We found ourselves in an arid place, like an endless desert where the wind carried grains of golden sand beneath a clear sky. Before us, two factions prepared for war: one with a blue banner fluttering in the wind and the other with a red one proudly waving. Both wielded rudimentary weapons—sticks and swords lacking the craft skills of those from the Middle Ages. Crude bows hung from some shoulders, while the fighters wore animal skins, their rough seams barely covering their bodies.
The battle began with a deafening roar. The men clashed, and the metallic sound of swords rang through the air. Bodies fell on both sides, staining the sand crimson. Among the warriors of the red side stood out a young woman with dark hair and fierce eyes. With every strike, she displayed exceptional skill; no enemy escaped her path. A young companion shouted from behind: "Leave something for the rest of us!" She simply winked at him and continued fighting with inexhaustible energy.
Finally, the opposing side, decimated, chose to flee. The few survivors ran toward the horizon, leaving the battlefield in the hands of the Red faction. Seeing their victory secured, the warriors let out a triumphant shout that echoed across the plain.
As night fell, the red faction celebrated their triumph with abundant food, dancing, and laughter. In a corner of the camp, a group of young people chatted animatedly. One of them commented, "That girl is really tough." Another nodded and added, "Of course, she's the chief's daughter." A third chimed in with an ironic smile, "Friend, she's unattainable." "Besides," interrupted another, "she's not a lady like my Rachel. The chief's daughter always wears her battle gear, disheveled as if she were just another soldier. Look at that mane," mocked a girl, pointing into the distance.
But before they could continue, a firm and authoritative voice rang out from the darkness: "If I can hear you, fools. And you should be practicing. There could be another attack at any moment. We must always stay alert." The youths froze as they realized Adia, the chief's daughter, had heard every word, even from the other end of the camp.
Without saying more, Adia walked away from what appeared to be a sort of market or improvised fair in the camp. She entered a large red tent, where a deep voice greeted her: "Ah, you've finally arrived, my dear daughter Adia." It was her father, the chief. "You're like the son I always wanted to have, but your mother only gave me daughters," he said with a mix of pride and nostalgia. "Yes, whatever you say, Father," Adia replied indifferently.
"As you are the youngest daughter, your older sisters have already found a husband. Only you remain," the chief continued. Adia frowned and retorted, "Father, I don't need those formalities. I can defend myself. I don't need a man by my side."
Adia's older sisters, seated next to their husbands, began to murmur. One of them interjected, "You see, Father, she's always like this with the boys." The other added, "You need to grow up and take etiquette lessons. Besides, you'll be turning fifteen soon."
Adia looked at them with disdain and declared firmly, "I do not wish to serve anyone. I am free as the wind, and there is no one in this village who can defeat me."
The sisters began to shout, supported by their husbands, who saw Adia as just another soldier in the army. The chief raised his hand and commanded, "Silence." The room fell into a deathly quiet. "Leave me alone with my daughter," said the chief. Everyone left, including Dormant, his right-hand man.
The chief looked at Adia with a mixture of love and concern. "Child, I know you strive to be the best. Even when your mother didn't want you to be a warrior, I encouraged you. But this kingdom is at war with several factions and large armies, like the barbarians or those from the south. I need you to have a suitor and bear children so that our lineage will endure. These are our laws. Besides, I promised your mother that I would care for all our daughters and that they would be treated like queens."
"But, Father, I don't want to be a prisoner like my sisters, locked away in luxury and caring for children. You know I'm the type who can't sit still. I need to fight to prove my worth. I don't want to be anyone's lapdog," Adia protested.
"I know, child, but the rules of our king say that if you're not a man, you cannot rule," the chief explained. "But that doesn't matter. You already have your two older sisters. Let them reign, and I will fight," Adia countered.
"No, my child. There must be a king for each of our territories, just as there are daughters. Tomorrow, suitors will come to ask for your hand, and it is an order," the chief said firmly.
"You don't understand me, Father! I won't follow these foolish traditions!" Adia exclaimed in a fit of anger. Without another word, she stormed out of the tent. Her father was left feeling sorrowful, knowing he had to remain strong for his people.
On her way, Adia began kicking stones in frustration. Suddenly, she overheard some soldiers talking about an attack on the eastern outskirts of the territory. "Perfect," she thought. "This is the opportunity I need to vent all this rage."
She quickly mounted a horse and headed to the mentioned location. She wore a sort of rudimentary armor, carried a bow, and had a prototype shield. As she ventured deeper into space, she saw no one at first. However, hooded figures emerged from the bushes, performing a ritual around a well. Curious, Adia stepped out of hiding to investigate. Two of the hooded figures tried to stop her but only managed to knock off the helmet she was wearing. "It's just a girl," they said.
