Genesis : Knights of Salvation Series
Chapter 47: Ground Zero

We woke up extra earlier this morning as Enyo wanted us to prepare for our journey to ground zero. Enyo sits us down against the now-doused fire as all of our things are packed on our horses as we are prepared to leave.

“We know the approximate location of ground zero, but it’s unknown what will be waiting for us there or the shape the facility will be in,” Enyo says drawing out a crude map.

“What we know is that the facility is just below a large cliff in a clearing of the forest. We don’t know how much the forest has reclaimed either.” He says using a small stick to draw out the way he was informed the facility should sit. The team listens intently as we watch him make the plan.

“Be prepared for anything, this is the point of no return for every team that’s even been lucky enough to reach it. So keep your eyes open, your sword ready.” He order’s out as we all nod. Then he looks up and around the circle we sit in. His eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer. It’s as if he’s trying to take in everyone’s face knowing we won’t all make it back.

“We are Knights.” He finally says strong and determined.

“Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword!” The team echoes out their war cry in unison sending chills down my spine. I swallow hard, looking at all their determined faces. An almost nostalgic feeling fell on me. I don’t know when it happened but they’ve all grown on me in ways I would have never thought possible. Either way, I’ll miss them. I blink away those thoughts and head to my horse tying its reins and climbing onto the saddle. The morning light is just starting to take over the sky as I fascine the button’s on my top shirt. I pull my hair up into a tight ponytail on the top of my hair as the rest of the team climbs onto their horses.

Enyo lead us back into the thick of trees our horses lumbering slowly through the tightly grouped trees. We ride for a while in quiet awareness of what we may be riding into. The forest grows denser and denser as we try to get through the forest. As we ride I notice that a large layer of moss begins to take over the ground only in spots I can make out what used to be a tarred road. After that, I can make out old broken down building now covered with undergrowth and moss. Building after building starts to come into view as we ride past them, each one on the verge of tumbling to the ground or already has. I even spot one wooden building, the glass windows completely shattered with a full tree growing inside the building, its branches reaching out the busted windows.

The quiet surrounding us is suddenly more vivid and suffocating as house after house is taken over by the forest. There had to have been a town here in the mountains before the virus came, and now the forest is retaking the town. I look behind me to see Talon looking around the forest his eyes growing when he sees what was once a car now lifted off the ground by a tree’s wared branches. He sees me looking at him and he gives a warm smile.

“This is creepy.” He whispers out more in humor to break the uncomfortable stress over us. I smile at him, if I could trust anyone on the team it’s Talon. He’s kept all his promises, and I hope I can get a chance to tell him the truth.

I turn back around to see Enyo slow the team. When I look in front of us my mouth drops. A large building that looks like it was once made up mostly of glass stands ominously over us. Most of the glass shattered long ago with branches and plants growing up the metal frame as it stands high over us. Enyo slowly leads us into the building the light shining through it. If we weren’t so close to ground zero, this place would seem beautiful and wild. We ride through the building the horse hooves echoing on the cement and dry-leaved floor. The building lead’s straight forward and at the end sits the opening we need. We are close to the exit when that dizzying feeling takes control of my head. Spurts of hundreds of forsaken lingering a little farther ahead of us come over me as if a bucket of cold water is dumped on me.

I pull hard on my horse’s reins stopping Foxglove and Talon behind me. Their horses spring up with the sudden pull on their reins. The rest of the team ahead of us stops with the sudden commotion, all eyes falling on me.

“What’s wrong?” Clare asks as everyone stares. My hands start to shake and I swallow trying to get the words.

“There are hundreds of them,” I speak up quietly. I look at Clare hoping she understood.

“Hundreds of what?” Orion speaks up turning his horse sideways to look at me better.

“Forsaken.” Clare specifies looking from me to Enyo and Orion.

“What?” Harrison speaks up in confusion, I swallow hard and look at Enyo straight in his eyes, trying my best to get the feeling of death and doom off my skin.

“There are hundreds of Forsaken up ahead, a mile or so ahead.” I try my best to specify. I know he’s going to ask how I know but it’s pretty hard to describe the overwhelming feeling I sometimes seem to get. Before he can ask I tell him anyways.

“It’s a feeling, sometimes when there’s a lot of them I get an unnatural feeling,” I speak up. Enyo’s eyes seem to linger on me for a moment then glances at Orion.

