Dying Light 2: Volatile Virus

After nearly thirty minutes of walking through the endless sewer tunnels, Aiden felt the air shift. The tunnel ahead widened, the damp, claustrophobic walls giving way to something… bigger.

His footsteps slowed as he stepped forward, his flashlight sweeping across the space.

It was a massive underground chamber, far larger than anything he expected. High ceilings arched above him, supported by thick concrete pillars covered in overgrown roots and vines, as if nature had begun reclaiming this forgotten place. The air was dense, heavy, almost unnatural in its silence.

And then he saw the walls.

They weren't bare like the tunnels before. They were decorated.

Symbols—golden sun masks, carefully painted onto the stone. Some were small and simplistic, while others were larger, more elaborate, spanning entire sections of the walls. Each one had a haunting, ritualistic quality, the eyes of the masks hollow, staring back at him in the dim light.

The floor was different too. Unlike the damp concrete of the tunnels, this space was clean. Cleared. Organized. Someone—or something—had kept it this way.

Aiden's flashlight flickered over old wooden benches, arranged in a way that resembled a gathering place, or perhaps a ritual site. There were offerings placed carefully beneath the larger sun masks—worn-out trinkets, aged photographs, even scraps of paper with faded writing.

The more he looked, the more it felt like he had stepped into a forgotten place of worship.

This wasn't just an old sewer anymore.

Someone had been here.

Or worse…

Someone still was.

Aiden's grip on his machete tightened as he scanned the room, his mind racing. Who built this? Who left these markings? And why?

The air was thick with the scent of old stone, dust, and something faintly metallic. The eerie silence of the underground chamber only made it more unsettling.

Then—footsteps.

Faint at first, but growing louder. Measured. Calm. Approaching.

Aiden instinctively turned, his breath steady, muscles tense. His flashlight swept toward the sound—and then he saw him.

A tall figure stepped into the dim glow, emerging from the deeper shadows of the chamber.

The first thing Aiden noticed was the mask. A golden sun, smooth and emotionless, covering the stranger's face entirely. The dim lighting caught the metal surface, reflecting a faint glow.

The figure was clad in dark, weathered robes, with intricate patterns woven into the fabric. His posture was unshaken, deliberate—confident, but not aggressive. His hands, partially visible beneath his sleeves, were… off.

Not normal.

Aiden didn't move, his instincts screaming to be ready for anything.

Then, the stranger spoke.

???: "Welcome. It has been a long time since I've seen anyone arriving through that entrance. Are you also a survivor in search of shelter?"

His voice was deep but steady—neither hostile nor entirely welcoming. It carried the weight of someone who had seen much, but revealed little.

Aiden didn't lower his weapon. His mind sharpened, assessing everything about this man. Who the hell was he? And more importantly—

What was this place?

Aiden: "Shelter? No... I'm just passing through." He keeps a firm grip on his weapon, eyes scanning Draemir. "What is this place?"

???: "Oh, that's fine too. Welcome to the sanctuary of the God of the Sun."

Aiden: "Sanctuary?" He glances at the sun mask symbols on the walls before looking back at Draemir. "God of the Sun? Never heard of it."

???: "I don't blame you though. With no communication to outside, is common to not be aware of certain things. Tell me, as you are not seeking shelter, what did brought you to here?"

Aiden: He exhales, lowering his flashlight slightly but keeping his stance ready. "I heard stories. About this place. About people who came down here and never came back." His eyes narrow behind his mask. "I want to know why."

???: "That is very simple... Those survivors... After seeing Solara, they decided to stay. And for their own protection, they didn't wanted to leave."

Aiden: "Solara?" His brow furrows as he repeats the name. "Never heard of it. And you're saying they stayed by choice? No one ever forced them?"

???: "Exactly. Also, Solara is new. The countryside of Harran was named Solara few years ago. Is still new terrain with that name. There is only a village in Solara, Aurenshaven."

Aiden: His expression hardens slightly at the mention of Harran. "Harran… So this place really is connected to it." He crosses his arms. "And you expect me to believe they just... left their old lives behind and stayed here?"

???: "Yes. They all arrived when things started going very bad outside. They have a life they couldn't even imagine, even before the virus got outside of Harran. We have fields growing crops, that also is partially used to fee the farms of animals we also have. Is more of a rural life, but the experience, and how they life... Is a life they couldn't have outside, before or after the virus escaped Harran."

