Tanya wiped her eyes. In reality, she was probably smudging far more muck on her face than the tears were making, but it made her feel more herself again.
She walked over to Mrs Eceer and offered her shoulder for her to lean on like before but Mrs Eceer shook her head. Each of her breaths whistled, her shoulders hunching over. Tanya wondered if she had a collapsed lung or something, not that she’d know what to do if she did. The closest she’d come to medicine was Grey''s Anatomy and she doubted much of that was accurate.
Tanya’s body throbbed all over; she had no idea where one injury ended and another began. It all just became a comforting far away pain—proof she was still alive.
Mrs Eceer paused, opening and closing her mouth a couple of times. Tanya couldn’t place the look on her face. Was it nerves?
“If you help me recover, I’ll owe you a great debt. I''ll leave as soon as I’m able,” Mrs Eceer said.
“I ain''t leaving you here. Stay with me as long as ya need,” Tanya insisted.
Deep down, she was glad Mrs Eceer mentioned leaving, though. She didn’t want her to die, but she wasn’t keen on having to team up with her permanently, either.
Mrs Eceer nodded, the tension in her face disappearing. She turned and tugged on the fence post next to her. It was long and thin with a decorative ball on top. Tanya helped her pull it out of the ground and snap it from the post next to it. Mrs Eceer looked primed to say she’d do it on her own, but Tanya flashed her a look, and Mrs Eceer''s lips settled into a firm, silent line instead. They were both panting by the time they got it out.
Mrs Eceer used it as a one-sided crunch, staggering along beside Tanya.
“If something finds us out here, leave me,” Mrs Eceer stated.
Tanya opened her mouth to argue.
“You’re already injured and out here, there’s nothing to protect us,” Mrs Eceer continued.
Tanya didn’t reply, and Mrs Eceer didn’t speak again.
Out the back, the chaos of the front sounded so far away. Howls carried on the wind, blowing the sweat on Tanya’s skin cold. They trekked through the back garden and around to the gate. Tanya held a finger to her lips, going first. She peeked round the corner. The sound of the creaking gate crawled up her spine—too exposed even with the maze of tall fences on either side. Somehow, that made it worse. She’d seen the hound monsters jump over and over. One of these fences could be destroyed in a single leap, far too quick for Tanya to do anything but run down the existing paths and pray for an opening.
They make their way along the alley, bags of rubbish up either wall. Some of them had been nosed through, scattering wrapping and food waste across the floor. There was no way of knowing if it was a fox, a stray dog, or something far more sinister. Their steps were slower and more laboured out here, adrenaline waning and the chill solidifying their joints. This alley made for a perfect wind tunnel, the buildings funnelling the wind straight through like it was made for it. It would die down just long enough for her to focus on something else—like where Mrs Eceer would sleep in her apartment and how quickly she could move her out—and then it hit again. A sudden rush against her skin, cutting through her clothes like they weren’t even there. It wasn’t a steady howl, no warning before it came back. Just the lull, the stillness, and then another blast, sharp and biting. Tanya hunched her shoulders, her fingers stiff as she adjusted her grip on the keys.
She’d promised she wouldn’t leave without a weapon again, and although technically she was wielding the key as if it was one, she didn’t count it. With Mrs Eceer leaning on the board for dear life just to stay up and Tanya’s best weapon a set of keys, they were very, very vulnerable. Tanya tried not to think about it.
They neared the back entrance of the tattoo parlour. Mrs Eceer stopped, and Tanya looked back. Her eyes were unmoving, focused on the bin nearby. Tanya looked too. It took a second to see the unnatural shifting of the shadows, long sweeping shade across the floor like you’d expect at dusk, not first light.
Tanya scrambled with the keys, almost dropping them in her panic to wield them before her. She expected mere moments to ready herself before the flash of claws and teeth were in her face. The keys clinked in her hands. She shoved them between her knuckles, each key a strange steampunk knuckleduster. The shadows kept swimming and Tanya wondered if she should run over to it, get the momentum for her first punch.
“Not all of them charge at you. Some of them wait,” Mrs Eceer whispered. She sounded confident, but she hadn’t moved yet.
They both stared at the swirling shadows, taking in the faint scritching and tin cans knocking against each other.
More onslaughts of wind came and went as they stopped and stared.
They locked eyes, and without a word, they both began moving towards the door. With each step, Mrs Eceer’s makeshift walking stick clicked along the concrete. Tanya kept the keys tight in her grip, eyes locked on the shifting shadow near the dumpster.
She took it one slow, steady step at a time, but deep down, she was desperate to run. The wind kicked up again, dragging the scent of blood and garbage juice through the alley. The thing in the shadows shifted, a slow ripple along the ground.
Tanya didn’t blink until she was past it.
The back door to her flat was solid wood, bolted shut. Safe when she’d locked it but a problem now. Mrs Eceer slumped against the wall. All the blood had drained from her face, and despite the determined look in her eye, Tanya could tell she was struggling to stay conscious.
“I’ll need to do this fast,” Tanya muttered under her breath, already feeling the exhaustion in her arms. “The monsters are just around there, an’ an old gate is all that’s keeping ‘em out when they hear something back here.”
The first move was the hardest. Right now, they felt so much safer than they would be, but she knew they couldn’t stay out here. It was only a matter of time before something found them, and they were completely trapped.
There was no right way to do this, she’d have to stand on one leg and kick with the other. Her right ankle was swollen enough that it was threatening to escape her boots, and her left leg was indiscernible from the red and black fluids dripping down it. She settled on balancing on her right, praying that the bite marks weren’t deep enough to impact muscle.