“You got it in the Valley?” Orion speaks up, pinpointing the other time I had gotten it. I nod to them not saying a word.

The two of them look at one another for a moment seemingly exchanging words with their eyes.

Everyone stay here, Harrison come with me. We’re going to check it out.” Enyo order’s out and the rest of us wait as they ride out of the building and through the trees blocking our view of them immediately.

“It’s just a feeling?” Talon asks pulling my attention. I think for a moment of a way to explain.

“In the valley, while Enyo was figuring out the way to take, it’s like a crashing feeling of cold water suddenly hitting me and my thoughts are pulled out of control... Then suddenly I feel like I’m with them or like I’m in their mind. So I get a feeling that there’s a lot.” I explain shrugging a bit with my odd explanation.

Talon just nods and does a ‘wow’ kind of frown. We wait in suspenseful silence when a shutter from the tree sounds sending all of our hands to our weapons. A horse’s head appears setting my heart a tad at ease. Harrison and Enyo appear, Enyo’s face unreadable but Harrison is filled with worry.

“What is it?” Foxglove speaks up. Harrison looks up at the group his eyes falling on mine.

“She’s right.” He says a sad mournful scowl on his face.

“We are stopping here, grab an early lunch. I need to plan with Orion.” Enyo order’s out.

For an hour we sit around waiting for them to make a plan, Enyo and Orion whispering to one another away from the team. It seemed more like they were arguing over the less risky plan in harsh whispers until finally, Enyo nods his head. When they approach us as we all stand to meet them halfway in the building. There’s a stressful and worrying crease on both of their foreheads. Their faces are of emotions but just by the way they look at us, I know that they aren’t happy about our position.

“The facility sits just outside the town where in the outskirt of now. We stand in a building between the town and the facility on our left-hand side. To the right, it’s a large and very crowded town of Forsaken. I would guess some are from the destroyed Solaris outpost.” Enyo informs.

The Facility is dangerously close to the old town, with some more destroyed houses laying in our path. If any forsaken see us and scream, hundreds of them from the town will be on us within minutes. We will be drowning in them and no easy way out.” Enyo says more sternly emphasizing the danger we are in.

“How are we going to get to the facility without alerting the horde?” Foxglove says concern in her voice. The whole team looked completely uneasy and even scared, an emotion I haven’t seen before. They have risked so much that the thought of allowing them to head into this terrible situation hurts my heart, which is why I say what I say.

“You don’t,” I speak up drawing the confused eyes of my team.

“You won’t be going,” I order out standing up straight and swallowing tightly, a sobering feeling falling over me. The moment I’ve been dreading and hoping for has finally come for me and I won’t put them in any more danger.

“What are you talking about Aspen?” Clare speaks up confused. I shake my head a little.

“There’s no way the team makes it through that broken down city without being seen, but I can,” I mutter out the last part. Enyo’s eyes grow wide as realization hits all of them.

“No, you’re not going alone.” Enyo order’s out in disbelief.

“I’m the only one that needs to get to the facility, I’m also the only one that can be bitten and not die.” I point out the obvious. The team member’s all scoff and looks around ready to protest.

“Our mission is to get you there and back.” Orion reiterates the mission. I bite my lip, I don’t want them to get hurt or worse.

“We can take care of ourselves.” Foxglove says folding her arms determined.

“We have a plan Aspen, just hear it before you go out there alone, ” Enyo says trying to get me to budge.

“Fine, what’s the plan,” I say taking in a breath.

“Your right we can’t all go, so there will be two teams. Orion will lead aspen, Foxglove, and Harrison to the facility. The second team with me, Talon, and Clare will go around and secure a path to get out, as well as watch for the forsaken.” Enyo gives us the plan.

“Can I switch with Foxglove? I think she needs more strength and muscle with her.” Talon intercedes. Enyo looks to foxglove who nods in acceptance of the change.

“Wait? I need to be with Aspen, I’m here handler.” Clare protests.

“Aspen knows what to do, and we need more support outside the facility. Aspen on this will need protection by Talon and Harrison, who is our medic to help her.” Enyo pushes harder. Clare groans out hard but nods in acceptance. Enyo looks up to me our eyes watching one another for a moment.

“Okey.” I nod meekly.