《TAKE ON ME [Family Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]》 Chapter 01 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 January 7th 2073: The Apartment A searing pain throbbed through Tom''s skull as he jolted awake. His vision was blurred by the harsh artificial light of the room. Every joint in his body was sore and stiff, making it a struggle to sit up. Confusion clung to him and clouded his thoughts. ¡°What the hell?¡± Tom groaned, his voice hoarse. He stared at his wrinkled hand, with blue veins running beneath the thin skin. His body was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. His gaze swept across the sterile and unwelcoming apartment with its white walls, which were devoid of any warmth or comfort. The air carried a heavy antiseptic scent that hung oppressively in the room. His heart began to race as he searched desperately for something familiar; a sign or object that would trigger his memory. As he struggled to sit up, wires that had been connected to him fell away. There was a strange pressure on his head. He groped at his forehead, and found a metal circlet there, digging into his skin. He flung it across the room. The four walls of the small room flickered to life. Videos rotated through images of intense magical battles and people locked in horrific combat, their expressions grim and muscles strained as they fought for their lives. Some hurled spells while others wielded ancient weapons against endless hordes of nightmarish monsters. The volume was muted, but a disheveled talk show host dominated the main screen, screaming and pointing frantically at the scenes unfolding behind him. His eyes were manic and his hair wild, as if he too had just woken up. Tom stared intently at the screen, trying to make sense of the situation. Something clicked. My family! ¡°Hello? Where is my family? Hello!¡± Tom shouted into the empty room. A tightness formed in his chest. He tried to recall any memories of them, or of where they were. Everything was hazy and distant. The walls and lights dimmed, and a soothing voice echoed through the apartment. ¡°Mr. Damascus,¡± the voice began, ¡°welcome back. Please remain calm. Your memories will return slowly.¡± Tom took deep calming breaths as the tiniest of fragmented memories began to piece themselves together. The sterile apartment was familiar, but not the carnage on the walls. A new memory surged forth of a gleeful male voice. ¡°Wishing you all an amazing week of magical competition, and delightful moments with family and friends! Good luck everyone, and see you in seven days!¡± Tom clutched his head as that memory gave way to a rush of chaotic fragments: his family screaming; hideous creatures with gaping mouths and razor-sharp claws; the taste of blood on his lips. What the fuck happened? Delightful moments, my ass! Tom desperately tried to hold onto the threads of recollection. ¡°Room!¡± he shouted. ¡°Get me information of my family in Utopia! Are they alive?¡± ¡°I will request the information, Mr. Damascus,¡± the voice responded. ¡°It will be just a few moments. It is important to remain calm.¡± There was no need to wait. His brain absorbed and processed the systems-injected data, and a week¡¯s worth of memories hit Tom like a sledgehammer. He collapsed to the floor in convulsions. He found himself transported back to day one of Utopia, the time frame set to fifty years before. ***** December 31st 2027: Utopia Tom¡¯s eyes snapped open. He couldn¡¯t remember the dream he¡¯d been having, though its residue lingered on his brain. It took a moment to remember where he was. He leaped off the couch. Shit, I must have dozed off! Tom glanced outside. The Sun had almost set and snow had begun to fall. It was full-blown winter now in southern Missouri, and a cold one at that. ¡°What time is it?¡± he muttered to himself as he searched around the couch for his phone. His family was supposed to be with the Robinsons for a New Year''s Eve get together, and he would never hear the end of it from Bo if they were late. His lifelong friend was a stickler about, well, pretty much everything. Tom grumbled as he rummaged around the couch cushions with no luck. He stopped, and ran a hand over his short-cropped hair and trimmed beard as he searched his memory.. It has to be somewhere in the couch! He resumed the search. He worked his way down to where his daughter, Amber, had fallen asleep on the other end. In an exaggerated manner, Tom shook and slid her around the couch to wake her up as irritatingly dad-like as possible.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In his midforties, Tom was a stocky but muscular guy. He regularly spent time at the gym, focused on heavy lifting rather than cardio. By the time Tom finished horsing around, Amber had been bounced around like a rag doll. ¡°Quit, Dad! What are you doing, bruh,¡± Amber groaned. Over the past year or so, his daughter¡¯s cute southern twang had morphed into some form of social media-based Gen Z language. She kicked at his hands and attempted to burrow deeper into the cocoon of covers and warmth. Tom laughed and yanked the covers away. Amber groaned louder. ¡°I''m just looking for my phone. You haven''t seen it, have you?¡± Amber was fourteen, with a toned musculature earned through hours spent on gymnastics mats and running track. In that moment, however, her usual grace was replaced by a grouchy couch lump. Amber emerged from the giant pile of covers and shook her head, causing her brown curly bedhead hair to frame her face like a lion''s mane. Still giving him the stink eye, Amber said, ¡°No, but I''ll check under these covers.¡± She fell back into the sea of blankets and cushions, rearranging herself to get comfy. ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Tom sighed. I just had the damn thing. As he pushed cushions and pillows around, Amber''s muffled voice rose from beneath the covers. ¡°Dad, Finn and I were talking, and we really want to sled and play outside tonight.¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°No way. It''s freezing out there. You¡¯ll get sick.¡± Amber re-emerged from the covers and deadpanned. ¡°Why did you buy us coats in the first place?¡± ¡°But what if you break a bone on the sled? What if you hurt yourself? You willing to risk track season?¡± ¡°Dad, give me a break, we¡ª¡± ¡°I said no. Seriously, you haven¡¯t seen my phone anywhere?¡± Amber glared, then disappeared beneath the covers. Crabby. Tom turned and yelled up the stairs, ¡°Loo! Have you seen my phone?¡± He waited for a response, but several heartbeats passed with no answer. ¡°Loo?!¡± ¡°Nooo,¡± came Loren¡¯s bored reply from upstairs. Loren, who went by ¡®Loo¡¯, was the youngest at twelve years old, and was probably messing with her ant farm, or her fish tank, or her frog terrarium. Tom poked Amber. ¡°Go ask Mom if she has it, please. You don''t need to be laying around all day anyway.¡± Amber sighed and reluctantly unwrapped herself from the blankets. She stomped upstairs to find her mother. Just after Amber disappeared, Kate emerged from the basement. Her long straight blond hair cascaded down her shoulders and framed her fair-skinned face. Sharing a history of exercising with Tom at the gym, Kate easily hefted a very full laundry basket. ¡°Have you seen my¡ª¡± ¡°Nope. Don¡¯t have it and haven¡¯t seen it.¡± Kate acted like a great idea just occurred to her. ¡°Maybe it''s in this giant pile of laundry. You should come help.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah . . . let me just poke around here for a few more minutes and then I''ll be up.¡± ¡°Uh huh, I¡¯m sure.¡± Kate headed upstairs. Tom crouched down and looked under the sofa. ¡°Mom hasn''t seen it either,¡± Amber announced a few minutes later as she returned to the top of the stairs, accompanied by Loo. ¡°I know, she told me.¡± ¡°She said you should try calling it,¡± Loo chimed in. Call it with what? Loo had short dark-brown hair, a small nose, and was fair-skinned like Kate. She had a real-life resemblance to the child characters in the Dr. Seuss books¡ªhence her nickname.. Amber, with her olive skin inherited from her father, looked even more tan standing next to Loo''s fair complexion. ¡°Dad, I can''t find mine either,¡± Chloe said, as she joined her two sisters at the top of the stairs. Chloe, the oldest at sixteen, was the family''s introvert, often immersing herself in video games while hiding away from the world. Chloe''s skin was fair, and she kept her long blond hair straight. Chloe was about to speak again when the house violently shook. She dropped the glass she held, which shattered as it crashed down the steps, jolting everyone into alertness. ¡°Earthquake? Earthquake! Everyone, get down here now!¡± Tom shouted. He racked his brain, trying to remember what he was supposed to do to keep his family safe. The floor trembled beneath his feet, rattling the pictures on the walls, and sending books toppling from their shelves. Tom¡¯s chest tightened as he struggled to maintain his balance. ¡°Get downstairs!¡± Chloe glanced at him, her eyes wide and filled with terror, before dashing down the stairs. The sounds of shattering glass and creaking beams intensified as the earthquake continued its relentless assault on their home. Loo and Amber quickly followed Chloe, but Loo lost her footing and slammed down on her rump. Amber was barreling down behind her and, for a moment, Tom thought they were going to crash into each other. However, Amber swiftly reacted, springing to the side and using the wall to perform an impressive sideways flip, narrowly avoiding colliding with her sister. For half a heartbeat, Tom¡¯s brain lagged as it struggled to process what he had just seen. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He leaped up the stairs and helped Loo to her feet. Loo nodded, holding back tears. ¡°Everyone under the kitchen table, now!¡± Tom barked. His heart raced as his daughters scrambled to safety beneath the sturdy kitchen table. ¡°Stay there until I tell you it''s safe!¡± He didn''t wait for their response, already focused on finding Kate. ¡°Kate! Are you okay?¡± He ran upstairs. Several moments passed with no answer. ¡°Kate!¡± Why isn¡¯t she answering? Is she hurt? He tripped his way up the stairs and through the hall. Several times he had to brace against the wall during the unrelenting tremors. The house groaned and cracked with each jolt. As he reached the bedroom, the shaking stopped with one final huge shudder. He heard a cry of pain and followed it to find Kate just around the corner, holding her head in her hands as blood streamed down her face. ¡°Tom,¡± she gasped. ¡°I hit my head.¡± Tom held her steady. He winced at all the blood. ¡°Damn, that looks bad babe. We need to get you to the bathroom. Can you walk?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Kate replied, her eyes distant. ¡°Are the girls okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, the kids are fine.¡± Tom helped her to the bathroom. ¡°Let''s get a towel to apply pressure, and see if this needs stitches,¡± Tom said. ¡°We should probably head to the hospital either way.¡± He tried to keep his voice calm despite the rising worry inside him. He held the towel out to Kate, and she held it against her head as Tom popped back into the hallway. ¡°Girls, just stay right there for one minute in case there''s more tremors or something! Mom''s all right, we¡¯ll be right down. Don''t leave the table! Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, but hurry!¡± Loo''s voice echoed back. Tom ducked back into the bathroom. He took the towel from Kate and began wiping the blood off her face. He turned on the bathroom light to see better, but the bulb stayed dark. He turned on the faucet, but no water came out. A further sinking feeling settled into his stomach. Carefully, Tom guided Kate to sit on the edge of the bathtub, where there was better natural light from the window. He found a non-bloody part of her head and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. ¡°Let''s try to clean this up a bit.¡± Tom wiped away the blood as best he could. The crimson fluid had spread across her face and through her hair, making it difficult to pinpoint a specific wound. Frustration gnawed at him as he continued to search without success. ¡°Where''s the cut? Why is there so much blood?¡± Tom asked. His fingers combed carefully through Kate''s hair, moving her head and neck ever so gently. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Kate replied. ¡°It had hurt bad, but now it doesn¡¯t. Maybe it''s just a small cut hidden in my hair?¡± As Tom was about to reply, the piercing screams of their children reverberated through the house, along with the sound of a window shattering. A surge of adrenaline propelled him forward. He sprinted out of the bathroom and down the hallway, with Kate behind him struggling to keep pace. He stumbled down the stairs, and stopped abruptly by clutching onto the railing for support. His breath caught in his throat. Standing in the center of his living room, next to the shattered window, was a small deep-brown genderless figure. It appeared to be human, kind of. It couldn¡¯t have been taller than four feet. The creature¡¯s thin wiry frame was a bizarre mixture of muscle and child. Its broad shoulders were nearly as wide as it was tall, with a torso that resembled an upside-down pyramid. Its long arms ended in clawed fingers. To add to the level of batshit-weirdness, a small nametag floated above the creature''s head in red text, reading [Level 1 Headless Pygmy: Dungeon Born]. As the name implied, the thing didn¡¯t have a head. Tom gripped the railing, paralyzed by the sheer grotesqueness of the Headless creature. ¡°Tom, what the fuck is that thing?¡± Kate''s horrified shout echoed through the living room. The monster¡¯s body twisted to face them, revealing multiple human-sized mouths lining its torso. Some vertical, some horizontal, all gnashing and biting with a disgusting frenzy. Tom glanced out of the window to find two more of them emerging from the darkness. The closest one had pale skin. Both creatures shared the same disturbing features as the one in the house¡ªthe multiple stomach mouths, the wiry frame¡ªbut the creature farther out in the yard caught Tom¡¯s attention the most. It was larger and possessed a single massive mouth: [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born]. The pale smaller creature squealed, and pulled its grotesque form through the shattered window. Loo''s scream pierced the air, shattering Tom''s shock-induced trance. Together, both of the Pygmy creatures took menacing steps toward his daughters. Chapter 02 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 The creatures stood between Tom and his kids, the monsters¡¯ multiple mouths salivating. He didn¡¯t know what to do, but he wanted their attention away from his children; he let out a loud shout, his voice booming through the living room. He lunged toward the nearest tan creature, wrapping his large arms around it from behind. Muscles straining, Tom began pulling it toward the window and away from the girls as it screeched and writhed. Seconds after he made contact with the creature, his own pain-filled screams filled the room. The foul mouths had clamped down upon his forearms and hands, and were gnawing in a frenzy. ¡°Tom!¡± Kate shouted, and she rushed the rest of the way downstairs to help. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± Tom cursed through gritted teeth. He fought to maintain his grip on the creature, while also pulling his arm out of its mouth. He twisted his arm free, but the creature''s teeth remained stubbornly clamped onto his thumb. With a grisly tug and a loud squelch, Tom released the rest of his hand, leaving a large chunk of flesh and sinew within one of the creature''s many mouths. ¡°Jesus, Tom,¡± Kate gasped, horror etched across her face. ¡°Your hand!¡± He stared, dumbfounded, at the exposed bone of his thumb, his mind struggling to process the gruesome sight. The tan abomination wasted no time in capitalizing on his momentary lapse. It spun around, exerting a powerful shove that sent Tom hurtling backward, crashing into the living room closet behind him and shattering its door. A deluge of closet crap cascaded upon him as he lay, gasping and struggling to move. Kate growled and rush forward. She delivered a forceful shove of her own to the Headless Pygmy, sending it sprawling backward to collide with the wall. It squealed and shrieked as she advanced on it. The other Headless creature, the pale one, emitted its own squeal and made a move toward the children. Kate quickly shifted her position, placing herself between the creature and the kids. ¡°Tom! Tom!¡± Kate yelled. Blood from his mangled thumb pooled on the floor. Oddly, the pain seemed distant. Two softball bats had tumbled to the ground beside him. He looked from the bats to the Headless creature advancing toward his family. Gritting his teeth, he rose from the wreckage of the closet. He gripped the bats as best he could in each hand, though his hold was loose on the left side, the bat already slick with blood from his missing thumb. [Automatic Assimilation Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Carbon Fiber identified as valuable material. No immediate function. Storing in internal reserves. Resource Repository 1 of 3 spaces occupied.] [Automatic Assimilation Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Commencing Carbon Fiber absorption.] [Automatic Absorption Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Rubber identified as valuable material. Rubber applied to Ability: Bone Modification. Modification applied 1 of 1.] [Automatic Absorption Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Commencing Rubber absorption.] Tom blinked rapidly, until the strange floating messages that had popped up in his vision disappeared. What the fuck! ¡°Tom, be careful! Oh God, Tom, your hand!¡± ¡°Kate, watch it!¡± He pointed at the pale one, which was edging toward Kate and the kids. Tom focused on the tan creature and raised both bats high above his head. He brought them crashing down upon its torso. Its repulsive mouths all emitted a squealing, almost pig-like, noise as it dropped to one knee. ¡°Oh shit! Tom, look out!¡± Kate''s voice rang out. He had only a fleeting sense of triumph before the pale creature turned away from Kate and dashed toward him, extending its weird child-sized hands in a desperate attempt to seize the bats. Tom pulled back a few steps as the creature swiped the air where he had been. He pieced together a crucial detail about the creatures.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Kate! I think they¡¯re blind!¡± Kate nodded and silently inched closer behind the pale one, her eyes wide and darting between the Headless creatures and her children. Tom hoisted the bats above his head once more, his muscles tensing as he brought them down upon the pale one this time. The room reverberated with the bone-crushing cracks of each impact, the creature''s grotesque mouths letting out a chorus of tortured squeals. ¡°Get it!