I was the Chief Architect of the Ark’s daughter, the sole Key Holder. The scorching apocalypse descended. Surface temperatures soared past 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Full of hope, I went to activate the Ark, only to be betrayed by my fiancé, Xander, and my stepsister, Scarlett. They stole my iris data, destroyed my fingerprints, and shoved me into the surface inferno, leaving me to be roasted alive. Inside the Ark, they celebrated their new beginning, believing I was nothing but ash. But they didn’t know I survived. When I returned, blazing with vengeance, the Ark’s energy was close to depletion. They knelt before me. My ex-fiancé, eyes red-rimmed, howled, “Aurora, I know I messed up! Please, save us just one more time!” I just smiled. “My kindness burned away the day you threw me out.” “Warning! Iris verification failed!” “Warning! Permissions mismatched, identification error!” I stood before the Ark’s alloy door, my hands and feet icy cold. Impossible. I was Aurora. My dad was Dr. Sterling, the Chief Architect. I was the only Key. Behind me, over a hundred people began whispering. Someone impatiently stomped their foot. “What’s going on? Aurora, can you even do it?” “Hurry up! It’s already 142 degrees Fahrenheit out here! We’ll all die if you keep dragging your feet!” The crowd’s clamor grew louder. I stared at the authenticator and pressed my eye closer again. The red beam scanned my pupil a third time. The result was still the piercing warning sound. “Warning! Three consecutive errors, security system locked!” My heart skipped a beat. A hand landed on my shoulder, firm, pushing me aside. It was my stepsister, Scarlett. She wore a pristine white dress, mockingly spotless in this apocalyptic landscape, like a cruel joke. “Sister, don’t rush.” Her voice was soft, but her eyes glittered with triumph. “Let me try.” Try? What right did she have to try? Before I could react, Xander yanked me away from behind. His strength was frightening. “Aurora, stop making a scene. Let Scarlett handle it.” I looked at him. Three days ago, he’d sworn to protect me for life. Now, he looked at me like I was trash. Scarlett didn’t even glance my way, walking directly to the authenticator. “Beep—” A soft chime. “Iris verification successful. Welcome, highest authority holder, Ms. Scarlett.” A green light flared. That alloy door, which had been locked to me, opened for *her*. Cheers erupted behind me. “It opened! The door opened!” “Scarlett is the savior!” “Aurora is a liar! She almost got us all killed!” My mind went blank. I couldn’t move. Everyone stared at Scarlett, as if she were a god. And I, I became the liar who almost killed everyone. “Grab her! Don’t let her cause trouble inside!” Someone yelled, and the crowd surged toward me. Xander stood in front of the crowd, but not to protect me. He just watched me coldly, his brows furrowed. Scarlett ran over, gripping Xander’s arm, tears instantly streaming down her face: “Xander, don’t blame Aurora. She might… just want to prove herself too much. Dad always favored me since we were kids, Aurora probably feels hurt…” At her words, the crowd’s glare at me intensified. “It was jealousy all along!” “This vicious woman deserves to die out there!” Xander’s face was ashen. He stared intensely at me, speaking each word with cold precision: “Aurora, for the Ark’s safety, your access must be revoked.” He grabbed my hand, slamming my fingers onto the access revocation device by the door. “Sizzle—” Excruciating pain and the smell of burning flesh hit me simultaneously. I screamed. My fingerprints were utterly incinerated. “Throw her out!” Xander tossed me towards the door like I was garbage. A blast of 144-degree heat slammed into me. My skin instantly stung, like it had been doused with boiling water. The alloy gate slowly closed before me. Through the gap, I saw Scarlett inside, giving me a triumphant, malicious smile. I saw Xander, coldly turning his back, embracing her as they walked toward the Ark’s internal light. I saw my father, Dr. Sterling, standing at the very back of the crowd. He looked at me, his gaze complex, but in the end, he chose silence. In that moment, I understood. This wasn’t an accident. This was a premeditated betrayal, meticulously orchestrated against me. In agony and despair, I slowly lost consciousness. Before I fully succumbed, I used my last ounce of strength to shriek at that cold door: “You’ll regret this… When you do, the heatwave will consume everything here!” I thought I would die. Die on the 144-degree surface, roasted into a shriveled, curled-up corpse. But when I opened my eyes again, I saw a dim, cracked rock ceiling. The air was thick with the smell of earth mixed with bitter herbs. “Awake? You’re a tough kid.” A raspy voice drifted to me. I struggled to turn my head and saw a white-haired old woman, her face lined like a dried riverbed. Seeing me look, she grinned, revealing a few yellowed teeth: “Drink some water. It’s salted, precious stuff.” Warm, salty water flowed down my parched throat like nectar. Excruciating pain radiated from all over my body. I wiggled my fingers, only to find myself wrapped in ragged strips of cloth, oozing dark, greasy