No name

Amid two great walls covered in dense vegetation, a group of five people followed a trail. 

The place seemed to be some kind of ravine or a formation resulting from a seismic event, given the height of the walls and the space formed between them. That is, if it weren’t for a few sparse patches where no plants covered, revealing the ruins of abandoned buildings. 

Strengthened by the humid environment, the vegetation grew intertwined as if it were a single entity, hiding the structures almost completely. 

The group, clad in clothes that concealed their entire bodies, leaving only their eyes visible, blended into that environment. 

In a line, they advanced, carrying backpacks of varying sizes proportional to each one’s height. 

They walked in utter silence until one of them, with a feminine and childish voice, broke it. 

“Big brother, can we play a little when we get there?” 

With her hand, she tugged at the hem of the clothing of the person walking just ahead of her. 

“Well…” 

Due to the clothing, it was impossible to discern any difference between them, but he, taller than the rest, carried a bow and a quiver at his waist. 

At the front of the line, he led the way. 

I don’t think it would be a problem to stay a bit longer there after we’re done… 

While he pondered, before reaching a verdict. 

A feminine voice called out to him. 

“Seven…” 

Coming from the back of the line, it wasn’t a childish tone, but that of someone who had already reached puberty. 

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous? Staying there too long? Since we’re so close to the city center?” 

Though very faint, a certain fear could be detected in her voice. 

That… 

Within the city, the closer to the center, the more dangerous it tended to be. 

Near where they lived, it was common to encounter small animals like rodents and birds; this remained true for much of the city. There were some exceptions, such as places very close to the center or certain specific areas near the city’s edges, where there were larger animals like wolves and deer. 

But the center was different. 

Covered by an extensive forest, it was inhabited by a vast variety of animals and other beings, among them, one of the most dangerous and common were the beasts. 

Strange creatures artificially created, a blend of various animals that sometimes made no sense, yet were strangely the best adapted to live in that inhospitable place. 

They didn’t live only there; Seven had seen some rat-sized beasts in other parts of the city. But the ones in the center were the ones that posed the greatest threat. 

He still remembered what his father had told him when he encountered one. 

Chasing a deer, he ended up getting too close to that place. 

Right after turning a street corner, there it was, imposing, with the deer crushed beneath one of its paws. Of an abnormal size, it had the build and proportions similar to those of a bison, but with the paws and head of a large feline. 

After a quick exchange of glances, Father, without a second thought, took advantage of the fact that the animal was more interested in the deer than in him and slipped away. 

His sister’s concerns about the city center weren’t exaggerated, but… 

“Isis, this place is close compared to the places we’ve been to so far, but it’s not dangerous enough to worry about.” 

If it were, they wouldn’t even be there, as they wouldn’t have been sent to do this, and if it were truly necessary, Father would have come alone. 

That didn’t mean they should act the same way as in other areas; they needed to be more cautious than usual, as there was a chance they might encounter a medium-sized beast if they stayed too late, but nothing that would put their lives at risk. 

Looking at the sky, the sun had already passed its peak. 

“We won’t have any problems, as long as we don’t linger too long…” — he murmured to himself — 

Even though it was late, compared to the time they left home at dawn and how far they had walked, they were still on a good schedule. 

“We can stay there for half an hour at most.” 

As long as they were in a safe place before sunset, he was certain they’d have no trouble. 

Happy with his answer, his younger sister became noticeably excited, as did the other two following her. 

Isis, however, remained apprehensive. 

“…” 

Continuing along the path, besides the buildings, there were also large chunks of them fallen, covered in green moss, lichen, and some small bushes. 

They didn’t hinder the journey, piled up near the base of the buildings, leaving ample space to pass through. 

However, the path wasn’t perfect. 

It seems to have grown since the last time I came here. 

A large gully interrupted the way. 

Looking to the side, Seven could see the streets on the other side of the

“Let’s cross to the street beside it.” 

On the street they were on, across the gully, a collapsed building blocked the passage. 