¡± Kate screamed. Tom''s heart thundered in his chest as he kept swinging. The creature staggered from the relentless assault and Tom seized the opportunity. With a powerful kick, he propelled the abomination toward the fireplace. The sickening sound of shattering glass tore through the air. The inhuman shrieks of the pale Headless creature rang in Tom''s ears as it thrashed wildly, jagged shards piercing its skin, slipping and flailing in the pooling blood beneath it. Tom''s eyes widened as the twisted mouths of the tan Pygmy found purchase on his flesh, sinking their gnashing teeth into his back, its sharp claws grasping him and slicing into his arms. A scream tore from his throat; he had never felt such raw pain. ¡°Dad!¡± Chloe cried out from under the table. Tom spun around in a desperate flurry, his muscles screaming as they strained to break free from the abomination clinging to his back. Kate grabbed at the creature''s arms and tried to pull it off him. Tom roared. He slammed back into the wall over and over, a sickening crunch echoing through the room. The creature''s grip faltered; its biting mouths released their vice-like hold. Gasping for breath, Tom pivoted and tossed the creature off his back. He stood, trembling, sweat pouring down his brow, mingling with the blood that stained his skin. ¡°Oh God, Dad, your back!¡± Loo cried out. Tom''s eyes darted between Kate, the girls huddled under the table, and the pale wounded creature by the fireplace. Then he glanced over his shoulder at his own torn back. He couldn¡¯t see clearly, but there were several gaping wounds, each a bloody hole, like someone had taken an ice cream scoop to his back. The creature in the fireplace was struggling to its feet. Its pale form was mutilated by deep cuts, and one arm was grotesquely twisted. ¡°Kate! Catch!¡± Tom yelled, tossing one of the bats toward her. Her eyes widened as she caught it. She hesitated. Then she glanced at her kids. A look of fury formed on her face. She charged toward the injured creature. Kate rained blow after blow upon the Headless monster, the dried blood from her head wound smeared across her face like war paint, her battle cry consisting of garbled versions of ¡®fuck you¡¯, ¡®not my kids¡¯, and ¡®worst mistake of your fucking life¡¯. The creature¡¯s wretched form writhed and shrieked upon the dining room rug. Tom watched, open-mouthed, as his wife laid waste to the thing that had invaded their home. He turned back to the remaining tan one. He raised the bat once more, and struck the abomination with all his might, feeling its twisted body give under the force of his blow. He swung at the creature repeatedly, each blow fueled by a primal need to put this thing down. ¡°Damn it, just die already!¡± Tom snarled between gritted teeth, sweat trickling down his brow. Blood splattered across his face, but he didn''t care; all that mattered was keeping his wife and kids safe. Glancing toward Kate, he saw her continued relentless assault on the other creature. Her screams echoed through the room, and every bone-crushing strike she delivered sent a wave of relief washing over him. She was unharmed, covered in monster gore, and smacking the shit out of that thing. The larger Marauder was attempting to force its way through the window. Holy shit, I forgot about that one. It appeared trapped, its monstrous frame squished against the edges of the narrow opening. It squealed and roared in frustration. Tom''s vision began to blur. He struggled to maintain his focus, dizziness threatening to overpower him. Gritting his teeth, he swung the bat with all the strength he could muster into the tan Pygmy before him, even as his knees trembled beneath him. As he poised himself for another swing, the world around him spun, and the once-steady ground beneath his feet turned treacherous. He glanced downward, his eyes drawn to the blood-soaked floor. The realization dawned upon him. That¡¯s MY blood. He hadn¡¯t realized how heavily he had been bleeding. A coppery scent permeated the air. One knee buckled beneath him and he felt himself crumble. He fought with every ounce of his being to remain conscious and upright. The room echoed with the cries of his children, their young voices filled with fear. The Headless creature in front of him leaned against the wall, slowly trying to regain its feet. Its gross body convulsed violently. Its agonized many-mouthed squeals turning into a gurgling death rattle. The larger creature had freed itself from the window, and was howling and stomping through the snow in the front yard. ¡°No! Tom!¡± Kate screamed as she rushed to his side. She sat on the floor beside him, her hands cradling his head in her lap, her touch both gentle and urgent. He couldn¡¯t remember sliding to the floor. ¡°Tom! What do I do . . . girls, get over here! Who has their phone? Call 911!¡± Kate''s voice quivered. ¡°We don''t have our phones, Mom,¡± Loo said. Kate squeezed him tighter as her eyes darted around the blood-soaked room. Tom''s vision was fading and his thoughts were muddled. He wanted to reassure them that he would be all right, but the darkness clawed at him, trying to pull him under. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Kate said. ¡°Oh my God, Tom, please be okay.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± said Loo. ¡°Is this even real? I feel like I lost my fucking mind!¡± ¡°Mom! Look at Dad¡¯s hand!¡± Tom was drifting in darkness, but he heard Loo¡¯s voice. ¡°It''s healing.¡± He could feel a sparking sensation in his thumb. His cloudy vision wandered to his mangled hand. He watched in awe as the torn flesh grew to cover the exposed bone, slowly knitting itself back together. Kate¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°Wh-what is happening?¡± Chloe stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a loud roar outside. ¡°I don''t know, but we can''t stay here,¡± Kate said. She gripped Tom¡¯s shoulders, and Tom felt his bloody body being dragged slowly away from the fallen creatures, toward the perceived safety of the stairs. Through the broken window, Tom saw the colossal Headless Marauder charge the house. Shrieking in fury, it slammed against the front door over and over again. The door didn¡¯t hold for long. It burst open with a violent crash. The kids screamed as the monstrous entity stepped into the house. Chapter 03 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 Nobody dared move as silence and cold filled the room. Tom''s eyes locked onto the massive creature before him. Standing at just over six feet tall, its menacing physique and brawny limbs dwarfed those of the Pygmies that were dead on the floor. What truly scared him was the single oversized mouth that gaped open, revealing a long, serpentine tongue. The creature squealed as its tongue lashed about the room in search of prey. ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± Tom muttered, his heart galloping. The creature tensed. Oh shit. Tom looked over to see Kate holding her finger to her lips. After a moment, the creature turned away from the group and toward the fallen creatures. Its tongue glided over their bodies, patting them; almost as if it was grieving its comrades. Kate slowly moved the kids behind her, away from the creature, her eyes never leaving the monster. Tom¡¯s momentary relief shattered as the edge of the creature''s elongated tongue grazed the pool of blood left behind by his injuries. It began to slowly trace the trail of blood, the slithering sound of its tongue sending shivers down his back. The creature began advancing toward them, sniffing the air more forcefully. Tom''s frantic gaze shifted back and forth between the Headless Marauder and his loved ones. He tried to get to his feet, but his blood-drained body was weak and unresponsive. The creature drew nearer, its revolting tongue leaving a glistening trail of saliva on the floor as it followed the blood. Kate silently rose up to stand over him and the kids. Tom clenched his fists. As the creature approached, he struggled again to push himself up from the ground. Through sheer willpower, he managed a semi-crouch, leaning on Kate for support. He pointed toward the back porch exit. Kate nodded. With careful, deliberate steps¡ªso as not to make noise or slip in the blood¡ªTom and family silently shuffled backward, their retreat mirroring the slow advance of the monster. Kate''s hand firmly gripped his arm, supporting him as he gritted his teeth against waves of dizziness that threatened to drop him to his knees. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the distance between them and the creature shortened. He scanned the room. One of the bats was on the kitchen floor. It looked puny compared to the monster, but it was better than nothing. Tom gave an over-exaggerated nod toward the bat. Kate shook her head. The creature was close now. Summoning what little strength remained in his battered body, he broke away from Kate''s grasp, and lunged toward the bat. The creature¡¯s vile tongue lashed out, quick as a snake¡¯s strike. It almost hit his reaching hand, but it missed and caught the bat instead, smacking it across the room. Instantly, the tongue retracted and struck at him again. It came within inches of his eye when a sudden wave of energy pulsed through the room. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Move Dad!¡± Chloe screamed. Her eyes were locked onto the creature with panicked intensity, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Chloe screamed again, and pointed her hand at the monster. The effect on the creature was immediate. It convulsed violently, its massive form crashing into the wall behind it. Its ear-piercing screams echoed through the air, sounding like a pig massacre. Tom looked back and forth from Chloe to the creature in utter disbelief. Amber vaulted past him, her nimble gymnast-trained body easily dodging both Kate''s and Tom¡¯s outstretched arms as they tried to grab her. She shot forward and rolled across the floor, coming to a stop near the fallen bat. With a swift kick, she sent it skidding in Tom''s direction, before she continued on toward the kitchen counter. Tom reached out, ignoring the twinge of pain from his once-injured thumb, and caught the bat as it clanked across the floor. ¡°Get back here, Amber!¡± The monster stumbled and shrieked. What the hell is happening to it? Did Chloe do that? Tom readied himself for the next move, feeling the weight of the bat in his blood-stained hand. Amber reached for the knife rack in the kitchen. Her eyes glinted as she grabbed a knife and flung it toward the monster. The throw was horrible and was nowhere close to hitting, but she didn''t hesitate to grab another one and try again. Another miss. She growled, and reached for a third knife. Tom signaled her to stop. He could tell she wanted to argue, but she clenched her jaw and nodded, stepping away from the knives. Thank God. Tom took a step forward, eyes locked on the creature''s grotesque form. Kate silently side-stepped across the kitchen to grab the other bat. The creature''s monstrous tongue thrashed and whipped about, flailing in its terror-induced frenzy. Tom saw an opening. He swung the bat with all his strength. It connected with a sickening thud. The creature''s screams shifted from terror to pain. Whatever Chloe had done to it was over now, and the monster focused on him and stomped forward, its repulsive tongue slithering menacingly. As its tongue slithered closer, Tom saw another opportunity. Or, at least, what he hoped was an opportunity. Hope this isn¡¯t dumb. Channeling all his strength into one powerful movement, he stomped down and pinned the tongue firmly in place. It thrashed and writhed, desperate to free itself from his hold. Tom pushed his entire weight onto his foot and onto the creature''s wriggling tongue, ignoring the ache across his back. The six-foot monster loomed over him. ¡°Don''t be mad!¡± Amber yelled. She sprang forward, like a cat pouncing on a mouse, and drove the large steak knife she held into the creature''s trapped tongue. The blade pierced through its flesh and gouged deep into the wooden floor. Tom spluttered for half a second at what his daughter just did, but the creature''s renewed screams tore through the air. Enraged, it lunged at Amber. ¡°Watch out!¡± Tom yelled. Kate, who had retrieved the second bat, grabbed Amber''s arm and swung her away from the creature, toward the other girls. The creature charged recklessly forward, still intent on Amber. Kate swung her bat, and the hit was solid. The creature¡¯s oversized front teeth shattered under the blow. The beast was knocked backward, its own weight toppling it onto its back. As it fell, its tongue split along the length of the steak knife¡¯s edge. The bat trembled in Tom¡¯s hands as he raised it high above his head and brought it down with devastating force onto the monster. A heartbeat later, Kate was clubbing it with her bat as well. The room echoed with the sickening crunches of bone and meat giving way under the onslaught. The screaming and bloody creature flinched and twitched, holding its arms up weakly, attempting to shield itself from the battering. Tom kept swinging the bat. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Chloe¡¯s voice cut through the chaos. ¡°It''s not moving anymore!¡± Panting heavily, Tom took in the sight of the battered and broken creature at his feet. Its movements had indeed stopped, and the terrible screams had faded away, replaced by an eerie silence that filled the room. The only sound was the occasional twitch of the lifeless bodies scattered across the dining room floor. A shiver ran over his body as a gust of snowy air blew through the battered-down front door. ¡°Is-is it dead?¡± Loo asked. ¡°I think so. Stay away from it.¡± Tom¡¯s breaths were ragged gasps. ¡°Are you okay? Are you guys all right? Who''s hurt?¡± Tom scanned each of their faces for any sign of injury. ¡°I had some small glass cuts,¡± Chloe replied, inspecting her arms, ¡°but . . . they¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not hurt, Dad,¡± Amber said, her voice steady. Beside her, Loo nodded in agreement, though her eyes shone with unshed tears. Tom closed the distance between them and hugged all three girls. He placed a hand on Amber''s shoulder. ¡°Thank you. That was brave and you did amazing, but in case there are more of these . . . things, never do that again. I don''t want you to get hurt. Understood?¡± Amber hesitated, then nodded, wiping blood spots away from her face with the back of her hand. ¡°All right,¡± she murmured. ¡°I¡¯m serious. No . . . monster fighting. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, fine. Understood.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He glanced over at Kate, who was still watching him with concern etched across her face. ¡°Kids, come here,¡± Kate called out softly, beckoning them closer with open arms. ¡°Give me a hug, and let us have a look at you.¡± Loo and Chloe hesitated for a moment before approaching, their eyes never straying far from the spot where the Headless had fallen. As Tom and Kate looked them over for any signs of injury, he could sense their fear slowly dissipating, replaced with curiosity. Kate looked at him. ¡°Your turn, Tom. Let me have a look at you.¡± She gently turned him around to inspect his back. ¡°The bites . . . they''re not bleeding anymore. They¡¯re already starting to heal.¡± Tom reached around his back, feeling a rough scab underneath his fingers. Kate turned him again. She reached out and took his hand. ¡°And your thumb . . . it looks like soon it will also be completely fine.¡± Her voice was laced with disbelief. ¡°What the hell is happening? What''s going on? Did we all go insane?¡± The clattering of metal jolted the group from their thoughts. Where the bloody dead creatures had once been, there was now a haphazard assortment of items: different-sized pieces of metal, and some kind of brown garment. ¡°Loot?¡± Chloe blurted out. Chapter 04 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 The dark living room seemed to close in around Tom and his family, amplifying every creak and whisper. They huddled together, ears straining for any sign of danger. In the distance, faint echoes of people''s cries pierced the night. ¡°We''re not the only ones getting attacked,¡± Tom whispered to Kate. His gaze fell to the strange piece of armor on the floor. It was formed from sections of rigid leather interwoven to form a chest piece. Turning back to Kate, Tom whispered, ¡°So . . . I¡¯m sitting here thinking that this is Leather armor and Coins . . . dropped from a monster . . . that my family and I killed in our living room. Monsters that then magically disappeared. I-I can¡¯t wrap my head around this, Kate. I¡¯m scared I had a nervous breakdown or a stroke or something.¡± ¡°Well . . . that makes two of us,¡± Kate said. ¡°Maybe we''re all dead,¡± Loo said. Everyone turned to look at her. ¡°Bruh!¡± Amber said. Loo shrugged. ¡°What? Could be.¡± Cold air poured though the broken windows and smashed-open door, biting at Tom¡¯s exposed skin. He shivered. ¡°We''re not dead. But I have no idea what the hell is going on.¡± ¡°Wait, what the hell?¡± Kate said, looking around the room in disbelief. ¡°Where is the TV, the fridge, our stuff?!¡± Tom looked around. Kate was right; every item of modern technology was gone. Who could have even taken it? Tom and his family huddled in silence as he thought about what to do. The freezing air continued to pour into the house, chilling him to the bone. Shadows played tricks on his eyes as he searched the darkness outside for any sign of movement. Fear clung to him like a second skin, heightening his senses, and simultaneously paralyzing him into indecision. ¡°Maybe we should try to find help,¡± Kate suggested. Tom did his best to shake off the icy tendrils of doubt and fear. He had to keep his family safe. ¡°You¡¯re right. Okay everyone, please listen,¡± Tom said, holding up his hands and now fully healed thumb. ¡°I have no clue what¡¯s going on, but those things are dead, and we''re okay. The front of the house is busted out so it¡¯s not safe or warm. We can¡¯t stay here. I want to check on the Robinsons and make sure they¡¯re okay, and then find help. We need to stay quiet and move fast. I¡¯m pretty sure these things are blind, so if there are more, we can just stay away from them. Kate, that work for you?¡± Kate nodded. Tom glanced at each of the kids, making sure they understood. ¡°We¡¯re going to do three things. First, put on warm clothes, shoes, and socks. Second, drive over to the Robinsons¡¯ house and make sure they¡¯re okay. Third, we''ll all get in our car and head . . . somewhere. I don¡¯t know where yet.¡± Tom turned toward the stairs. ¡°All right, quietly, let''s get moving.¡± He motioned for the kids to follow him. What are we going to find when we reach the Robinsons? Should we even go out into the dark? Maybe we should sit tight till daybreak? Night had crept up on them. The upstairs hallway was veiled in darkness. Tom instinctively reached for the light switch, then remembered the power was out. ¡°Stay close,¡± Tom whispered. The children¡ªnow shivering¡ªnodded in response. When he reached the end of the upstairs hallway, he cautiously peeked into each of the kids'' rooms, scanning for any signs of monsters. Finding none, he let out a long breath he''d been holding. ¡°Shoes, coat, super warm clothes. It''s freezing out. Be quiet and hurry,¡± Kate whispered to the children. The kids nodded and ducked into their rooms. Tom and Kate entered their room. Kate''s resourcefulness immediately kicked in; she started stuffing a backpack with small blankets and extra clothes. Her hands were swift and precise. ¡°Thank God your head is working better than mine,¡± Tom said. Her lips curved into a brief smile. ¡°Here,¡± she said, handing him a backpack and a couple of empty metal water bottles. ¡°We have these, but the water isn''t running to fill them.