Delson moved swiftly through the narrow, winding paths of the settlement, his senses heightened. The encounter with the shadowed figure had rattled him in a way nothing had before. He had seen death, he had dealt with powerful people, but nothing compared to the absolute control that this man had wielded. A life taken with a mere sentence. No weapons, no struggle, just words.
His legs carried him on instinct, his mind too overwhelmed with thoughts to focus on where exactly he was headed. The dimly lit alleys of the settlement passed by in a blur as he kept low, avoiding the few people that still wandered the streets. His usual sharpness, his careful attention to detail, was replaced by a growing sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. His gut screamed at him to disappear, to melt into the shadows before that man turned his attention back on him.
He glanced over his shoulder more than once, half-expecting to see the dark figure looming behind him, those cold words hanging in the air like a death sentence. But the streets were empty, and the shadows, while deep, were just that, shadows. He let out a slow breath but kept moving, his heart pounding in his chest. Delson had been a thief for most of his life, and in that time, he'd learned to recognize the signs of danger long before it arrived. And tonight, every instinct he had screamed at him to find a hole and stay hidden in it. But this wasn't just fear. This was survival, and survival meant staying one step ahead of those who wanted you dead.
As he slipped through the winding streets toward the outskirts of the settlement, he couldn't shake the image of the man he'd just seen die. The way he had crumpled to the ground, lifeless, like his very soul had been snuffed out. That man hadn't even looked back. He had spoken, and that was enough. The sheer ease with which he'd dealt death chilled Delson to the core.
That man. That's who Delson's mind kept circling back to. Who was he? Why was he hunting down people with knowledge of the Core Seven? The Seven were humanity's last hope, weren't they? He'd heard the stories, seen the impact they'd had on the scattered remnants of society. They were supposed to be the saviors, the ones bringing order and hope to a world that had fallen apart. People worshipped them as heroes. They were the light in the dark. But He, He didn't fit that image. No hero would wield that kind of power with such indifference. No hero would kill so easily, so effortlessly. Delson's mind raced through the possibilities, searching for answers. Maybe that entity wasn't connected to the Core Seven at all. Maybe he was working against them, some rogue element hunting down those who threatened the Seven's mission.
But then why go after someone with knowledge of their location? Delson couldn't make sense of it, but one thing was clear: He wasn't to be trusted. He was dangerous, more dangerous than anyone Delson had ever crossed paths with. And that made him an enemy, whether he was connected to the Core Seven or not.
Delson's thoughts drifted to the Core Seven themselves. He still believed in them, in their mission. They were the ones trying to rebuild what was left of humanity, to bring people together after the world had crumbled. But now, for the first time, a sliver of doubt crept in. If that darkness was connected to them, if He was acting on their behalf... what did that mean? No. He shook the thought from his mind. The Core Seven were heroes. They had to be. That man was an outlier, a rogue, a danger. Delson just needed to stay out of his way. And that meant being prepared.
Delson sat at his workbench, the device laid out before him. It was sleek, compact, and its faint blue glow pulsed rhythmically, almost like the heartbeat of a living thing. He had no idea what it did, but he could feel its importance in the way it hummed under his touch. This was no ordinary piece of old-world tech, this was something far more advanced. And it intrigued him. As he pried open the casing, Delson's trained eye immediately picked up on the intricacy of its internal components. It wasn't just wires and circuits, there was something... different. For a moment, he hesitated, noticing a small section tucked deep inside the device that didn't fit with the rest. Most of the components were familiar, things he'd seen in old devices, scavenged tech, or repaired machines, but this... this was new. He leaned in, narrowing his eyes at the unusual component. It was organic, almost like a strand of muscle tissue, woven into the metal and wires. Delson's hands hovered over it, cautious as he probed it with his tools. The way the organic material was integrated into the mechanics, the way it pulsed gently in sync with the device's blue glow, it was alive, or at least something close to it.
"What the hell are you?" Delson muttered, more to himself than to the device. He had seen a lot of advanced technology in his time, but nothing that blended biological components with machinery like this. It was a mystery, and Delson's curiosity only deepened. As he carefully peeled back more layers of the device, his eyes widened. Nestled beneath the tangle of wires and bio-material was something even more unusual, a power source unlike anything he had ever seen before. It didn't run on traditional energy cells or battery power. No, this was something else entirely. A small, glowing core sat at the center, its light shifting from blue to green and back again, as if reacting to Delson's touch. He leaned in closer, watching as the core pulsed, almost in response to his movements. It wasn't just powering the device, it was... interacting with it. As if the power source itself was alive, feeding off the bio-mech components and the surrounding circuitry. Delson's fingers itched to take it apart, to fully understand its workings, but even he knew when to be cautious. This wasn't something to tamper with lightly.
