Season-1: Echoes From Abyss
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Rex moved almost soundlessly, using the trees as cover. He had simply wrapped a handkerchief around the wound at the back of his head. Much of his black hair was soaked in blood, but he paid it no attention. One or two houses in the village still stood intact; the rest were in ruins.
Keeping a sharp lookout, he edged along the side of a small house. Just then, Rex caught the faint sound of someone breathing near the window.
He circled around and entered the house from the opposite side, silently. He waited for a while, making small noises to check if any creature was inside. When there was no response, he concluded that no so-called monster was here. He pressed a switch on the board and turned on the light.
In the dim glow, Rex's eyes fell on a large blue drum placed right beside the window. Knife in hand, he walked toward it slowly. Without hesitation, he yanked the drum aside.
What he saw genuinely startled him. His brows knitted together, as if he had witnessed something unbelievable.
A curly-haired girl was sitting there, knees drawn up, her face buried in her hands.
Getting no response from her, Rex asked softly, in a low voice,
"Who are you?"
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There was no reply. But Rex could tell she wasn't asleep or unconscious. Growing slightly irritated, he gently nudged her hand. Nothing.
A faint light from outside filtered through the window and fell on her face. Her features were still unclear because of the curls. As Rex reached out to move her hair aside, her sudden action surprised him.
Out of nowhere, she bit down on his hand like a feral cat.
Rex found that mildly annoying.
A cluster of neurons in his brain seemed to shout, Slap her once—she's probably crazy.
Another cluster argued back, She might be a zombie. Use the knife. Or she'll eat you alive.
Discarding these absurd thoughts, Rex looked at her more carefully—slightly curly but thick black hair, a round face, signs of neglect. Maybe Middle Eastern, Rex guessed.
Perhaps tired of biting with no reaction, the girl finally opened her eyes and looked at him. She lowered her hands from her face, but held them in a way that suggested she'd bite again if Rex tried anything.
Another group of neurons chimed in, Even if she's crazy, she's kind of pretty.
The rest of his neurons immediately ganged up and scolded that thought.
Shaking off the mental noise, Rex asked in a cold voice,
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Are you a monster?" the girl asked instead, like a small child.
"No. Now answer—who are you?"
"Who are you first?"
That question irritated Rex, though he didn't show it. Grinding his teeth, he replied,
"Ren Elion Xovier. A police officer."
"Proof?"
That caught Rex off guard. His irritation peaked.
"All my proof is floating somewhere in the sea. If we get out of here alive, maybe I can show you. Now answer my question—and do it fast."
Whether she believed him or not was unclear. Indifferently, she said,
"My name is Sherry. That's a nickname—I won't tell my real name. I'm nineteen. From Thailand. My father's name—"
"That's enough. How did you get here?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"I really don't. I was sleeping in my room last night. Woke up in the morning and found myself lying by the sea. I came here running from a strange dog. By the way… what time is it now?"
Every neuron in Rex's brain reached a unanimous conclusion: She's definitely insane. Probably escaped from a mental hospital.
Rex was confused. After a brief silence, he began,
"So, you—"
He couldn't finish.
A door suddenly opened behind them. Both turned to look.
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"Thank God—I was looking for you, Dorian," Rex said with relief.
"I'm glad to see you're safe, Commander," the ship's captain replied with a faint smile.
"Commander? Hey, didn't you say you were a police officer?" Sherry blurted out.
Rex shot Dorian a sharp look. Dorian seemed to understand instantly and said quickly,
"Yes, police. I just call him that sometimes," adding a fake smile.
Sherry looked at Rex with suspicion. Then she walked over to Dorian, extending her hand.
"Hi, mister. My name's Sherry. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Dorian," he replied, shaking her hand.
Rex didn't like how friendly she suddenly became. Standing up, he said in a commanding tone,
"Miss, please sit quietly in one place. We need to find a way out of here. Captain Dorian, I need to speak with you."
"Yes, Commander."
Sherry went and sat silently on a stool by the window.
Rex and Dorian moved closer to the door. Rex spoke first.
"How did you survive this long? You know there are strange monsters roaming outside."
"Yes, Commander. By God's mercy, somehow. I don't know what those things are."
"How did your ship get destroyed? Where are the rest of the crew? And that girl—Charlotte Henson?"
"She was locked in a room in the ship's basement. We were traveling normally when suddenly the crew started screaming. One crew member began acting deranged—slowly turning into something like the monsters we've seen here. I went up to the deck, and suddenly another crew member deliberately steered the ship straight into a huge rock. He wasn't normal either. The rest of the crew tried to kill me. I jumped into the water to save my life. I think the ship exploded after that. Somehow, I swam here."
"And the girl? That's why I'm here. Could this Sherry be Charlotte?"
"I don't think so, Commander. Charlotte was still on the ship—no way out. She probably died in the explosion. Forgive me, Commander. I failed my duty."
"Then this girl is probably one of the villagers. We should hand her over and get out of here fast—bring in the Elflex Rapid Force and eliminate the monsters."
"Were the villagers friendly?"
"Maybe. But we need to leave now. Time's short."
Just then, a small notification sound came from Dorian's pocket. He pulled out a button phone.