¡± ¡°All right, we''ll figure something out,¡± he whispered, tucking the bottles into the backpack. He turned to the closet, where he hoped to find his gun case, but as he rummaged through the contents, his heart sank. It was gone. Where the hell is all our stuff? ¡°Damn it,¡± Tom said, resisting the urge to slam his fist against the wall. Instead, he turned to Kate, who was still busily gathering essential items. He stopped and grabbed her, giving her a quick kiss. ¡°Gun¡¯s gone but . . . we''re gonna be okay.¡± He pulled her into a hug, finding comfort in her presence. Kate nodded. ¡°We will,¡± she whispered back, her hand briefly squeezing his. As they finished packing, Tom glanced out of the window, scanning the darkness for any signs of danger. All he could see was the heavily falling snow.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. You grab the girls, and tell them to be quiet. I¡¯m going to check downstairs,¡± Tom said to Kate as he zipped up his jacket. ¡°Careful.¡± Tom crept down the hallway and back to the stairs just above the living room. He descended carefully, each creaking step making him wince. Despite the icy chill in the air, beads of sweat clung to his forehead, his senses on high alert. The darkness was suffocating, pressing in on him from all sides, making it difficult to discern where the shadows ended and the danger began. He reached the bottom of the stairs. He paused, listening intently for any signs of danger. Just . . . man up and go. ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered under his breath, cursing the lack of light. The darkness seemed to amplify every sound. He forced himself away from the steps, and slowly did a circuit around the living room. Kate arrived at the top of the steps. The kids were behind her in their hastily donned coats and backpacks, their breath forming small clouds in the frigid air. Kate gestured for them to follow her. Tom looked out of the front windows for any movement outside. Still clear. Kate and the girls appeared beside him. ¡°Everyone has extra clothes, right?¡± said Kate, her voice barely audible. ¡°Good. We''re gonna stuff food in everyone''s packs. Stay close, and stay quiet.¡± She silently led the girls into the kitchen. Tom crossed the living room, fixated on the peculiar items strewn across the floor. He reached for the padded Leather Tunic and tried to pick it up, but the armor refused to budge, as though it was welded to the ground. ¡°Strange,¡± Tom muttered under his breath. He poked and kicked at it until Kate and the girls came back into the room. They needed to get moving, but curiosity urged him to examine the loot further. ¡°Hey, Kate,¡± he whispered, not taking his eyes off the odd collection, ¡°come take a look at this.¡± Kate walked over to him, pulling the children behind her. Chloe and Loo clung to each other, their wide eyes glued to the window, and to the dark beyond. ¡°What is it?¡± Kate whispered. ¡°I can''t pick up this armor. It¡¯s like it¡¯s attached to the floor,¡± Tom said. ¡°There are Coins here too. Watch this.¡± He reached down, attempting to pick up or move the Coins. The first few Coins wouldn¡¯t budge. Then he poked at one that did respond to his touch; it slid a few inches across the floor, and he picked it up. ¡°Only this one moves for me,¡± he explained, holding up the Coin for Kate to see. ¡°The others won''t budge, just like the armor. I can pick up that small metal ingot too.¡± He retrieved the ingot from the floor, its surface glinting in the scarce light. [Automatic Assimilation Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Iron identified as valuable material. No immediate function. Storing in internal reserves. Resource Repository 2 of 3 spaces occupied.] [Automatic Assimilation Protocol Activated during Levels 1 and 2. Commencing Iron Absorption.] Tom dropped the ingot as words once again flooded his vision. He blinked rapidly until they disappeared. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Kate asked. ¡°Uh, yeah. Sorry, still dizzy.¡± Tom retrieved the ingot from the floor and inspected it. Nothing happened, so he slipped it into his pocket, and motioned for the kids to come closer. ¡°I want you to try to pick this armor up.¡± ¡°I know this is crazy,¡± said Chloe, ¡°but . . . maybe it''s like video game loot rules.¡± Amber gave her a flat look. ¡°Stop looking at me like that! I know it''s weird, but c''mon, I mean, monsters did disappear and drop stuff out of thin air.¡± Loo nudged the armor with her toe. When it didn¡¯t move, she bent down and tried to move it with both hands. A second later, she was on all fours with her head on the floor, trying to see how the armor was attached. She tapped at it for another few moments before Kate made her move. The armor did not budge for Loo, or for anyone else who touched it. ¡°All right,¡± Tom sighed. He looked at Amber. ¡°You¡¯re the last one. Just try it, please.¡± ¡°Low-key not gonna work,¡± Amber said with shrug. She reached down and picked up the armor. It seemed to squirm and wriggle in her grasp, conforming to her size and shape as if designed specifically for her. She stared at it, her earlier skepticism replaced with wonder. ¡°See?¡± Tom said. ¡°It''s meant for you. Put it on. We don''t know what we''re dealing with, and it might help protect you.¡± Amber hesitated, then put on the strange armor. ¡°Maybe we should take them with us,¡± Chloe said and pointed at the Coins. ¡°Those might be important.¡± ¡°I agree. Everyone, reach down, pick up the Coins you can, and bring them,¡± Tom said, pocketing his Coin. The others followed suit, scooping up the remaining Coins that responded to their touch. Loo was the only one who did not receive a Coin. Tom picked up the bats; one for Kate, and one for himself. He also noticed Amber swipe the fireplace poker and stuff it under her jacket. It worried him but, not having a good argument against her arming herself, he chose not to say anything. With a final cinching of jackets, and after stuffing last-minute food items into everyone¡¯s backpacks, they stood ready at the front door; prepared to face whatever lay ahead. ¡°Okay, here we go. Stay together, and stay quiet. First, to the car. Next, stop at the Robinsons¡¯, and then we get the hell out of here. We¡¯re going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen to us. Love you guys,¡± Tom said, unsure whether he was trying to reassure his family or himself. He led the way out of the front door, with Kate right after him, and the kids following closely behind. He gripped the bat tightly as they stepped out into the frigid darkness, the weight of it a small comfort in his hands. The cold air stung his face, and he could see Kate pulling her coat tighter around her, already shivering. The kids didn¡¯t look much better. They crept silently through the dark front yard. The world around them was different, somehow. No lights were on; the neighborhood was veiled in an unfamiliar darkness. There were no cars in the driveways. Did everyone take off? However, there were no tire marks cutting through the layer of snow on the road. When he squinted through the falling snow, he could make out the occasional trail of footprints further down the street. A few of them were much larger and deeper than they should be. Beside him, Kate''s eyes darted frantically from one vacant spot to another, before landing on their own empty driveway ¡°Tom,¡± her voice wavered. ¡°Where are all the cars? Oh God, what are we doing to do? What the hell is going on!¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± was all he could say. He swallowed hard, creeping tendrils of panic wrapping around his chest. His heart pounded like a drum against his ribcage, and he clenched his fists to keep them from shaking. He drew in a few deep breaths. He could not afford to panic right now. That was what got people killed. ¡°We''ll stick to the plan,¡± he said, forcing a calm into his voice that he did not feel. He turned to face Kate and the kids, meeting them with what he hoped was a calm face. ¡°We just . . . we walk to the Robinsons¡¯ house. We¡¯ve done it hundreds of times. Stay quiet. We''ll figure things out once we''re there.¡± ¡°It''s so cold,¡± Chloe muttered, rubbing her arms for warmth. ¡°I know. It¡¯s a short walk. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± They crept forward again. With every few steps, Tom glanced back and made sure everyone was still with him. The girls were right behind him, with Kate bringing up the rear, her grip on her bat just as tight as his own. Their boots crunched loudly in the snow. Small snowflakes peppered their shoulders and faces, stinging their skin, but at least the snow seemed to be easing up. The distant shouts and screams were not easing up. ¡°This isn''t creepy at all,¡± Chloe whispered to Loo. Loo didn''t respond; she clung tightly to her sister¡¯s arm, her eyes wide. She froze. ¡°Why¡¯d you st¡ª¡± Loo pointed down a side street. Tom followed her finger. Several blocks away, a monstrous silhouette loomed in the center of the street, its large form casting long shadows in the snowy moonlight. It was facing away from them, but Tom could tell it wasn¡¯t the same type of monster that had attacked the house. This thing had a head. It leaned back and emitted a loud cackling roar, waving a giant club in the air. ¡°Let''s go, before it turns around,¡± Kate hissed. ¡°Hurry, girls! Tom, go!¡± She pointed them in the direction of the Robinsons¡¯ with her bat. ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Tom whispered. They inched down the side of the road. Kate moved up beside Tom. ¡°Why are we going so slow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried something is going to see us out here in the open,¡± he whispered. ¡°That big one had a head; what if it has eyes?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Cars are gone, and we are not going into the woods in the dark. Just keep moving.¡± Tom began creeping forward again, with Kate giving him the occasional push from behind. They clung to the treeline beside the road, and moved as silently as the snow would allow. Half an hour had passed. The snow had stopped, and the Moon was trying to break through the thick cloud cover. They had walked back and forth to the Robinsons¡¯ house many times, and it was maybe a fifteen-minute walk, tops. However, from what Tom could tell, they were only about halfway. Tom froze. There were faint screams in the distance, back toward the direction of their home. For a moment, he imagined that giant monster they had just seen, its hulking form snatching one of his poor neighbors. ¡°C¡¯mon Tom, get moving,¡± Kate whispered, pushing him onward. ¡°We have to get inside.¡± As they continued forward, the road ended abruptly, giving way to a dirt path that seemed to lead into a forest. A forest that didn¡¯t used to be there. Tom squinted into the gloom, trying to make out where the path led. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting ghostly shadows across the dirt path. The snow hadn¡¯t broken through the canopy here. He thought he could just see the familiar road restarting maybe fifty yards ahead. It¡¯s like someone dumped a huge chunk of woods right through the road. ¡°Stay close,¡± Tom repeated for the hundredth time that night. He couldn''t shake the nagging feeling that they were being watched; that unseen eyes were following their every move. ¡°Is this the right way? Where the hell did these trees come from?¡± Kate held Loo close to her side. Tom didn''t answer immediately. He scanned the area one last time before making a decision. ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s the right way,¡± he said, motioning for everyone to follow. ¡°Let''s go.¡± The sound of their footsteps crunching on the frozen ground seemed unnaturally loud as they moved through the woods. Every footfall, every leaf-rustle, and every snap of a twig set Tom¡¯s nerves on edge. His tension eased slightly when he emerged from the trees, the road reappearing ahead of him. ¡°Thank God,¡± Kate breathed. The Robinsons¡¯ house was a short distance away, its quiet silhouette looming ominously against the star-speckled sky. They approached the house. Tom peered through the windows. His heart dropping at the sight of broken furniture strewn all over the place. Chapter 05 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 Tom navigated the Robinson¡¯s living room, using the faint moonlight filtering in through the windows to guide him around the overturned furniture. He turned the corner and saw Bo kneeling next to his wife Hana. Bo''s shaved head and long red beard contrasted with his pale skin as he bent over her. Bo was built solid from years of carpentry work, though he was beginning to develop a slight beer belly. Bo dropped the towel he was carrying, revealing his sleeve of intricate tattoos¡ªkoi carp swimming within a vibrant Japanese garden¡ªthat Hana had designed for him. In a panic, he quickly wrapped the white towel around Hana''s right arm, where it had been severed and was bleeding profusely. Hana slumped against the wall as blood formed a pool around her. She was deathly pale and had vomit on her shirt. Thick waves of glossy black hair flowed down her slender frame, the ends trailing in her own blood. ¡°God,¡± Kate whispered, sucking in her breath at the sight of Hana''s horrific injury. ¡°It''s just us!¡± Tom announced, raising a reassuring hand as Bo dropped the towel and reached for a broken table leg. Relief washed over Bo''s face; he lowered the makeshift weapon and motioned for them to come closer. Kate pushed past Tom and Bo to kneel by Hana''s side. She picked up the already blood-soaked towel, rewrapped Hana¡¯s elbow, and applied pressure to the wound. ¡°Are you guys okay? What the fuck is going on?¡± Bo asked Tom in a raised whisper, pulling him to the other side of the kitchen. ¡°We''re okay, but I don''t know what''s happening. We were just hanging out at home when the earthquake started. Then these fucking things broke into the house and attacked us. No heads, lots of mouths.¡± Bo nodded. ¡°One of those bastards got in here too. It grabbed Hana¡¯s arm with its tongue and pulled it into its mouth. It fucking bit it off. I have to get Hana to a hospital right now! She''s lost a lot of blood.¡± Bo¡¯s words stumbled over each other. ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± Tom muttered, running a hand through his short hair. ¡°All the cars are gone. I don''t know how we''ll get there. We saw something huge out on the street and heard people screaming. Did the monster that was here leave?¡± He glanced around. ¡°No. I killed it. It had broken the table, so I grabbed a table leg and was able to stab it a bunch of times. I think maybe it was sick or something. It died and then, no shit, it fucking disappeared.¡± Bo paused, then blinked. ¡°Wait . . . the cars are gone?¡± A scream pierced the air outside. It was close. Tom''s heart pounded, his body tense. ¡°Let''s go downstairs to the basement for now. Block out the windows and light a few candles.¡± ¡°I gotta get Hana to a hospital!¡± ¡°Bo, I¡¯m telling you man. There are no cars, and you do not want to take Hana out there on foot.¡± ¡°My gun¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone too.¡± Bo paused and closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them again. His voice was firm when he spoke. ¡°Fine. Kids, let''s get downstairs.¡± Tom hadn''t even noticed the two Robinson kids crouched and hiding in the dark hallway. ¡°I''ll run down and just have a look first, then I''ll come back up to help with Hana,¡± Tom said. He lifted the bat and walked toward the staircase. He opened the basement door, listened for a minute, and then headed down slowly. Each step creaked loudly through the space. Something moves . . . swing first, ask questions later. With only a small amount of moonlight filtering through two tiny windows, Tom decided to light a candle. He quickly surveyed the organized shelves and storage bins that lined the walls, and tried to recall where Bo and Hana stored things. Hope I¡¯m right about them being blind. The flickering flames cast strange shadows across the concrete floor and the stacks of cardboard boxes. The basement was as safe as it was going to get. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Tom climbed back up to the basement door. ¡°All right, send them down.¡± Bo''s fifteen-year-old daughter, Tess, stood at the top of the stairs, a with tear running down her freckled cheek. She descended the stairs; her long dark hair draped over her shoulders as she looked anxiously back toward her mother. After Tess came Bo¡¯s thirteen-year-old son, Finn. Finn had wispy black hair, and had inherited more of Hana¡¯s Japanese facial features than his sister. He had been born with cerebral palsy and used specialized braces on his slender legs. After multiple surgeries, braces, injections, and physical therapy, Finn was able to walk around pretty well on his own. However, he stepped carefully down the stairs as he was prone to tripping. One by one, all the children made their way downstairs. Tom joined them in the basement. ¡°Stay quiet,¡± Tom instructed, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I''ll be right back. Stay away from the door, windows, and candles. Don¡¯t use any other lights.¡± He received a series of frightened nods from the kids before turning to head back up the steps, the bat still clenched tightly in his hand. Tom approached Bo, who was hovering protectively over Hana. They exchanged a brief nod before working together to lift her, with Kate holding the towel against Hana¡¯s arm. The group descended the stairs slowly and carefully. Once they reached the basement, they gently laid Hana on the couch. Bo leaned in for a closer look at her arm, confusion etched on his face. ¡°What the hell?¡± Hana¡¯s arm was no longer bleeding. Kate moved a tealight closer so they could all see the wound more clearly. The stump was already beginning to scab over. ¡°Something like that happened to me too,¡± Tom whispered, flexing his thumb. ¡°When those things attacked us, they bit chunks of meat out of my back, and nearly took my thumb off. But it didn''t take long for everything to heal up again.¡± He shook his head and shrugged. ¡°An hour ago, my thumb was mostly just bone. I don''t know why or how, but it''s almost fully healed now. My thumb and my back still hurt like hell, though.¡± Hana''s eyes fluttered open. Her eyes darted around the room, fear plastered across her face. Bo knelt by her side ¡°Hana! Are you all right? You scared me so much.¡± She blinked and nodded. Her eyes fell on the stump where her arm had once been. Her scream tore through the air, raw and primal. Bo wrapped her in a tight embrace, whispering urgently, ¡°shhh, shhh, babe, shhh, they will hear. The monsters, Hana, they will hear!¡± The mention of their attackers seemed to reach her. ¡°The kids?!¡± she choked out. ¡°They''re fine,¡± Bo whispered. ¡°Tom, Kate, and their kids are here too. We''re all fine.