Dawn broke on the third day since the voice, and with it came transformation.
Alvik woke to the sound of distant thunder, though the sky through their bedroom window showed clear and cloudless. The blue circle that had hung in the distance for twenty-four hours now looked different somehow, though he could not immediately identify what had changed. The glow seemed stronger, more active, like water beginning to boil.
Beside him, Meera stirred and sat up quickly. "Do you hear that?"
The sound was not quite thunder. It was deeper, more resonant, vibrating through the air itself rather than traveling through it. The windows rattled slightly in their frames. Small objects on the dresser shifted and clinked together.
Both children appeared in the doorway simultaneously, Nisha clinging to Rayan's arm.
"Something's happening," Rayan said, his voice tight. "Look outside."
They rushed to the window. The circle they had been watching was changing before their eyes. The blue glow intensified, and within the empty ring, energy began swirling. It looked like smoke or water spinning in a vortex, except it glowed with that same blue light. The center darkened as the spinning accelerated, creating depth where there had been only empty air.
"Turn on the television," Alvik said, unable to look away from the transformation occurring in the sky.
Meera grabbed the remote from the nightstand and clicked it on. The news was already covering what was happening. Every channel showed the same scenes from cities worldwide—the circles that had hung passive and harmless for a full day were now activating, all of them simultaneously.
The anchor looked frightened despite professional training. Her voice shook as she read incoming reports. "We're receiving confirmation from every region that the circular formations are undergoing dramatic changes. The energy patterns within the circles have intensified significantly in the last fifteen minutes. Scientists monitoring the phenomena report unprecedented energy readings. Governments worldwide have issued emergency alerts urging citizens to stay indoors and away from the circles until more information becomes available."
The screen split to show feeds from multiple cities. In Mumbai, a massive circle hung above the downtown district, its interior now a swirling vortex of blue energy. In Delhi, three separate circles had appeared overnight, all showing the same transformation. International feeds showed identical scenes from New York, London, Tokyo, everywhere.
Then the voice returned.
It filled the world again with that same impossible resonance, speaking directly into every mind simultaneously.
"Anex Caves are open. Enter to find truth. White for beginning. Blue for brave. Red for death. Black for ascension. Your worlds change now. Adapt or perish."
The voice cut off as abruptly as it had begun, leaving only stunned silence in its wake.
"Caves?" Nisha whispered. "Those things are caves?"
Alvik had no answer. On the television, confusion erupted. The anchor pressed her hand to her earpiece, listening to incoming information, her eyes widening.
"We're getting reports that the circular formations are now being referred to as Anex Caves, based on the message just received. The voice mentioned colors—white, blue, red, black—and observers are confirming that the caves do appear in different colors. We're going live to our correspondent near one of the formations. Rajesh, what can you tell us?"
The screen showed a reporter standing behind a hastily erected military barricade. Behind him, approximately two hundred meters away, hung a cave. The swirling energy within the circle had stabilized into what looked like a vertical pool of liquid light, rippling and moving but maintaining its circular boundary. The color was distinctly white, bright and almost pure.
"Thank you, Priya. As you can see, the formation behind me has transformed into what the voice called an Anex Cave. Military forces have established a perimeter and are keeping civilians back. The cave, as it's now being called, appears stable. The swirling energy creates a surface that looks almost like water standing vertically. We cannot see through it to determine what might be on the other side. Government officials are currently debating whether to send in drones or—wait, something's happening."
The camera zoomed in on the cave. The white surface rippled more violently. Then, impossibly, something emerged.
It came through the vertical surface like stepping through a waterfall, except it came from nothing into reality. The creature was massive, easily three meters tall at the shoulder, built like a bear but covered in scales instead of fur. Its head resembled a wolf's, but the mouth held too many teeth, each one the length of a human hand. Six eyes arranged in two rows reflected the camera lights. The scales were dark green with patterns of black, and when it moved, muscles shifted beneath that armored hide with terrible power.
The creature looked around slowly, taking in its new environment. Then it opened its mouth and roared.
The sound was unlike anything Alvik had ever heard. It carried rage and hunger and something else—intelligence. This was not a mindless animal. This was a thinking predator that had just found new hunting grounds.
The military opened fire immediately. Rifles cracked, automatic weapons roared, bullets striking the creature from multiple angles. The scales sparked where bullets hit but did not penetrate. The creature flinched at the impacts, more annoyed than injured, and charged.