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She braced herself and kicked near the handle. A dull, heavy thud. Tanya heard Mrs Eceer’s sharp intake of breath. Pain jolted up her bad ankle, but the door didn’t budge. They both looked around wildly.
By the time I see them, it’s too late. Just keep goin’.
Another kick. Then another.
The sound was too loud. It bounced off the alley walls, carrying further than she wanted. With each thud, Tanya’s heart raced faster. Mrs.. Eceer pressed her back against the fence, scanning the rooftops, staring at the closed gate. Tanya couldn’t stop now.
Each stamp of her foot was weaker than the last. It wasn’t enough. She threw her shoulder against it. Again. Her breath came faster. The door groaned but didn’t give.
A howl rang out through the alley, distant, but not distant enough. Tanya made eye contact with Mrs Eceer, and their facial expressions mirrored each others.
Tanya’s stomach clenched. She pounded her fist against the wood, frustration burning under her skin.
Come on.
The next howl was closer and the gentle scratching of the dumpster had changed. Clunks and clanging echoed as things were chucked against the pavement.
She took a few steps back and charged, driving her heel into the door with everything she had left. She winced before she even hit it, feeling a mirage of the pain run through her body before impact. The lock snapped, the door swung inward, and she nearly collapsed with it.
There was no time to celebrate. She grabbed Mrs Eceer’s arm, yanking her inside, slamming the door behind them just as the first shape moved toward the alley’s entrance.
Breathing hard, Tanya pressed her forehead to the door. Her whole body trembled, whether from exhaustion or the cold, or the fact that she’d been so close to being caught, she couldn’t tell.
She turned to Mrs Eceer, expecting some sort of quip. Mrs Eceer was slumped against the wall, her head lulling against her chest, lips parted. Each of her breaths came out as a little gasp. Tanya realised she had no idea how injured Mrs Eceer even was. It’s not like she had access to her interface or like that woman had any mode other than poker face.
She bent down to prod her, running her hands around her torso like she’d seen paramedics do, but she had no idea what she was looking for. Nothing stood out to her, but she didn’t know if internal injuries necessarily would.
Mrs Eceer’s flickered open again. “Trying to rob me?” she said, her voice hoarse.
Tanya opened her mouth to defend herself before she saw the ghost of a smile on Mrs Eceer’s lips.
Tanya slumped on the floor opposite her, catching her breath. The handle of the cupboard behind her dug into her back, but she didn’t care. Letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, words flurried into her vision.
* * *
Alert!
You have had two combats in close succession, both with unviewed notifications. They have been combined below.
* * *
In all of the chaos, she’d almost forgotten about all of the notifications she had dismissed earlier. She kept reading.
* * *
Congratulations!
You have killed your first monster.
Stat regeneration at 150% for the next hour…
Hour elapsed.
* * *
Alert!
Through your efforts, you have increased the following Attributes:
Dexterity +2
Vitality +2
Concentration +1
Will +3
Strength +2
* * *
Tanya stared at the numbers in awe. That was the most she’d gained so far. Her mind ached to test out the new numbers, pick up something heavy or even do a tattoo, but not only was she incredibly injured, Mrs Eceer was here. She pulled up her max Attributes, grinning at the new numbers now that it had all added on.
* * *
Attributes
Strength: 9
Dexterity: 18
Vitality: 12
Concentration: 8
Will: 16
* * *
Scratch lifting something heavy, all Tanya wanted to do was tattoo—what could she do with an 18? She was only 2 away from matching the most Dexterous person in the world from before, if The System had been honest with her. She stared at the numbers for a moment before continuing.
* * *
Level Up!
You have leveled up An Inkling of Control to Level 2
* * *
Level Up!
You have leveled up An Inkling of Control to Level 3
An Inkling of Control has received a Minor Ability Boon.
An Inkling of Control
Level 3
Your magical connection allows you influence over your sentient Summons. Commands usually require either Attribute contesting or a barter depending on the Summon. In special cases your Summon will choose to follow your wishes without your influence.
* * *
Congratulations!
You have leveled an Ability twice with one action.
You may choose to give this extra experience to your Tattoo Summoner Level, An Inkling of Control Level or Assistant Level.
* * *
Tanya read through the new level-ups greedily. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she read the first Inkling of Control level up, then the second, then the Minor Ability Boon. At first, she saw just the words of the final line on their own with “Minor Ability Boon” in big letters, but before she’d finished reading it, it combined with the rest of the text. The choice of giving experience between different places was intriguing. She’d decide that later.
Tanya stared at the word Experience. It wasn''t a word that had been mentioned until now, and although Tanya wasn’t sure what it meant for her understanding of The System, she felt like knowing that points were being accumulated from more than just the thing directly before she received the level up would become useful information.
* * *
Level Up!
Assistant is now Level 2
You have unlocked an Ability Crossroads. As this is a Sentient Summon, the choice will be decided between you and the Summon.
* * *
Deciding on a new Ability for the hand was exciting, but the idea of doing that with the hand…Tanya wasn’t sure how that would go.
Tanya looked at the final notification.
* * *
Achievement: The Enemy of My Enemy
They were your enemy- kind of- but in the heat of the moment, you risked your life to save them anyway. Now, like it or not, your powers just seem to work better together.
Whilst allies, your powers have a 25% Synergy Bonus whilst directly helping the other.
* * *
Tanya could see Mrs Eceer’s face through the text as she too stared into the middle distance, following the text with her eyes. She stopped a moment after Tanya, and they met eyes. Tanya attempted to hide her annoyance and she could tell Mrs Eceer was doing the same.
Could they really separate and lose such a strong advantage?