paste. “Don’t move around too much; you don’t have a single good patch of skin left.” The old woman gently pressed me down. “No idea what rich lady you are, with your delicate skin, to be burnt like this.” From a corner, a man’s rough voice grumbled: “Rich lady? Looks like another unlucky soul thrown out of the Ark.” A thin old man, a blade of grass hanging from his mouth, was sharpening a rusted knife. “Old man, shut your trap!” The old woman glared at him. “Doesn’t matter where she’s from, she’s a life. We couldn’t just leave her.” The old man snorted and said nothing more. The Ark… The word pierced my heart like a knife. My nails dug into my palms, the searing pain from my burnt skin flaring anew. The old woman looked at me, sighing: “Kid, where’s your family? Are you all alone?” Family? My father, my fiancé, the people I once held dearest, had personally pushed me into hell. Tears welled up, and I choked out a lie: “My… my family, they were all eaten by mutated beasts… I’m the only one left…” The old woman’s eyes instantly filled with pity. She patted my back: “Poor child. In this world, human life is cheaper than dirt. It’s okay. From now on, this is your home.” “One more mouth to feed, one less for us,” the old man muttered from the corner again. “Old Man Reed! You shut your mouth!” The old woman grabbed a broom and threw it at him. “One more word, and you won’t get any dinner tonight!” The old man dodged nimbly and left the crude underground shelter. The old woman turned back to me, her expression soft again: “Don’t mind that old fool, he’s all bark and no bite. Kid, what’s your name?” “I’m… Aurora.” I omitted my surname. From the moment I was thrown out of the Ark, Aurora Sterling was dead. Only Aurora, the survivor, remained.
I lay in this scavenger camp, “The Burrows,” for half a month. My burns healed agonizingly slowly, gnawing at me like a thousand ants every single day. Old Man Reed and Grandma May, as everyone called them, were the ones who saved me. One day, Dr. Hayes, the only one in the camp with medical knowledge, came to change my dressings. He examined my wounds, shaking his head as he spoke to Grandma May: “Not healing well. The scorching poison outside is too potent; it’s damaged her core. We need ‘Fire Rat Oil,’ but that stuff… you have to hunt for it deep in Mount Desolation. Too dangerous.” Mount Desolation was a ruin-strewn mountain formed from collapsed skyscrapers in the city center, a lair for mutated creatures. Grandma May sighed, saying nothing further. In those two weeks, the most frequent topic of conversation was Scarlett, the Ark’s “savior.” “They say that Angel Scarlett stabilized the Ark’s energy again! What a living saint she is!” “If only we could get into the Ark! I hear it’s like paradise inside, with clean water, endless food, and even air conditioning!” Their clouded eyes were filled with yearning. My heart twisted with a sharp pain. That was supposed to be hope for *all* survivors, but it had become a paradise for a select few. Before Dr. Hayes left, he looked at me, then at a young man standing awkwardly, rubbing his hands nearby. He suddenly smiled. “May, I think Aurora’s a good girl. My Ben is getting old enough to marry, what do you think…” I followed his gaze. The young man named Ben instantly flushed, lowering his head, unable to meet my eyes. He was Dr. Hayes’ grandson. During my recovery, he’d quietly helped me with many things – bringing water, delivering medicine – never saying much. Grandma May’s eyes lit up, and she slapped her thigh: “Oh, perfect! I always thought those two kids were meant to be!” A few nights later, I was startled awake by a sound. I saw Ben, with a hunting bow on his back, trying to slip quietly out of the burrow. “Where are you going?” I asked. He jumped, turning around, flustered: “I… I’m just going for a walk.” I stared at the bow on his back and the half-empty waterskin at his waist. I understood instantly. “You’re going to Mount Desolation?” Ben’s face reddened further. He lowered his head, whispering: “Grandpa Hayes said Fire Rat Oil could heal your wounds…” My heart felt like it had been violently struck. “It’s too dangerous, don’t go!” “It’s fine,” he said, looking up and giving me a simple, honest smile. “I’ve been scavenging in the ruins my whole life, those beasts can’t catch me. Just wait, I’ll be back soon.” With that, he turned and disappeared into the dark tunnel. That night, I stayed awake until dawn. Old Man Reed, Grandma May, and Dr. Hayes also realized he was gone and began pacing frantically. Two days passed. Ben didn’t return. Just when everyone feared the worst, on the evening of the third day, a blood-soaked figure stumbled into the burrow’s entrance. It was Ben. One of his arms hung limp, clearly broken, and wounds large and small on his body were deep enough to show bone. But in his other hand, he clutched a greasy little leather pouch. “Aurora…” He saw me, grinned, and then collapsed to the ground. He had bought the medicine that could heal me at the cost of his arm. My tears streamed uncontrollably. In this ‘every man for himself’ apocalypse, there was actually someone willing to risk his life for me, a person he’d known for less than a month.