With precise movements, Adia knocked them out. More hooded figures appeared, but she defeated them one by one until she reached the well. "Alright, surrender and stop whatever it is you're doing," she ordered, raising her staff. The four remaining figures by the well exclaimed, "For the blue king!" Adia knocked them out as well.
Once they were defeated, Adia approached the well. It seemed empty except for a small, bright light at the bottom. "What could it be?" she wondered. Suddenly, the light intensified and pulled her downward. Adia tried to resist, but it was too late. The light sucked her in, and she screamed as she descended. At that moment, she regretted not continuing to fight and not apologizing to her father for her bad attitude. She wished to live in a world where she could truly be herself.
The light illuminated the sky before fading away. Adia was covered by the dirt at the bottom, turning into a sort of fossilized rock.
Many years later, a group of archaeologists searching for tombs discovered the rock containing the figure of a girl. Intrigued, the archaeologist took it to the company where he worked in the United States. Upon arrival, he knocked on the door and announced, "I have a great discovery."
The doors opened, and a woman greeted him: "Welcome, Professor Halls. I hope it's important. The boss is waiting." They walked down a wide hallway until they reached a golden door. She opened it and let the professor enter, closing the door behind him.
"Well, Professor, what do you have for me?" asked a voice from a person seated with their back turned at a desk. "I hope it's something good, not like what you brought last time."
"I assure you it's not, Mr. Ras. It's something that might interest you," replied Halls as he lifted the sheet covering the rock. "I can offer you a million for it."
"What is that?" asked Ras, turning toward him.
"It's a girl on a rock," explained Halls.
"And you think that could be useful to me?" asked Ras, examining the sculpture with a monocle.
"Sir, I wasn't looking for strange things in your research. That's not why you sent us around the world searching for artifacts," argued Halls.
"And what would I want with a rock? I already have plenty," responded Ras, pointing to a room filled with artifacts and pieces of art. "What makes your rock special?"
"This rock, sir, is alive. With our machines, we were able to determine that it dates back over a thousand years and is still alive. We ran tests, and it's alive," explained Halls.
"But I still don't see its use, sir. That thing can't serve unless there's a way to release or extract that girl. I could present her as a living piece in my museum," reflected Ras.
"Wait, sir," interrupted someone entering the office. It was Eros Laos, father of Richard Laos. "Sir, remember our research," he said, showing a machine and examining the sculpture. "This person trapped in the rock is a young girl, fourteen or fifteen years old. She could be the future of what we're seeking. She appears to be a warrior, which could be a good start for the tests we're conducting."
"Tests that have failed. Almost all my men have died or turned into abominations," reminded Ras.
"Sir, but in the latest study, I saw that the younger they are, the probability of success increases to seventy percent. Besides, if I free this young girl from the rock, you won't have to worry about interference like police forces for theft or kidnapping," argued Laos.
Ras looked at Professor Halls and then at the sculpture. "I have nothing to lose. But if you fail this time, you won't just lose your job," he threatened, making a gesture as if he were cutting off his head.
"What are you talking about?" asked Halls.
"Nothing that concerns you. It's better if you say nothing, take the money you're asking for that sculpture, and leave," instructed Ras.
"Yes, but…" Halls tried to protest.
"I said you could leave peacefully or the hard way," interrupted Ras.
"No, I'm leaving to get to work, sir. You know, with total discretion, or you know what could happen," warned Laos.
"Is that a threat?" asked Halls.
"If I were you, I'd accept what he said and go back to work if you want to stay in this treasure-hunting business," suggested Eros Laos.
"Take it however you want," said Ras, turning back to his desk. "If you're still here after I count to three…" He began counting. "I'd run and get out of here if I were you," advised Laos.
When Ras reached "two," Halls felt a gut feeling, as if something bad was about to happen, but he decided to stay. "One, zero," said Ras, pulling out a gun and shooting Halls in the head.
"I told him not to linger," commented Laos, looking at the lifeless body of the doctor. "You saw what you made me do, but it doesn't matter. Call cleanup, Miss Hill," Ras ordered through a communicator on his desk.
"Well, Doctor, you now have your test subject. How are you going to get her off of the rock?" asked Ras.
"Leave that to me and my partner," replied the doctor. "You know, if it doesn't work, you'll take over. Now get out of my office. I want results."
"Yes, sir," said the doctor. Before leaving, he remembered: "Don't forget that if it works, you'll also need to give that power to my foolish sons, who keep causing trouble. This will serve as a lesson to punish them for disobeying me."
"Now leave," ordered Ras.
Doctor Laos left the office muttering, "What a character. On top of everything, he wants to involve his kids in this project, punishing them with the possibility that they might suffer or not. Fine, it's time to get to work." He carried a folder with documents labeled: Project Zero.