¡± Hana''s gaze swept across the concerned faces surrounding her, then she buried her face into Bo¡¯s shirt, and Bo held her. A few minutes later, Hana gently pulled away. She sat, upright and strong, though her eyes remained distant. ¡°Okay,¡± Bo said, rising to his feet. ¡°I''m going to see if I can secure the door better. We can hide down here till morning. Hana, I''ll be right back.¡± Tom followed Bo, and together they moved Bo''s pool table in front of the exterior basement door. They paused after each heart-rending screech of the table dragging across the concrete floor. With the basement secured as best they could, Bo and Tom returned to Kate and Hana, who were sharing their experiences in hushed voices. Tess and Finn had moved over and were perched beside their mother. Hana''s eyes met Bo''s, and she wordlessly raised her healing arm, showing him the now fully scabbed-over stump just below her right elbow. Bo crouched, holding a flickering candle closer to Hana''s bloody stump. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, but there was already new pink skin forming at the outer edges of the scab. ¡°Kids,¡± Bo murmured, gesturing for them to move away, ¡°give us a minute.¡± Tess and Finn exchanged worried glances but complied, shuffling to the far side of the basement. ¡°Okay,¡± said Bo. ¡°Tell me exactly what happened to you guys.¡± Tom recounted their ordeal: from the missing technology and amenities, to their encounter with the Headless creatures. He recounted blow-by-blow how he had been injured, and how they had fought the monsters off. He hesitated when he reached Chloe¡¯s part in the battle. ¡°I-I''m pretty sure Chloe did something to one of the monsters.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Hana said. ¡°I''m not sure,¡± Tom said. ¡°When the big one was coming at me, it suddenly just started running in circles and screaming its guts out, waving its hands in the air. I felt some kind of pulse. I looked over, and there was Chloe. She was frozen still and laser-focused on the thing. I haven''t talked to her about it yet, and I don''t know if I even believe it. It sounds insane saying it out loud.¡± ¡°Not insane, I think maybe¡­ I think I was the one to make the monster at our house sick,¡± Hana said. Before anyone could respond, a loud dragging noise cut through their whispered conversation. Tom froze, listening intently, as the sound passed by the back of the house. He motioned for the kids to stay quiet and still. Kate licked her fingers and put out the tealights. The basement was pitch-black and silent. Tom crept carefully through the basement. He peeked behind one of the window-blankets. A massive figure plodded down the road that ran behind the Robinsons¡¯ home. It dragged a large wooden club behind it, which left a deep slimy-looking gouge mark through the snow. Its solid seven-foot frame was covered in brownish-green fish scales, interspersed with large clumps of oily black hair. The Troll stopped in the middle of the road, sniffing the air with its long, pointed nose. Tom swallowed hard as he peered out from behind the makeshift blind. ¡°Bo,¡± he whispered urgently. Bo joined him at the window. His pale face lost its remaining color. The sight was straight from a grotesque nightmare. [Level 2 Lake Troll Lurker: Dungeon Born] floated above its head like some twisted video game. This was a completely different creature than the Headless. The Troll stopped, sniffing and listening intently. Its head swiveled back and forth, before stopping and staring at the back of the Robinsons¡¯ house. Tom and Bo froze. Did it hear us? Can it smell us? The Troll was as still as they were, a breeze blowing through its clumps of matted hair. It stared straight at their window. Tom didn¡¯t dare take a breath. It tilted its head toward the Moon and let out a phlegmy cackle. It turned away from them and loped down the street, away from the Robinson house, dragging its club behind it. ¡°It must¡¯ve heard something,¡± Tom whispered to Bo. ¡°At least it''s headed away from us.¡± Both men watched the window for a few more moments, before dropping the cover back into place. ¡°Go ahead and light the candles again, Kate,¡± Tom whispered. ¡°Okay, kids,¡± Bo said. He motioned everyone to group together. ¡°I think we should stay down here tonight. I want everyone to try to sleep . . . even though I know that won''t happen.¡± He sighed. ¡°At the very least, you have to rest, and be quiet.¡± Tom had been friends with Bo and Hana his whole life. Even when they were kids, Tom had admired Bo''s confidence and decisiveness, especially in tough situations. Bo looked over at Finn, a flicker of concern passing across his face. ¡°The cars are gone, so tomorrow we''re going to walk and find some help. I want to find someone to look at Hana¡¯s arm. Maybe we¡¯ll head for the police station. It¡¯s at least five miles away, which is going to be a long walk in the cold.¡± Finn met his father''s gaze with a determined expression. He nodded. ¡°What did you see outside?¡± Chloe asked, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°More of the little ones,¡± Tom replied quickly, ¡°but they ran the other way down the street.¡± ¡°Grab a blanket from the closet over there, and find a place to lay down and keep warm,¡± Bo whispered. The kids shuffled toward the small storage closet, their movements slow, silent, and cautious in the dim light. As they settled into their makeshift beds, the parents split off to offer comfort and reassurance. Tom wrapped Loo in a tight hug, her slight frame trembling against him. ¡°Are Grandma and Grandpa okay?¡± she asked, her voice barely audible. ¡°I don''t know, Loo,¡± Tom said, struggling to maintain his composure. ¡°But I bet they are. They¡¯re tough.¡± ¡°What do you think is happening?¡± Chloe said. ¡°Why are there monsters outside? Where did they come from?¡± ¡°Right now, we don''t have any answers, Chloe,¡± Kate said softly. She came over and rested her hand on her daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But most importantly, right now we are safe and together, and that''s good enough for now, right?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Chloe wrung her hands. Despite being scared as hell, Tom couldn''t help but smile when Loo said¡ªa little too loudly¡ª¡°this New Year''s sucks.¡± The other kids shushed her. A few moments later, another outside scream tore through the night, closer than many of the previous ones. The families froze, each one of them straining to listen, long after the scream faded. Several minutes of silence passed before Chloe suddenly yelled, ¡°Holy crap!¡± Tom about pissed his pants as he and everyone else jumped. Chapter 06 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 Tom and Kate leaped to their feet and rushed over to Chloe. She was sitting, upright and alert, in her nest of blankets. ¡°What! What''s wrong?¡± Tom said. His eyes darted around the room in search of more monsters. Chloe, pale-faced and blinking rapidly, stammered an apology. ¡°What happened? You scared everyone!¡± Tom said in a harsh whisper. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to. Something happened, and it scared me¡ª¡± ¡°Are we in danger?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Chloe shook her head. ¡°I was sitting here thinking about earlier, at our house when that big one almost got you. I remember feeling scared for you and feeling like¡ª¡± Chloe¡¯s hands circled in the air, searching for the right words. ¡°I felt like I threw something at it . . . but from my brain.¡± Chloe looked around at everyone, then gave a small shrug. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Actually, no, we''ll come back to that in a minute. What scared you and made you yell?¡± ¡°I was picturing that moment of the ''brain throw'' and wondering what was happening to me when . . . ¡± Chloe''s expression changed. Her mouth hung open and her pupils dilated. Tom waved in front of Chloe''s face; she gave no indication that she could see his hand. It was like watching someone interact with VR head gear. He tapped Chloe gently on the shoulder. ¡°Chloe, you''re scaring me. What the hell are you doing?¡± Chloe shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Something is happening. A bunch of stuff pops up in my vision, covering everything. It''s stuff about me, or I think it is.¡± The messages! She has them too! ¡°I''m going to see if I can do it again. If I can, I¡¯ll tell you what it says.¡± Chloe took a few deep breaths, then opened her eyes and gazed around the room. Tom was about to say something, when Chloe cleared her throat. ¡°Okay, the words are back. I¡¯m going to read out loud what this says.¡± Chloe''s fingers trembled as she raised her left hand, pointing into the air. Her index finger moved as if reading from an invisible piece of paper. Everyone leaned in as Chloe began to read, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°[Chloe Damascus] Age 16 Level 1 Psychic Tormentor. Short description available now; - you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the class Psychic: specialization Tormentor. The Psychic Tormentor is a fearsome class that wields the very essence of terror as a weapon. Masters of dominating and manipulating fear, they channel the darkest nightmares of their foes, and unleash them with¡ª¡± Loo and Finn both gasped. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± the group hissed, Tom¡¯s eyes darting nervously to the basement¡¯s external door. The last thing we need is for those things to find us. Tom and Bo both shot warning glances at Loo and Finn, before turning back to Chloe. Giving her younger sister a dirty look, Chloe closed her eyes once more, her eyebrows drawing together. This time, it took her just a few seconds to access whatever it was she was reading. She raised her finger back into the air and continued:If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°[ . . . they channel the darkest nightmares of their foes, and unleash them with malevolent precision. This class thrives on the psychological torment of their adversaries. The Psychic Tormentor is not for the faint of heart; it requires a hardened resolve to channel and manipulate the depths of fear.]¡± Chloe blew out her cheeks then released a long breath. ¡°That''s it for that section. I don''t know what it means by ¡®I have selected this class¡¯. I didn''t select anything. Below that section, it says [1 Gold to upgrade: you cannot do that here]. Now over here,¡± Chloe''s gaze drifted up and to the right, as though she were reading from a different section of invisible text. ¡°This says [Psychic Abilities], then below it says: [Migraine I] On-use ability. Afflict your target with a powerful migraine. Unless resisted, the target will suffer ten pulses of damage. You may apply this ability to as many targets as possible. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade: you cannot do that here.¡± Chloe cleared her throat again. She pointed to a new spot in the room and continued. ¡°Below that, I have another heading that says [Tormentor Abilities]. I have: [Fear I] On-use ability. Project a nightmarish mental image into a chosen target. This sinister mental invasion is tailor-made to exploit the deepest fears of the victim, rendering them overcome with unrelenting terror. The effect loses power the longer¡ªor more often¡ªthe creature is feared, eventually causing the spell to break. You may fear up to one foe at a time. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade: you cannot do that here. That''s it for abilities. Over here, it says [Profession], but it¡¯s all grayed out. This section here says [Stats], but it¡¯s also grayed out.¡± Chloe''s eyes snapped back into focus. The dim candles in the room cast dancing shadows as everyone huddled together. ¡°That''s it. That''s all I can see,¡± Chloe said. Tom took a deep breath, trying to process their insanely impossible situation. He glanced around at his family and friends; his own confusion and worry were mirrored back at him. Steeling himself, he forced a reassuring smile. ¡°Okay,¡± Tom began, his voice wavering only slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to continue on as if all of this isn''t completely insane. I guess, somehow, you cast a fear spell earlier on the monster. Do you know how you did it?¡± Chloe chewed her lip. ¡°No. I don¡¯t really know the ¡®how¡¯ of how I did it, but I feel like I could do it again if I wanted to. Sort of like if you asked me to raise my arm up. I don¡¯t know ¡®how¡¯ I''m telling my arm to do it, but I know I can raise my arm if I wanted to.¡± Chloe winced and looked at Hana, who was cradling her injured arm gently against her chest. Despite what she must have been feeling, Hana managed a weak smile. ¡°You''re fine, honey,¡± she said, holding up her remaining hand. ¡°Bad analogy, sorry Hana! But, yeah, it''s just there ready to be used I guess.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tom nodded slowly, trying to absorb the information. His mind raced as he considered their next steps. ¡°Everyone be quiet for a few minutes,¡± said Hana, ¡°and see if you can do what Chloe did with . . . reading floating words?¡± For the first few minutes, nothing happened. Then Tess gasped. Tom and the other adults all turned to look at Tess, as she too had an unfocused faraway look. Her lips moved as if she was reading something. One by one, the other three kids seemed to have accessed the floating descriptions. Loo had a contemplative look on her face; Finn was nodding, his face serious; and Amber was all smiles. Tom closed his eyes. What is happening to me? Nothing. He tried again, with thoughts revolving around ¡®what am I doing?¡¯, and ¡®what is going on with me?¡¯, and several other variations of ¡®me¡¯ questions.. Nothing happened. Other thoughts kept interfering. Was this some type of mass hysteria they were all in? Was he perhaps in a coma and dreaming this? A government experiment? His mind was an unfocused jumble, and he grew more and more aggravated. ¡°It''s not working! I don¡¯t see anything!¡± Loo put her hand in his. ¡°Don¡¯t get upset, Dad. It¡¯s pretty easy. You have to, in all seriousness, mentally request the information to yourself. Just like in school. ¡®Teacher, could I please get information about x y z?¡¯ Calm down, and don¡¯t overthink it. You got this, Dad.¡± There was a short mental struggle that revolved around his twelve-year-old daughter telling him to calm down. However, he managed to set that aside and focused on trying to access the magical words. For a few heartbeats, there was nothing: just the darkness behind his closed eyelids. A moment later, after concentrating on how he would love some kind of DAMN information, something shifted. A faint outline appeared in his mind''s eye, barely visible. As he held onto his focus, the image became clearer and sharper, until it formed into a floating panel of text. ¡°Got it!¡± Tom said triumphantly, earning himself a bunch of shushes. He read the opening lines. ¡°What the fuck is a Sponge?¡± More shushes. ¡°Mine says Hag! Like an old lady!¡± Hana hissed. Tom let his focus fall away, and his vision cleared. Hana took a deep breath. ¡°Did everyone figure out how to do it?¡± Nods of agreement went around the room. There was a loud crash upstairs. Tom''s heart raced as he looked back and forth between the steps and his frightened family. Bo made an exaggerated shushing motion with his finger, then directed everyone to the far end of the basement¡ªaway from the steps leading upstairs. As they crouched in the darkness, the sounds of heavy footsteps and crashing furniture grew louder and more frequent. The pig-like squeal of a Headless echoed through the house, sending chills down Tom''s spine. The cold basement air clung to his skin like a second layer, but his attention remained locked on the flimsy wooden door leading upstairs. We should have braced it! It was only barrier between them and the monsters wreaking havoc above. He could hear the creatures¡¯ labored breathing as they shuffled around, their wide, flat feet slapping against the wooden floorboards. It sounded like they were furious about not finding anyone. As the families hid in the shadows, Tom clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Loo had her eyes closed, her small hands gripping Chloe and her Mom''s arms tightly. Amber looked . . . sigh. Amber looked excited. As the minutes dragged on, the noises upstairs intensified. The group huddled silently together, eyes glued on the door to upstairs, hoping the creatures weren¡¯t smart enough to find the door. A sudden silence fell over the house. The absence of noise was more terrifying than the chaos itself. Tom waited, holding his breath. The silent moments dragged. The family members looked back and forth between each other and the door. BANG. BANG. BANG. A creature beat loudly on the basement door. Everyone jumped. Some of the children screamed. The creature at the top of the steps let out a triumphant squeal, which was echoed by other creatures. Their feet slapped against the upper floor as they ran toward the basement door. They had been found. Chapter 07 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 The basement''s dim candlelight cast shadows on the faces of Tom''s family and friends, their expressions full of wide-eyed terror. Tom managed a dry-mouthed whisper. ¡°No one do anything dangerous. Kids, stay back! I don''t want anyone to get hurt.¡± He picked up the bats. Both handles were slick in his hands; the rubber had disappeared from both handles, exposing the cold metal underneath. He tossed one to Bo. Bo caught it and nodded at Tom. Bo gripped the bat tightly, his jaw set, but Tom could see the subtle signs of exhaustion and worry creeping in around the edges. BAM. The door creaked as a creature slammed against it. How long will it hold up? Hana moved backward, pulling the kids along with her in silence. She positioned herself as a barrier between them and the rest of the room. Kate stood close behind Tom. She scanned the basement and grabbed a golf club, giving it a quick practice swing. Amber shed her coat and grasped the fireplace poker she had brought from home. Tom locked eyes with her and shook his head, signaling for her to stay put with the other children. BAM. BAM. BAM. There was a crack of splintering wood. The basement door groaned. Tom held position. His bat was raised, his muscles taut; the others were tense statues in his periphery. The door burst open. A hulking [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born] creature stood at the top of the stairs, its grotesque form accented by residual light from upstairs. Behind the Marauder were two smaller [Level 1 Headless Pygmy: Dungeon Born] creatures. The three monsters sniffed and roared. Then, as one, they charged down the steps. ¡°Bo, big one!¡± Tom called. ¡°Copy.¡± The Headless Marauder¡¯s tongue writhed in the air, seeming to sample the atmosphere as it reached the bottom steps. Close on its heels, the two smaller Headless Pygmies squealed their insatiable bloodlust. The Headless Marauder let out a guttural roar and lunged toward them. Tom swung his bat hard at the Headless creature, hitting it square on its huge upper lip. The monster¡¯s lip exploded, blood spraying out and splattering Bo, who was mid-swing himself. Bo landed his own solid hit on the creature''s mouth, chipping one of its large canine teeth. Bo¡¯s hit should have done more damage. One of the Pygmies screamed and launched itself from the bottom step. It crashed into Tom, and he stumbled across the room. The second Pygmy was right behind the first. ¡°Dad!