With the sky opening, all the eyes of the survivors from that cursed country look upwards with great hope, believing it may be some divine entity about to descend and rescue them from the great suffering they are enduring.
The uproar fades as lifeless bodies are observed on the ground, and one by one, they begin to rise in the most horrifying form: the Zralkies. All those who were not mortal victims transform into gruesome creatures that chill the soul.
A grey smoke spreads near the area where Darkin Punkson was executed, slowly moving and forming something dense that gradually takes on a humanoid shape. Zralkies, who were once human, rise with a hunger from hell, a hunger to end human lives.
Finally, the smoke forms a naked man who stands frozen, astonished. It is Darkin Punkson, looking around at the many Zralkies heading for the same destination: he is the target.
He does nothing but observe attentively, as if he had a plan woven in his mind to put into action. He looks at himself, realizing he doesn’t even have a single piece of clothing to cover his body.
The Zralkies do not stop walking, but with slow, lazy steps, as though waking from a heavy sleep, a sleep that has gifted them with a nightmare that chills their very bones and soul. He looks at his hands and feet when he notices something intangible hovering in the air, creating a suspenseful atmosphere that makes the moment seem eternal.
The former president of Moamba looks on and quickly realizes that what hovers before him is simply smoke. However, what doesn’t make sense to him is the fact that he cannot see any object burning that could generate the smoke that floats through the air with ease.
"What is this?" he says as he sees his hand transform into grey smoke with a subtle glow. "I’m alive, I’m alive." A smile bursts from his lips.
The man points at one of the Zralkies, and a wave of smoke heads toward the creature. Feeling threatened, the creature runs toward the smoke as if chasing after a human life, which, in truth, is the primary target of these grotesque humanoid creatures.
As soon as the monster nears, the smoke disintegrates in seconds. Darkin is stunned by what he just did, especially knowing the weapon to be used against the horrifying humanoids.
He continues making the same motion, defeating all who attack him with everything they have for a goal that inspires great repulsion.
Suddenly, a voice echoes in his mind:
"Your wife. Your daughter..."
Flashbacks flood the man’s mind as he regains fragmented memories. He looks at the red sky, which opens further, giving birth to something he has no idea what it is. Suddenly, he returns to being smoke entirely and moves in a direction with many people running, looking up at the sky, asking questions with no answers.
Many incredulous eyes. Near an old man with a sack on his back, Darkin returns to his natural form:
"My God! You scared me." The old man with the sack on his back says. "Here you go, take this!" He hands Darkin clothes to wear, to cover his nakedness.
"Th-thank you very much," Darkin responds, not understanding anything.
"You're welcome! Finally, you've reached the final form." The old man says, looking into Darkin's eyes.
"What do you mean? Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter." The man says, but before Darkin can say or do anything, the man continues. "You’re the only one who can save us from what's coming."
Darkin hurriedly puts on the clothes, and when he turns to the man, he sees that the old man is staring at the sky, which has taken on a terrifying aspect.
"I demand that you tell me everything." Darkin says, grabbing the old man by his shirt.
"By doing it this way, you won’t get anything from a simple old man with a gift. There are few chosen ones." The old man says in a calm voice.
Darkin releases the man, and a sharp headache strikes him, making him remember the wrists of the first creature, which had two rings, one around each wrist. Again, the voice sounds in his ears, and this time he realizes it’s Ashlem.
"It can’t be... I’m communicating with Ashlem?" The former president of Moamba asks himself. "I have to go home, right now."
The old man next to him turns his face to the now smoky man and says:
"Be quick because the Zvrodies have chosen you as well. Find your memories and become part of something great. Save them."
Darkin looks back at the man, feeling a strong extrinsic motivation he never imagined he’d feel in his life. He senses that the one before him is nothing ordinary, and upon associating the words "chosen" and "Zvrodies," he concludes that there are more special people scattered across the lands of Moamba who, for some reason, have been chosen by a supreme entity for a grand and difficult mission that will cost some human lives.
A red lightning strikes the sky, and a powerful roar echoes, making Darkin look up once more before saying a few words to the old man and setting off on his first mission.
"I’ll save them and find myself, for it is time to reclaim everything that belongs to my mind and correct the grave mistakes that cost thousands of lives."
Suddenly, as soon as he finishes speaking, his body turns back into smoke, and he disappears toward his large and luxurious house.
Will he make it in time?