich, it was gigantic.

[ Natasha ] "Is this how a lich looks?"

Natasha started shaking even more, while seeing the gigantic figure of the lich that is restrained in metal ropes.

[ Denma ] Turn off the turrets, don't kill off our specimen!

Denma shouted in a panicked voice, no wonder that the alarms went off, as the security team must have seen the backs of the scientist's letting in a huge figure that had a skull for its head.

[ ??? ] It's not because of that specimen, it's because of that specimens undead army that's running at our base at full speed!

The security shouted while shaking at the end of the hallway.

Denma quickly turned around towards the camera station and smashed the green button with his fist.

The hunters rushed in and started heading towards the exit of the main hallway.

[ ??? ] Graw!

An undead came in trough the crack of the closing door and held onto the male hunters ankle while clicking his teeth.

[ ??? ] Let go you piece of shit!

The male hunter started bashing his foot onto the face of the undead that grabbed him.

The turret quickly shot the undead that held onto the hunter.

[ Natasha ] Quickly, evacuate from the hallway!

Natasha shouted while running away from the entrance door.

[ Denma ] "Shit, The door cannot close with something being in it!"

Denma resolved himself and quickly took the body of the undead and tossed it outside, letting the doors start closing once again.

Denma also made a run for it, from the doors.

Once the doors closed, a huge banging sound could be heard from the other side.