To his disappointment, Igaris found no one in the houses he passed. Each one stood silent, dust settling over abandoned furniture and scattered belongings. Most of them were likely left vacant due to the invasion alarms.
With no other option, he kept walking. The road was cracked and uneven, swallowed by creeping roots and wild grass.
Here and there, he spotted strange ground vehicles, looking like bulky machines half-sunk into the earth. None of them were functional.
In addition, he lacked the technical knowledge to even attempt fixing them.
Above him, several mechanical devices cruised through the sky, moving in sharp arcs as they scanned the area. Drones, maybe. Patrol bots.
He wasn't sure if they saw him or simply chose to ignore him.
Still, he kept his act. Just a country boy. Frightened by the war. No threat to anyone.
It wasn't a perfect disguise, but in war-torn lands, few stopped to question a harmless drifter.
Until now.
"Thud!"