A month later, thanks to the Fire Rat Oil, my injuries miraculously healed. Apart from some faint brown scars that wouldn’t fade, I was back to normal. Ben’s arm, however, was permanently crippled due to delayed treatment. I found him trying to awkwardly string his hunting bow with one hand. “Your arm…” My voice was hoarse. “It’s nothing. What’s done is done, I still have one hand,” he said dismissively, though a flicker of sadness passed through his eyes. I looked at him and said earnestly, “Ben, will you marry me?” Ben froze, dropping the bow to the ground. “Aurora… I… I’m not good enough for you. I’m a cripple now…” “You’re not a cripple,” I cut him off. “You’re my man, Ben. From now on, I’ll protect you.” Our wedding was simple. Grandma May sewed me a new gown from salvaged red cloth, and everyone brought out their treasured food, creating a “feast” for us. No guests, no elaborate ceremony, just the sincere, smiling faces of The Burrows. I looked at my unfamiliar reflection in the mirror, my heart oddly calm. Forget the Ark, forget the betrayal, forget the hatred. Aurora Sterling was dead. Now, there was only Ben’s wife, Aurora. Ben held a cup of murky liquor, blushing, and smiled at me: “Aurora, from now on… I’ll be good to you.” I nodded, reaching for the cup. Suddenly, a deafening tear-through sound ripped from above. The massive iron sheet that served as our camouflage was instantly shredded. A dozen dark figures descended from the sky. They wore sleek black insulated suits, their weapons gleaming with an ominous blue light. “It’s the Ark people!” Someone shrieked in terror. Without a word, the black-clad figures raised their weapons and fired. Blue energy beams tore through the crowd. One by one, vibrant lives instantly turned to ash. A joyous occasion had become a funeral. The stench of blood and burnt flesh instantly permeated the air. My mind buzzed, my body’s instincts moving faster than thought. I shoved Ben aside, grabbing his hunting bow from the wall. Drew the bow, nocked an arrow. *Swish! Swish! Swish!* Three iron arrows flew in a deadly spread, precisely impaling the necks of three black-clad figures. The powerful momentum sent their bodies flying, crashing heavily against the wall. Everyone was stunned, including myself. I didn’t know why I had such archery skills; it felt like an instinct carved into my bones. I rushed forward, pulling a terrified Grandma May behind me, but watched in horror as Old Man Reed, protecting a child, was pierced through the chest by an energy beam. “Old Man Reed!” I roared, my eyes burning. From the group of black-clad figures, a man stepped out and removed his helmet. He stared at me, a smirk playing on his lips. “Ms. Aurora, we finally found you. Ms. Scarlett’s been just *dying* to see you.” It was her! Scarlett! She still wouldn’t let me go! “Bastards!” I trembled with rage, drawing my bow again. The captain merely twitched his lips and waved a hand. Suddenly, my neck was clamped tight by something, and I was lifted off my feet, my legs dangling in the air. “A useless Key dares to fight back?” He looked at me like I was an insect. “Ms. Scarlett said I should personally finish you off.” He raised his hand, and a ball of blue light glowed at his fingertip. The energy was about to shoot out when a figure suddenly rushed forward, slamming directly into me. It was Ben. He held me tight with his good arm. “Aurora… run…” Those were the last words he left me. The next second, his body was ripped into a mist of blood by that sharp energy blade. “Ah—!” Pure fury and grief shattered the binding force. I fell to the ground, soaked by the rain of blood. The hunting bow in my hand hummed to life, as if it were alive. I shot an arrow. That arrow, carrying all my hatred, tore through the air and viciously impaled the captain’s shoulder. He let out a choked grunt, staring at me in disbelief. He prepared to strike again. But a white shadow was faster. It was an incredibly swift flash of a blade. The captain’s head flew skyward. A man in a white trench coat, his expression grim, slowly sheathed his blade and stood before me. He looked at me, his eyes complex. “They deserved it,” he said. I couldn’t hold on any longer. My mind completely broke. I collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably until I passed out. Another sun appeared in the sky. This was an energy phantom, projected onto the atmosphere due to the Ark’s unstable core energy. The two “suns” pushed the surface temperature up to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. I stood on the rooftop of a derelict building, watching the distorted air in the distance.
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