About an hour after the first skill book with a green hue had dropped, the Shadow Steed finally dissolved once again, overwhelmed by the relentless bombardment of zombies that tore into its body. The horde chewed it apart mercilessly until the steed vanished into black mist. It had taken down around forty to fifty zombies before kicking the bucket.
Seeing this, Lucian grimaced. There were still two to three dozen zombies in the area, and he had already used the Shadow Steed twice. He didn't have the luxury to marvel at the drops scattered on the ground—his mind was busy racking through plans and possibilities on how to proceed next.
Lucian checked his mechanical wristwatch. The time read 4:46 a.m. Should he wait for sunrise? Rest a bit and recover enough energy to summon the Shadow Steed again.
Based on earlier experience, he could summon the third Shadow Steed only after roughly two hours of sleep. Judging from the piercing headache he'd experienced earlier after summoning it again from atop the container roof, he knew he didn't have enough mental energy to do another summon. He knew he would immediately pass out the moment he does so. If not, severe consequences will happen to his mind and body.
His thoughts raced. Every minute mattered. He could only hope Ayesha was unharmed, holed up in her room, and that none of her roommates had turned into zombies. But uncertainty gnawed at him. The presence of zombies inside the dorm's gates gave him the thought that Ayesha could have been one of the few who initially transformed.
What were the conditions? he thought. What were the criteria for turning into a zombie… what allowed others to stay human?
Lucian looked again at the two to three dozen zombies still wandering near the dorm gate and sighed in frustration. He had no choice but to wait. He wanted to rush in and confirm Ayesha's safety, but he knew the odds were against him. For now, patience was the only path forward.
He decided to wait an hour before attempting another summon.
***
June 12, 2028 – 5:30 a.m. Casa de Esperanza 7th Floor - Room 703
Amidst the civil dawn, faint sunlight filtered through the window of a particular room in Casa de Esperanza. The room was dimly illuminated—basked in the rising sun's first light.
By the window facing east, three women—each around twenty years old—stood quietly, gazing outside in awe. The soft glow of the morning seemed almost divine, like something they had longed for throughout the endless night.
The woman in the middle, who seemed to have not slept at all—evident from the dark circles beneath her eyes—was staring through the window as though deep in thought. She had long black hair that reached her chest, deep brown eyes brimming with command, and the poise of someone who seemed to carry many responsibilities.
To her left was a shorter woman, her hair only reaching her neck. She, too, was looking out the window, her eyes moist and tears falling down at the sight of the sun. It seemed to give her a glimmer of hope in this apocalyptic world, as though she had been waiting for this very moment since midnight.
On the right stood the tallest of the three—slim, with curly hair that framed her face. Her eyes reflected a mixture of wonder and unease as she watched the morning unfold.
"It appears we still have the sun," the woman on the right said sarcastically, her voice slightly hoarse.
After the light had fallen upon them during the night, they had been plunged into pitch-black darkness—no electricity, the backup generators dead, and terrifying noises coming from outside their door. The sounds of their former dorm sisters—now the undead—echoed through the hall.
"Yes, we still have it," the woman in the middle murmured softly, uncertain whether she was just echoing the woman's words or if she truly found solace in the warmth of the morning sun.
"What should we do now, Ayesha?" the shorter woman on the left asked quietly. Her tone was soft, almost a whisper.
Being addressed by her name, Ayesha, the woman in the middle turned slightly toward her friend. The one who spoke—Lira—was the shortest, petite, and gentle-looking.
Ayesha hesitated, her mind conflicted. They had enough food to last at most two weeks, so she wasn't too worried if they stayed put for now. However, she also worried about her two friends who were somewhere else in the city. They were in the southeast part of Intramuros, where there should be fewer zombies, so she hoped they were safe.
But the one she was most worried about was her friend, Lucian.
Ayesha knew him too well. He never stocked food—he always ordered through the Food Koala app. There was no doubt in her mind that he didn't have enough supplies to survive even a single day locked in his room.
Will the military or the government rescue us? Ayesha wondered, her thoughts heavy. Was there even still a functioning government out there—anywhere? Nobody could have predicted the strange light that had fallen upon the world or the chaos that followed.
Humans had suddenly turned into man-eating monsters—zombies, for lack of a better term.
She doubted a "Zombie Apocalypse Protocol" was ever written in any government manual. Not a chance.
"We have no information right now, so we can't say for certain," Ayesha finally said softly, her voice calm but resolute. "What we need to do now is stick together and help each other. I plan to find all the students still alive in this dorm and make Casa de Esperanza a place of refuge for us—at least, safer than outside."
Her voice was smooth and rich, carrying a velvety tone that could soothe even the most restless heart. She spoke with conviction—not just as a survivor, but as someone who felt responsible for the people she was with. Though she sincerely wished to see her friends Lucian and Ivan again, she knew it was impossible for now. It would take at least thirty minutes on foot to reach them, and with zombies swarming the streets, it was nothing short of suicide.
Also, considering that there was no electricity and the batteries weren't working, she concluded that her motorcycle wouldn't start since it relied on its own battery. Even if she somehow managed to use it, the noise would surely attract the zombies, and she doubted it would be a smooth ride.
"Mhmn… I also want to confirm if Lhea, Rem, and the others are safe," Lira whispered, nodding in agreement. She also wanted to find their friends and ensure they were alive.
Rhea—the tallest among the three, the one with the hoarse voice—spoke up, concern lacing her words. "But what about the zombies outside our room? We don't have the means to do anything about them."
"We might just have it," Ayesha murmured. Her gaze turned distant, as if she were in a daze, looking at the faint bluish panel before her eyes.
A translucent panel appeared before her vision—something only she could see.
[Ayesha Villacruz] [Class: N/A]
[Age: 21]
[Strength: 9]
[Agility: 10]
[Mind: 14]
[Perception: 12]
[Vitality: 13]
[Skill(s): Keen Hearing (F)]
Something had happened earlier—something she and the other two did not see coming..
When the light fell upon them, Ayesha experienced something traumatic. She was shocked. Terrified. Even flabbergasted by what she'd done. But she didn't show it to the two.
Because beneath all that fear—
She knew one thing for sure.
Although slim, this was their chance.