The cataclysm profoundly changed Cancri; this was common knowledge among children born after the event, including Selene.
The world had changed so much that it was impossible to know what it had been like in the past, except by studying materials collected from the ruins of the old human civilization, such as songs, stories, and audiovisual material.
Just as the new generations could not imagine what the moon looked like, they could not fathom an 'orderly' geography, countries, or a natural climate with clear rules.
Right now, as Selene raced across the desert on her flying motorcycle, a snowflake fell on her nose, making her want to scratch it.
The coldness seeping into her face told her that she was about to leave the desert. According to city records, it had been a lush forest three years ago before becoming the gigantic sandpit it was now overnight.
After traveling at high speed for hours, Selene glimpsed a large white patch in the distance. At first glance, it looked like a snowstorm was brewing, one of the signs of how altered this world was.
"Damn, this is a bad time for this," Selene complained. Despite her strong reluctance, she didn't slow down because, if she wanted to get to Eclipse City quickly, she had to cross this tundra.
"I lost my jacket when I encountered that annoying, disgusting creature. How am I going to withstand the cold now? Plus, that thing made me lose my gun," the woman muttered viciously as she sadly recalled how she had been ambushed by one of the most dangerous creatures in the area while traveling through the desert a week ago:
A giant sandworm! This rare monster was much more powerful than the usual desert creatures. Perhaps she had invaded its resting place or where it kept its young, but the beast was relentless, chasing her for several miles.
She was only able to escape its relentless pursuit when she used her weapon and her jacket, impregnated with her scent, to distract the creature, which relied solely on its sense of smell and hearing due to its lack of eyes.
It was because of this that she deviated from her planned route and found a ruin that seemed to have been uncovered by a recent sandstorm. She explored the ruins and found a silver box. Then, she was erased, and she took revenge.
"I'll have to endure this. Luckily, I didn't take off my gauntlets." Selene looked at her hands, which were still covered in cold black metal but felt warm inside.
She narrowed her eyes, entered a meditative state, and used the Noeia. Instead of activating the Glyphworks on her hands, she directed the threads of grayish energy to her heart. This time, her intention was not to make her heart beat faster but rather to slow it down.
Her plan was simple. She wanted to slow her heart rate and control her blood flow to prevent some of the inevitable heat exchange between her body and the outside world. That way, she could maintain her internal temperature for longer.
There was a particular risk: her hands and feet could be badly injured. Fortunately, her gauntlets and boots protected her hands and feet, allowing her to cross the frozen field quickly and reach the Eclipse City on the other side.
She had to decide whether to perform a procedure that could help her endure for much longer or to continue as she was and probably die of frostbite or hypothermia.
After a few seconds of debate, weighing the circumstances of both options, and with the frozen area in front of her, she stopped thinking about it. Just as she crossed the divide between the two biomes, she acted.
The Noeia had already spread from her heart to her blood vessels, exerting total control over her circulatory system. Her heartbeat slowed, and her blood flowed more slowly, keeping her internal organs warm.
A few grayish threads went to her lungs, causing them to absorb slightly more oxygen, thus maintaining balance in her body. White vapor emerged from her body, leaving a small trail behind her.
However, one of the risks of these actions began to emerge: drowsiness. She was like a bear about to hibernate. However, she was aware of this situation, so she resisted sleep.
Snow fell on her body, trying to steal the heat she was struggling to retain. The cold wind ruffled her short purple hair, making her feel much more awake and comfortable.
The devices that allowed her motorcycle to levitate blew away the accumulated snow on the ground, disturbing some small monsters that were more resistant to extreme climates like this one.
Some of them were inadvertently covered by the snow, filling the area with growls and other sounds. Among them was a squirrel with red fur that looked like flames. It jumped to one side, avoiding being buried like the others.
The creature looked at Selene, who had traveled a great distance by then, leaving only a small trail of mist that soon vanished in the intense wind.
The squirrel smiled in an uncharacteristically human way, as if it had found something amusing. Then it turned around and saw a rabbit with horns on its forehead. The rabbit was trying to free itself from the snow that had fallen on its body.
With a quick movement, the monster struck the rabbit's neck, spilling blood onto the frozen ground. However, it did not eat the rabbit; it simply looked back in the direction Selene had gone.
The creature had lost interest in the rabbit and now had new prey to pursue.
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Since her purpose was to cross this cold biome and not explore it, the route Selene had chosen was the shortest one to take; due to her high speed, this journey could be completed in a relatively short time, just a few hours.
