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[center][color=1AD21F][b]Madirian advance base, near the ruins of Cascavel city, former Brazil[/b][/color][/center]
The base’s outer defences were finally being finalized and Valeria could rest a bit easier. The resistance in this area proved much tougher than expected. This outpost was the only stable point the Conglomerate had, the rest of the camps on the coast of former Brazil were getting attacked so frequently that Valeria ordered everyone to fall back until the threat is averted.

The threat, some sort of mystical post-apocalyptic cult, was more considerable than anything the Conglomerate had previously encountered during the Years of Unification. The biggest problem wasn’t the technology, the cult was almost at the Middle ages technological level, but their complete disregard for human lives. They were willing to send hundreds of ill-equipped warriors that had no chance of survival just so that a dozen of them would make it through and kill two or three Madirian soldiers and a couple of civilians before they were neutralized. In the long term that would probably work against the cultists and weakened their numbers, but Valeria wasn’t willing to let her people die for no valid reason, so the other positions were abandoned and all personnel gathered in the fortified base.

The men and women, often barely adults, fighting for the cult were absolutely fanatical in their beliefs and followed their orders blindly, even if it meant a quick death. Valeria wanted to get more information before advancing inland into their territory, but none of the scouts that volunteered to go ever checked back in and the few enemies the Conglomerate forces were able to capture alive were so brainwashed that they didn’t provide anything useful.

Valeria sent out remotely piloted drones, but most of the area was covered by thick jungle and if there were some permanent settlements used by the cult, they were hidden amongst the trees. The jungle also gave out steady heat signature, which was confusing the infrared detectors on the drones.

All things considered, the Conglomerate had no idea what and who are they standing against and Valeria did not like that at all.


[center][color=1AD21F][b]The village of Sao Pedro, former Brazil[/b][/color][/center]
Javier wiggled uncomfortably. The afternoon prayers were always so long and kneeling in the wet mud certainly didn't help. He had to remind himself to stay still. [i]You have to keep your head down. No matter what you think, you can never stick out of the crowd.[/i] That was what his mother used to tell him before she was called. Also that he is too smart for his own good. That was a dangerous trait to have amongst the Regressed.

He mumbled the same words as the others around him, again and again, until they were burned into everyone’s brain. Until there was nothing else left. The preacher told the same story as always, the story of pride and fall, the story of mankind thought themselves to be greater than God and how it was struck down and nearly obliterated to pay for its sins. The few faithful were spared to start anew, with the task of rebuilding the society the right way. Everything that even resembled advanced technology was ought to be destroyed as a tool of the Devil, all thoughts of it were erased and whoever tried to resist was burned alive as a heretic. There weren't many who tried to resist these days.

Javier used to believe it, just like everyone else. But his mind always wondered about things, thinking about how much easier they could be made if people used those devilish tools, or even just their brains.

Hundreds of people were slaving away carrying fresh water from the nearby river to the settlements. And it wasn't even good water, it always tasted of mud and often was dirty and weird smelling. Javier discovered some underground pipes and mechanisms that were undoubtedly meant to bring much better water from the underground, effortlessly right into people's houses. Javier was decided to talk to Pablo, village preacher about it after today's prayers, convincing himself that anything is better than having people waste their effort and getting sick from bad water. Man of God or not, he must listen to reason.

A few hours later, laying tied up on the ground and awaiting morning prayers when he was to be burned alive with the first flash of sunlight, he cursed himself for being stupid. Too smart for his own good, except what he did wasn't smart at all.

He rolled over onto his stomach, knowing that he doesn't have much time, and tried to reach one of his shoes. Hands tied behind his back didn't make it easy, but eventually he managed to pull the gadget out of the shoe. He found it during one of his trips to ancient ruins and it took him a while to figure out what it was supposed to do and how to make it functional again. It was like a tiny miracle - if you opened the lid, a small flame started coming out if it. 