What happened next unfolded in seconds but felt stretched into horrible clarity. The creature covered the distance to the barricade with shocking speed. Soldiers scattered, still firing. The creature's clawed foot came down on one soldier who moved too slowly, and the camera caught everything before hastily panning away. Blood sprayed. Screams erupted. The feed cut abruptly back to the studio.
The anchor sat frozen, her face white. The studio was silent for several seconds before she found her voice again.
"We... we've lost the feed from that location. We're trying to reconnect. We... I'm being told to advise everyone to stay indoors immediately. Lock your doors. The creatures emerging from the Anex Caves are extremely dangerous. Military forces are engaging but... please, stay inside and away from the caves."
Alvik turned from the television to look out their window at the distant cave. Even as he watched, something emerged from it—a dark shape that fell through the swirling surface and spread wings, taking to the air. It was too far away to see details, but its size was apparent. The creature was enormous.
"We need to leave," Meera said, her voice sharp with fear. "That cave is too close. We need to get away from the city."
"Where would we go?" Alvik asked, though his mind was already reaching the same conclusion. "Every city has these caves. The reports showed them appearing everywhere."
"Then we go to the countryside, somewhere away from people, away from the caves."
Rayan had his phone out, scrolling rapidly through news feeds and social media. "Dad, this is happening everywhere. Videos from all over the world. The creatures are coming out of every cave. Different types, different sizes, all of them aggressive. Look."
He held up his phone. The screen showed a video shot from an apartment building of a cave at street level. Multiple creatures poured through the white surface—some running on four legs, some on two, some flying, some that defied easy description. All of them began attacking immediately. Cars were overturned, buildings damaged, people running and screaming.
"We're leaving," Alvik decided. "Now. Pack only essentials—clothes, documents, money, water, food we can carry. Move quickly."
The family scattered to gather supplies. Alvik grabbed their emergency bag from the hall closet, something Meera had insisted on maintaining for earthquake preparedness. He added to it from the kitchen—bottled water, packaged food, a first aid kit. Meera collected their important documents—passports, birth certificates, bank information, property papers. The children stuffed clothes and personal items into backpacks.
Fifteen minutes later they stood in the entryway, each holding bags, looking at their home one last time. Alvik felt the weight of the moment. They might not return. Everything they had built, all their possessions, their comfortable life—it might all be lost.
"Let's go," he said quietly.
Outside, the neighborhood was alive with activity. Other families had reached the same conclusion. Cars backed out of driveways, trunks stuffed with belongings. People ran between houses, checking on neighbors, sharing information. Mr. Patel was loading his family into their car, his hands shaking as he struggled with the luggage.
"Alvik!" he called out. "Are you leaving too?"
"Heading out of the city. You should do the same."
"We're going to my brother's village two hundred kilometers north. Maybe it's safer there."
"Good luck to you."
"And to you. Keep your family safe."
They climbed into Alvik's sedan. He started the engine with hands that trembled slightly. Meera sat in the passenger seat, her phone out and displaying a map. Rayan and Nisha buckled into the back seat, both pale and quiet.
"Take the ring road east, then connect to the national highway heading south," Meera directed. "My parents' village is about three hundred kilometers away. Small, rural, hopefully no caves nearby."
Alvik pulled out of the driveway and immediately encountered traffic. The street was packed with vehicles, all heading in the same direction, everyone with the same idea. Getting away from the city, away from the caves, seeking safety in distance and isolation.
Progress was agonizingly slow. They crawled forward, stopping frequently as cars ahead bottlenecked at intersections. Horns blared constantly. Some drivers tried to cut through side streets, creating new jams. Tensions ran high—Alvik witnessed two men get out of their cars to argue and nearly come to blows before others separated them.
"This is taking too long," Meera said, watching their minimal progress. "At this rate, we won't clear the city until nightfall."
The radio played constant emergency broadcasts. More caves had appeared overnight—not just above cities but scattered across the countryside, in forests, over water, everywhere. The government had declared martial law. All citizens were ordered to stay in their homes or seek shelter in designated safe zones. Military forces were mobilizing but spread thin trying to respond to threats emerging simultaneously across the entire country.
They had been stuck in traffic for thirty minutes and moved perhaps two kilometers when Rayan called from the back seat.