Aiden: He listens carefully, skepticism creeping into his voice. "A self-sustaining place, safe from everything happening outside? Sounds too good to be true." His gaze sharpens. "If it's that perfect, why keep it hidden? Why not let others know?"

???: "Is a very simple question to answer. As first, we don't have a way to communicate with outside, except leaving and trying to find survivors wherever they may be. Also, no one leaves as is a danger they don't know, and they aren't capable of really facing what the virus can do. I would leave and find survivors, but the moment I leave, is guaranteed Solara's fall. I can't leave them for losing time trying to find survivors, while I don't know where they may be. I must remain here in Aurenshaven, to make sure it stays working, while survivors prefer stay, as they don't have experience or abilities to face any infected. Any ordinary person would die easily while trying to defend themselves, by the lack of experience and knowledge."

Aiden: He crosses his arms, processing the explanation. "So, you're saying this place survives because you're here to keep it that way?" His eyes narrow slightly. "That means you're not just some leader. You're something more, aren't you?"

Revelation

The figure before Aiden moved with deliberate slowness, lifting his hands toward the golden sun mask that had concealed his face. With a firm grip, he removed it, lowering it carefully into his hands.

For the first time, Aiden saw him.

The mask no longer hid his features—his skin bore golden, glowing veins, running like rivers of light across his face. His eyes, once concealed, now shone with an unnatural brilliance—deep, radiant pools of gold and blue, unlike anything Aiden had ever seen.

His head was smooth and hairless, shaped like a Volatile's, with ridges faintly visible beneath the skin. Despite this, his facial structure remained human, though altered—his jawline was sharp and well-defined, with visible muscle tension beneath the skin.

Then, as he spoke, Aiden caught a glimpse of something even more unnatural.

When his mouth opened, his teeth weren't human. They were elongated, razor-sharp, hidden beneath his lips until he chose to reveal them. Aiden could tell—his jaw could open much wider, just like a Volatile's. But the stranger controlled it, maintaining a calm, almost normal appearance.

Then, with unwavering certainty, he spoke.

Draemir: "I'm Draemir, the God of the Sun."

Aiden: His breath hitched for a split second, instincts screaming at him. Every part of Draemir's face—the glowing veins, the Volatile-like traits, the unnatural eyes—told him to be ready for a fight. But… he wasn't attacking.

Aiden tightened his grip on his machete but didn't raise it, his body tense.

Aiden: "You're… infected." His voice was firm, cautious, but not entirely hostile.

His gaze flickered to the golden veins, the controlled way Draemir held himself. He wasn't like the others. He wasn't mindless.

Aiden: "But you're not like the rest of them… are you?"

Draemir: "No. I'm the guiding light for both, infected, and non-infected. Something Solara has, that the worlds doesn't, is the cure. Volatiles here... I changed them... I mutated them... They feed from the sunlight, and act like guards, always checking everywhere to make sure everything is fine."

Aiden:

(His grip on his weapon loosened slightly, but his expression remained skeptical.)

"You're saying… you cured them?" (He glanced at the golden veins on Draemir's skin, then back at the sun symbols covering the walls.) "That you somehow changed Volatiles, made them… what? Tame?"

(He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.)

"I've seen what Volatiles do. They don't 'guard' anything—they tear people apart. And now you're telling me you made them stop hunting? That they don't need to kill anymore?"

(His eyes narrowed.)

"How?"

Draemir: "Everything at it's moment... I understand your curiosity, but for what you want to know, if you are just passing through? But well, may you tell me how is outside?"

Aiden:

(He exhales through his nose, clearly not satisfied with the lack of an answer, but he lets it go—for now.)

"Outside?" (He shakes his head slightly.) "Depends where you're asking about. Villedor's still standing, but barely. The streets are crawling with infected, supplies are running low, and people are either desperate or tearing each other apart over what's left."

(His gaze sharpens.) "And anywhere beyond that? Just emptiness. Whole cities gone. Survivors scattered, barely holding on. The world's been a graveyard for years."

(He crosses his arms.) "And you? You're sitting here underground with your 'guards' while everything outside is falling apart?"

Draemir: "Villedor? I don't know any Villedor. Still... What happens outside, is nothing of my concern... I would help, but... I already told you... I can't leave Solara... I won't let it fall... Yet, I think I can help you in other way, outsider... How about... You come with me for a walk through Aurenshaven, while you explain me why you really are here?"

Aiden:

(His jaw tightens at Draemir's words—'nothing of my concern.' He exhales sharply, but doesn't argue. He already knew this wasn't someone who cared about the outside world. Still… if what Draemir said was true, Solara had something no one else did. Something that could change everything.)