¡± Chloe cried out, stepping forward. ¡°Stay back!¡± Tom yelled as he righted himself. The two Pygmies closed in on him. The first one showed no fear as it grabbed his leg, yanked itself toward him, and bit down on his inner thigh.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The pain was excruciating, and his mind shut down. However, after a few seconds of pain, it disappeared. Clarity returned. Tom ignored the one latched onto his leg and focused on the second creature reaching for him. He swung his bat; it smashed into the creature¡¯s torso before it too could latch onto him. The Pygmy hunched over, squealing and moaning. Kate brought the golf club down on its body and sent it crashing to the floor. She continued to beat it as it struggled to stand. Tom dropped his bat, and tried to pry the first one off his leg. Despite his lack of pain, the ripping and tearing sensation told him the creature¡¯s gnawing was causing serious damage. ¡°Damn it!¡± Tom hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Got it!¡± Amber shouted. She launched herself into the fray, and plunged the poker into the creature''s back. The Headless Pygmy dropped Tom, turned, and bit Amber''s arm. It yanked her forward, sinking its teeth deep into her bicep. Amber let out a scream, and Tom¡¯s heart clenched at the sound. Kate spun away from the now-lifeless second Pygmy, still holding the blood-stained golf club above her head. Tom roared. He grabbed the creature''s arm and forced it around to face him, but this yanked Amber forward and she screamed again. Tom rammed the butt of his bat into the monster over and over again, fighting to free Amber from its grip. Kate rained blows on its back with the golf club. Finally, it released Amber, and she staggered into Kate. Kate grabbed her and pulled her away from the fight. Tom pummeled the creature until it fell limp, his anger boiling over at the harm it had caused his child. By the stairs, Bo was still circling the large Headless, taking swings whenever an opening appeared, holding it at bay. The creature took a step back and screamed at the top of its lungs. Bo stopped his swing. ¡°What the hell?¡± Tom turned to Chloe. Her eyes were locked onto the monster. Her face was creased with concentration, and a faint gray haze emanated from her eyes. Kate held Amber, her hands protectively covering the wound on her daughter¡¯s arm as blood seeped through her fingers. Hana, Finn, Loo, and Tess huddled beside them. One of the Pygmies was starting to get its feet underneath it, so Tom moved to block its path. ¡°There¡¯s another one coming fast,¡± Tess said, her eyes unfocused. Seconds later, footsteps thundered across the upper floor. The Pygmy in front of him needed to be put down as fast as possible. He stepped forward to meet it. It squealed and lunged, but Tom swung his bat with every ounce of strength he had, connecting solidly with the monster¡¯s torso. It stumbled and squealed again, its arms held up defensively. Tom was jolted by a pang of guilt and nausea at the violence, especially toward something almost child-sized. However, the thought one of these things latched onto Amber quickly quashed those feelings. ¡°Fucker!¡± Tom growled, delivering a final lethal blow to the creature¡¯s body. It crashed backward onto the floor. He stared at the twitching body, his heartbeat loud in his ears and his breath ragged. He glanced down at his leg. The bleeding had slowed, but the exposed area still resembled ground beef. Bo was still facing off against the blind Headless Marauder. Tess snatched up a pool cue and, executing a baton-like twirl, stabbed it into the Headless Marauder¡¯s mouth. ¡°Holy shit! Tess?¡± Bo yelled. The Marauder roared louder and reached toward the Robinsons, but they jumped back. It searched for them with its overly huge tongue. ¡°Look out!¡± Hana yelled. She was looking at the top of the stairs, her eyes bulging. It was another big one, a [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born]. Now they knew what Tess had sensed moving around upstairs. It paused at the top, long enough to listen and get its bearings. Then it stampeded down the steps with a loud pig-like roar. A bright green light caught Tom''s eye, and he glanced over to see Finn''s hands on Amber''s bloody arm, glowing with green energy. He didn''t have time to question it; he ran back to the steps to stop this new Marauder from reaching into the group. This one was the biggest one he had seen yet; he was surprised it was still a Level 1. Tom took a swing at it as it charged. The hit connected and was solid, but the Headless whipped its tongue around his leg. Tom kept his footing, but the Marauder used its tongue to pull them together. ¡°Shit!¡± Tom battled the urge to panic. He dropped the bat once again and used both hands to push against the monster¡¯s body, trying to keep its giant gaping stomach-mouth away from his own abdomen. His muscles strained, and sweat flowed down his back. It was like trying to bench press a car. Bo and Tess¡¯s Headless opponent swayed unsteadily, its tongue attacks directionless and weak. They might soon be able to help him; he just had to hold out a little longer. Amber approached with the poker. ¡°Stay back, Amber!¡± If this one caught her, she could lose an arm like Hana, or worse. Amber ignored him and crept forward, her eyes locked on the monster. ¡°Damn it, Amber!¡± Tom cursed, his frustration mounting. He couldn''t risk her getting hurt again. His worry caused his focus to slip. As the giant Headless shifted and lunged, Tom barely managed to twist his torso. He cried out in pain as the monster clamped down on his side, crushing his flesh like a vice. ¡°Dad!¡± Amber screamed. She dashed forward and thrust the poker into the creature''s armpit. Blood sprayed across the floor, and the creature released Tom with a pained wail. It staggered back. Its tongue felt around the wound, and let it out an almost-reprimanding squeal. Tess, quick as a snake, switched targets and stabbed the creature through the back with her pool cue. The tip poked out of the front of the monster, just above its upper lip. It squawked, swayed for a second, then crumpled to the ground. Finn placed his hands on Tom, green light pouring from them once more. Close-up, there were tiny mystical flowers that grew from Finn¡¯s skin. They bloomed, releasing a green healing energy, then faded away to nothing. ¡°Thanks,¡± Tom gasped, feeling the weird bubbling sensation of rapid healing along his injured side and leg. His mangled flesh slowly knitting back together was both fascinating and nauseating. Tom anxiously waited for the healing to complete so he could help with the last Headless. However, it seemed the others were on top of it. Kate delivered a powerful swing to the Marauder¡¯s back, catching it off balance and sending it toppling to the ground. Amber, Bo, Kate, and Tess didn''t hesitate; they pounced on the monster, beating and stabbing it, until it stopped moving for good. Tom flopped back onto the ground, heaving for breath. The silence of the house echoed around him. The adrenaline was fading, and a fresh wave of pain and exhaustion washed over him. Pushing through the pulsing pain in his body, he forced himself to sit up again, surveying the aftermath of the battle. A few moments passed. The clinking of loot falling to the ground announced the monsters¡¯ departure. Chapter 08 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Tom asked. He struggled to maintain consciousness as pain radiated through him. The adrenaline from the battle had fully worn off, and now he was all too aware of his injuries. He scanned his family, checking for any lingering signs of harm. Relief washed over him as he took in the sight of Amber''s uninjured arm, thankful that Finn had been able to heal it somehow. ¡°Amber, are you all right?¡± She nodded. ¡°I told you to stay back! You could¡¯ve been killed!¡± ¡°Dad, I''m fine.¡± Amber flexed her arm. The salmon-pink hue of her newly healed skin contrasted sharply against her tanned complexion. ¡°Finn did a great job,¡± she said. ¡°But what about you? You don''t look so good.¡± ¡°I''ll be all right.¡± He grimaced as another wave of pain shot through him. He tried to hide it, but he couldn''t fool his family. Especially not Kate, who could always tell when something was wrong. When they had made sure there were no further injuries, the group wasted no time in gathering the loot dropped by the monsters. Amber removed her Leather Tunic and tossed it into the loot pile; not because she was sharing it, but because it was soaked in gore. Bo snuck upstairs through the broken basement door, and returned with Coins and a Blueprint from his previous monster-kill in the kitchen. For Tom, the throbbing from his recent injuries seemed to be building, rather than fading. The pain was barely manageable. He wondered whether the healing was superficial; whether he still had serious tissue damage under the skin. ¡°Finn, can you tell us about your healing spell?¡± Tom said. It was surreal to be discussing spells and abilities. Loo was right. It¡¯s been a hell of a New Year. Finn closed his eyes. After a few moments, he opened his eyes, and began to read aloud: ¡°[Finn Robinson] Age 13 Level 1 Druid Botanomorph. Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the class Druid, specialization Botanomorph. You are a pillar of sustainability and synergy to your team. Wielding the essence of powerful trees and vines, you command the flora to empower yourself, heal allies, or damage enemies; weaving a delicate tapestry of life and vitality. 1 Gold to upgrade: you cannot do that here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Finn. ¡°I have two abilities: [Druid Abilities] Floral Surge I On-use ability. Channels the energy of blooming flowers to heal wounds. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade;¨C you cannot do that here. [Botanomorph Abilities] Vitis Vinifera Vine I On-use ability. Grow manipulative vines of the grapevine plant. These vines¡ªinspired by the robust and powerful nature of real-life grapevines¡ªact as muscle sinew, and bestow enhanced strength and balance upon the Druid.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Plant Material Required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here.¡± There was a hint of pride in Finn¡¯s expression. His healing spell had already proven itself invaluable to the group. ¡°I also don¡¯t have a profession or stats,¡± he added. ¡°Finn, can you see if you can heal Mom¡¯s arm?¡± Bo asked. Finn slowly shook his head. ¡°I mean, I can try, but I don¡¯t think it will do anything. It took me a while to realize it, but during the fight I could see a red hazy glow around Amber''s arm and Tom''s leg. Mom doesn¡¯t have that on her arm. I think it¡¯s because there is no current injury.¡± Finn pulled himself up on unsteady feet and walked toward Hana. His foot caught a box and he almost fell. He steadied himself and reached his mother, placing his hands on her upper arm. Everyone silently watched as Finn scrunched his eyebrows together. ¡°I can''t cast it. Not only because Mom isn''t technically wounded, but also the ability says I can¡¯t do that right now because I don¡¯t have enough mana.¡± Finn eyes unfocused and he looked around the room. ¡°Oh! I have a bar in the lower left of my vision now. It¡¯s a health and mana bar! There are no numbers, but it looks like I only have about 20 percent mana right now.¡± Tom and the group took a few moments to find their own health and mana bars. My health is full. Why do I still hurt so bad? Tom turned back to Finn. ¡°Can you see any current red haze or damage indicator on me? My thumb, leg, back, and side are still causing me a lot of pain, even though my health bar appears to be topped off.¡± Tom stretched out his leg and rubbed the area where the creature had bitten him. Finn shook his head. ¡°No, sorry Tom. I don¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°That''s all right.¡± He shrugged, not wanting to burden them with more worries. ¡°I''ll be all right.¡± ¡°Finn,¡± said Bo, ¡°with that vine spell you mentioned, I don''t know if I''m entirely ready for you to start growing twigs and shit. What if they hurt you, or they¡¯re permanent, or something? We don''t really know what we¡¯re dealing with yet, so please don''t try to do the uh, vine spell thing.¡± Finn nodded; however, it wasn''t a very convincing look. It was still dark outside. They found places to sit and rest. ¡°How about we go around the circle and everyone quietly read their info out loud?¡± Tom said. ¡°Amber, let''s start with you.¡± Bo glanced at Finn, then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to carry some of these totes up the steps to at least form some kind of barricade at the door. Keep the discussion going though. I¡¯m listening.¡± Amber nodded, then adjusted her cross-legged position, and began to read from an invisible sheet. ¡°My sheet says: [Amber Damascus] Age 14 Level 1 Rogue Flair Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the Rogue class, specialization Flair. Your high-octane class epitomizes the art of combat agility. Swift and elusive, the Flair turns obstacles into opportunities, utilizing advanced parkour to navigate rough terrains with finesse. With a combat style marked by intense energy, the Rogue operates in short, explosive bursts, leaving adversaries reeling and struggling to anticipate the next dazzling maneuver. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here.¡± A massive smile spread across Amber¡¯s face. She continued to read. ¡°[Rogue Abilities] Stab I On-use ability. Apply direct damage instantly. Requires physical contact. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Flair Abilities] Parkour I Passive ability. Recognize and use obstacles through the use of jumping, climbing, and rolling, to cross distances in the most efficient way possible. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here.¡± Amber finished reading. ¡°Yeet!¡± Her smile was even larger. ¡°Oh, same for profession and stats.¡± ¡°Does it say anything about damage specifics or numbers?¡± Tom asked her. She shook her head. They discussed Amber¡¯s stab ability, and wondered whether or not she had actually ¡®used¡¯ the ability, or just stabbed the creature ¡®normally¡¯ with the poker. Chloe and Finn briefly described to Amber what it felt like to use an ability and how they did it; which boiled down to ¡®think about the ability, and your body will do it¡¯. In the end, Amber decided she probably hadn¡¯t used an ability, and had just rammed the poker into the creature. This is like a fantasy game. What the fuck is going on? ¡°All right. Tess, you next,¡± Bo said to his daughter as he carried a tote up the stairs. Kate stood and grabbed another tote, helping to plug the doorway as best as possible. Tess began reading: ¡°[Tess Robinson] Age 15 Level 1 Fighter Tactician. Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the Fighter class, specialization Tactician. A Fighter Tactician stands as a formidable force; a paragon of strength, cunning, and intelligence. Their life is intricately woven with the rigors of a soldier, where physical might converges seamlessly with mental battlefield acuity. Their cunning maneuvers and strategic insights make them a force to be reckoned with, both in solo combat and as the leader of a formidable fighting unit. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Fighter Abilities] Weapon Skill 1 Passive ability. Passive knowledge on the use of common military weapons. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. Battle Map 1 Passive ability. Access an overview of the immediate battlefield. Gain the advantage of a top-down view. You also have access to a wide array of battle indicators. These tools enable you to direct your allies, or designate targets to your team. 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100).¡± ¡°Did you notice, or do you currently see, the battle map overlay the ability mentions?¡± Bo asked Tess. ¡°Now that I know what it is I can pull it forward in my vision, but I don¡¯t see it all the time,¡± Tess said, her tone carrying excitement. ¡°During the fight, it just sort of appeared, and that''s how I spotted the extra monster that showed up. The map was quite blurry at first, and I didn''t fully understand what I was seeing. But now that I know what to do . . . ¡± Tess''s eyes seemingly fixed on something only she could perceive. She mumbled to herself, her words inaudible. ¡°Oh, I think I''ve got it!¡± she said. ¡°In the bottom right corner of my vision, I can see a basic top-down view of the basement, and a little bit of outside. There are seven green dots arranged in a circle, just like how we''re seated. I can see Dad and Kate by the steps. There are no red dots like before.¡± As if on cue, Tess gasped and her face shifted. ¡°Scratch that! There are two red dots outside.¡± Chapter 09 - Tom - Week 1 Day 1 ¡°Quiet!¡± the adults hissed. Faint squealing sounds filtered in from outside. Tom¡¯s eyes were fixed on Tess, whose gaze remained unfocused as she intently observed her battle map. ¡°There are at least five of them outside now,¡± Tess said softly. ¡°I don''t think they know we¡¯re in here.¡± Bo¡¯s voice was quiet but firm. ¡°If they bust in here, same plan. Me and Tom upfront, you guys stay back.¡± Tom started clambering to his feet. ¡°No!¡± Kate¡¯s whisper was a little too loud. She pushed down on Tom¡¯s shoulder to keep him sitting. ¡°I¡¯ll go up front. Tom¡¯s hurt.¡± Bo nodded; he clearly wasn''t about to argue. Kate stood, holding her bloody golf club, and positioned herself protectively in front of the kids. Before all this, Tom and his family had lived a safe and secure life with no real crises. He hadn''t ever had the opportunity to realize Kate was a badass. It comforted him, knowing if something happened to him, then the kids still had Kate. But he was here. And Kate facing those things scared the hell out of him. A heavy silence fell upon them as they huddled together, waiting and listening. Time stretched on, the rhythmic thumping of Tom''s heart drumming against his chest. His eyes were glued on the door. The weight of worry for his family''s safety slowly smothered him. The monsters continued their disturbing symphony of screeches and grunts for an excruciatingly long time. There were moments when they drew dangerously close to the backdoor. Everyone would tense and go still, their collective breath held. Sometime around what Tom would guess was three a.m., the cacophony reached a crescendo, before abruptly ceasing. Tess''s hushed voice broke the silence. ¡°The dots are all gathering together . . . and they''re leaving.¡± Tom silently wished good luck to anyone or anything they might encounter. The minutes dragged on. The monsters did not return. The suffocating weight lifted a little, finally allowing Tom to breathe. Bo signaled for their attention. ¡°I know we need to finish talking about everyone''s spells and classes,¡± he whispered. ¡°But, for now, let''s remain as quiet as possible. Every time we talk too much, they come back. I don¡¯t want to give them a reason. Let¡¯s try to get some rest before sunrise. Then we''ll make a plan and get help.