"Dad, there's a red one."
"A red what?"
"A red cave. Look, up there."
Alvik followed his pointing finger. Higher in the sky, perhaps a kilometer away, hung another cave. This one swirled with red energy instead of white or blue. The color was deep and dark, like fresh blood, and even from that distance, the cave felt wrong somehow. Dangerous. The voice had mentioned red—red for death.
"Keep moving," Meera urged. "Don't stop, don't look at it."
But traffic ahead had stopped completely. Alvik leaned on the horn along with dozens of others, creating a wall of noise that accomplished nothing. People were getting out of their cars, abandoning them in the street, grabbing bags and children and running on foot.
"What are they running from?" Nisha asked, her voice small.
Then Alvik saw it.
Behind them, back toward the neighborhood they had just left, the white cave they had been monitoring had become active. Creatures were emerging in greater numbers now. And these were not the massive, slow moving beasts from the news footage. These were fast.
They looked like a cross between wolves and lizards, running on four legs with low, streamlined bodies built for speed. They moved through the streets in a pack, attacking anything that moved. Their hunting cries echoed across the neighborhood, high-pitched and horrible.
"Lock the doors," Alvik said, his voice remarkably steady despite the fear flooding his system. "Close the windows. Stay low."
The creatures were two streets away and closing fast. Some people who had abandoned their cars were running desperately. The creatures were faster. Alvik watched in horror as one person was brought down, then another. The creatures worked as a coordinated pack, separating prey, cutting off escape routes, attacking from multiple angles.
Around them, other drivers were panicking. Some tried to force their cars through gaps that didn't exist, creating more gridlock. Others simply sat frozen. Some were praying loudly, calling on gods to save them. Others wept.
A creature appeared at the intersection ahead, having circled around. It paused, head swinging back and forth as it scanned the traffic jam full of trapped people. Its mouth opened, showing rows of needle-sharp teeth, and it screamed that same high-pitched hunting call.
More of its pack answered from different directions.
"We're surrounded," Rayan said quietly.
Alvik's mind raced through options. They could stay in the car and hope it provided protection. They could run, but the creatures were faster. They could hide, but where? They could fight, but with what? He had nothing that could hurt these things.
A massive truck three cars ahead suddenly accelerated, the driver apparently deciding that moving forward through obstacles was better than waiting to be killed. The truck smashed into the car in front of it, pushing it aside, then continued forward, metal crunching and glass shattering. It created a gap in the traffic.
"Follow that truck," Meera said urgently.
Alvik didn't hesitate. He cranked the wheel and accelerated, following in the wake of destruction the truck was creating. Other drivers had the same idea, turning the entire situation into a stampede of vehicles pushing forward through any available space.
Behind them, the creatures attacked the traffic jam. Alvik watched in the rearview mirror as they leaped onto cars, clawing at windows, trying to get at the people inside. Some succeeded. The screams rose above the sound of engines and crushing metal.
He forced his eyes forward, focusing only on following the truck that was bulldozing a path through the gridlock. His sedan was smaller, more agile. He wove through gaps the truck created, staying close behind its protective bulk.
A creature landed on the hood of their car.
Nisha screamed. The thing was right there, separated from them only by the windshield. Up close, it was even more terrifying. The scaled hide was mottled green and brown, the eyes were yellow with slitted pupils, the mouth held too many teeth. It was the size of a large dog but far more muscular and clearly intelligent. It looked at them, and Alvik could see it thinking, calculating how to get inside.
It raised one clawed foot and smashed it down on the windshield. The glass held but spiderwebbed with cracks. It raised its foot again.
Alvik slammed on the brakes.
The creature flew forward off the hood, tumbling across the street. Alvik immediately accelerated again, aiming directly at where the creature was trying to regain its feet. He felt the impact through the steering wheel as the car hit it. There was a horrible crunching sound, and then they were past.
"Is everyone okay?" he asked, his voice shaking.
"We're okay," Meera answered. "Keep driving."
The truck ahead was still moving, and they followed. They had broken through the worst of the gridlock now. The road ahead was clearer, though abandoned cars and debris littered the pavement. Bodies too, though Alvik tried not to look at them, tried not to think about the people who had been alive minutes ago.
Behind them, the hunting cries of the creatures grew more distant. Either the pack had been satisfied with easier prey, or they simply could not keep pace with the vehicles.