(He eyes Draemir carefully before responding.)

"Alright… I'll walk with you." (He keeps his tone neutral, cautious.) "But I already told you why I'm here. People came down here and never came back. I wanted to know why." (His gaze lingers on the sun markings along the walls.) "And maybe now… I want to know more."

Draemir lifted his hands once more, placing the golden sun mask back over his face. The metal fit seamlessly, as if it were an extension of himself rather than just a covering.

The moment it settled, his pupils ignited—a deep, radiant gold, glowing like embers beneath the mask. The light pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat, before steadying into an eerie, unwavering glow.

Then, without another word, he turned and began walking.

Aiden hesitated for a brief moment, his instincts still screaming at him to stay alert. Everything about this place felt… off. It wasn't just the sanctuary—it was Draemir himself. He wasn't a mindless infected, but he wasn't just some survivor either.

Still, Aiden had come here for answers. And if Draemir was willing to show him more, he wasn't about to refuse.

With a quiet exhale, he followed.

As Draemir led the way, Aiden took in more of the sanctuary's depths.

The hallways were lined with torches, their flames casting long shadows against the stone. The flickering light reflected off the gold-painted sun symbols adorning the walls, illuminating the intricate details of their design. The air was heavy but warm, filled with the faint scent of burning incense, old parchment, and earth. The floor beneath their boots wasn't just raw concrete—it was smoothed stone, engraved in places with swirling patterns, as if this place had been reforged with purpose.

They passed through arched doorways, leading into areas that Aiden couldn't yet see clearly. But in glimpses, he caught sight of strange artifacts, old wooden structures that resembled altars, and even tables lined with ancient-looking books, maps, and notes.

Here and there, golden lanterns hung from the ceiling, their dim glow barely competing with the torches. It was clear that this place wasn't just some abandoned tunnel.

It had purpose. History. Order.

And yet, despite the strange beauty of it all, Aiden couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking deeper into something far greater than he had expected.

And he still had no idea what awaited him ahead.

Aurenshaven – The Sunlit Sanctuary

They walked for what felt like an eternity.

Through hallways carved with purpose, past rooms filled with ritual markings and symbols of the sun, through chambers that whispered of old traditions, of ceremonies unknown to the outside world. Aiden's eyes scanned everything—altars, relics, books filled with writings he couldn't decipher.

Despite the unsettling beauty of it all, he remained silent. Observing. Learning.

Then, after one final turn, they stepped outside.

And Aiden stopped in his tracks.

The sky before him blazed with gold and crimson, the setting sun casting a breathtaking glow over the land. But it wasn't just the sky that held his attention—it was Aurenshaven itself.

It was clean. Too clean.

The streets were unbroken, smooth and well-maintained. The buildings stood tall, intact, their walls polished as if they had never been touched by the apocalypse. No bloodstains. No signs of struggle.

And then there were the people.

They walked carelessly, peacefully, as if the world outside no longer existed. No fear in their eyes, no desperation in their movements. Some talked, some carried supplies, others simply enjoyed the sun on their skin.

It was like stepping into a different reality.

At the entrance of the sanctuary, the very ground beneath them changed. Unlike the rugged stone of the tunnels, this place was decorated—ornate carvings embedded into the entrance walls, banners of the sun draped elegantly from above.

And standing nearby, cult members.

They bore similar robes to Draemir, yet their designs were different—some simpler, others marked with intricate patterns. Their faces were mostly covered, masked like their leader, but their posture was one of devotion, not fear.

Then, Draemir spoke.

Draemir:

"Welcome, officially, to Aurenshaven, in Solara." (His voice carried an unmistakable pride as he gestured toward the land before them.)

"Outsider, I hope you like what you see, as I gave more than myself to make sure everything is clean, ready, prepared, and organized, to ensure that any non-infected can have the life they deserve."

(He turned slightly, his golden eyes studying Aiden's reaction.)

"As you can see, this is the entrance of the sanctuary, and these are the cult members—the Faceless, the Sons of the Sun. Outside this entrance, you will step directly into the village. Beyond that, you will find the immense fields of Aurenshaven."

(His voice softened slightly.)

"Tell me, what is your name, outsider? I don't like to call you as such. I prefer granting you some respect when addressing you, rather than the disrespect of calling you merely 'outsider.'"

Aiden:

(Still staring at the impossible sight before him, he finally exhales and looks back at Draemir.)

"Aiden. My name's Aiden."