Xeno

The world hadn’t ended with fire or flood, but with a flash of light. Humanity turned to stone in an instant, frozen in time. Centuries passed. Civilizations crumbled. Roots split concrete, vines swallowed cities, and Earth began to forget the weight of mankind. Xeno awoke to a silent world—a world without laws, no guidance, and a very big power vacuum. The mission had changed. Survival no longer depended on Earth’s protocols but on the harsh calculus of this new reality. He was awake, aware, and ready. Beside him, Stanley stirred, free from the same stone- loyal and steady. “Stay alert,” Xeno said quietly. “This world is wild now. Civilization’s remnants will be fragmented—tribal, unpredictable. The mission has changed. The world need order now more than ever." Stanley nodded, tuned to Xeno’s calm command. They walked a ways towards a small smoke cloud, for people to observe. The greenery was thick and several times they had to pause as Xeno took meticulous notes in his mine and Stanley adjusted his strategy slightly as he learned more of the territory. Stanley stopped suddenly pulling Xeno down to hide in the overgrowth, pointing to a small camp ahead of them.