¡± Time passed in hushed restlessness. Tom positioned himself near the window, peering outside, then back and forth from the back door to the top of the steps, doing his best to keep a diligent watch over his family. He gripped the softball bat that had become his makeshift weapon. It felt small and flimsy now. Kate stood guard by the upstairs door, also refusing to rest. Hana was sitting against the wall, absentmindedly rubbing the stump of her arm. Bo was creeping around the basement, opening totes and pulling out cold weather gear, sleeping bags, and blankets.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. When Tom wasn¡¯t staring out of the window or thinking about killer Headless monsters, he was looking at his information sheet and contemplating his abilities. This activity would inevitably morph into getting wrapped up in the big picture of ¡®what the hell was going on¡¯. Even though no one slept, the brief respite gave them a chance to recharge¡ªif only slightly. Their soft movements increased with the sun''s first rays. One by one, everyone gathered in a tight circle; their drawn and pale faces illuminated by the dim morning light. Their breath froze in the chilly air. ¡°All right,¡± Tom said. ¡°So, what do we do?¡± ¡°Maybe we could walk to the police station?¡± Kate said. ¡°It''s far, and probably dangerous,¡± Bo said, glancing at Finn. He paused. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we can just stay here waiting for those things to find us. I think we should go, we just need to be quiet and careful. I did my best to take stock of supplies. All the really helpful stuff like my gun, flashlights, and radios are all gone. At least we still have warm clothes and sleeping bags for everyone.¡± ¡°Bo,¡± Hana said. ¡°I don¡¯t know that rushing out into the snow, and possibly freezing to death, is the answer either. If you¡¯re worried about being attacked, walking outside seems like a sure fire way for that to happen?¡± ¡°If we secured the house as best we could, how long could we last if we stayed here?¡± Tom said. Bo thought for a few moments, and sighed. ¡°A few days at best? We have some food here, but not enough to last nine of us very long. I don¡¯t like going out there either, but daylight is wasting, and I still think going for help is the best choice.¡± The adults looked back and forth at each other. They nodded. Kate pointed at the items they had gathered. ¡°We have the loot we collected. Do we leave it here or take it with us? Our guns are gone. Does that mean everyone''s are gone? We might need this stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, I agree we should take it,¡± said Hana. ¡°Before we leave, I think we each need to give quick, short recaps of our abilities and skills. We should be prepared and aware of how we can help each other. For example, if you get hurt, run to Finn.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± said Finn. ¡°I can heal, and I have super vines that I can¡¯t figure out how to use¡ª¡± He noticed the scowl on his father¡¯s face. ¡°Erm, I mean, that seem like they¡¯ll be hard to figure out . . . erm, how about you, Chloe? What was yours, again?¡± All eyes turned to Chloe, who seemed to visibly shrink under their gaze. ¡°Damage over time, and crowd control,¡± she said, her voice small. Amber chimed in next. ¡°I¡¯m a beast.¡± Tom raised an eyebrow. ¡°Be serious, Amber.¡± Amber sighed. ¡°I¡¯m direct physical damage.¡± Tess''s firm voice followed. ¡°Weapon skill and strategy.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Kate. She turned to Loo. ¡°Let¡¯s hear yours, Loo, since you didn¡¯t go last night. Keep it simple, and keep quiet.¡± ¡°Loo''s eyes immediately unfocused. She¡¯s getting fast at that. Loo peered at an invisible spot to her left. ¡°Inundationist?¡± She struggled with the word. ¡°Anyway, here we go: [Loren Damascus] Age 12 Level 1 Conjurer Mana Inundationist Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the Conjuration class, specialization Mana Inundationist. You have chosen a distinct conjuring technique that probes the complex tapestry of mana currents, manipulating the core of magical energy via the harmonious practice of yoga. This class has the unique ability to perceive and influence the ebb and flow of mana, granting them unparalleled power over the unseen currents of magic. While the Conjurer Mana Inundationist excels in summoning mana flows, they are limited to summoning entities that naturally reside within these magical currents. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here.¡± Loo finished reading. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what any of that means, but I can¡¯t wait to find out!¡± She paused. ¡°My Conjurer ability is a spell called [Summon Blue Mana Plankton I], which looks to be a plankton that gives . . . oh, wait a second!¡± The group gasped. Loo''s info sheet and ability list hovered in the air. [Conjurer Abilities] Summon Blue Mana Plankton I On-use ability. Summon and control billions of Blue Mana Plankton. Allies within the Mana Plankton cloud experience a heightened rate of mana regeneration. The plankton absorb ambient magical energy, infusing those within their proximity with revitalizing mana currents. Can only be cast in a Mana Flow. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Mana Inundationist Abilities] Mana Spring 1 Toggle ability. When cast, this spell enables the Conjurer to summon a vibrant and ephemeral Mana Flow directly at their feet, creating a wellspring of magical energy. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use either of my spells,¡± said Loo. ¡°Wish there was a tutorial or¡ªOH MY GOD!¡± Her sudden outburst startled the group, prompting a chorus of shushes. A new message displayed in front of everyone. [Currently Available Public Information: Earth has entered an apocalyptic era of monsters and magic. Survive to be one of the last 100 million individuals and obtain immortality! Survivors are permitted to bring two people back to life. Explore and utilize your new classes and abilities. Caretaker System.] [I enjoyed meeting all of you. Best of luck! Caretaker Balance] Tom read the floating note over and over. He slumped onto the cold concrete floor, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. Just as he was getting a grip on his sanity, there was more crazy shit. An apocalypse of monsters and magic on Earth? How in the hell am I going to keep my family safe? Is this even real? For the thousandth time, Tom wondered if he was in a coma on a hospital bed somewhere. He zoned out, while the rest of the group whispered back and forth about what the message meant, and what they should do. Chapter 10 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 Bo¡¯s ringing voice brought Tom out of his daze. ¡°Okay, listen everyone. We can¡¯t lose it. This doesn¡¯t change anything. We still need to go over the adults¡¯ classes, distribute these items, and get out of here. Kate, do you wanna go first? Loo, can you tell us how you shared the screens for everyone to see?¡± Loo''s hands were animated as she spoke. ¡°Okay, so you just focus on your info sheet, and mentally tell it that you want to share it with everyone. Try it, Mom!¡± ¡°All right . . . ¡± Kate didn¡¯t sound confident. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, lips pursed together. The silence in the room seemed to thicken as she struggled for several moments. Her efforts paid off; a soft glow formed before them, revealing her info sheet and abilities. [Kate Damascus] Age 42 Level 1 Druid Mother Protector Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the Mother Protector class. This specialization weaves a tapestry of life, intertwining the forces of nature with the unbreakable bonds of familial love. As danger looms over your beloved companions, the Mother Protector taps into an unparalleled well of un-bear-able [Updated: Caretaker Meme] power. 1 Gold to upgrade: you cannot do that here. [Druid Abilities] Regeneration Aura I Passive ability. A manifestation of the Mother Protector''s unwavering connection to the life force of nature. This ability bathes her and nearby allies in a gentle, constant stream of revitalizing energy, mending wounds and restoring vitality with each passing moment. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Mother Protector Abilities] Maternal Instincts I Triggered ability. In the face of danger, the Druid is infused with power, boosting strength and constitution. The primal bond with her loved ones empowers her to face adversity with unwavering determination and heightened resilience. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. I don¡¯t know what the bear meme thing is, but this fits Kate like a glove. ¡°Well,¡± Hana said with a small smile, breaking the silence. ¡°That explains my arm and Tom''s injuries healing up so fast.¡± Kate nodded, her eyes still fixed on the floating information panel. ¡°That, and how she keeps beating the hell out of everything,¡± Tom added. Bo grinned at Kate. ¡°Thank God someone can. All right. I''m up next, I guess.¡± Bo stepped forward hesitantly. He cleared his throat. ¡°I don''t like my class,¡± he announced. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m embarrassed by it.¡± As Bo''s sheet appeared, the room was filled with the sound of murmurs. Tom leaned in closer to read, while Bo stood there rubbing at the back of his neck. [Bo Robinson] Age 43 Level 1 Bard Soundtrack. Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the class Bard, specialization Soundtrack. These enchanting minstrels are masters of weaving existing songs into spells of immense power, infusing their tunes with the essence of intention. Armed with vocal prowess, showmanship, and instrumental precision, the Soundtrack Bard captivates both allies and foes alike. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Bard Abilities] Summon Ethereal Instrument I On-use ability. From the ethereal plane materializes a radiant, translucent instrument¡ªwhether it be a shimmering harp, a ghostly violin, or a celestial pan flute¡ªwhich is tailored to the Bard''s current performance need.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Soundtrack Abilities] Summon Sheet Music I On-use ability. Ethereal parchment unfurls before the caster, and an intricate interface materializes. The interface presents a surreal amalgamation of falling notes and scrolling lyrics, with each element floating in harmony within the Bard''s line of sight. The notes descend while the lyrics flow seamlessly, inviting the Bard to weave both melody and verse into a captivating performance. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. Bo took a deep breath. ¡°I guess I fucking sing karaoke and play Guitar Hero.¡± Heat simmered through his words. ¡°I want to know what this ''you have selected'' shit is. I would have never picked this.¡± The room was quiet. Tom thought it sounded kind of cool. Bo, however, paced in a circle. A vein bulged in his forehead. Tom placed a hand on Bo''s shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Dude,¡± Tom said quietly, ¡°no matter what class you would have gotten, you¡¯re going to crush it.¡± Bo shrugged off Tom¡¯s hand. ¡°I''m not gonna do it. I won¡¯t watch everyone fight these things while I dance around and sing like a fucking idiot.¡± Hana stepped forward, her nose wrinkled. ¡°Calm down, Bo. You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s upset.¡± Hana¡¯s info sheet appeared before them. She waved at it with a mocking gesture, unconsciously doing so with her missing hand. She looked close to tears. She read aloud, her voice thick: ¡°[Hana Robinson] Age 43 Level 1 Witch Hag. Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the class Witch, specialization Hag. In the shadowy realms where dark magic intertwines with malevolent forces, the Hag emerges as a practitioner of forbidden arts. Drawing power from the depths of the occult, these spellcasters master spells that many consider taboo, but at a cost. For the Hag, every incantation comes with a price, as the very energies they wield recoil upon them. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Witch Abilities] Sickness I On-use ability. A vile miasma of disease manifests around the selected target, enveloping them in an invisible cloak of potent infections¡ªbacterial, viral, and beyond. This malevolent spell burrows deep within the victim. Once rooted, it commences a relentless onslaught on the body, waging war against both flesh and spirit with merciless decay. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Hag Abilities] Debone I On-use ability. When cast upon a portion of a corpse, this dark enchantment initiates a rapid and ghastly decay, stripping away the layers of flesh until only the pristine bone remains. The Hag, with mastery over the dark arts, can choose to unleash a single, creature-specific ability inherent to the bones. Alternatively, the Hag may opt for a more esoteric application of the magically enchanted bones. By channeling the innate magical properties lingering within, the bones can be utilized to modify and enhance the Hag''s other spells. Each set of bones carries a unique resonance, influencing the characteristics of the dark energies. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here.¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Finn said. ¡°I get that it sounds kind of creepy, but it¡¯s also powerful.¡± ¡°Thank you, Finn,¡± she said, wiping away a tear that threatened to spill over. ¡°It''s just, gross.¡± ¡°Useless,¡± Bo said as he pointed to himself, then pointed to Hana, ¡°is worse than gross. Either way, I doubt we can do anything about it. Let¡¯s just find some help, and then none of this shit will matter.¡± ¡°Tom, your turn,¡± Hana said, clearing her throat and gesturing toward him. ¡°Let''s hope yours isn''t as bad as mine.¡± Tom stepped forward. He grew embarrassed as he fumbled with the prompts for his own info sheet. After taking the longest of everyone by several minutes, Tom finally managed to bring up his info sheet and abilities. [Tom Damascus] Age 43 Level 1 Fighter Sponge. Short description available now; you will learn more about your class as you progress. You have selected the class Fighter, specialization Sponge. As a Sponge, you are a Fighter who has mastered the art of adaptability, seamlessly integrating elements from your environment into your own body. You possess the unique ability to absorb materials and transform them into useful assets, making you a formidable and adaptable force on the battlefield. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Fighter Abilities] Pain Management I Passive ability. A technique that allows you to temporarily shrug off massive amounts of pain during battle. However, the aftermath of Pain Management is not forgotten. After each battle, you must slowly endure the deferred pain. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; ¨Cyou cannot do that here. [Sponge Abilities] Bone Modification I Passive ability. Masters of adaptation, Sponges seamlessly merge the essence of absorbed materials with their very bones, unlocking unparalleled potential. Bone Modification 1/1 completed: Rubber Bones Your skeletal structure attains an otherworldly flexibility. When faced with damage that would typically shatter bone, your anatomy undergoes a miraculous transformation. Your bones, now imbued with the elasticity of Rubber, bend and twist, absorbing the impact and snapping back into place with an uncanny rebound. Cooldown of once per day. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 2 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. ¡°Wow, Dad, that sounds awesome!¡± Loo said. ¡°A great tank for our team, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. Maybe.¡± Nothing stops me straight up dying if I get stabbed in the face. In truth, Tom was underwhelmed by his abilities compared to the others. The Rubber bones stuff was kind of neat, but he grimaced as he pictured the Rubber of the bats¡¯ handles worming its way into his body when he wasn''t looking. He tapped his back pocket where he had slid the Iron ingot. It was gone as well. So now I have metal in my ass cheek? How is this supposed work? Bo broke the silence. ¡°Okay, big day ahead of us guys. We need to get moving.¡± He gestured for everyone to join him at the small loot pile. One by one, everyone took turns looking through and holding the items. ¡°I guess the loot is only locked on the floor until you claim it,¡± Chloe said. ¡°After that, I guess anyone can take it.¡± She passed Amber¡¯s Tunic to Loo. Once Loo took ahold of Amber''s Leather Tunic, a small window appeared in the room, displaying its stats: [Leather Tunic - Simple: +XS.01 critical strike damage] ¡°Look, the items also have information!¡± Loo said. ¡°You can pull up the information, just like when you pull up your ability info.¡± ¡°Nice find, Loo!¡± said Tom. ¡°It seems like our looted items match our respective classes so far. Does anyone feel they need, or should have, something that wasn''t originally assigned to them?¡± Nobody spoke. Loo handed the Tunic back to Amber with a smile. Amber took the tunic back, her nose wrinkled in disgust. So far, the group had collected loot from three monsters at the Damascus home, one that the Robinsons faced alone, and four more in the basement. The total haul equated to: twelve Copper Coins; Amber¡¯s Leather Tunic; a Blueprint for a Simple Profession Booth that Bo was holding onto; two Iron Ingots (one already absorbed); a Bronze Short Sword with an XS boost to passive sword talent for Tess; and a ridiculously ugly brown Simple Cloth Cap with a bonus to bardic ability that went to Bo. While Bo''s face was the picture of forced calm, his forehead told a different story. The vein there throbbed angrily, seeming to shout obscenities at the cap lying on the ground. Chapter 11 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 There was no loot for Loo. She watched the other kids holding their Copper Coins, her shoulders slumped. Tom almost reassured her with the prediction of more loot, but he stopped himself. Holy shit, there probably will be more loot. Which means more monsters. The reality hit him hard. He shook his head to regain focus. ¡°We should probably get moving if we plan to walk. It¡¯s only going to get colder.¡± ¡°Not like it¡¯s warm in here anyways,¡± Amber said, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her breath came out in small clouds, dissipating in the chilled air. Without electricity, the once marginally warm basement had lost to the cold¡¯s inexorable creep. Hana snatched Bo¡¯s hideous bardic cap and, with a theatrical flourish, put it on his head. ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to get serious then!¡± she declared, sparking smiles and chuckles among the kids. Bo slowly pulled the cap off his head with two fingers, a self-deprecating smirk breaking across his face. He stuffed the cap into his back pocket, and shifted gears into what Tom called ¡®Work Bo¡¯, which was all business. ¡°Last night I sorted out the essential gear into nine piles,¡± said Bo. ¡°Those four piles are for the adults. The other five piles are for the kids. Each pile has winter gear and blankets. I found some spare backpacks too. Pick a pile, and let¡¯s get loaded up.