Jumping, he entered that trench. 

To lessen the fall, he slid, supported by the embankment, until reaching the bottom. 

“Come down.” 

One by one, with Seven’s help, they descended into the gully and resumed walking. 

The gully, much larger than that street, stretched dozens of meters, surpassing more than ten rows of buildings aligned parallel to each other in both directions. 

Inside, after taking just a few steps, he noticed something odd. 

The ground is very waterlogged… 

With each step they took, they sank into the mud. 

Maybe a spring has formed here? That would be troublesome… 

If too much water built up, a small swamp could end up forming there, or, in the worst case, a lake. 

Seven knew this; events like this weren’t uncommon, where something ended up blocking a passage they used. 

If this path ends up blocked because of this, we’ll have to find another… 

The routes they followed were always the same, chosen for being the most efficient; for them to remain so, any sign that they might become obstructed was something that warranted attention. 

Observing the surface, he searched for more evidence. 

Besides the mud, there were also some puddles of water scattered in a few spots. 

I don’t see any water flow. 

If a spring were forming there, it would be natural for some water to flow over the mud, running toward lower points. 

Looking for a clue, his eyes soon turned dozens of meters ahead, to the end of the gully, which was the lowest point. 

There, a large metallic structure stood out against the vegetation and concrete surrounding it. 

Seven imagined that it was what had caused all that destruction. 

Mounted on a flat base, various metallic structures branched from its sides and met to form an arch. Several meters long, its tip pointed upward while being held by one of the buildings, resembling the skeleton of a great serpent. 

I wonder how this got here? 

Though vaguely, that skeleton reminded him of an airplane fuselage, as it was still possible to see a few metal plates covering some of its structural ribs. Like the ones he had seen in books at home, but, looking at it, he couldn’t find other key elements of one, such as the wings or tail. 

Whatever it was, it had crashed into the ground at high speed, dragging across the soil and toppling everything in its path. 

Near the base of that pile of metal, he didn’t see much accumulated water. 

It doesn’t make sense for a spring that keeps the ground so wet not to have enough volume to at least form a path over the mud or a spot with more water… 

That part of the gully was the lowest, and yet there wasn’t the amount of water one would expect, only a few small puddles. 

If it’s not that, maybe it’s rainwater that’s accumulated — 

Breaking his thoughts, Seven felt his clothes being tugged. 

“?” 

“Big brother, my leg’s getting stuck…” 

His youngest sister, Mia, being the smallest of the group, was struggling to deal with the waterlogged ground. 

Seeing that they still had a long way to go to get out of there, Seven realized she’d have a hard time keeping up. 

Passing the backpack to the front — 

“Come here.” 

— He crouched, offering her a ride on his back. 

Cheerfully, she approached to climb up, then suddenly stopped, dejected. 

“Big brother… I’ll get your clothes dirty if I climb up…” 

“What? Don’t worry about that, I’ll just need to wash them when we get home, and if you don’t want to, that’s fine.” 

Starting to stand up, he was interrupted. 

“I want to!” 

This time, without hesitation, she climbed onto his back. 

“Thank you!” 

Smiling with her eyes, she held on tightly to him. 

Standing up, Seven looked at his siblings trailing behind. 

“Can you keep going? Victor?” 

“Yes.” 

Though he was about the same size as Mia, he was handling the terrain very well, something that surprised Seven. 

Resuming the journey, the group continued walking. 

Seven, now with heavier steps, though sinking deeper into the mud, wasn’t bothered by it. 

It’s to be expected… 

Turning toward the puddles scattered across the gully, he truly found no signs of a spring having formed there. 

Though the rainy season had passed some time ago, that gully could have stored water from that period, as there was nowhere for it to drain, gradually diminishing through evaporation and soil absorption. 

It’s autumn now, so it’s not impossible that’s the case. 

Traversing the gully, though the terrain was tough, they quickly reached the street beside it. 

“One moment.” 

Setting his sister down. 

