“Fuck this hell, Maksym. I'm already gone when my body was peppered by bullet holes, now we get another round of the hell. First, from that crazy bitch who gutted my internal organs out and she feast to it like being in a fucking fast food chain and those damn village freaks too. They fucking creepy and too eloquent for a medieval peasants. I don't forget that savage young woman from accursed town. I'm so stupid to believe my own assessment and assume that everything is safe until she cut off my left arm while she clutching my throat with inhuman grip.”

  CIA Director Janssen Schmitt is ranting in rage and was sobbing in despair over the traumatic encounters in unknown town. Still doesn't believe he's being got caught in absurd situations. Janssen murmurs erratically in horror and watching its own perspective being shattered in this hostile and alien world.

  Major General Maksym is only stares at him with gloomy expression. Unable to process the thought and can't find a suitable answer to comfort his anguish.

  Lieutenant Artyom is groaning in agony were his leg was injured by assault came from other townsperson. They're retreat back together immediately in forest and Sergeant Olena was too exhausted and hungry, her mind and body can't no longer bear anymore the suffering.

  “Our Reverend Mother instruct us to find Nikolai and his team. I have still faith of him and hoping we can make it in time.”

  Maksym is desperately finding for answer but the others are still remain silent. He laments for its own failing body and already old despite the fact his mind is still clear, alert and prepared for unpredictable scenarios that honed by combat experiences from Soviet-Afghan war at young age of 18 in 1987.

  After that, he participates in President Boris Yeltsin's storming of White House in 1993 that lasts 2 days of violent standoff between old-guard Soviet hardliners and reform loyalists. Sooner, Maksym leave the Russian Armed Forces because of tumultuous relationship with Yeltsin's regime and return to his homeland Ukraine. And later on, he serve the Ukrainian Ground Forces and got promoted to sergeant first class as starting rank to protect his homeland from future aggression from Western Europe or Russia.

  Olena whispers weakly something gibberish and slowly sneak toward Artyom as he fell asleep from lulling and exhausting pain injury. But Maksym caught her and immediately apprehend her by pinning down to the ground and wrapping its hand to the back to restrain the ability from fighting back.

  Olena struggling violently but the resistance is no use because she is already weakened by hunger but Maksym don't let her loose until the strength drains, as he reveal something disturbing about her based on several military reports.

  In first glance, Olena was appeared as normal when she met Nikolai but her dark history is buried beneath the surface. During the intense urban battle in Bakhmut, in winter offensive of Russian military at February 2023. It was a hell on Earth and their resolve was pushes to the limit.

  Where the artillery bombardment, heavy firing exchanges, nest of snipers and constant threat of drones are everywhere that creates condition of claustrophobic environment for paranoia, resentment, hostility, and longing. It doesn't even call a battle but appropriately as industrial slaughterhouse.

  Olena is one of them, fighting pointlessly to the bones against the belligerent's geopolitical stupidity and their supply is stretching thin. She's not even eating properly for weeks and traumatized to the core of very being from losing her only female 10 years old child in airstrikes at apartment where they live in, while she is working as logistics officer and her husband died in defending Dnipro.

  Blind determination doesn't feed patriotism and morality if the someone like her is starving and freezing in hell while the officials who started the war are sitting comfortably behind the room with electric heater, only reading or signing paperworks.

  Animalistic impulses has taken over Olena's capacity for rational thinking and was replaced systematically by twisted logic of Darwinian primitivism caused by severe malnutrition as the human body consumes more calories in winter. Pushes her doing the unthinkable moral deviation to survive the despairing war.

  At midnight, Olena wake up and sneak toward one of the sleeping female comrade. And then, she stab her quickly in throat and the victim was murdered helplessly in a cold-blooded treachery caused by biological desperation.

  She drag the corpse out silently to the dilapidated compartment inside of building. Olena waste no time and start carving her hind leg first. After the messy procedure, she wolfishly eating the raw and warm meat to ease her weeks of hunger but the horrifying moment not last long when a patrolling soldier caught her but the upper and lower body parts of the corpse is already consumed and immediately reported her to the superiors.

  Unfortunately, they only warned her of possible court martial if refrain from doing the said offense again because her superiors doesn't want the incident to be known and it affects the morale for wartime necessity over ethics. Meanwhile the murdered soldier was never given a justice were does mockingly recorded by superiors as killed in action and the perpetrator keeps doing it in secret by taking advantage of chaos and later she become addicted to human flesh.

  Back in Crimson Cathedral, Olena has taken advantage on biological immortality provided by Null Reverends. Giving her opportunity to satiate the boundless lust for human flesh without limits. She proceed to target Janssen first, Olena is not just a mindless apex predator but a very intelligent one who carefully assess her prey combines with military acumen.

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  Based on her assessment, he was physically atrophied by office works, inadequate or impartial commitment to military routine, and too much dependency to the people who protect him. Olena sneaks around in church quarter where Janssen sleeping in and silently enter the room like a roaming ghost.

  She plunge the knife on his stomach and eviscerated him during in middle of sleep and forcing him consciously to watch the sheer horror, as its own internal organs being gouge out and consumes by her.

  Artyom was also fell victim to Olena's cannibalistic frenzy. Even Artyom trained physically everyday in military, his field mainly focused in technical operations than direct battlefield. During that time, Olena approach him and shouts gladly that she found a food supply in church's kitchen.

