The second episode of Kainos Gē is out! This one comes as a novel, not as a comic. Foxhunt takes you to the core of the human nature. In a world fractured by the war between humans and machines, the greatest threat remains human. It always wears a human face.
This is a journey through alliances and suspicion, trust and betrayals, establishing that the most dangerous enemy resides close, in the neighborhood, in the ruins, within the souls of those who claim to be at your side.
In a ruined city, where survival is the only law, the fight is personal. For some, the struggle is for existence itself; for others, it is for the ones they swore to protect. This time the danger is not the machine; it is the monster dwelling in the heart of humanity. But where alliances are forged waiting to be shattered by a single hand gesture, help comes from the unexpected side. The episode builds relentlessly toward an imminent confrontation. The line between necessary cooperation and outright self-preservation is constantly crossed. Hold the ember and risk being burned. Play with knives and you may cut yourself. Have a friend and risk being betrayed.
As the final hour draws near, and the strike is set for midnight you are confronted with high stakes. “Ideas alone don’t change the world. Actions do.” Sometimes ideas are noble but may become corrupted along the way. When lust for power overcomes, ideals become just a tool of control and your ultimate sacrifice in the end makes your name not worth remembering.
What can you expect to read in the book? Here are few paragraphs to know what to expect.
— — —
The fading light of the day spilled through the cracks of Phoenix’s villa, drawing fractured patterns across the dusty wooden floor. The air inside was still and tense. Two men stood facing each other across the narrow room. They didn’t speak for several minutes. They simply looked at one another, each reading in the other’s eyes trying to predict the next thought.
Stan’s posture was composed, arms loosely folded, every muscle at ease but alert — the kind of stillness that came from years of control. Phoenix, tall and still unbroken despite his age, leaned slightly against the window frame, his back to the dying skyline. Beyond the glass, the city stretched like a stormy sea of ruins — buildings swallowed by dust, streets veined with old cracks.
Phoenix finally broke the silence.
“The rebels feel they are ready. If you don't lead them, they will rise anyway.”
His tone was steady but carried an edge of quiet pressure — the sound of a man trying to reason with someone he knows will not bend.
Stan didn’t move, his eyes half-hidden under the dim light.
“I must decline their offer. It's not the right time. In fact, if they start fighting with Captain, we all might be doomed.”
Phoenix’s expression tightened, disappointment evident across his face before he masked it again.
“Their message to you is clear: ‘If you are not with us, you are against us.’”
— — —
Stan returned to Phoenix’s home. The old man greeted him with a curt nod.
“My messenger brought me news that the rebels will not touch Niam,” Phoenix said flatly.
Stan didn’t answer right away. “Can they be trusted?”
Phoenix folded his hands behind his back.
“They saw her with you, and that fact alone gives them several reasons not to push the cart over the edge. I don’t believe they are that reckless.”
Stan’s face didn’t change. “Still, they’re rebels. They don’t follow reason for long.”
“Regardless,” Phoenix said, “I asked for assurance. If they want me as an ally, they won’t go against me.”
Stan nodded slowly. “I’ll have her at my place for a short while, but she wants to go back home, and I won’t stop her.” He met Phoenix’s eyes. “My men will keep her safe. I just hope the rebels won’t be foolish enough to break their promise.”
He was known for his self-control, but Phoenix saw the fire in his eyes this time.
“If they had approached me as equals, perhaps I would have been more open to their proposal. Their methods are infantile. Sending messengers back and forth isn't how real men negotiate.”
“You understand they can't risk one of Captain's men inside their headquarters, right?” Phoenix countered. “Just as you wouldn’t risk having them in your place.”
Stan couldn’t argue about that, but he wouldn’t let go easily.
“Where a man's will remains, a solution will emerge, “were Stan’s final words before he closed the door.
— — —
Without hesitation, she grabbed Niam’s arm.
“Move!” she ordered, pulling her toward the hallway.
Niam barely had time to register what had happened. The bodies of her attackers lay motionless on the floor, their blood pooling in the candlelight.
As they sprinted down the corridor, footsteps thundered ahead. Somebody’s coming.
Stan’s men. They raised guns and fired in an instant. They didn’t even notice Niam.
Niam hit the floor hard, the mysterious savior’s strong hands forcing her down just as the first shot rang out. A searing pain blossomed in her side as a bullet grazed her. The impact spun her slightly, but adrenaline surged through her veins, propelling her back to her feet.
“No! You're wrong!” Niam screamed, her voice cutting through the din. “She is trying to help me!”
The guards stopped firing as they saw Niam and that gave enough time to the mysterious assassin to pass by them. She didn’t use her blades to clear the path.
The soldiers hesitated for a moment then two soldiers broke from the pack, giving chase to the vanishing figure. The third remained, his eyes locked on Niam.
A rebel sniper took advantage of the situation. A moment of silence hung in the air, shattered by a single, precise gunshot from the nearby building.
— — —
Stan stood in the backyard, the headquarters’ facade looming behind him. As the sun dipped below the horizon, a sense of reckoning settled over his assembled team, their faces a map of creased concern. The air vibrated with the promise of a storm to come, as if the very fate of the world was about to be decided.
“Three men will be on each side of the street, and seven of you will patrol the front yard and the backyard. In case of an attack, you will not get any help because we will be stretched all over the city.”
“You are on your own, but I don't doubt that you will do your best to neutralize the possible threat.”
We’re not here for glory,” he added, eyes scanning each face. “We’re here to fix what’s broken. Let’s go and clean the mess.”
As the soldiers moved into their positions, Stan’s mind worked furiously, considering every possible scenario. His eyes scanned the streets for any signs of movement, but the city remained eerily quiet.
“Nothing extraordinary here. Some civilians, but they were not a threat.” said the scout. “They said they’ve heard distant shots and they moved from the street.”
“They may know something, but they are not the target now. We should focus on the rebels.” said Stan.
While he was observing the area, Stan saw the Marathon from Captain coming.
The messenger transferred the message, “Captain reached the outpost. It is severely damaged, some soldiers are dead but most of the soldiers abandoned the outpost and took better position to defend. They reported that the skirmish with the rebels took some time before the rebels retreated. Captain’s order is to get back to the headquarters. If possible, do it immediately.”
A decoy… the thought crossed the Stan’s mind. “All right, We organize and move in a minute back to the headquarters!”
— — —