Soulless Lord: Empty life

The Vanguard squad had barely adjusted to the glaring sun when Commander Matilda called for an urgent meeting in the makeshift operations tent. 

Despite the exhaustion from their arrival, the recruits filed in, curiosity and tension heavy in the air. Tobi glanced at Morikata, whose usual stoic expression now bore a flicker of intrigue.

Inside, Matilda stood before a large, weathered map spread across a table. The map displayed not only the surrounding area but also marked points of interest scattered across the surface, abandoned settlements, potential resource sites, and ominous zones labeled with question marks. 

Beside her stood a man in worn Vanguard armor, his face etched with fatigue but his posture resolute.

"This is Captain Lewis," Matilda began. 

"He leads one of the forward teams sent here weeks before us. Their mission was to establish a foothold and relay information about the surface's conditions."

The recruits exchanged glances. Tobi's mind raced. So, they weren't the first after all. Questions bubbled up inside him, but he remained silent, waiting for Matilda to continue.

"Captain Lewis's team has uncovered critical information," Matilda said. 

"But they've also encountered significant resistance." She gestured for Lewis to speak.

Lewis stepped forward, his voice steady but tinged with urgency. 

"The surface is more dangerous than we anticipated. Creatures…" He paused, searching for the right words.

 "Twisted remnants of the old world. They're aggressive, highly adaptive, and drawn to energy sources, particularly stone energy."

A murmur rippled through the room. Hannah, the healer in Tobi's squad, raised her hand. 

"Have you identified what's causing their aggression?"

Lewis shook his head. "Not definitively. But we suspect it's linked to the radiation zones and lingering effects of the old wars. What's clear is that they're highly territorial."

"What about the other teams?" Morikata asked, his voice calm but pointed. "How many have made contact?"

Lewis's jaw tightened. "Three teams were deployed. Only my team remains fully operational. Another is scattered, their communication intermittent at best. The third…" His voice faltered. 

"We lost contact entirely two weeks ago."

The room fell silent. Tobi felt a chill despite the heat. This was more than just a mission, it was a gamble with their lives.

Matilda took over. "Our immediate goal is to meet with Lewis's team at their established base to consolidate resources and intelligence. Beyond that, we'll assess the viability of continuing our exploration and establishing permanent outposts."

"What's the distance to their base?" Neon asked, his analytical mind already calculating.

"Three days by foot," Lewis replied. "But the terrain is treacherous. We'll encounter ruins, unstable ground, and possibly more of those creatures."

"What's the alternative?" Hannah asked.

Matilda's gaze hardened. "There isn't one. This is the mission. Prepare yourselves."

The Vanguard squad set out at dawn, the surface's unfamiliar beauty a stark contrast to the grim reality they faced. 

The ruins of the old world stretched around them, overgrown with vegetation that had clawed its way back over centuries. 

Buildings stood as hollowed-out skeletons, their crumbling walls whispering of a time long past.

Tobi walked in the middle of the formation, his senses on high alert. 

Friend's voice broke the silence. 'Keep your eyes open, Tobi. The surface isn't just dangerous, it's unpredictable.'

"I know," Tobi muttered under his breath. The mark on his chest pulsed faintly, a constant reminder of his connection to something far greater than himself.

The first day passed without incident, though tension remained thick. 

The group camped in the hollow of a collapsed tower, the structure providing some semblance of shelter. As the recruits rested, Lewis shared more about his team's experiences.

"We've seen signs of other survivors," he said, his voice low. "Not just creatures, but humans or something close to it. They're elusive, but they're watching us."

"Do you think they're hostile?" Tobi asked.

Lewis hesitated. "Too early to say. But up here, caution is survival."

By the second day, the terrain grew more challenging. Dense vegetation and jagged debris slowed their progress. 

The squad moved in near silence, their senses attuned to every sound. Tobi couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

That evening, they reached the outskirts of a sprawling ruin, a city long abandoned, its towering structures leaning precariously. Lewis signaled for them to stop.

"We're close," he said. "The base is just beyond this city. But this area… it's a hotspot for activity. Stay sharp."

The squad advanced cautiously, weaving through the labyrinth of crumbled buildings. As they neared the base, a sudden sound shattered the quiet, a low growl, followed by the unmistakable sound of movement.

"Positions!" Matilda barked. The recruits formed a defensive circle, their stones glowing faintly as they prepared for an attack.

From the shadows emerged a creature unlike any Tobi had seen. 

It was large, its twisted form covered in jagged, bone-like protrusions. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and its movements were erratic yet calculated.

"Hold the line!" Matilda commanded. 

The squad engaged the creature, their combined abilities barely keeping it at bay. 

Tobi focused on coordinating his blue stone powers with Morikata's offensive strikes, the two working in tandem to create openings for the others.

After a grueling battle, the creature fell, its body disintegrating into ash. The squad stood in stunned silence, their breaths heavy.

"Welcome to the surface," Lewis said grimly.

They reached Lewis's base just before dawn. The forward team's camp was a modest cluster of reinforced shelters surrounded by makeshift barricades. 

Lewis 's team, though battered and weary, greeted them with a mixture of relief and caution.

"You made it," a woman in Vanguard armor said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. 

She introduced herself as Lieutenant Lisa, Lewis's second-in-command. "We weren't sure you would."

"Neither were we," Matilda replied. "What's the status here?"

Lisa's expression darkened. "We're holding on, but just barely. The creatures are relentless, and the environment isn't much friendlier. Supplies are running low, and our communication equipment is unreliable."

Tobi listened intently, his gaze drifting to the horizon. Despite the challenges, a spark of determination ignited within him. 

They weren't just surviving, they were paving the way for something greater.

As the two teams settled in, Tobi felt the weight of their mission more than ever. The surface was harsh and unforgiving, but it was also a place of untapped potential and hidden truths. 

And somewhere amidst the ruins and dangers, answers awaited.

"This is just the beginning," Friend whispered. Tobi nodded, his resolve hardening. 

The surface was no longer just an unknown, it was their reality. 

And they would face it together.