  He immediately bursts toward kitchen and then she lock the door tightly to ensure he will not escape in this moment. Artyom was confused; there's no actually food there. Olena walked slowly toward him, silent as a panther while being distracted by finding food and she swiftly slits Artyom's throat.

  He collapsed to the floor while clutching its own bloodied throat and couldn't help but sobs weakly at Olena's cold-blooded treachery. He gazing at her with hatred and she also gaze him back with indifference. Olena pick the axe from woodstove and splits Artyom's head cleanly in half.

  After that, she scoops the bloodied brain out and consumes greedily. As for her, the raw freshness is always guaranteed lively appetite. Meanwhile, the Null Reverends and Emperor of Origin are very amused on Olena's descent to prehistoric savagery and self-consuming madness.

  Maksym smells the overwhelming scent of blood while wandering in the corridor. He tracing the source of obnoxious scent and until he stop at front of the kitchen door. Maksym is felt the dread at the moment and bravely bursts inside, reveals the gruesome scene but he suppress the urge to vomit. Maksym was swiftly charge toward Olena, she was unable to react quickly as being distracted by her meal. Maksym delivers a calculated low kick into her jaw, knocking her unconscious.

  This is the reason why Maksym doesn't afford to down their guard that cripples cohesion and effectiveness. Is also the fact, their regenerative abilities is now strictly imposed by thermodynamic limitations and Olena's cannibalistic tendencies was getting worse since they leave the Crimson Cathedral.

  Maksym heard something approaches nearby in 40 meters at 6 o' clock direction. He analyze the sound at the short time and it send chills on his spine, thumping of boots and the hound's growling. Maksym suddenly awake Artyom and Janssen to leave the spot immediately. He also carried Olena in his back and Maksym calmly said.

  “Walk silently, don't run and only necessary if the hostiles' paces is getting fast.”

  They started to walk faster as the hostile force is closed in on them. The sound of footsteps faded, but Maksym grimaced in disbelief as the pursuers reached them only at 4.6 seconds. Far more quickly than expected and blocked their path of escape. A huge wolfhound in an armored suit appeared, standing still, and facing them.

  There's a tall soldier in an armored suit, armed with a retractable spear, also appeared, standing alongside the hound and patting its head. Gazing at them indifferently and she turn on the voice amplification mode. The female voice spoke to address her intent in a playful manner.

  “Do you remember me, my friends? If not, why don't ask the man, who got lost his own hand over trivialities?”

  Janssen felt the horror from her and pondering inside of his mind erratically.

  “This is her true nature? We got the fucking Artemis instead of Arachne. We are truly fucking dead and what the hell i've done to drag my own group in this miserable situation?”

  But Maksym only interject as Janssen froze in fear and calmly answers her.

  “Yes, you're the young lady from that town and a skilled silk weaver. I'm apologize for my friend's insolence.”

  The female soldier only chuckles light-heartedly and she respond to him with politeful duplicity.

  “Old sir, my name is Ariadne and there's nothing to apologize for. Unfortunately, Arkas doesn't agree on that kind of pleasantries. Why we don't play a game? I'm the hunter and you're will be my stags.”

  Maksym is already expected this and her polite demeanor doesn't match the appearance. He know the logic of militaristic mind very well.

  Maksym did not hesitate to accept and use his only remaining negotiation gambit, one he had learned from the storming of the White House.

  "Yes, I will accept your game, but on one condition: exclude the 3 of them. This hunt should be only between us, because the chase is pointless and not enjoyable if the prey is injured or mentally incapacitated. Besides, I have far more experience in war than they do, with over 40 years of service."

  Ariadne nodded in agreement to Maksym's terms and ordered the three to flee. Janssen and Artyom trembled with fright, now responsible for keeping Olena safe. But the smile hidden beneath Ariadne's ulterior motives revealed that she had no intention of honoring the agreement and still planned to sweep them all up together. An incoming call through her neural-link interrupted the moment.

  "Remember, Private. Just frighten the Interloper and let his skills fully demonstrate themselves. We need the data to yield. But if he transform into something monstrous, you know what to do. Understood?"

  She confirmed her superior's order and shifted her focus back to Maksym, who stood still and calm, waiting for the hunt to begin. Ariadne abruptly changed her tone from civil to the sharp, warlike precision of military decorum.

  "Stand by! The rules are simple: if you manage to outrun me and Arkas, you and your friends are free to go wherever you wish, unharmed. Do you understand, old sir? Now run and don't waste time."

  He nodded affirmatively, then turned toward the direction of the town, having successfully deduced that it operated under a particular social rule gleaned from fragments of Janssen's observation report that interrupting someone's work or activities carried punishment.

  Maksym ran with everything he had. The modified regenerative ability granted by the Null Reverends revitalized his muscles, restoring the endurance and stamina of his former 18 years old self.

  He had managed to exploit the rules of engagement, at least temporarily, but he still needed to enter the town silently. He also feared that everything every struggle, every choice had been scripted from the very beginning. Judging by their surveillance technology alone, this civilization had already surpassed anything Earth was capable of.

  Ariadne was not surprised. She had already anticipated it. The man she had once called a stag had revealed himself to be an old and cunning fox, managing to deduce one of the town's social rules and turn it against her rules of engagement.

  Her analysis told her that Interloper's specialization lay in both conventional and guerrilla warfare but none of that mattered to her. She would torment her prey long before he ever reached the town.