¡± As they gathered and loaded the essentials, a popup appeared in Tom¡¯s vision. A collective gasp escaped the group. [Warning: Dungeon Level Increase Detected. Attention brave souls! Your nearest Dungeon has ascended to Level 2. Beware, for it now possesses the ominous power to obliterate all humanmade structures within its domain! Caretaker Purge.] A loud crack echoed through the air, followed by the shattering of glass. The walls and foundations of the house began to tremble. Fresh cracks meandered through the basement floor and spread through the walls to the ceiling. Hana cursed as she thrust her missing arm toward the wall to steady herself, and instead stumbled to one knee. Bo leaped over and helped her to her feet. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± Loo''s panicked voice rang out. ¡°Is the house collapsing?¡± Dust showered down on them as more cracks appeared in the ceiling. Family members shouted around Tom as the house groaned and snapped. His heart raced as he watched Amber dodge debris falling from the ceiling. ¡°OUT! Everyone, out the back door!¡± Bo¡¯s commanding voice cut through the chaos. ¡°Grab the rest of the gear! Tom, help me move the pool table!¡± In a flurry of movement, Hana and Kate shepherded the children to snatch up as much gear as they could. Finn and Loo were jostled around in the chaos. Tom and Bo worked swiftly, dragging the pool table away from the door. Hana passed their gear to them with her left hand. Kate¡¯s blood-stained golf club was lodged under one arm, the two baseball bats under the other. The cacophony of creaking and tearing intensified, and large chunks of the building crashed around them. Tom¡¯s heart tried to climb out of his chest. He flung open the back door; monsters or no monsters, they had to get out. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Out, out!¡± He grabbed Loo and pushed her toward the door. They stumbled out into the backyard, trampling through several inches of solidifying snow. Bo was the last person out, gripping his backpack and another one of his golf clubs. The families gathered by the boundary fence, as far as possible from the collapsing house. Most of them rummaged through their backpacks and bundles for extra layers, shivering in the freezing air. Only Bo and Hana were still. They held each other and stared at their dying home. No one spoke. Tom¡¯s breath turned into frosty crystals in the air. The Robinson¡¯s home and possessions disintegrated and sank into the ground, like a sandcastle swallowed by quicksand. It took only minutes. The freezing air was heavy with sudden silence. Everyone huddled together, wrapped in blankets. Tom glanced up and down the street; it seemed all the houses had met the same fate. Our house is probably gone too. In his mind, Tom wandered through the rooms he and Kate had decorated. The coffee-colored bathroom tiles which had witnessed many playful bath times. The wooden picture frames in their living room, which used to show babies and toddlers with ice cream on their faces, and now showed the Damascus children at Disney World, or throwing water balloons in the garden, or receiving certificates at school. Their shelter. Their safe space. The place where they raised their children. All of it was gone. No one spoke. Bo broke away from the group. He paced through the yard, plowing furrows through the snow, and taking random swipes at it with the golf club.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Hana was an ice-covered statue, staring at the empty patch of ground¡ªthe only patch without snow. There were no signs a building¡ªa family home¡ªhad stood there only moments earlier. Kate plonked her stuff down and placed an arm around Hana¡¯s shoulders. Bo slowed his pacing. He cleared his throat. ¡°We have several hours of daylight still, and we can¡¯t stay here. We¡¯ll freeze. And those monsters may have heard all the noise.¡± He shouldered his backpack. ¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡± Tom made sure his coat was tightly zipped. ¡°Let¡¯s stick together, stay alert, and keep quiet. If we see any houses left, we¡¯ll check for cars, phones, or maybe guns.¡± He grabbed one of the baseball bats from the ground. Hana tried to zip Finn¡¯s coat one-handed. Finn rested his hand on hers. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom.¡± He pulled the zip to the top, his chin resting on its collar. Hana tried, and failed, to smile. She turned to the rest of the children, injecting positivity into her voice. You know, I always thought of our families as a pod of orcas. If we look out for each other then I know we¡¯re going to be okay.¡± Hana patted Finn on the shoulder as they, Bo, and Tess started walking through the snow toward the street. Kate gathered her golf club, baseball bat, and the other kids, and followed closely behind. Tom brought up the rear, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. His gaze darted back and forth between the barren patches of land where houses once stood, and the foreboding patch of woods they had walked through in the night. Now, the concrete the road was gone too, leaving only a frozen dirt path. As they walked down the street, Tom¡¯s mind wandered to worst case scenarios. What if all the houses in the world are gone? Where am I gonna take Kate and the kids? Numerous monster tracks were scattered across the snow-covered path, with two distinct types: large three-toed prints with sharp claws¡ªTom assumed they belonged to the Trolls; and the more common flat-footed prints from the Headless creatures. The adults maintained a protective perimeter around the children as they moved between the various tracks. ¡°Wait.¡± Kate held up a hand, her eyes narrowing as she pointed further down the street. After a few moments, Tom could see a young White couple running toward them, yelling and waving their arms at the group. It was Blake and Bridget Hess, a newly married couple who had recently purchased their first home in Raintree. The two groups ran toward each other, Bo frantically motioning for the couple to lower their voices. ¡°Hey! Keep it down!¡± Bo hissed as they reached them, scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of approaching monsters. Kate turned to Bridget ¡°Are you okay? Was anyone hurt?¡± Blake replied, ¡°no, but our house collapsed!¡± He was a tall and lean man in his mid-thirties. His sharp, jet-black hair was slicked back, and there was a faint shadow of stubble on his jawline. ¡°What about monsters?¡± Hana asked. ¡°Have you seen any? Were you attacked?¡± Blake and Bridget exchanged confused looks. ¡°Attacked?¡± Blake fumbled for words. ¡°By . . . monsters? C¡¯mon . . . ¡± Hana held up her stump. ¡°Oh my God!¡± said Bridget. ¡°We need to get you to a hospital!¡± Her petite frame seemed even smaller in her distress. A stray brown curl escaped from her large ponytail, which bounced as she moved. Bo told them about the attacks at his home. Blake continued to give Hana and Bo skeptical looks, despite Bo¡¯s explanation and Hana¡¯s missing arm. It was starting to piss Tom off. ¡°Blake, there isn¡¯t time for this,¡± said Tom. He scanned the treeline anxiously. ¡°Run down the street a ways, you can find tracks all over if you have to. They¡¯re called Headless and we¡¯ve fought them a few times. We¡¯ve seen other things which are even bigger.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± said Amber. ¡°What things?¡± Oops. ¡°Later,¡± said Tom. ¡°We need to keep moving and stay quiet.¡± He turned back to Blake and Bridget. ¡°Did you guys pack any supplies or anything?¡± ¡°No!¡± said Blake. Bridget was pale. ¡°There was an earthquake. We heard screams, so Blake said we should hide in the basement¡ª¡± ¡°There was nothing we could do to help!¡± said Blake. ¡°We spent the night there¡ª¡± ¡°Then the house fell apart and sank! Supplies? Ha! We were lucky to grab our coats!¡± A movement in the woods caught Tom¡¯s attention. As one, a group of Headless creatures emerged in every direction from the cover of the trees. They were already surrounded. ¡°Fuck,¡± was all Tom could say. Tom¡¯s heart raced. Four [Level 1 Headless Pygmy: Dungeon Born] took the lead; their twisted, grotesque, many-mouthed forms somehow even more disturbing than the two larger [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born] figures that followed. ¡°Do we run?!¡± Blake said, shuffling backward in the snow. ¡°You do what you want, but I doubt you¡¯ll get far,¡± said Bo. ¡°We¡¯re not running.¡± Tom positioned himself at one end of the group, opposite Bo, who gripped his golf club. Bridget seemed paralyzed by fear. She and Blake stood, frozen, in the center of their makeshift formation. Blake¡¯s wide-eyed gaze locked onto the monstrous creatures in disbelief. ¡°Use this.¡± Kate tossed the extra bat to Blake and kept the golf club for herself. ¡°Bo, you get the ones on the left. I¡¯ll handle the right,¡± Tom said. He stepped forward, and Kate moved closer to him. Now that he knew what it was, he recognized the reassuring presence of Kate¡¯s healing [Regeneration Aura] washing over him. Tom glanced over at Chloe, who already had a laser focus on the largest [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born]. ¡°Remember what you learned from your information sheets,¡± Bo called out. ¡°Use your abilities!¡± ¡°Your what?¡± Bridget said, seeming to snap out of her trance. ¡°But stay safe!¡± Tom yelled. ¡°Right!¡± Amber chimed in, gripping her poker tightly. Tom and Kate frowned at each other. The monsters charged. Tom swung at the nearest Headless Pygmy, his bat finding its flesh. Bo¡¯s golf club whistled through the air, holding another creature at bay. Off to Tom¡¯s side, a vocal Headless Marauder spiraled into erratic shrieks and panicked circles. The second Marauder sped toward the group, from a direction where neither Tom nor Bo could intervene. Oh God! Oh fuck! The creature bore down on Loo. Tom was about to abandon his position and rush to her rescue. Out of nowhere, Tess delivered a slashing blow with her new Sword across the creature¡¯s giant tongue, sending it reeling. ¡°Thank you, Tess!¡± Tom called. As the creatures and the families fully merged, Bo and Tom effectively held the attention of two Pygmies each, maintaining their defense without getting bitten. The Marauder that Tess had slashed now paced in front of her, testing her with its probing and slashing tongue. However, Tess remained vigilant and out of its reach. Blake, Bridget, Hana, and most of the children were huddled within the protective perimeter. Finn looked like he wanted to charge in and help, but Hana held him close. The first Marauder¡ªpreviously feared by Chloe¡ªbroke its fear and ran at the group, only to be subjected to Chloe¡¯s [Fear] spell once again. It writhed and screamed. Kate fully unleashed on the Pygmies around Tom, her gore-covered golf club slicing through the air. ¡°We can do this!¡± Bo shouted, his voice strained. The creatures¡ªthough deadly¡ªwere slow and ponderous in their movements. Amber crept behind the two Pygmies facing her father. Tom delivered a smack to one of the Pygmies, and it doubled over. Amber¡¯s eyes lit up. She lunged forward, lightning fast, and stabbed the Pygmy in front of her. It gave a squealing roar and pulled away, pulsing blood. ¡°Amber!¡± Tom yelled. Kate whacked the other Pygmy. In the center of the formation, Finn pulled against his mother and tried to push her arm away. Blake and Bridget held each other, their expressions full of fear. Bridget occasionally let out a scream when a creature got too close. Amid the chaos, Hana¡¯s voice broke through. ¡°Do something, Blake!¡± she shouted. Blake stared at the bat Kate had given him and slowly raised it, as though he¡¯d only just noticed it was there. Taking a deep breath, he ran forward and swung it at a Pygmy beside Bo. The blow was feeble, but the creature stumbled back. The battle raged on. They held the creatures at bay; however, Tom was growing tired. It was becoming evident that they needed additional damage to bring the relentless creatures down. Tom yelled to Tess, who was facing off against her larger Headless foe. ¡°Call targets!¡± Tess nodded. After a few seconds, Hana yelled. ¡°Tess, I see it!¡± ¡°I see it too!¡± Chloe shouted. Tom looked around the battle and saw a shimmering skull floating above one of the creatures. Chloe and Hana exchanged a glance. With synchronized actions, they unleashed their magical abilities on the larger [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born]. Hana¡¯s [Sickness] spell took hold; the monster swayed unsteadily on its feet. Chloe followed up with her [Migraine] spell, further debilitating the creature as it faltered, clutching its torso. Seizing the moment, Tess unleashed a slashing strike across the creature¡¯s body. Its skin easily parted, and blood fountained out, bathing the snow like a crimson painting. The Marauder emitted a high-pitched scream. It turned to retreat, before collapsing onto the ground, twitching in its final moments. A blinding light flooded Tom¡¯s vision. His brain felt like it was experiencing lag, momentarily freezing the world in place. He had only a moment to try and comprehend what was happening, before the light intensified and consumed everything in its path. A surge of energy pulsed through his entire body like an electric shock. Chapter 12 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 A low, swirling fog hugged the ground like a shroud, cooling Tom¡¯s feet. He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel his disorientation. Seconds ago, they had been in a chaotic battle with the Headless in the street; now, the Damascus family and Robinson family were standing inside a vast cavern. ¡°What the hell?¡± said Kate. ¡°Where are we?¡± Her voice echoed off the stone walls around them. Tom moved next to Kate and his children, and held them close. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Ancient stone obelisks surrounded the group, cradling small pools that shimmered with swirling motes of light, like fireflies on a summer night. Occasionally, a mote leaped from the water and took flight around the cave, leaving a shining trail through the cave. Deeper in the canyon, giant stone columns reached high into the air, merging into the cavern¡¯s roof. Thick jungle foliage grew in patches across the stone walls. Bright turquoise waterfalls cascaded down the walls to crash into a great underground lake. There was an unusual taste in the air, like cellulose mixed with salt. As if drawn by an unseen force, the families slowly moved toward the obelisks and their glowing pools. Tom¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of their names etched onto the tombstone-like pillars overhead. Loo pointed to the moving lights around them, following one with her finger. ¡°Cool!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too close!¡± snapped Tom, pulling her back. ¡°We don¡¯t know what they are, and we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here¡ª¡± A striking gowned figure stood at the far end of the cave on a raised dais. Only her side profile visible, her golden iris gazing upon the pools, a half-smile on her pale face. Her soft and enchanting voice resonated through the chamber. ¡°Welcome back, families. We have already met once, even though you do not remember it. I am afraid that particular meeting must remain a secret.¡± She smiled again. ¡°My name is Balance. Caretaker Balance, to be precise.¡± What the fuck? ¡°Please allow me to speak uninterrupted. Your time here is limited, and you have important decisions to be made. The Damascus family and the Robinson family have entered what is called a ¡®Soul Contract¡¯ with each other. This comes with several perks; one of which means you share all experience evenly among yourselves. Another perk is that you all visit this place together, allowing you to collaborate before selecting your abilities.¡± With a fluid movement, Balance turned to face the opposite direction. She transformed into a suave mustached Indian man wearing a tuxedo. Tom blinked. Balance¡¯s golden eye flashed; as before, only his side profile was visible. Though his voice was deeper, it retained its gentleness and charm. ¡°From this point forward, each time you level up, you will find yourselves here. The duration of your stay will depend on the circumstances of your leveling. Regrettably, your time is brief this visit, given the ongoing battle around you. Within this chamber, time follows a peculiar rhythm. Approximately one minute here corresponds to one second in your battle outside. Thus, you have about five minutes to select your Level 2 abilities before returning to the fight, your memory once again veiled of this place.¡± It¡¯s official. I¡¯m in a coma somewhere. ¡°However, during future visits to this chamber, you will regain the memories of previous encounters, so that we do not need to go through an explanation each time. For now, I will allocate just two minutes of your five for inquiries.¡± A cascade of questions surged forth. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Why is this happening?¡± ¡°Can you help us?¡± ¡°Soul Contract?¡± ¡°Can you fix my arm?!¡± With a raised hand, Balance silenced the inquiries. His voice was gentle but commanding. ¡°I am aware that your group has accessed the tutorial. Indeed, your world has undergone irrevocable changes. Magic and monsters have become undeniable truths. Life will never be as it once was. You are now engaged in a battle for your very survival.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Tom¡¯s breath hitched as he grappled with the knowledge that this was it; it was not going to go back to the way it was. A palpable energy radiated from Balance. It felt almost physical against Tom¡¯s skin. He wondered if he was about to make a fool of himself. ¡°Are you God, or a god?¡± Balance shifted again. Now she faced the opposite direction and was back in her female form. Her serene features were illuminated by the cavern¡¯s dancing glow. ¡°No . . . well, maybe. In a sense. We have what could be considered god-like powers.¡± She shrugged. ¡°We are the creators of this universe. However, we harbor no desire for worship or dominion. We see ourselves as Caretakers; guiding and assisting you during these frightening times.¡± Hana¡¯s eyes were wide ¡°What do you mean by ¡®we¡¯?¡± ¡°Those prompts we saw,¡± said Kate. ¡°Your name was on one. I think I also saw Caretaker System, and Caretaker Purge?¡± Balance¡¯s delicate features softened into a reassuring smile. ¡°There are many Caretakers. In the vast expanse of the New World¡ªand also within this chamber¡ªit is possible that you will encounter others. With a group such as yours, someone is bound to draw the interest of a Caretaker.¡± Balance winked at the children. With another fluid transformation, Balance became the handsome man in the tuxedo. ¡°Please, families, I encourage you to approach the pool bearing your name. Please select your abilities, and immerse yourselves into the water to receive them. I must remind you of the time limit, and urge you to get started immediately. Once in front of your pool, you will not be able to converse with each other, and you will not be able to leave without making your level-up selections. You will, however, be able to speak with me if you have questions. I will leave off with this piece of advice; if the ability does not¡¯ feel like the right fit, then do not force it.