They drove in silence for several minutes, just trying to process what had happened. The ring road was a disaster zone—wrecked cars, fires burning, people running in all directions. More creatures roamed the streets, different types from different caves. Some were enormous, smashing through buildings. Others were smaller but moved in coordinated groups. All were deadly.
"Look there," Rayan said, pointing to the sky.
Flying creatures circled above the city like vultures. Some were massive with leathery wings, others smaller and faster. As they watched, one dove down toward a group of fleeing people. The screams carried even inside the car.
"We need to get out of this city," Alvik said. "Away from all the caves, away from the crowds."
But as they continued driving, it became clear that escape would not be simple. The national highway was packed with vehicles, all heading away from the city, creating another massive traffic jam. Emergency services tried to maintain order, but there were simply too many people and not enough authorities.
They crawled along the highway at walking pace. All around them, people showed signs of extreme stress. Arguments broke out over minor things. Some people had given up entirely and simply sat beside the road, staring at nothing. Others moved with frantic energy, unable to stay still.
The radio continued its stream of emergency information. The government was establishing safe zones in military bases and reinforced buildings. All available forces were being deployed to combat the creatures. International cooperation had been pledged. Aid was coming. Stay calm. Stay informed. Survive.
But the subtext was clear—humanity was losing. The creatures were too numerous, too spread out, too powerful. People were dying by the thousands. Cities were falling into chaos. The world as they knew it was ending, and no one knew how to stop it.
They had been on the highway for two hours, traveling perhaps fifteen kilometers, when Meera's phone rang. She looked at the screen and answered immediately.
"Papa? Yes, we're trying to reach you. We're on the national highway but traffic is terrible. What? No, don't leave the village! Papa, listen to me. Stay there, lock yourselves inside. We'll get there but it might take a while. There are creatures everywhere. What? Blue cave? How close? Papa, stay inside, do you understand? We're coming. I love you too."
She ended the call, her face pale. "A blue cave appeared near my parents' village this morning. It's in the fields about three kilometers from their house."
"What came out of it?" Alvik asked, though he dreaded the answer.
"They don't know. They've stayed inside like we told them to. But neighbors who went to look haven't come back."
The blue caves, the voice had said, were for the brave. That implied they were more dangerous than the white ones. Red was for death. And black was for ascension, whatever that meant.
"We'll get there," Alvik said with more confidence than he felt. "Your parents are smart, and their house is solid. They'll be safe until we arrive."
The day wore on. The sun climbed high, beating down on the stalled traffic. Inside the car, the air grew hot and stale despite the air conditioning working at maximum. Water supplies diminished. Nerves frayed further.
Around them, people began abandoning their vehicles again, deciding that walking would be faster. Some disappeared into the fields beside the highway, seeking alternate routes. Others simply walked along the highway itself, weaving between stationary cars.
"Should we walk?" Rayan asked. "We're barely moving anyway."
"No," Alvik decided. "The car provides protection and carries our supplies. We stay together and we stay mobile, even if that mobility is slow."
Another hour passed. They had moved perhaps five more kilometers. At this rate, reaching Meera's village would take days, not hours. And they would need more supplies, more water, more fuel.
Ahead, brake lights suddenly flashed in a wave as cars stopped completely. Alvik craned his neck to see what had happened. A military checkpoint had been established across the highway. Soldiers were directing traffic, checking vehicles, distributing information.
When they finally reached the checkpoint, a young soldier approached their window. He looked exhausted, his uniform stained with sweat and dirt, his eyes haunted by things he had seen.
"Where are you headed?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"South, to a village about two hundred kilometers from here," Alvik answered.
"The highways are all jammed like this. You'd make better time on secondary roads, but those are more dangerous. Fewer people to help if you encounter creatures. Your choice."
"What's happening in the city behind us?"
The soldier's expression darkened. "Evacuation is ongoing, but it's not going well. Too many caves, too many creatures. We're doing what we can, but..." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.
"What should we do?" Meera asked.
"Stay together. Stay mobile. Don't stop unless you have to. Watch the skies. Listen for warnings. The caves aren't the only danger now—people are getting desperate, turning on each other for supplies and space. Trust no one you don't know."
He waved them through the checkpoint. They continued down the highway, now carrying the weight of that soldier's advice.