He reached for a diagnostic tool and began running tests, watching as the readings fluctuated wildly. The power output was off the charts, but what was most concerning was how the energy signature seemed to adapt and evolve in real-time. It was as if the device was learning, responding to its environment, and even... to him. "This isn't just a device," Delson whispered, his mind racing. "It's... alive." He sat back, staring at the bio-mechanical fusion in front of him. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen, a blend of organic tissue, advanced technology, and a living, breathing power source. And yet, it wasn't functioning at full capacity. He could tell there was more it could do, more it was capable of.
Delson's fingers tapped the edge of the workbench as he considered the possibilities. Whatever this device was, it was dangerous. Powerful, yes, but unpredictable. And if the Core Seven, or worse, If He, were after it, then it had to be something of immense value. His eyes drifted back to the power source. It was still pulsing gently, almost as if waiting for something. Delson reached out, his fingers brushing against the core. For a brief moment, the light flared, and he jerked his hand back, startled. The device hummed louder, the organic material twitching as though alive. Delson's heart raced. What had he stumbled upon? This wasn't just technology, this was something far beyond that. It was almost as if the device was waiting, lying dormant until it could fulfill whatever purpose it had been designed for. And a terrifying thought crossed Delson's mind: What if this device wasn't just meant to be used, it was meant to bond with something... or someone? He couldn't shake the feeling that the device was incomplete without its next step, its next host. He stared at it, feeling a strange connection, as though it was watching him, waiting for him to make the next move. But not tonight. Not yet.
As the device hummed on his workbench, Delson's mind raced through the next steps. He couldn't afford to be caught off guard again. That Shadow entity wasn't just another thug or scavenger, he was something else entirely. And Delson needed to be ready. He stood up from the bench, his eyes scanning the small space of his hideout. It wasn't much, but it was his, and he knew every inch of it. If Tel-Nu came after him, Delson needed to make sure this place was fortified. He started by checking the perimeter, testing the locks on the doors and windows, ensuring that every point of entry was secure.
Then, he began thinking of ways to enhance his defenses. He scavenged through his tools and supplies, pulling out tripwires, motion sensors, anything that could give him an early warning if someone, if He, came knocking. As he worked, his thoughts kept drifting back to that terrifying figure, the way the shadows seemed to cling to him, the way his voice carried the weight of death. Delson knew he couldn't face someone like that head-on. He wasn't a fighter, and he didn't have the kind of power that thing, that creature wielded. But he had his wits, and he had his skills. He would use them both to stay alive.
By the time he finished, the hideout was as fortified as it could be. Delson sat back down at the workbench, his eyes drifting to the device that still pulsed with that soft, blue glow. He didn't know what it was yet, but he was determined to find out. And maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to keep him alive. His thoughts shifted back to the Core Seven. They were the heroes of this story, he had to believe that. He knew that man was the villain, the one standing in the way of their mission. Delson clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. He would protect himself from Him, and he would find a way to help the Core Seven in their fight for humanity's future. But for now, he would wait, watch, and prepare. He knew the shadows were closing in, but Delson Snow had survived worse. And he wasn't about to give up now.
The sky outside had grown darker, the already dim light fading as the sun sank below the horizon. Inside his small hideout, the flickering light of the fireplace danced across the rough stone walls, casting long shadows that stretched toward the corners of the room. Delson crouched by the fire, carefully stoking the flames with a long iron poker. It wasn't much, but the heat was enough to keep the chill at bay and provide a means to cook.
He glanced toward the door, knowing he'd need to check the traps he'd set earlier. There was no time to waste if he wanted a proper meal tonight. Pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders, Delson grabbed a makeshift spear from beside the door and stepped out into the cold night air. The settlement was quiet, the streets deserted as the few remaining scavengers and traders had long since sought shelter. The only sounds were the faint creaks of wooden beams settling and the rustling of distant wind.
Delson moved quickly, his eyes scanning the dim paths as he approached the trap line he'd set just beyond the perimeter of his hideout. A simple series of snares and trip lines, but they were effective. He knelt by the first snare, disappointed to find it empty. But as he moved to the second, his luck changed. The creature caught in the trap was unlike anything Delson had ever seen before the world changed. It resembled a rabbit, but its size had nearly tripled, and where there should have been soft fur, there were patches of rough, scaled skin. The creature thrashed weakly, its black eyes glaring up at him as it let out a low, guttural growl. Evolution had been brutal in the post-apocalyptic world, twisting once-familiar animals into strange, mutated forms.
