While the others stare blankly ahead, Elias hears a faint, distorted melody beneath the Pulse. It’s a rhythmic thrum that makes his chest tight and his vision sharpen. One night, while scavenging in the "Dead Zones"—the ruins of the old world—he finds an ancient, battered guitar. When he strikes a single chord, the sound doesn't just ring; it shatters .
"I’m at war with the world," he whispers, watching the red lights of the Enforcers climb the walls. He picks up the guitar like a weapon. He isn't afraid to die anymore, because for the first time, he knows what it means to be alive. He strikes the strings, and the shockwave of sound sends a ripple of color through the gray streets, waking everyone who hears it. Skillet-Awake And Alive (Lyrics Video)
The sky above him cracks, revealing a glimpse of a sun he’s never seen. The Pulse screams in protest, sending the city’s robotic Enforcers to silence him. While the others stare blankly ahead, Elias hears