NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 3: 3: Arrival at Everland
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3: Arrival at Everland
Johan was resting in the underwater train, his eyes half-closed as the events of three months ago replayed painfully in his mind. The weight of that day had never left him—his mother's last scream, his father's Stand mutating beyond control, and the fire that consumed their home.
Suddenly, a calm but mechanical voice interrupted the silence through the train's speakers.
"Everyone is advised to fasten their seatbelts. The train will begin surfacing in five seconds."
Johan pulled his hand from his pocket and clicked on his belt. Two golden rings adorned the ring and middle fingers of his right hand. A golden bracelet with ruby and obsidian inlays clinked on his left wrist.
The countdown began. "5... 4... 3... 2... 1."
With a low rumble, the underwater train began to rise. Its sleek white body pierced the surface of the Pacific Ocean, shimmering in the sun. The black mirrored windows and red outlines reflected the morning light like polished glass.
On the roof, several uniformed guards emerged and waved a silver-embroidered flag with a crescent moon—symbol of peace and order. Almost instantly, a platform extended over the water, guiding the train toward a vast structure: a heavily fortified city in the middle of the ocean.
The train glided into the walls of the fortress.
Inside, the Everland station buzzed with activity. Johan stepped out, dragging his luggage. The place was spotless and lively, filled with people bustling to and fro. A majestic fountain of a mermaid spewing water sparkled nearby.
New arrivals were being directed to a secondary checkpoint.
Johan joined a small group of five or six people and followed the path to what looked like a clean medical facility attached to an identification center.
One by one, people entered and left quickly. Then it was Johan's turn.
Inside, a few elegant nurses greeted him.
"Welcome, sir, to Everland," said Nurse 1 with a smile. "This is an extended territory of the United States. It's one of the most famous 'Safe Zones,' also known as Tranquils."
"Only the rich can afford this place," added Nurse 2, her voice flat but honest. "Here, during this epidemic, money equals safety."
"If you can't pay the required tax, you'll be removed," said Nurse 3, holding up a blood extraction device.
Johan nodded silently.
They drew his blood. After a quick sample test, he was told to proceed to the identification center.
There, a scrawny man with uneven teeth greeted him.
"You're the last one, huh?" he said in a raspy voice. He scribbled on a paper: 30th December, 12:41 p.m.
"Name?"
"Johan," he said, pausing.
"And...?"
Johan thought a moment. "Qstar. It's Johan Qstar."
The man nodded and handed him a temporary ID card. "Be careful. Identity theft's a thing here."
Johan stepped into the city.
Azaroth. A breathtaking, self-sustained fortress-city. Restaurants lined the streets. A massive museum stood tall in the background. The place seemed to glow.
Johan found a small open café and ordered a chocolate tart.
He sat alone at the corner table, watching the crowd, lost in thought.
(Internal monologue)
"It's been three months since the epidemic began—Unnatural Cause. Scientists and governments still have no idea what it is. That's how it got its name."
"Almost 20% of the global population is dead. My mother. My father. All gone. I barely made it out alive... thanks to the firemen who pulled me from the rubble."
"In desperation, the UN responded. They created Safe Zones—Tranquils—within two and a half months. A miracle on paper. But not for the masses."
"The government turned these into luxury bunkers. High taxes. Strict screening. The poor? Left to die. They now live in what's called the Slums—everything outside the Tranquils."
He took a bite of his tart.
Then—
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted nearby. Dust and debris flew through the streets.
People screamed. Johan turned instinctively.
A man was flying through the air, screaming in a twisted, high-pitched voice, blood trailing from his mouth.
But Johan didn't just see the man. He saw what he had become—a red, ferocious bull-like creature rampaging across the plaza.
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To be continued→