Noor snapped out of his daze and scrambled after the stranger again, trying not to look back.

But he heard the sound of the two hounds approaching, making their strange noises again after finding another path to continue the chase.

The cloaked figure ran several meters ahead of Noor, and not far behind him, the two hounds charged out of the forest, their robotic feet making a screeching sound with every step.

The cloaked figure pressed on his watch.

"Are you ready?" he panted.

A voice came from the watch. "Yes, I am ready. Just give me the signal."

The cloaked figure took a few more steps, then stopped and turned back, his hand at his waist where a small, black, rectangular device was attached. It looked like a mobile phone or a case for glasses.

He gripped the rectangular device tightly, then pressed a small, protruding button. A light emanated from the device and formed a katana of light. The cloaked figure took an attack stance.

He took a step back with his right foot and raised his hand high to suit the sword-cutting style. He then took a deep breath.

Noor sped past him, his astonishment growing as he saw him wielding this strange object, but he didn't stop.

He continued on his way, while the two hounds lunged toward the cloaked figure standing before them. They leaped into the air to pounce on him.

"NOW!" the cloaked figure screamed.

A sniper shot rang out from one of the distant, ruined buildings behind him.

He swung his sword, cutting through the air toward the hound coming from the right, slicing it in half. The bullet, like a bolt of lightning, streaked across the clearing and passed by the cloaked figure's shoulder to shatter the second hound. It was thrown back with great force.

It writhed on the ground, emitting some electronic lights, until a strange blue substance oozed from its body.

Noor continued to run without looking back. He saw two skyscrapers leaning against each other, almost completely destroyed by a large explosion.

The road ahead was filled with rocks that had fallen randomly from the two buildings here and there. Noor crossed the clearing. He heard the stranger calling to him from behind, but he didn't turn back.

He continued on without stopping, panting heavily. He felt a wave of exhaustion from the stress and shock of what was happening.

Wasn't it enough that he lost his memory and was held for months in that strange tower? he thought. And now he doesn't know where he is or what this ruined city is? And why are some strange robots attacking them?

Noor ran until he was right under the two buildings. He let his legs carry him, relying on the moonlight to illuminate the path. He tripped on a rock and fell hard, injuring his feet and hands, but his fear made him get up again and continue running without stopping.

He leaped and dodged some of the rocks. He saw parked cars around him, destroyed by the falling rocks and by weapons he didn't recognize.

"What is all this madness?" he thought. "Where am I?"

Noor felt for a moment that the two buildings would collapse at any moment. But he pushed the thought from his head and continued on his way until he saw a light coming from the end of the road. He stopped quickly and looked to the right and left.

To his right, he found a completely wrecked car. He ran and hid behind it. He caught his breath, felt his chest contract and expand violently.

After a minute of struggle, his breathing rate gradually returned to normal. He was not yet used to running after sleeping for so long, but he still had some of his fitness.

He remembered the light coming from the end of the road. He raised his body slightly and leaned against the car door, looking through the shattered glass. He saw something that made fear knock on the door of his heart again.

***

Yassin walked down the white corridor of the tower after finishing the death race and qualifying to be among the eight who would be allowed to leave.

He walked, grumbling that the strange man who spoke to him constantly had not given him any answers. But at least he felt some relief that he was done with all this. But he remained lost, not knowing why he was born, where he was going, or what he should do in this life.

Yassin felt as if he had just been born into this life a day ago. He did not understand the expressions of his companions in the race.

He did not understand why their tones, emotions, and actions changed with every new event, and why their feelings were so strange and complex to him.

Yassin was also different from his companions with his strange, bluish face and his silvery hair, shining like silk threads. He also felt a strange change in his body. He noticed that he had become a little taller, and his hair had grown longer, extending to his torso.

His features had also changed, becoming more mature. He saw the white door at the end of the corridor, approached it until the door opened, and he quickly stepped out.

Yassin felt the cool breeze hit his face, which made him feel a strange sensation he didn't understand, but it felt comfortable. The morning light entered Yassin's eyes.

He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light, then stepped out of the tower. The air caressed his face, his long, soft hair, and his black eyes, which looked like sparkling pearls. Yassin's eyes gradually adjusted to the bright sunlight.

Yassin opened and closed his eyes in a rapid, successive rhythm until he could open them clearly. The picture began to become clear now, colors and shapes suddenly fell upon his eyes.

He found himself in a strange forest where strange colors and shapes mixed, dazzling the eye and perplexing the mind.

Yassin walked for a long time, not knowing where he should go, what he should do in his life, or why he was alive in the first place.

He walked for hours and hours until night fell. After losing hope of getting out of this forest, he heard a gunshot echo in the sky.

Yassin headed toward the source of the sound, but when he arrived, all he found were two wrecked robotic hounds next to a massive silver robot that had been cut into several pieces.

He raised his eyes and saw, as far as the eye could see, a completely destroyed city with smoke rising from some buildings.

Darkness covered it as if it were hell itself. Yassin did not understand what this city had gone through to become like this. But he headed toward it, hoping to find someone to show him the way.

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