However, instead of simply going all the way straight to the city, she decided to take a small detour, arriving at a small rock located among a small group of snow-covered pine trees.
She slowed down until she came to a complete stop in this area, looking closely at a patch of ground next to the rock, where some cold-resistant plants were beginning to grow.
"There's no trace left, but now grass grows on your grave," whispered Selene, as she spat white mist from her mouth because of the cold she felt, but at that moment, the weather was not what affected her most.
At that moment, her mind drifted to a memory that was extremely important to her, one that had occurred two years ago, when she had just turned 18 and was able to make her first trip to the outside world.
Many things changed in that year. Not only did she become an adult, but she also found her first pot of gold, making her even more interested in exploring the world on her own. However, it was also when she committed her first murder.
This was where she buried the body of the woman she had helped that time, when she still had some trust in people, while she was in the outside world; when the last shred of her innocence was crushed by the most brutal side of this almost completely ruined world.
Blood, brains, the unmistakable smell of burnt flesh that made her stomach churn, the sticky feeling all over her body, the pain of the cramp in her hand from gripping the handle of her old pistol so tightly, all of it came back to her, snapping her out of her trance.
"I live, you feed the earth. I never knew your name, but you taught me a lot. Perhaps I am the only person who knows where you rest, isn't that so? Although you have given me nightmares, you taught me a valuable lesson.
You have to be cruel in the outside world." Selene murmured these words, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear her conversation with the person buried in this place.
She then sped up, moving away from this place. She had no time to waste here, and although she always passed through here when she traveled, she had no particular attachment to this place. She only cared about what it represented to her psyche, what she had experienced two years ago.
Now she focused entirely on getting to the city as quickly as possible, even crossing areas that were considered the territory of some particularly dangerous monsters, although only on the outskirts, because she didn't want to provoke these creatures.
Being chased by a sandworm a week ago in the desert had given her the adrenaline rush she needed for a long time, so she didn't want to go through that again. Especially now that she had obtained some interesting items, which she did not want to lose.
Due to this risky shortcut, Selene was finally able to cross this frozen area, arriving at one with a much warmer climate, a vast prairie that was the final stretch she had to travel, so to speak.
"Finally, warmth! I never expected to miss the annoying glare of the sun once in my life!" Selene, after arriving at this particular biome, stopped her motorcycle and released the control she had imposed on her cardiac system, as well as her lungs.
She decided to stay in this place for a while longer, simply admiring the tranquility of the white clouds, the soft sound of the trees swaying, and the faint scent of flowers. However, Selene remained alert, because even if this whole environment was peaceful and relatively close to Eclipse City, there were still various dangers, such as monsters.
When she felt that most of the coldness remaining in her body had disappeared, she decided to eat some of the scorpion meat she had prepared before continuing her journey.
She soon found a small paved path built by Eclipse City. It was a relic of the past, from the time when the city was laying its first foundations.
For this reason, the road was covered with marks from past battles: potholes caused by explosions, large scratches, and areas that looked as if they had been repeatedly melted. It was a museum of the many conflicts experienced by Eclipse City!
Like any traveler returning home, a certain expectation settled over Selene, causing her to grip the handlebars of her motorcycle tightly, as if that would somehow make the vehicle go faster.
To her delight, it was only 10 minutes before the first glimpse of Eclipse City appeared on the horizon. A gigantic dome of energy with occasional golden flashes! This was how all city-states survived: a large defensive shield, made up of hexagons, which occasionally materialized and disappeared at regular intervals.
Although only a few buildings were visible in the distance, her attention was focused on the defensive wall outside the energy dome, where the city's army was stationed.
For this reason, soldiers dressed in black could be seen, as well as defensive installations such as weapons of various sizes. They were on the lookout for any enemy threat, whether from monsters or enemy cities.
At this installation, there was a busy access station; large vehicles were lined up outside, as well as many people talking to the officials responsible for entry into the city.
Another interesting detail is that certain aircraft could be seen slowing down before an area of the energy shield opened to allow them to pass, demonstrating how vibrant the flow of people in the city was even before entering.
Before arriving and being seen in detail by the crowd, Selene stored her Glyphworks on her motorcycle because entering the city with exposed weapons was prohibited; her gauntlets clearly fell into that category, so she didn't want to cause trouble for herself.
She also took the opportunity to take out what appeared to be a black metal card, which she put in one of the pockets of her shorts, facilitating her future access. This was her proof of identity; without it, her access would be denied.
She then positioned herself at the end of the line, just behind a large convertible vehicle, where five people were seated. One of them was a woman sitting in the back seat, with whom she was very familiar.
