The dimly lit bunker seemed to hold its breath as Shinon and Lova stood back to back, their weapons ready, their senses alert. Opposite them, a cloaked figure, shrouded in darkness, remained eerily still.

The silence was stifling, broken only by the soft, measured breathing of the trio. Tension hung in the air like a palpable force, but neither side made a move to attack.

Despite that, Shinon’s grip on his blade tightened, but he didn’t move. He had seen his share of betrayal and deception in this unforgiving world, and he knew better than to trust a stranger, especially one lurking in the shadows.

Shinon exchanged a brief glance with Lova. Her eyes, equally fierce and determined, met his, conveying the unspoken question: What do we do now?

Despite the tense standoff, neither side made a move to attack. Shinon and Lova, seasoned survivors of a world plunged into chaos, knew better than to act hastily.

The intruder donned a dark cloak and an eerie mask that obscured his identity. Apart from that, he appeared more interested in conversation than conflict.

"I mean you no harm. In fact, I believe we share a common enemy." The masked figure raised a gloved hand, their voice muffled by the mask as he spoke.

"Oh yeah?" Shinon replied. "Are we supposed to believe that when you’re dressed exactly like those fuckers?"

The man shook his head before reaching out to his left hand, and immediately, Shinon grabbed his hand with the help of a shadow.

"It’s not what you think..." the man replied as another shadow tendril wrapped around his neck.

"Ok, if that’s the case, I don’t think you’ll mind if I hang onto this," Shinon replied, dangling the guy’s utility belt that he had retrieved using shadows.

The man nodded and pointed towards his backside, "There’s a couple of blades there. Take them too if it gives you peace."

"Might as well," Shinon nodded, and his tendril got to work, stripping the masked guy of everything except his clothes and the mask. Once everyone had settled, Shinon continued. "Now then, what is it that brought you here."

"I know you’re looking for answers, just like I am," the man replied. "The only thing is, I’ve been tracking the same organisation you have been investigating for a while. I believe I have vital information that could expose them."

Sceptical but intrigued, Shinon and Lova cautiously agreed to hear what the intruder had to say. They lowered their weapons and took a step back, signalling their willingness to engage in a dialogue.

"What are you playing at?" Shinon continued while the rest of his team made themselves comfortable around the stranger.

"I play no games, Shadowbearer," he replied, their tone strangely calm. "I want to expose them, just like you do. But I know I can’t do it alone. However, we might stand a chance if we do it together."

"That’s easier said than done," Lova’s fingers trembled slightly around the hilt of her weapon, but she maintained her composure. "For starters, we don’t even believe you; working with you is a talk we can have later. For now, you can try and convince us to work with you."

"Of course, it’s only fair," The masked figure nodded, apparently satisfied with their decision. The man took a deep breath before continuing.

"I was once part of the organisation," he began, his voice tinged with bitterness. "But I grew disillusioned with their goals and methods. I managed to escape, but not without a price..."

The man lifted his left hand and removed his glove. Shinon’s eyes immediately fell on his father’s mark; the Eclipse was etched on the man’s hand... or whatever was left of it.

The man was missing all of his fingers, which made Shinon realise that his glove must have been a prosthetic. But more importantly, Shinon was interested in the mark, which looked like it had been sliced in half with a sharp object.

"You expect us to believe that?" Shinon’s voice was gruff, laced with scepticism. "Getting rid of a mark would be the first thing a spy would do."

"I knew that wouldn’t make you trust me, so how about this?" The figure raised a gloved hand and removed his mask, revealing a face weathered by hardship and marked by determination. "Believe what you want, but I’m risking everything just to be here. My name is Malakai."

Showing them his face was indeed a bold move. However, the way Shinon saw it, it didn’t prove anything. The man was a stranger whether he had a face or not.

However, Shinon thought there was no harm in playing along to get information from Malakai. After all, Shinon was in control of the situation, and the moment he felt something was off, he would end Malakai right then and there.

With that thought in mind, Shinon nodded, and Lova took the reigns of interrogation.

"Alright, Malakai. Tell us what you know," Lova said, her voice softer now, probably because she wanted to fool the man into thinking they believed him.

Malakai began to speak, his words measured and deliberate. "The organisation, Eclipse, has infiltrated numerous settlements, including yours."

Shinon’s mind blanked the moment he heard that those fuckers had named an organisation after his father’s brand. But it also made him think that his father was alive and was probably being forced to work with the assailants.

"If you’re talking about Marcus, he is gone for good." Lova intervened. "And I don’t think there could be anyone else who would pull a stunt like this."

"Marcus... he was but a mere distraction. Although I don’t know that person’s identity. I know that a female is the true mastermind working with Eclipse."

Shinon and Lova exchanged another meaningful look. They had suspected as much, but having confirmation sent shivers down their spines. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Judging from how easily the intruders got inside the settlement and knew their way around, it meant someone was still helping them from the inside. Shinon had only shared the thought with Lova because he knew she was clean.

It was also one of the reasons why he wanted Rico and Kira out of the settlement as soon as possible. After all, it was no secret that they were close to Shinon, and if anyone wanted to target him from the inside, they would go through them to reach him.

"What do they want?" Shinon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Power and control. They seek to dominate what’s left of humanity, to develop it into their vision of a new world order," Malakai hesitated for a moment before responding, "They’re willing to use any means necessary, even if it means sacrificing innocent lives."

Shinon got silent. His mind ran on overdrive thinking who could be the one working with Eclipse and if they had any knowledge of his father’s whereabouts.

Sensing his turmoil, Lova placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, silently urging him to keep listening. They needed every bit of information Malakai could provide.

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Lova asked.

"There’s a central hub, a hidden base of operations where they coordinate their activities," Malakai nodded. "I know how to get there, but I can’t do it alone. That’s where you two come in. Together, we can bring them down."

Shinon and Lova exchanged one final look, their unspoken agreement sealing their fate. They had been searching for answers, and now they had found an unexpected resource in Malakai.

However, they still didn’t trust him enough, and Lova communicated that much with Shinon using telepathy. Shinon could smell the trap Malakai had set up for them.

But before he could deny it, the system prompted him to accept Malakai’s proposal. Shinon was confused about why the system was so keen on intervening in his private matters. But since it explicitly was telling Shinon to accept Malakai’s help, he couldn’t deny it.

"We’re in," Shinon said, his voice firm.

Everyone was shocked by Shinon’s response, but Malakai’s eyes softened with ’gratitude’.

"Thank you," he said. "Together, we’ll uncover the truth and end their reign of terror."

"Yeah... let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet," Lova replied, her eyes staring dagger at Shinon.

Over the next few hours, Malakai shared more details about the organisation’s activities. He revealed that they had infiltrated not only settlements but also had spies in neighbouring survivor groups, gathering information and manipulating events to their advantage.

Their influence was far-reaching, and the survivors constantly feared the Eclipse’s reach without even knowing about it.

"They have a network of informants and enforcers," Malakai explained. "They control the flow of resources, manipulate trade, and ensure that any conflict is swiftly silenced. But there’s something even more sinister at play."

Shinon and Lova leaned in, their expressions intent.

"What do you mean?" Lova asked.

"They’re experimenting with something that could change our world’s very fabric." Malakai’s eyes bore into theirs. "I don’t have all the details, but I know it involves advanced technology and a lot of testing on zombies."