Day 765 since the day the last light on Earth went out.

Hyukjae is on the verge of giving up. He scratches at the ground, where it was said that the light will be found. When the last light went out, rumours started spreading. There were rumours of a light that was hidden underground, and that the light would save the Earth if found. And so, survivors started searching for the light, but as days went on, the Lumos only grew stronger. By taking resources from Earth, they built larger bases for themselves, and stronger weapons. With the Lumos hounds being released for daily rounds every day, survivors were bound to decrease rapidly.

Hyukjae didn't give up. He ran from the detectors set by the Lumos on the streets and he escaped countless times from the hounds. He was determined - to find the light, to avenge his family and friends.

It is a new day, but days pass so slowly as there is no light. The only way Hyukjae can tell the days apart is by the digital watch he has hidden in his backpack.

He digs at the ground until there are scratches on his hands, and soon he is thirsty. He reaches into his bag, only to groan in frustration as he throws the empty bottle onto the ground. He moves quietly, and soon he reaches an empty shop. There are a few bottles of water left, and he takes one.

As he leaves the shop, he suddenly feels goosebumps on his arms and the hairs on his neck stand. He immediately whips out his knife, and the moment he turns, he sees those eyes. Those eyes that are watching him curiously. He gulps, knife tight in his hands. He moves a step closer, and the Lumos does the same. It is the same Lumos from that night.

Soon they are barely but a metre apart. They stare at each other for awhile and just as Hyukjae is about to open his mouth, the siren rings throughout the city. The Lumos turns to leave, but he is rather hesitant. He looks back at Hyukjae for a moment, but as the siren rings persistently, the red light on the Lumos's collar flashes and he turns, running towards the gathering point.

Hyukjae can't stop thinking about that particular Lumos, even as he is digging into the can of beans. He thinks the Lumos must be rather new as he's never seen him before that night. Probably a trainee, Hyukjae thinks. But seeing the way the Lumos had acted that night, Hyukjae wonders just how much choice that Lumos has as well.

-

Somehow, Hyukjae finds himself back at the place he had told himself never to visit again.

What is left of their old house is a mere pile of rubble. Hyukjae walks as quietly as possible. It’s dangerous, he knows. But he can’t help the urge to go back to the place he grew up in.

The place which was once filled with the laughter of his sister and the bickering of his parents is now only left with deadly silence. Hyukjae’s jaw clenches, and he can feel hot angry tears forming.

I will find it… I will find it and avenge you.

He leans down, dusting at the photo frame of the four of them that has long been shattered into pieces. He can still make out the smiling faces of the four of them that day, five years ago.

Five years ago, nobody would have thought that their world would have become like this. A mere empty shell, on the verge of collapsing.

He picks up a bracelet - his mother’s. As he leans down to dig for more of their belongings, he hears something.

The hounds.

He hastily gets to his feet, putting on the bracelet. He jumps down from the rubble but lands on an empty can, and the crunching sound instantly attracts the attention of the hounds.

He hears them breathing down his neck.

As he reaches a dead end, Hyukjae tightens his grip around his gun. He had stocked up on bullets earlier on from one of the empty stores. It should be enough to last him through yet another fight for survival, he reassures himself.

There are too many of them.

Hyukjae hears the growling, and he sees the hungry gazes of the bloodthirsty hounds.

Is this my end?

Suddenly, there is a whistle. The pack of hounds turn and run towards the noise instead.

All but one of them.

Hyukjae sees it looming over him, its jaws about to bite into his neck.

He closes his eyes.

There is a gunshot, and Hyukjae cries out in shock.

There is no pain.

Hyukjae’s eyes fly open, and he gasps at the sight in front of him.

The hound is dead with a bullet straight through its head.

He lets out a shaky breath, knees trembling as he attempts to stand up. And he pauses.

It’s him again.

The lumos from before.

The man stares at him with unblinking eyes, almost as if he’s… curious.

He sees the man looking down at the gun in his hands in disbelief, and then looking at the hound he just killed. He watches as the man gasps in shock, letting the gun fall to the ground.

And Hyukjae realises…

Has the lumos never killed anyone before?

And was he just saved by him?

Before he can comprehend the situation, the lumos turns to run.

“Hey!” Hyukjae shouts, and he immediately pauses, wondering why he just did so. The man is the enemy, after all.

But the man halts at his shout, and turns to face him. He sees the same azure blue eyes from before, staring right back at him.

The man opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it.

Hyukjae only stares as the Lumos runs from him once again.