"Not your average dinner," Delson muttered to himself as he crouched down to end the creature's suffering with a quick jab of his spear. He examined it for a moment, running his fingers over the rough, scaly hide before hoisting it over his shoulder and heading back to his hideout. Once inside, he set about preparing the creature for butchering. It was a messy task, but one Delson had grown used to over the years. He worked with quick efficiency, skinning and gutting the mutant rabbit before cutting the meat into chunks. He tossed the bones into the fire, watching the flames flare as they consumed the remains.
With the meat prepared, Delson moved to the fireplace, hanging a battered iron pot over the flames. He added water from a nearby barrel, followed by the chunks of meat, letting the liquid heat slowly. He reached for a small stash of herbs and spices he had scavenged long ago, rare finds in these times, but they added enough flavor to make a meal worth savoring. Next, he grabbed a loaf of bread from the shelf, something he'd baked the night before. It was tough and dense, but it would do. Beside it sat a few cans of preserved fruits and vegetables, likely decades old but still edible. He cracked open a can of tomatoes, the tin making a sharp hiss as the preserved air escaped. He dumped the contents into the stew, adding a bit of sweetness and acidity to the savory broth.
As the stew began to simmer, the room filled with the rich scent of meat and spices, a welcome distraction from the harshness of the outside world. Delson set the table in the center of the room, a small, rough-hewn thing that he had cobbled together from scavenged wood. He placed a bowl at its center, along with the loaf of bread and a spoon. But his gaze kept drifting back to the device on his workbench. Delson couldn't help but feel the device's presence in the room, it was as if it were watching him. Even now, as he ladled the stew into his bowl and tore off a piece of bread, the faint blue glow of the device seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.
He sat down, spooning some of the stew into his mouth, the warmth spreading through him as he ate. The flavors were muted, but it was filling, and that was enough. He dunked a chunk of bread into the stew, letting it soak up the broth before taking a bite. His eyes flickered back to the device on the workbench.
What was it waiting for?
The thought gnawed at him. The device had been dormant, but there was something... alive about it. He could feel it. It wasn't just a piece of technology, it was more. He had seen bio-mech systems before, but this was on another level. It wasn't just a tool; it was something that needed something... or someone. His mind kept circling back to the idea of a host. Was that what the device was searching for? Something, or someone, to bond with? The thought made his skin crawl. He pushed the idea away, focusing on his meal, but his thoughts always returned to the device. He dunked another piece of bread into the stew, his eyes fixed on the faintly glowing core of the device. It pulsed, a steady rhythm that seemed to match his own heartbeat. Delson's mind wandered as he chewed, trying to make sense of what he had found. What kind of power could something like that hold? And what would happen if it decided to wake up?
For now, it was quiet. But for how long?
Delson finished the last of his stew, setting the bowl aside. The bread was nearly gone, leaving only a few crumbs scattered across the table. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the device. The room had grown quieter now, the only sound the faint crackling of the fire in the hearth. Tomorrow, he would figure out more. Tomorrow, he would delve deeper into the secrets of the device.
But tonight... tonight he would let it rest.
Delson's mind was still racing as he returned to the workbench. His hands moved automatically, reassembling the pieces of the device he had carefully taken apart earlier. The components fit together smoothly, the bio-fibers and wires clicking into place with unnerving precision. He clipped the cover back on, sealing the strange, organic core back into its housing. The moment the cover snapped into place, something changed.
The device began to hum, louder and faster than before, its soft blue glow shifting into a blinding white light. Delson barely had time to react. The light surged outward, filling the room in an instant, and he raised his arm instinctively to shield his eyes.
"What the, " was all he managed to say before the device came to life.
In a flash, the device shot off the workbench, launching itself toward him. He staggered back, his heart pounding as he tried to comprehend what was happening. Bio-fibers and cables erupted from the device, snaking through the air like living tendrils. They wrapped themselves around his arm, then his chest, locking onto him with terrifying strength.
Delson let out a strangled cry as he tried to pull away, but it was too late. The cables latched onto his skin, burrowing into his clothes and tightening their grip. His body jerked involuntarily, and he stumbled backward, crashing into the table behind him. The table splintered under his weight, sending wood fragments flying as he tumbled to the floor. His head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and the room spun wildly around him. Pain flared in the back of his skull, but the shock of the moment was too overwhelming for him to process. His vision blurred, the world growing dimmer by the second.
Panic surged through him as he tried to tear the device away, but his limbs were growing heavier. He could feel the bio-fibers tightening around him, merging with his body in ways that he didn't understand. His heart raced, but his strength was fading fast. Just as the darkness closed in, he heard something. Faint, distant, almost like it was coming from somewhere inside his head. A robotic voice, cold and emotionless.
"Bio-mech 4278 scanning host. Host is compatible. Integration successful."
The words echoed in his mind as his consciousness slipped away, the world around him fading into nothing.