"Noelle!" Selene called out, causing the woman to turn around, and upon realizing who it was, she smiled.
"Oh, it looks like you've finished one of your dangerous solo trips," Noelle, who was a blonde woman with red eyes and a voluptuous body, said, causing Selene to roll her eyes.
"I'm not joining your team! I prefer to do things on my own," the purple-haired girl replied reflexively, causing Noelle to laugh before getting out of the car and walking towards her.
"Moonie, I'm just worried about you. After all, the world outside the city isn't very safe." Noelle turned her purple eyes to Selene's body, noticing all the dirt and fluid stains on her clothes.
"Yeah, I know, but that's how I operate, Noe." Selene didn't feel uncomfortable letting them notice how dirty she was, because this was the appearance of many of the people returning to the city, even Noelle was spared from this.
"Well, I'll leave you now, my group has had a very good harvest this time, and I have to deal with those matters." Seeing how the line had reached the flying car she had been sitting in earlier, Noelle said goodbye, but not before getting quite close to the purple-haired girl.
The distance between them had narrowed considerably, and because Selene was still riding her motorcycle, her face was much higher than the blonde could normally reach; however, the dark-haired girl cooperated with the gesture, leaning her body down.
Thus, the two kissed quickly on the lips before parting. Noelle then patted Selene's leg before wrinkling her nose twice, as if smelling something, and then, with an amused smile on her face, she commented on the purple-haired girl before walking away.
"We'll talk when you've had a bath and rested. I'll take you to Bar O'Connor's when I've dealt with my responsibilities." Selene listened silently to these words as she stared at Noelle's back, who deliberately swayed her hips, knowing who was watching her at that moment.
"It seems I really do smell awful," she whispered, before laughing, because even she, accustomed to going long periods without bathing, was disgusted by her own body odor.
At least she had been invited for a drink right after returning to the city!
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Soon, Selene arrived at the transit station, where an energy fence blocked her path. To one side was a booth where a woman stood behind glass, looking at Selene with interest.
There were also soldiers around with completely scientific weapons that were no less powerful. They watched Selene, especially the red bloodstains on her torn black stockings. However, they didn't get involved in such matters. What happened outside Eclipse stayed there.
"Looks like you've survived again, right? You know the procedure. If you have anything to report or sell, you can request the necessary forms," said the official. Selene stuck out her tongue and waved her ID at the woman.
"Actually, I'm still alive. You know what they say about evil people. By the way, I do have something to report. Has the entry tax gone up?" Selene asked as she began typing on a projected screen in front of her.
She reported the location where she found the sandworm. After all, it was a particularly dangerous and aggressive creature that could affect other teams and even the city's expeditions. Therefore, everyone with similar information was urged to report it.
Generally, everyone did it because you never know when the outside world might change. Knowing this kind of information in advance has prevented many bad outcomes. Selene herself has had to reorganize her travel routes due to vital information learned from this type of news.
"No, it's still 10 Argentum. By the way, the city's climate system has scheduled light rain for tonight. If you plan to go out, remember to bring an umbrella," said the official before returning Selene's ID and completing her access process to Eclipse City.
"Rain? I see. Thank you." Selene said goodbye with a wave and nodded to the soldiers, who returned the gesture.
This time, she didn't speed off like a madwoman. After all, she had to respect the laws, even though she was a Noetarch and a Glyphworker. The laws applied to everyone, and that was how a city-state like this could prosper.
Selene passed through the energy shield covering the city and reached its suburbs. Even from there, traces of the city's prosperity could be seen. According to descriptions of the world before the cataclysm, there was a lot of pollution, and it seemed as if nature and humanity were incompatible.
None of that happened in Eclipse! The air was as pure as the air outside; you could even say it was richer and healthier. After all, who knows what might lurk in the atmosphere of such a damaged world?
Tall windmills stood, harnessing the power of the wind to generate energy, and enormous towers with umbrella-like structures on their roofs eagerly captured the sun's abundant rays.
Current technology, which included traces of knowledge related to enchantments but not to the extent of being completely Glyphworker, made the city's use of resources superior to that of ancient times.
The Vetro, enchantments, and old technology produced the miracle that allowed humanity to rebuild its devastated civilization and surpass it. All this? It was just basic knowledge that every citizen knew and was proud of. They were the ones who lived the best, unlike citizens of other cities with completely different lifestyles.
Every building coexisted with nature, with walls covered in flowering vines and gardens everywhere. Even small animals nested peacefully on traffic lights.