He climbed the embankment to the top and looked around. 

It’s safe. 

Finishing the climb, he turned to his siblings. 

Extending his arm, he said: 

“Come up.” 

After a few minutes, with everyone out of the gully, Seven turned to the path ahead. 

“We’re almost there.” 

Farther ahead, the end of that valley was already visible. 

… 

Arriving at the end of the corridor, a vast landscape enveloped them. 

“Wow!” 

As if waiting for them, a gentle, cool breeze swept through the group. 

Perplexed, Isis admired the place. 

A large lake was surrounded by wide areas covered in low grass. 

“It’s so beautiful…” 

“When I came here with Dad the first time, I was impressed too.” 

With Seven’s comment, Isis snapped out of it. 

“Yes…” 

“I’d never seen a lake like this.” 

Used to seeing small ponds and streams, something of that size was surprising to Seven as well, but that wasn’t the only thing that impressed him. 

That place was a void of buildings right in the middle of a vast, forgotten metropolis. Surrounded by structures on all sides, like a wall, though it wasn’t clear whether it was meant to protect that place from the city or the abandoned metropolis from nature. 

While they still admired the spot, the three youngest, wasting no time, had already broken from the line and were running toward the lake. 

One of them, turning back, noticed his siblings lagging behind. 

Removing the cloaks that covered his head so the sound wouldn’t be muffled, he revealed his youthful appearance with a small scar on his face. Around thirteen years old, he had light brown hair and a wide grin. 

“Come on, why are you all just standing there?!” 

“We’re coming!” 

Starting to walk, Seven noticed Isis still standing still. 

Turning to her, he saw her staring fixedly at the plains surrounding the lake. 

Though much of her face was covered, he noticed something in her eyes. 

“What’s wrong? Did you see something?” 

As if waking up, she shook her head. 

“It’s nothing… I just got a little breathless, that’s all.” 

Passing by him, she followed her younger siblings. 

Watching her walk away, Seven reached out a hand toward her. 

“Is—” 

“Come on, brother! Let’s finish this quick!” 

“…Yes! I’m coming!” 

 
 
*** 

By the lake’s edge, the group stood in formation, lined up; there were four of them. 

Now without any clothing covering their faces, it was clear they were all very young. 

The tallest among them, a teenage girl with long, dark brown hair verging on black, bore a more serious expression on her face. Though young, it was already apparent that, when she grew up, she’d become a beautiful woman, given the delicate features developing on her face. 

Beside her were three children. 

Two of them had blond hair that, under the sun, reflected a color close to golden. Similar in their childish appearance, they differed in hair length and by being a boy and a girl. 

The fourth was the second tallest in that line, with light brown hair and a small scar on his cheek. Though nearly as tall as the eldest among them, he had a younger look, closer to the two children. 

In front of them stood the last one, older in appearance, seeming close in age to the eldest girl, with dark brown hair. 

“Observe these two plants.” 

Seven held one in each hand. 

With long, smooth leaves, you could still see a few drops of water sliding over them. 

“They might look similar, but, if you look closely, you’ll notice one has a weaker color than the other—it’s the one we came for.” 

Raising one hand, he indicated which it was. 

“They grow near the lake’s edge, so be careful not to fall in; the water must be pretty cold this time of year.” 

Raising a hand, the boy with the scar asked: 

“And the other one?” 

“It’s useless, Leon, just some random plant.” 

Tossing it aside, he bent down to pick up the backpack. 

“After you pick them, put them in the backpack, but be careful not to place them where you keep your knives or flints, so they don’t get wet.” 

That plant was a potent medicinal herb, but it could only be harvested once a year. When they got home, it would be ground into powder to use as a painkiller. 

“Search in pairs—one older with one younger; one gathers, the other carries and stores. The groups are: Steve with Victor and Isis with Mia. Go.” 

Without wasting time, the four split off, leaving Seven alone. 

Approaching the lake, Isis stepped into the tall vegetation surrounding it. 

