Rune moved through the night of the Ruined City, his form now a specter of bone and flesh, terrifying and almost silent. The information Seraphina provided burned in his mind: the Dark Spire, the Eternal Gate, high-level mutants, and the world's ancient energy currents. This network was far larger and more insidious than he had imagined.
His hatred for Vorn and Thanos now mingled with a cold curiosity. What were they trying to do to this world?
Rune had covered a significant distance from the Night Hunters Guild warehouse. The central district of the city was distinctly different from the outskirts. The buildings here were taller, more robust, but also more severely devastated by the chaotic energy that had caused the apocalypse. Giant fissures glowed with eerie light, and the air hung thick with the scent of sulfur.
He avoided the main streets, weaving through dark alleys and climbing over piles of rubble. His senses were enhanced to an astonishing degree. He could hear the groans of monsters hidden in the shadows, feel the vibrations of creatures moving from afar, and even smell the distinct scent of different Awakened factions.
In an area that was once a financial district, Rune discovered traces of a major skirmish. Monster carcasses were scattered everywhere, but these weren't wounds caused by his own abilities. This was a battle of humans against monsters, or perhaps humans against humans. He recognized a few crude camouflage outfits similar to those worn by the Night Hunters Guild members. Clearly, they'd had a difficult day.
Rune followed the trail. It led him to a larger road, where the faint glow of a small fire emanated from a distance. He accelerated, his body gliding more smoothly and efficiently than ever before. His transformation was continuous; each time he absorbed biomass, he felt a new ability bloom, a part of his body enhanced.
As he drew closer, he saw a familiar sight: a group of Vorn's Awakened sweeping through a street, hunting low-level mutants to serve the "experiments." They were strong, aggressive, and organized. But then, Rune recognized a familiar face among them.
It was Thanos. He was alive.
Rune felt a cold shock, then a wave of horrifying rage. He had personally twisted Thanos's neck, had absorbed his life force. How could he possibly be alive?
He recalled Seraphina's information about the "experiments" to create high-level mutants, and Vorn's ability to control Awakened. Perhaps Thanos had been resurrected, or "repaired" in some more grotesque way. This only further proved Vorn's cruelty and terrifying resources.
Rune hid in the shadows, not rushing to attack. He needed to observe. If Thanos could be "revived," then who else? What other secrets did Vorn possess?
The hunger within Rune wasn't just for energy. It was a hunger for information. A hunger for secrets. And the one who had betrayed him, the one who had caused all this pain, had now become the primary target, not just for revenge, but for the exploration of a new monster, eager to understand and to destroy.