The giant trees, products of new global biology, were put to great use as buildings and houses. Selene's house was in a tree that bore golden fruit every season.
The first thing she saw when she returned home was a gigantic tree with lush red leaves and visible traces of human intervention. The health of the plant indicated that these additions were not harmful and could even benefit it.
An older woman with black hair stood in front of it, pruning a bush. When she heard the hum of Selene's motorcycle, she turned around and saw her approaching.
"Oh, my daughter! I'm so glad you're back!" The woman's brown eyes lit up, and she trotted over to Selene with a big smile on her face.
"I'll always come back, Mom." Selene got off her motorcycle and greeted her mother with open arms, hugging her tightly.
"I know, my dear Moonie, I know. Your father is cooking some delicious Terrible Lizard meat inside, the kind you like so much," her mother said, sniffing twice before wrinkling her nose.
"Honey, take a shower first. You stink," her mother said. She couldn't stand Selene's smell, so she patted her on the back, urging her to go inside.
"Okay, let me put some things away first," Selene replied quietly, somewhat embarrassed by her mother's comment. After all, it was different coming from her mother than from her or a friend teasing her about this issue.
Selene's home was inside a tree trunk. It was spacious enough to have three floors, a parking lot, and a basement. She went to the basement to leave part of her luggage, as well as some things she had obtained outside, such as the Glyphworks from those guys.
She had her workshop in the basement and planned to store those objects there temporarily, as she had decided not to sell the equipment but rather to dismantle it and take the materials for later use.
She properly stored the poison sacs from the scorpions, setting aside their stingers and some pieces of their shells. She took the cooked and fresh meat to give to her father in the kitchen.
Her father was a middle-aged man with the same hair and eye color as her. He wore a white apron and was busy cutting vegetables with impressive speed and precision.
After all, he was a Noetarch who had experienced the last war between Eclipse City and Nightfall City years before Selene was born. The moment his daughter set foot in the kitchen, his muscles tensed for a moment before relaxing.
"Red Shell Scorpion meat? I suppose you want me to cook some for your gluttonous friend. Fine, leave the meat in the freezer. However, let's talk about something else." Unlike her mother, Selene's father didn't hug her. In fact, he didn't even turn around. She knew this man was quite affectionate; he was just very focused on cooking right now.
"Your mother might not notice it, but I can. The smell of blood on you hasn't been washed off yet, and you feel a little colder." How many did you kill this time?" the man asked in a normal tone, not giving much importance to the meaning of his words.
"Four. They dared to steal something valuable that I got: green." Selene's answer was concise, but it made her father, who had been focused on cutting a cucumber, stop and turn to her.
"Four? That explains a lot. But did you really get something with green mist again? What is it?" the man asked, interested.
Selene, leaning back against the nearest wall, shook her head.
"A stupid silver box. I don't know what's inside, but I hope it's not another wedding ring," the purple-haired girl muttered. The matter bothered her deeply, and she would never forget it.
"You'll know how to open it." Go take a shower. I'll let you know when you need to come downstairs," her father said. Selene stuck out her tongue, then approached her father and gave him a quick hug.
"Now you smell as bad as I do!" she joked before running off to the third floor, where her room was.
"I'm telling you, Hyperion, you seem strict on the outside, but you're still spoiling our daughter." Selene's mother entered the kitchen, aware of what had happened there a short time ago.
"Tea is our only daughter. No matter how strict you are, she'll always be your little girl," Hyperion said with a self-deprecating smile. Tea shook her head, not wanting to continue the subject.
"Do you think I'll find another wedding ring? I have no idea how a talent that allows her to sense danger would indicate that something like that would benefit her. Sometimes they turn out to be useful, but many of them are strange!
Now, with that issue, is it time for Selene to get married?" Tea asked. Hyperion stabbed the knife hard into the wooden cutting board.
"Get married? Our daughter doesn't need to get married so young! If she gets another wedding ring, she won't be allowed outside for a long time," Hyperion replied angrily, making Tea laugh. She put her hand around her husband's waist.
"Well, let's forget about that. I don't want you to get angry like all parents do. You know that today..." She deliberately lowered her voice, but how could Hyperion miss his wife's whisper?
"It's definitely not my day. We can keep trying tonight," Tea whispered in her husband's ear. This caused him to look down and see everything he had to cut.
"I can't waste any more time," Hyperion replied with determination. His chest muscles bulged so much that they tore his shirt.
"Muscle activation: 50%," the man whispered before beginning to cut vegetables, fruits, greens, and meat at the speed of an industrial machine.
This was the fighting spirit of a father who wanted a new child!