Mia, following right behind, held onto her clothes so as not to get lost. 

Since the vegetation had grown considerably, it covered a good area around the lake. After walking for a while, they reached the water’s edge. 

Crouching, Isis began searching among the plants for the medicinal herb. 

Since they grew underwater, only the tips of their leaves were visible, swaying on the surface. 

“Wow! So many!” 

There were lots of them—or at least, many that looked similar. 

“Most of them aren’t the right ones; check the color of the leaves.” 

Though subtle, it was possible to spot some with darker tones than the others; those were the minority. 

Stretching out her arm, Isis grabbed the tip of one, which came loose without any resistance. 

Turning to hand it to Mia, she stopped upon noticing something. 

“Where’s your backpack?” 

“It’s—” 

Reaching behind her back with her hand, Mia didn’t feel it. 

“Hm?” 

Looking back in her search, not finding it, she turned to her sister with a lost expression. 

A few seconds later, her expression shifted again, as if a light had turned on. 

“I forgot I took it off when we got here!” 

Without wasting time, she spun around and ran back. 

Isis, watching this blankly, let out a sigh and allowed a smile to slip through. 

“Honestly…” 

Setting aside the plant she held, she resumed gathering. 

Besides being fewer in number, the herb they’d come for was also farther from the edges. 

I wonder if that’s because they always pick the ones closest… 

Being her first time there, she wasn’t sure what it could be, since it was possible it grew better in deeper spots, which were naturally farther out. 

Extending her arm, struggling, she tried to reach another plant. 

“Almost there…” 

Then she began to hear the sound of something approaching. 

“Mia, are you back?” 

With her fingertips, she managed to grasp the plant and started pulling. 

“I haven’t grabbed any others yet, just the one beside me.” 

Finally yanking it free, bothered by her sister’s silence, she turned around. 

“Why aren’t you—” 

Seven, far from the lake, was observing where the city met the plain, the low grass swaying with the strong gusts blowing toward the buildings. 

With his bow in hand, he had an arrow already nocked. 

“It wouldn’t be hard to spot something coming…” 

Being in the middle of an open area, that task was quite easy, as anything trying to approach would be seen from afar. 

Turning toward the lake, his siblings had already begun gathering the herbs. He couldn’t see any of them; amid that vegetation, they were completely enveloped by it, though he could notice their movements through the plants when the wind wasn’t blowing. 

The vegetation, though tall, wasn’t the tallest on that plain. Also near the lake stood a lone tree; though its canopy was small, its thick trunk and large roots took up a wide area around it. 

With much of them exposed, the roots formed a tangle above the ground. 

Within that tangle, it was possible to make out a few “tunnels.” 

They weren’t large, but big enough to allow slightly larger animals to hide inside. 

Maybe I should check if there’s anything hidden among those roots… 

“Aaaah!” 

Breaking the silence of the place, Seven heard a scream from the lake. 

Without wasting time, he began running toward it. 

That voice… it’s Isis!! 

Pushing through the undergrowth, he drew closer and closer to where the scream had come from. 

Parting the branches of a bush, he came face-to-face with something. 

“What?” 

A being wearing a metallic helmet with an attached gas filter, heavily worn, marked with rust and covered in lichen in several spots, including the lenses over its eyes. 

With his bow in hand, he began to ready it when— 

“Leon!” 

Isis! 

Coming from the lake, Seven turned toward it, where he saw her emerging from the water. 

Seeing her, he nearly burst out laughing, but noticing her glare, he held it back. 

Covered in aquatic plants and with wet hair, she looked like some kind of monster that had just woken up. Beyond the plants, atop her head was something that seemed to be a frog, except its skin wasn’t normal, covered in scales like a lizard’s. 

“He’s back!” 

Leon, approaching his sister, ignored the glare that pierced him—perhaps unable to see it through that helmet—and reached for the frog. Which, as if anticipating it, leaped into his arms. 
 
 
Translation done by Grok 3. 

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