"It was deep inside my jacket pocket, so it survived. Nokia, after all. But the battery's almost dead. No network here either."
"Captain, go outside and check if it's safe."
"Okay, Commander."
Dorian placed his phone on a table and went out. Rex stared at the door when he heard a faint notification sound. A message. He picked up the phone and read it. The message deleted itself instantly.
An eerie coldness spread across Rex's face. A terrifying calm.
Suddenly, Dorian screamed for help outside. Sherry jumped in fear.
Rex grabbed his shotgun and rushed out. Morning had come, yet the day looked dim and bleak.
He saw a horrifying, monstrous dog chasing Dorian. Rex fired a shot. Even from a distance, it hit—but didn't kill it.
As Rex moved toward Dorian, the creature dashed past them toward the house where Sherry was. Rex ran after it without hesitation.
The dog burst into the room and lunged straight at Sherry. She screamed in terror. Just as it was about to bite her, Rex threw a heavy table at it. The creature crashed to the floor. Rex yanked Sherry away. When it stood up again, Rex kicked it hard and fired four shots straight into its head. Finally, it went still.
Dorian stumbled into the room, gasping.
"Commander, I saw a small boat by the shore. We need to leave now. Let's take Miss Sherry with us—handing her over to villagers might cause trouble."
Sherry was frozen in fear. Dorian rushed out first. Rex followed, gripping Sherry's hand. There was no time—monsters could appear again any moment.
Suddenly, Dorian ran back inside and returned, saying,
"Commander, I can't find my phone."
For some reason, Rex didn't reply. He just kept running.
They reached the boat quickly and started it. Once, from behind Dorian's back, Rex glanced at him and smiled crookedly—without any clear reason. Sherry finally relaxed a little. Silence followed.
The boat had moved some distance away from Ashvale. Dorian found a packet of biscuits on board, checked it, and handed them out. Sherry ate hers. Rex pretended to eat, but didn't.
Suddenly, Rex stood up.
"Look. A ship is coming from there."
Indeed, a ship was visible in the distance. Sherry stood up too, clapping her hands like a child. Dorian smiled faintly—but there was something sinister in it.
Then a large blue flag was raised as a signal.
The moment Dorian saw the blue flag, his smile vanished, as if blown away. Pure terror filled his face.
He turned—and saw something unbelievable.
Sherry was staring at the ship with shining eyes.
Without warning, Rex shoved her into the water.
Sherry couldn't even process what happened. Her head had been spinning ever since she ate the biscuit.
She began to sink.
Just before losing consciousness, she felt
someone grab her hand.
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Never say a lie,
Never do a crime,
Never start a fight,
If you wanna return to the white.
Pray in dawn,
Don't have greed for crown,
Don't want the color of night,
If you wanna return to the white.
You have always belonged
To someone up there,
Just sent here to see the
Wonderful colors.
Don't want, don't choose the color black,
If you wanna return to the white.
.....
The song, sung in sweet children's voices, sounded impossibly beautiful. Its melody spread purity into every corner of the church. The tune reached Sherry's ears.
She opened her eyes.
She found herself in a neatly arranged, someone's room.
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Rex sat on a chair in front of the hospital counter. The California sky was deep blue, partly veiled by shredded, cotton-like clouds. Outside, nature was lush and green.
Rex had come to see his mother—or rather, the woman he called his mother. She was actually his aunt: Sienna Xovier, James Xovier's wife.
Rex had lost his parents at a very young age and had grown up with his uncle and aunt. Most of the year, however, he spent at the Elflex Alpha Academy under intense training, an academy under the Elflex Organization. Every member had to train there.
Two years ago, his aunt was in a severe car accident and had been hospitalized ever since. She was in Cabin No. 7. Rex sat quietly, waiting for his turn.
Suddenly, a middle-aged man spoke cheerfully from behind,
"Aren't you that officer? During the student protests two years ago, you cleared a path so ambulances could pass through the roadblock. My brother and pregnant sister-in-law were in one of them. I spoke to you back then."
Rex vaguely remembered. He smiled faintly.
"Oh, yes. I think I remember. How are you? How are your brother and sister-in-law?"
"We're doing well. We'll be grateful to you for life."
"Then why the hospital?"
"My mother's a bit sick—admitted here. And I came to check my weight. Look what staying at home does—I've turned into a rhinoceros."
Every neuron in Rex's brain screamed, Not a rhinoceros. An elephant.
He almost smiled—but didn't. Instead, he asked,
"Is your mother admitted in this hospital?"
"Yes. Cabin No. 7."
The moment those words reached his ears, Rex's entire consciousness stumbled.
He asked quickly,
"Wasn't there another patient admitted there?"
"They say she passed away. God help her. By the way, who are those three bouquets for?"
None of the man's words registered anymore. The pain swirling inside Rex refused to take form. The man noticed nothing.
Rex handed one red bouquet to him.
"Please take this. For your mother."
"Oh no, why? Give it to the one you brought it for."
Rex looked at him blankly, then said calmly,
"One should never give anything to someone who can no longer receive it. It only causes pain—to us, and to them, in their helplessnes.
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