Apocalypse Ascension: Rise of the God-King

The tension between Leon and Darius hung heavy in the air. For a moment, neither spoke, each assessing the other. Then, Darius lifted his hands in a mock surrender.

"Relax, kid. If I wanted to kill you, I'd have waited until you were exhausted."

Leon didn't lower his guard. "And why should I trust you?"

Darius sighed, shaking his head. "Because, like you, I'm not interested in dying. And because I know where to find something that'll make both of us a hell of a lot stronger."

Leon frowned, intrigued despite himself. "Keep talking."

Darius stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Ever heard of the Forsaken Vault?"

Leon's breath hitched. The Forsaken Vault was rumored to be a pre-apocalypse bunker, housing weapons, research, and relics left behind by those who had prepared for doomsday. If even a fraction of the rumors were true, it could be a goldmine.

"You know where it is?" Leon asked.

Darius smirked. "I have a map. And I know the way. But there's a catch."

Leon crossed his arms. "Of course there is."

"The vault isn't unguarded. The moment we step inside, we'll be facing something… inhuman." Darius's voice dropped lower. "And I don't mean zombies."

Leon's grip tightened on Black Fang. "Then we kill it."

Darius grinned. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

The two men stood among the dead, the blood-soaked streets bearing witness to the pact they had just made. Whatever lay ahead, they would carve through it together.

Or die trying.