The sun was low in the sky. It casted long shadows across the settlement. The busy life within the gates paused momentarily. The settlers stationed at the entrance focused their attention on the frail boy standing just outside the gates.The boy's eyes were filled with sadness. A desperation showed through his weary expression. His arms were raised, a sign of surrender. An attempt to convey his lack of threat to the settlement."I'm unarmed, please help me," the boy's voice hesitated, carrying the weight of countless hardships. His words hung in the air, an appeal for compassion in a world filled with distrust and fear.One of the guards at the gate held his gun steady, his voice stern as he questioned the boy's presence. "What's your business here?" The tension in the air was apparent, a reflection of the settlers' weariness toward strangers."We've been through quite enough already - we can't allow a stranger inside our sanctuary," one of the settlers inside the gate voiced the coll

In the darkened throne room of Tarturas, Diablo, the enigmatic ruler seated upon the grand throne, raised his hand with an effortless grace. A flicker of dark energy followed the motion, weaving into existence a table made with intricate designs. The table stood at the center of the room, a manifestation of Diablo's command over infernal energy.As if created from the very fabric of Tarturas itself, a set of chairs materialized around the table. Their dark, twisted frames seemed to fit seamlessly with the aura of the throne room. Each chair had an otherworldly elegance. They were tailored to accommodate the number of his loyal servants who stood on the elevated platform.Diablo's hollow eyes surveyed the newly formed arrangement, his demeanor exuding an air of authority. "My beloved servants," he spoke, his voice resonating through the chamber with a commanding presence, "you will now sit."In response to Diablo's directive, the arch-demons, each named and devoted to their dark lord,

Noah slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of Norah anxiously waiting by his side. "Woah," he exclaimed, his surprise evident as he took in his surroundings. "Good morning, sis. What brings you here?" he inquired, attempting to shake off the lingering disorientation."Morning? Are you out of your mind?" Norah retorted, her concern turning into frustration. "You've been asleep for the entire day. What happened to you? Are you sick or something?" Her eyes searched his face for any sign of explanation."What!" Noah exclaimed, realizing the absence of sunlight outside his shelter. "I've been out for the whole day?" The revelation hit him, and he struggled to reconcile the passage of time with his perception."Is it because of that dream of yours again?" Norah questioned, her worry deepening as she probed for an explanation."No, I must've been real tired," Noah responded, a sudden realization dawning upon him. As he attempted to explain the dream or whatever it was, he found himsel

In the soft morning light, Noah made his way to Harold's shelter, his purpose clear in his stride. He reached the familiar door and gave it a polite knock. Soon, Harold emerged, and their conversation began."Hey, Mr. Harold. Emily said you wanted to see me," Noah greeted.Harold acknowledged him, "Yes, thanks for coming. I wanted to discuss something regarding the new boy who just joined us the other day."Noah, curious, replied, "Okay, I'm all ears.""I need your help in assisting him adjust to life here at the settlement. I figured you'd be a good fit, given you recently joined a few weeks back and adjusted quite fast," explained Harold."What's his name again?" inquired Noah."It's Troy," Harold replied."Alright, so what do I need to do specifically?" Noah asked, ready to contribute.Harold reassured him, "Nothing serious. You can just show him around and explain how things work. If there's a task he'd feel comfortable doing, then you'll come let me know, and we'll work something

The armoured car rumbled through the desolate landscape of Meredale. Its engine growling in sync with the urgency of the mission. Noah, glanced at the broken down cars and destroyed buildings as the car drove.In the tense atmosphere of the car, Noah turned to Esther, his curiosity evident in his gaze. "Meredale is a large area. How do you plan on finding James? He could have gone in any direction from the settlement?"Esther, without diverting her focus from the monitoring equipment, responded with a calm assurance, "When I first went to his shelter earlier today, I stuck a mini tracker behind his shoulder. It's protocol because we've had a few runners in the past. As long as he doesn't notice it, we should be able to track his movements."Jake, steering the car with a determined focus, nodded in approval. "You did good, Esther. Without that tracker, finding him in this wasteland would have been close to impossible. He's still in the first phase of demonization so his mind should be f