The tiny wooden shack groaned each time the wind brushed against it. Dust floated through the cracks in the ceiling, dancing like pale insects in the morning light. Caleb stood over the worn map on the table, arms crossed, brow hardened in deep thought. Rudy rested casually on her seat, one leg crossed, while Zin slouched opposite her, chin high like he owned the entire shack.
Zin lifted one eyebrow.
"Information, ya say."
Caleb didn't even flinch.
"Yes. Information."
He tapped the map with two fingers.
"We can't win any war without first-hand intel."
Rudy nodded slowly, placing her palm on her jaw.
"He's right. The east hasn't been stable for two decades. Every village hears a different story. Rumors, fear, and deserted streets… not much to work with."
A cold breeze whooshed into the room, swaying the lamp's flame.
For a moment, silence ruled them.
Then—
"I know a guy that's good with information."
Zin raised his hand like a proud schoolboy answering a question.
The room fell quiet again.
Caleb placed his palm over his face, dragging it down slowly. Rudy covered her mouth to hide her chuckle. Zin stiffened, his expression turning chibi-flat.
"…Did I do something wrong?" he muttered.
Caleb clicked his tongue.
"So… we'll have to go back to town to meet him?"
Zin shook his head.
"Nah. He ain't in Khan town."
He swaggered over and jabbed his finger at a tiny, unevenly drawn square on the map.
"There. That's where he at."
Caleb's brow twitched.
"Zin… that's just a small village with only three routes."
Zin smirked.
"Village or not, I've known this guy a long time. Trust my instincts."
Caleb sighed.
"…We don't really have another option, do we?"
"Nope." Zin grinned.
He stabbed his finger at a thin, crooked line drawn on the map.
"And we're takin' this path. It's a short-cut."
Caleb nodded reluctantly.
Zin waved his hand lazily as he stepped outside.
"Let's get goin'. Ya won't wanna wander the plains at night."
Outside the shack stood Zin's twenty men, all straight-backed, all nervous. Billy and Dorry were arguing about something meaningless—again.
Billy nudged his brother with a bright grin.
"Dorry, look! Boss looks unusually motivated today."
Dorry frowned.
"Shut up. He always looks stupidly motivated."
Zin snapped his fingers.
"Oi! Listen up, all of ya!"
The men jolted awake instantly.
Caleb stepped forward, his calm presence dimming the morning noise.
His blue eyes scanned them—firm, composed, reassuring.
He spoke:
"All of you… if you want to turn back, now is the time."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
Caleb continued, voice steady like steel:
"We're hunting Hydras. They're not beasts,they're as smart as humans. They wield weapons, form strategies, wear armor… and they feed on human blood."
Some men swallowed hard.
"They look like us," Caleb added,
"except for the cracks on their faces. Their bodies rot slowly. Their minds don't."
Zin leaned aside and muttered loudly to Rudy,
"Ya're scarin' them, Caleb."
Rudy nudged him with her elbow.
"Let him finish."
Caleb continued:
"They can only be countered with Essence. A power every human is born with… but only a few know how to use."
Billy raised his hand.
"Does that include me?"
Dorry slapped his hand down.
"Idiot. You can barely hold your knife right."
Zin scoffed.
"Essence or not, ya're stuck with us anyway."
The men exhaled.
All twenty nodded—even if their legs shook.
Caleb nodded back.
"Good. Then we set out."
The sun hung low behind the clouds, staining the plains in a misty gold. The tall grass swayed like an endless sea. Along the cracked earth were traces of past battles—rusted helmets, broken spears, bloodstained stones.
Rudy walked beside Caleb, her cloak fluttering like a raven's wing.
"You seem focused."
"We need to be." Caleb replied.
Behind them…
Zin rode ahead of his men on a wagon, legs crossed like a king on a throne.
Billy chased a butterfly.
Dorry chased Billy for being stupid.
Billy:
"Look Dorry! It's blue! Maybe it's a spirit!"
Dorry:
"If you don't shut up—!"
Zin simply sipped from a gourd.
"Ah… ya kids bring peace to my soul."
Caleb let out a long breath.
Rudy whispered with a smirk:
"Admit it… you love their chaos."
"I tolerate it." he corrected.
As they approached the narrow short-cut path Zin had pointed out, the atmosphere changed.
The wind died.
The grass stopped moving. Everything became too quiet. Even Billy stopped talking.
Zin narrowed his eyes.
"…Ya feel that?"
Caleb reached for his katana.
Rudy's hand moved to a long brief case she hung on her back.
A distant metallic clatter echoed across the plains.
Then another.Footsteps.Dozens of them.
From beyond the ridge, silhouettes appeared…
Armored. Weapons drawn.Human-shaped.
But their faces, Even from afar,Cracked like broken porcelain.
Caleb's pupils shrank.
"Hydras…"
A full group.Marching right across their path.
Billy whispered shakily:
"…We're doomed."
Dorry whispered back:
"Shut up before they hear you, idiot!"
Zin cracked his knuckles, smirking wildly.
"Well, isn't this perfect timing."
Caleb stepped forward, katana unsheathed, the blade catching the muted sunlight.
he said without raising his voice.
"Everyone,"
The Hydra unit lifted their heads in unison…
And the plains fell silent.