Adams re-read the text of the message.
Adams, we beg you not to come to the stadium
He looked over the second message.
They are not protecting us .
Adams tried calling Elena’s number, but the phone went straight to voicemail.
"What’s wrong?"
Mira appeared beside him. Adams turned the phone so that Mira could see the messages. Mira’s gaze changed as she read the text of the voicemail.
"That’s your girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"Maybe she managed to get into the stadium."
"Maybe."
A few soldiers in military trucks blocked the road leading to the stadium. Several soldiers stood behind barriers manned at the entrances while civilians, too, were organized into orderly lines that led to the checkpoint. The stadium was an oasis of peace and organization. After all, the streets of Lagos were still chaotic from the aftermath of Hellfall.
Daniel approached, "here we are."
Adams showed Daniel the messages. Daniel’s expression hardened.
"When did she send these messages?"
"Less than a minute ago."
Daniel watched the entrance to the stadium, "do you think she could have been kidnapped?"
"It’s possible"Then we find her."
Mira nodded. Adams was watching her.
"You don’t have to come with us"
She seemed horrified, "you’re going to the stadium to find your girlfriend alone?"
"I am."
"Then I’m coming with you."
"You don’t even know me."
"Neither do these people." She indicated the gates, "and you saved my life."
Adams did not argue. They wove through the stream of people. A soldier halted them at the checkpoint.
"Stop."
Daniel stepped forward, "we’re civilians from the western district, we require medical assistance."
The soldier looked Daniel up and down, "Sergeant?"
"yes."
He nodded, "Okay, you’re all good to go."
They marched through the gates. Adams looked at the soldier’s face as he examined the people who were trying to get into the stadium. But they weren’t looking at the wounded; they were observing the wrists
"Why are they checking us?" Adams inquired
"They’re testing for awakening signs."
"What type of signs?"
The soldier shrugged, "abnormalities."
Adams did not like this, nor did Daniel.
The stadium was full. Families huddled together among the concrete seats; children wailed; doctors and nurses wandered from group to group of civilians; soldiers loaded boxes of supplies. A certain sense of order and control was in place. There was chaos outside, just a few blocks away, but it was different from the ordered chaos that could be seen in this stadium.
Mira grabbed hold of Adams’s arm to get his attention, " Adams... look."
Mira pointed to a fenced-off area in the center of the stadium grounds. Guarded by soldiers, a civilian was being questioned
" Name?"
"Peter."
" Level ?"
" One."
" Class ?"
" Warrior."
Their responses were written down. Another soldier used a metal device against Peter’s chest; it made a beeping sound.
"Potential?"
" C."
" Release him."
Peter was sent back out. Adams watched this process with growing unease
"They’re measuring the potential of the awakened," Daniel said, more to himself than anyone
Mira pointed out another civilian who had entered the secured zone. Their device made a high-pitched, almost agonizing squeal. The soldier took a step backward. The lights on the device turned red.
"Tell me what kind of powers you have."
The civilian seemed frightened, "I don’t know."
"Then show me,"I can’t control it."
Just then, the civilian’s hands glowed with light, soldiers opened fire. Civilians and soldiers alike pushed away from this strange spectacle as the civilian dropped to the ground in a heap. Silence filled the place. The glow was gone; there was nothing left. A system warning was the only response to whatever had just happened
«[Human has died.]»
There was no experience and no reward; all Adams would receive was an empty feeling and an unanswered question. Everyone was beginning to go home.
Mira appeared shaken, whispering, "why did they kill him?"
Daniel clenched his jaw, "he was out of control."
"He was frightened."
"I know."
Adams studied them as they were reformed in place around the protected area. Adams was beginning to understand just what it was the soldiers in the stadium were doing.
"So Elena was right", Daniel remarked.
"What do you mean?" Adams turned to him.
"The awakened, they were taken by soldiers."
Adams turned in the direction of the arena, "...They’re not killing them. They’re screening them."