As afternoon stretched toward evening, their progress remained painfully slow. They had covered perhaps fifty kilometers in six hours. At this rate, two more days of travel at least. And they would need to stop for the night somewhere, though every stopping place looked dangerous.
"There," Rayan pointed. "Exit ahead, sign says rest stop in two kilometers. Maybe we can find supplies and information."
They took the exit, leaving the gridlocked highway for a smaller road. Immediately the traffic thinned. Most people stayed on the main road, following the crowd, trusting in numbers. The smaller roads were emptier, which meant both less competition for resources and less help if things went wrong.
The rest stop appeared ahead—a cluster of buildings including a fuel station, a small restaurant, and a convenience store. Several cars were parked in the lot. People moved between the buildings, loading supplies into vehicles.
Alvik pulled into the parking area carefully, watching for threats. The scene looked calm enough, but the soldier's warning about desperate people echoed in his mind.
"Stay in the car," he told Meera and the children. "Lock the doors. I'll go check if they have fuel and supplies."
"Be careful," Meera said, her hand briefly touching his arm.
He stepped out into the late afternoon heat. The rest stop was busy but not chaotic. People moved with purpose but not panic. At the fuel station, cars waited in an orderly line for the working pumps. At the store, a small crowd gathered around the entrance.
Alvik approached one man loading boxes into a van. "Is the store still open? Do they have supplies?"
The man looked at him with weary eyes. "They're allowing five items per person. First come, first served. Most of the good stuff is gone already—batteries, flashlights, canned food. There's still some water and snacks left."
"Thank you."
Alvik joined the line at the store. While he waited, he studied his surroundings more carefully. People were armed—he saw several men with rifles, others with knives or improvised weapons. The world had changed in just three days, forcing people to adapt quickly to violence and danger.
Inside the store, the shelves were indeed nearly empty. He grabbed five bottles of water and waited in line to pay. The storekeeper was an older man who looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"Cash only," the man said. "Electronic systems are down."
Alvik paid with cash from his wallet, grateful he had withdrawn money a few days ago. Outside, he loaded the water into the car, then joined the line for fuel. The wait was long, but eventually they filled the tank.
As the sun touched the western horizon, painting the sky red and orange, they had to make a decision. Continue driving into the night on dangerous unfamiliar roads, or find shelter and wait for morning.
"There's a town about thirty kilometers ahead according to the map," Meera said, studying her phone. "Maybe we can find a hotel or somewhere safe to spend the night."
They drove on as dusk descended, the sky darkening, the landscape around them becoming less visible. Twice they passed wrecked vehicles on the roadside, but they did not stop to investigate. Whatever had happened there was already over.
The town appeared ahead, its lights fewer than they should have been. Many buildings were dark. Some showed signs of damage. But it was not completely abandoned—lights burned in scattered windows, and some people moved through the streets.
They found a small hotel near the center of town. The manager, a middle-aged woman with a businesslike attitude, accepted their cash and gave them a room on the second floor.
"Don't leave the room after dark," she advised. "Creatures come through at night. The local ones aren't as bad as what's hitting the cities, but they're still dangerous. We lock the main doors at sunset. Stay inside until dawn."
The room was small but clean, with two beds and a bathroom. They locked the door, checked that the window was secure, and finally allowed themselves to relax slightly.
"We made it through day one," Alvik said, sitting heavily on one bed. His whole body ached from tension and stress.
Meera sat beside him, taking his hand. The children claimed the other bed, huddling together. Outside, the sound of distant screams rose briefly, then fell silent. Something howled, closer than was comfortable.
The world had become a nightmare in seventy-two hours. The voice, the caves, the creatures—everything had changed, and there was no going back.
Alvik looked at his family, all of them exhausted and frightened but alive, still together. He thought of their home, their normal life, the business deal that had seemed so important just days ago. All of that belonged to a different world now, a world that no longer existed.
"Tomorrow we keep going," he said quietly. "We reach your parents, we stay together, we survive. That's all that matters now."
They nodded, too tired for more conversation. One by one they drifted into uneasy sleep, still dressed, ready to run at a moment's notice.
Outside, the creatures that had emerged from the Anex Caves prowled through the darkness, hunting.
And the caves continued to open, disgorging more horrors into a world that had no defense against them.
The journey had begun, just as the voice had promised.
And humanity's struggle for survival had only just started.
●○●○●○