Having such thing on him put him in danger, but he didn't have the heart to just destroy it. Now he was glad that he didn’t. He twisted hands to put the flickering flame under the ropes on his wrists, biting his lips as it touched the skin couple of times. The image of much larger flames enveloping his entire body made him shiver. Finally, the rope gave in and Javier jumped up. He needed to get out of here, somewhere away from The Regressed influence. Not knowing if such place even existed, he snuck out into the jungle and started running for his life.


[center][color=1AD21F][b]Madirian advance base[/b][/color][/center]
[color=7ea7d8]“Commander?”[/color]

Valeria raised her eyes from the monitor and looked at the officer who was peeking inside her office. [color=1AD21F]“Yes?”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8]“We have caught one of the cultists trying to sneak through the perimeter.”[/color]

She jumped up, nearly knocking the chair over. [color=1AD21F]“An attack?”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8]“No, it doesn’t seem so. There was only one and no signs of other activity. He seems slightly different from the others, we believe he might be a spy.”[/color]

[color=1AD21F]“Different?”[/color]

[color=7ea7d8]“Well, he is less…”[/color] The officer circled his index finger around the right temple in the universal sign for describing crazy people. [color=7ea7d8]“Less brain-dead than the ones that have been attacking us.”[/color]

Valeria smiled. [color=1AD21F]“That ought the be interesting. Alright, bring the spy here, I will speak to him.”[/color]

The officer clearly disagreed, as it was against the regular protocol, but he went to fetch the prisoner.



Javier was sitting on the ground, once again tied up and not being able to see or hear anything around him. He was contemplating on how much bad luck can one person have. Perhaps he really did insult the God. He was running aimlessly through the jungle, trying to get as far away from the Regressed settlements as possible, already exhausted and hungry. When the men jumped at him from the bushes and knocked him to the ground, he fought like hell, thinking that it were Pablo’s men, or worse, the Levelers going after him. But he was never a very good fighter and there were four of them. Something heavy hit him behind his ear, numbing his will to fight. They put something over his head, but he could still hear them.

Their language sounded pretty much the same as what Javier was used to, but at the same time different enough for him to realize that these people were not from around here. That naturally didn’t mean that they would be nice to him, but they will probably not burn him at the stake the next morning, so for now it wasn’t so bad.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone yanking him up and forcing him to walk. After a few moments he was pushed down into a surprisingly comfortable chair and his blindfold was removed. He looked around stunned with surprise, his jaw dropped. So much technology around him, most of which he couldn’t even guess its purpose. His eyes jumped from one thing to another and it took him a moment to notice a woman sitting against him, looking slightly amused.

[color=1AD21F]“So, what have you found out?”[/color] she asked him, but he had no idea what she meant by that. Maybe some words had different meaning in their language? She frowned and leaned closer to him. [color=1AD21F]“I know you are a spy. So, what were you going to report to your leaders?”[/color]

Javier stared at her. [color=f7941d]“A spy? You think I’d go back there? They were going to burn me alive! What is that?”[/color] he ignored her surprise and nodded towards a screen on the wall.

Valeria turned around, confused at first, but then she realized that these people didn’t know almost any technology. The ones that were captured before always freaked out and yelled something about the devil when they saw a tablet or a screen or a vehicle. This one really was different. If he was telling the truth about being on the run from the cult, he could turn into an invaluable asset, providing he will be willing to cooperate. 

[color=1AD21F]“It’s a monitor. It shows me what is happening outside right now,”[/color] she answered his question and smiled seeing childlike happiness on his face.

[color=f7941d]“Like a television,”[/color] Javier whispered. He had read about such devices in the old forbidden books, but actually seeing something like this was beyond his wildest dreams. 

The woman gestured to the soldier to remove his restraints. [color=1AD21F]“What’s your name?”[/color]

[color=f7941d]“Javier,”[/color] he answered, suddenly realizing that these people probably didn’t bring him here so they could explain their technology to him. He gave the woman a careful look. [color=f7941d]“What do you want from me?”[/color]

She smiled radiantly. [color=1AD21F]“My name is Valeria. And I really hope we can be friends.”[/color]