" What’s the difference? "
Mira asked.
"They’re sorting them."
"What are they doing?"
"I don’t know."
A voice interrupted the tense standoff, "because the government is afraid".
A civilian appeared before the small group. Adams hadn’t seen this stranger before. The young man had a rather large rifle slung casually over his shoulder.
The strange looked Daniel in the eye, "Sergeant Okoro".
Daniel raised his rifle, "who are you?"
"Samuel Adekunle of the military intelligence."
The rifle was put down; his gaze lingered on Adams, "And you’re Adams Albert."
Adequate response. Adams narrowed his eyes, "how did you know my name?"
Samuel hesitated, "your girlfriend."
The stranger’s name was gone; Adams expression hardened
"Where is Elena?"
Samuel looked over Adams’s shoulder and said, "...She was brought in here almost an hour ago."
"Where?"
"The medical section."
Samuel was Adams’ guide to Section Medical; two soldiers stood in his way.
"Sorry, restricted sector."
Adams passed by the soldiers, "my girlfriend was brought in here, Elena Marlowe."
The soldier consulted his device, "...she’s been transferred."
"Transferred where?"
"Sorry, I can’t tell you."
Adam got right up to the first soldier; the young man flinched as he looked him in the gaze. Adams activated the second vision he had in this life: Archon’s Eye
«[Human]
Level: 4
Class: Unknown
Strength: 4,3
Agility: 4,1
Weakness: Left leg
Threat Level: Low»
He studied this man, his lungs, heart, and balance. Adams saw a weak leg - he could cripple this man.
Just then a tremendous explosion shook the ground beneath them. The sky cracked with a deafening scream of steel. The roof of the stadium was damaged; a good portion of the wall in the east of the arena was ripped outwards, sending a plume of smoke into the sky.
An acrid scent of singed metal and scorched flesh was detectable all across the stadium.
A shadow loomed outside the stadium.
A savage animal-scream echoed across the city. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of soldiers opened fire. Some were injured, others maimed, but there wasn’t anyone on the frontline that wasn’t dead. People were scattered in all directions after an enormous blast of raw power and energy blew them away. Mira stretched out her hands, "I can help."
"Stand back," he ordered.
"You’ll die."
"Probably, no reason for me to stay."
Mira glared at Adams. Adams picked up a fallen rifle. He didn’t exactly know what kind of weapon it was - he didn’t particularly care, either. A huge, brutish, snarling creature emerged from the mist of the explosion. The thing was at least fifty feet tall; its skeletal body was draped in thick folds of charred gray skin. Its skull horns were massive, curving back over the creature’s head.
The words appeared in front of everyone’s eyes
«[Elite Monster detected.]
[Level: 12]»
Adams was only level three!
The soldiers opened fire. A few of their bullets pierced the bag, but it was a mockery of the effort; the beast was unaffected. The monster charged directly at the group of soldiers and casually knocked aside a group of ten soldiers like toys.
The civilians scattered. Mira was preparing some kind of magic, but Adams stopped her. Adams was suddenly very glad Mira chose to follow him rather than stay home. A monster of that caliber could easily trample everyone in this stadium. Still, something was off about this encounter; Adams just knew it.
This monster was looking for something. He had the feeling this beast had come for him specifically.
A message appeared in his vision
«[Target locked on]»
The monster was watching Adams - it really was watching him
Not now
Another message appeared; Adams had absolutely no doubts that the monster was coming to kill everyone in the stadium just because he was a god.
A second thought appeared - it wasn’t going to come for the entire crowd. Something told Adams it was coming for him .
Behind him, Samuel spoke, "...Adams."
A different message appeared
«[Warning.]
[Host has been identified by an external entity.]»
The monster lunged at Adams. Then he understood the reason for everything. The nightmare which had pursued him since the very beginning of this day had an explanation. And that explanation came in the from of a monstrous, grotesque demon with claws more than capable of rending a man’s lungs out his back.