¡± ¡°Try to pick safe stuff kids,¡± Tom said, looking at each of them. Amber rolled her eyes. ¡°Safety first or expect the worst, Amber,¡± Tom said with a small smile. Tom¡¯s eyes were drawn to the massive, tombstone-like pillar that bore his name; an eerie reminder of his mortality. Do they look like that on purpose? Tom watched his family move to their pools, then walked over to stand in front of his own. He turned to the kids and tried one last time to emphasize the importance of selecting spells for their collective safety, but found he was unable to speak to them. Hope they pick smart. Hope I pick smart. Tom¡¯s focus was pulled back to his own pillar, which displayed a list of glowing words under a larger glowing font [Fighter Abilities]. The options were overwhelming. There must be literally thousands! How am I supposed to decide this in two minutes? [Probing Attack] Execute a strategic, probing strike, allowing you to learn more about your opponent¡¯s defenses, and potentially identify weaknesses for future attacks. More information available upon request. [Feint] Employ deceptive maneuvers to distract your foe, forcing them to lower their guard, and opening an opportunity for a precise counterattack. More information available upon request. [Survival Instincts] Tap into your primal survival instincts when your health falls below 25 percent. Enhances your parrying and dodging skills, and makes you more elusive and difficult to hit as you fight to endure. More information available upon request. [Frenzy], [Tactical Instincts], [Vital Strike], the list went on. Sweat beaded on Tom¡¯s forehead. He needed to decide quickly, but it was crucial to make the right choice for his family¡¯s survival. He considered his role as a tank within the group. A lot of these could be useful, but I need something more defensive. [Survival Instinct] seemed promising, but with Kate and Finn¡¯s healing abilities, Tom hoped never to reach that critical threshold. ¡°Excuse me, Caretaker Balance? Can you help me filter this list?¡± Tom asked. She nodded. ¡°You may speak directly to the stone and interact with it.¡± "Is this everyone¡¯s abilities, or [Fighter] only?¡± ¡°The list shows only abilities you can obtain with your class. However, I would not call them all ¡®Fighter only¡¯, as some abilities are shared across classes. For example, [Feint] is also found in the [Rogue] and [Ranger] classes.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom focused on the task at hand, and spoke to the large stone in front of him. ¡°Tank-only spells . . . uh, please. I prefer passive abilities, if available. I¡¯m no expert in combat, so I prefer a straightforward, robust, easy-to-use build.¡± Good old KISS method. Keep It Simple Stupid. The easier it is to tank, the easier it is to stay alive. The list shifted once more, still appearing extensive. [Evasive Maneuvers] Hone your evasion skills; avoid incoming melee attacks by swiftly maneuvering out of harm¡¯s way. [Ironclad Defense] Fortify your defenses, entering a steadfast stance that significantly boosts your armor class. [Dense Resilience] Imbue your body with a dense, resilient energy, requiring enemies to exert more force to inflict harm. Increases your effective hit points against physical attacks. [Dense Resilience] seemed reasonable. He squinted at it, and the description expanded to show more information, in a way that reminded him of his ability panel. [Fighter Ability] [Dense Resilience I] Passive Ability. Your body undergoes a modification upgrade and becomes denser. Requires greater power from your foe to cause you harm. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. That works! I need to hurry! ¡°I¡¯ll choose [Dense Resilience].¡± Another list materialized before him. The [Sponge Abilities] list was also vast, and Tom badly wanted to dig into each available ability. Balance¡¯s urgent voice echoed through the chamber. ¡°Hurry families, you have but moments!¡± ¡°Excuse me again! Are you allowed to offer recommendations?¡± Balance nodded her approval. ¡°I am happy to help.¡± Tom¡¯s list was reconfigured, revealing [Skin Modification] and [Muscle Modification] as the top choices¡ªboth reminiscent of his [Bone Modification] skill. [Sponge Ability] [Skin Modification I] Toggle Ability Masters of adaptation, Sponges seamlessly merge the essence of absorbed materials with their very skin, unlocking unparalleled potential. Skin Modifications: 0/0 Current Modification: N/A Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Note: Iron reserves have been detected in your body and will be applied as your first default Skin Modification. Caretaker Balance.] [Note: The information tags¡ªexample Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 10¡ªwill be removed from ability description prompts at Level 3. By then, it should be understood that XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, and XXXL represent levels of power. Caretaker Transparency.] ¡°I choose [Skin Modification],¡± Tom blurted. The choice was made, and the stone illuminated the two new abilities he had chosen. Tom looked around; everyone but Bo had already stepped into their pools. With an exchange of nods, Tom and Bo submerged themselves into the luminescent waters. The floor of the pool dropped out from under him, and Tom was adrift in a sea of twinkling Christmas lights. The swirling grew more intense until two motes of brilliance zipped forward and entered his chest. It was a warm sensation, pleasant and reassuring, washing over him as he was again enfolded in a bright white light. ***** Tom shook his head as a wave of dizziness passed over him. He struggled to get his bearings. Two Level 1 Pygmies were in front of him. A message popped into Tom¡¯s view. [You have ascended to Level 2!] [Well done on your journey so far. May the path ahead be filled with glory and triumph! Caretaker Balance.] Tom dismissed the message as Loo''s clear voice cut through the disorientation. ¡°We have more spells!¡± ¡°Yeet!¡± Amber called. Chapter 13 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 ¡°Check your abilities if you can, we might need them!¡± Bo shouted. Tom¡¯s heart pounded in his ears as he swung his bat wildly at the Pygmy before him. It connected, and the impact reverberated up his arm and rattled his teeth. The monster screamed and held its hands against its busted mouth. Tom had a brief window to access his ability list. [Dense Resilience]; a passive skill that made him tougher. Perfect. He found his second new ability; [Skin Modification]. [Skin Modification: Iron Plate Skin. Your skin exudes stored liquid Iron, forming into hardened plate armor.] Fuckin A. Tom activated [Skin Modification]. The ability flashed, and indicated he had absorbed less than 10% of the required amount of Iron for a full modification. However, liquid Iron seeped from the skin on his hands, forming into partial plate gauntlets and bracers. The absorbed Ingots. The sensation of warm liquid metal growing from his skin sent shivers down his spine. He flexed his fingers as the metal hardened around them. He questioned why his hands were protected rather than, say, his face; however, he couldn¡¯t deny the sense of safety the armor brought. ¡°Holy crap, Dad!¡± Loo called. Tom nodded, liking the weight of the Iron around his hands. Kate stepped up next to Tom, her healing aura flowing over him. With renewed vigor, Tom charged toward the closest Pygmy. He swung his bat. The sound of cracking bones filled the air. Kate followed up with a ferocious swing of her golf club to the back of its leg, also rewarding her with the sound of crunching bone. The Pygmy collapsed to the ground, screaming and thrashing, and Tom continued his attack. ¡°This one¡¯s almost dead!¡± Sweat dripped down his face onto the Pygmy as he continued to swing his bat with unrelenting force. Fuck... these gloves are heavy! As the Pygmy struggled beneath Tom¡¯s relentless assault, Kate surged forward, her golf club raised high. With a whistling strike, she brought the club¡¯s head smashing down on the creature¡¯s spine, silencing its agonized screams. Its body went limp. With that ferocious hit, Kate had done way more damage than Tom had. Tom hunched over, trying to catch his breath. Bo had been kiting his two Pygmy targets this whole time. He didn¡¯t engage with them; instead, he screamed and backed up, pulling them in large circles. When one of them turned to chase someone else, he would leap in and hammer it with his golf club to get its attention. As Tom¡¯s breathing slowed, he realized he felt stronger. More capable. He could feel it flowing through him, though he couldn¡¯t explain why. He had only felt this way since reaching Level 2. Maybe we have more buffs! He needed to get back into the fight, but this could be important. He did his best to ¡®ask¡¯ if there was a list of all the active buffs available. To his surprise, a new tab appeared in the corner of his vision, displaying a list of buffs. [Wildstrike Prowess: XS.01 increase to critical strike chance. Provider: Kate Damascus.] [Militia: XS.01 boost to physical fighting skill. Provider: Tess Robinson.] Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. In addition, there was the healing buff of Kate¡¯s [Regeneration Aura], and his own [Dense Resilience] buff. We can do this! Teeth tore into his side. Leathery arms wrapped around his waist. Tom gasped. His momentary distraction had come at a cost. Idiot! The creature bit down harder onto his side. Tom braced himself for pain, but it was more of a firm pinch than the excruciating agony he had experienced before. Thank you [Dense Resilience]. His [Pain Suppression] ability had reduced the sensation to mere pressure. Tom shoved his gauntlet-covered fingers into the Pygmy¡¯s mouth and fought to pry it open. The creature screamed and snorted as Tom slowly freed himself. Kate followed up with a powerful kick that sent it stumbling backward, but the monster quickly regained its footing, and faced off against Tom once again. ¡°Tess, how many do you see?¡± Tom¡¯ called out. ¡°I see one headed your way!¡± Tom scanned beyond the Pygmy in front of him. ¡°The large Headless Marauder is feared,¡± Tess continued, ¡°and my Dad is leading two Pygmies around. I¡¯m moving to help him!¡± One of Bo¡¯s two Pygmies turned its attention to Tess as she approached. It lunged toward her, reaching out its clawed hands, but Tess gracefully stepped back. She dodged out of its reach and slashed across its palms. It screamed and recoiled. Tom pulled his attention back to the¡ªnow two¡ªraging Pygmies in front of him. Their frenzied movements resembled rabid animals rather than thinking creatures. Tom¡¯s battle goals shifted closer to his main role as the group¡¯s tank. I need to keep these things off everyone else. That¡¯s all I need to do. That, and not die. As he faced off against the two Pygmies, Amber maneuvered herself closer. Using one of Tom¡¯s wide swings as cover, she executed an aerial roll behind one of the Pygmies, her long dark hair whipping through the air. She pulled her arm back, and a translucent haze traveled down to her hand and into the fireplace poker. The weapon gave off a wavering sheen like a hot asphalt road. Amber thrust the energized poker through the unsuspecting creature. The Pygmy let out a blood-curdling scream. It toppled over, frantically grasping at the poker embedded deep within its thick skin. The other Pygmy roared, and lunged toward Amber. Tom was ready. He would not let his daughter be bitten again. He pushed her aside and took the brunt of the attack. The Pygmy sunk its teeth into his forearm, and Tom let out a loud hiss. However, thanks to [Dense Resilience] and [Pain Suppression], the initial sting was reduced to pressure. With his free hand, he gestured for Amber to retreat to safety, and he was thankful when she actually did. Kate rushed in with her extra damage. She raised the golf club high, then groaned with dismay when she realized she had broken the head off during her previous attack. Since swinging his baseball bat one time, Blake had been a slack-jawed spectator. Kate grabbed the bat from him, not hiding the disgust on her face. Kate swung with all her strength, and landed a powerful hit on the Pygmy tearing at Tom¡¯s arm. The creature released its grip and howled in agony. Kate continued her fierce attack against it, and it slumped to the ground beside its impaled comrade. A short while later, both Pygmies finally stopped twitching. Amber crept forward again and tugged at the poker in the Pygmy¡¯s back. She used her foot as an anchor and, after a great deal of fleshy squelching, she wrenched it free. Bo yelled; the Pygmy he had been kiting had managed to catch him. It didn¡¯t get a firm grip, and Bo grappled with the creature., Exhaustion was etched on his face. His eyes, however, were fixed on Tess as she faced off against the other Pygmy. Tom could practically read Bo¡¯s thoughts as he weighed the risks of his next move. Bo shoved the Pygmy away and grabbed his dropped golf club from the ground. He stepped in close and swung hard, hitting the Pygmy¡¯s upper right chest, but it did little damage. In that split second, the creature wrapped its wiry arms around Bo¡¯s body. Bo dropped the club once again and tried to wrestle free, but the Pygmy¡¯s many mouths clamped down on Bo¡¯s thigh and side, their sharp teeth sinking deep into flesh and muscle. Tom shuddered as Bo¡¯s screams echoed around them. Tom ran toward Bo, but he was too far away. My God, he has no [Pain Suppression]! Finn moved forward to help, but Hana held him back and stepped in front of him. Tess backed toward her father while still facing her Pygmy. Hana was doing her best to block Finn. She turned her back to him, raised her hand, and conjured a sickly green-yellow ball of light. It hovered directly above her, casting its phlegmy glow downward. Hana stumbled, but she charged forward toward Bo. The sickly light followed, then shone down upon the two Pygmies facing Bo and Tess. Both Pygmies groaned with obvious damage from the light, but it was not¡¯ enough to take them down. Bo screamed and thrashed as his side and leg were gnawed on. ¡°Bo!¡± Hana cried out. She cast another spell and threw it at the creature attached to his leg. The Pygmy slid to the ground and staggered away from Bo, vomiting from its many mouths. At the same time, the color slid out of Hana¡¯s face, and she began vomiting herself. Bo pulled himself away from the creature, dragging his injured leg. ¡°My health bar! It¡¯s half gone!¡± Bo yelled. Finn rushed over and enveloped his father in healing energy. Bo sighed as his wounds began to magically stitch together. Both Pygmies trembled and retched beneath Hana¡¯s light. Tess charged in with fierce sword strikes, quickly overpowering them. ¡°Dad! It¡¯s loose!¡± Chloe shouted. She pointed toward the Headless Marauder that she had previously kept locked down with [Fear]. ¡°My spell reached its limit!¡± The Marauder charged toward them and threatened to plow into the group. Without hesitation, Tom stepped into its path. ¡°There is another one coming! Your side, Tom!¡± Tess yelled. A huge and muscled figure ran at them from the far end of the street. Its nametag read [Level 2 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born]. It screamed at them in an unknown language as it charged. It wouldn¡¯t take long for it to reach the battle. Chloe stared down the [Level 1 Headless Marauder: Dungeon Born] in front of her father, her hands pressed against her temples. It wavered and went limp. Its tan skin turned deep red, and its veins bulged with each heartbeat. Tom didn¡¯t know what spell Chloe had cast on it, but it was clearly powerful. The creature¡¯s large tongue flung clumsily toward Tom, but he was quick to catch it in his plated hands. Amber leaped forward, as graceful as a cat, her poker in-hand. She landed and rolled low, then stabbed its hamstring¡ªshallow yet precise. As it went down on one leg, the Headless Marauder tried to turn and face Amber, its thick arms reaching for her, but Tom still held its tongue. He yanked the creature back to face him. Just looking at her child with harmful intent must have been enough to make Kate¡¯s [Maternal Instinct] activate. Tom could practically see her muscles swell. Kate roared, and struck the creature on its back with her bat, driving it forward into the dirt. Amber finished it off with multiple swift stabs to its back. Tom dropped the creature¡¯s tongue. He positioned himself to face the charging Level 2 that was heading straight for the group. It was larger than a horse. If Tom sprinted, he could reach the monster before it reached the others, but what could he do then? There was no other option. He ran at it, letting out a guttural bellow to drown out his panic. The creature slowed and turned toward him, its enormous muscles rippling beneath its thick skin. Chapter 14 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 The creature lashed out with its massive tongue. The wind from its strike brushed Tom¡¯s face as he pulled back, only narrowly dodging it. Oh shit! This one isn¡¯t fucking around. Its tongue cut back and forth through the air like a whip. Tom desperately tried to defend himself with his bat and gauntlets, but it was too fast. It whistled as it sliced past his head. Each time it made contact with his skin, a searing burst of pain shot through his body, leaving angry red welts in its wake. The Marauder was stronger and more agile than any Level 1 Headless they had encountered. Even with Tom¡¯s level upgrade, his new abilities, and the multiple magical buffs he had received, he was barely able to stand against the monster. Tess¡¯s yell pierced through the chaos. ¡°That¡¯s the last one! Everyone, focus on it!¡± Tom spared a quick glance to see a very pale Hana mumble something and point at the Headless Marauder in front of them. Chloe, standing next to Hana, also looked to be casting some kind of spell. The large Headless roared ferociously as it stumbled back, its massive body wobbling unsteadily. Hana moved closer to the creature, the pus-colored yellow light shining brightly above her and the monster. I wish I could see the spells. Just like that; now the creature¡¯s nameplate had a series of small icons attached. There was [Radon Light: applied by Hana Robinson] alongside her other spell [Sickness]. The next two were [Migraine: applied by Chloe Damascus] and [Intracranial Hypertension: applied by Chloe Damascus]. Bo held Finn back from rushing in to help. Kate stood by Bo¡¯s side, emanating her [Regeneration Aura]. Loo watched with wide eyes, wringing her hands. Blake slowly dragged Bridget away from the creature, and away from the group. ¡°Amber, do you see it?¡± Tess called. Tom glanced around, attempting to spot whatever they were referring to, but saw nothing. Amber gave a thumbs up. ¡°I see the path and arrow!¡± Blurred waves rolled up and down her arm and weapon. ¡°Perfect! On the count of three, attack together. One, two, three!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Tom shouted. Both girls sprinted toward the Level 2 Headless Marauder just as its tongue lashed out at Tom. Amber plunged her poker deep into the creature¡¯s side. Tess¡ªher Sword glowing a soft gold¡ªdelivered a powerful downward slash across its torso. Amber and Tess crossed paths behind the towering beast and turned back to face it. The creature let out an enraged roar and charged at Tom, who braced himself for impact. Kate landed a crushing blow to its knee. It crashed down onto one leg just before it reached Tom. The creature¡¯s momentum was halted but its attack was not. It¡¯s tongue struck just below Tom¡¯s eye, splitting open his cheek with a loud crack. Tom stumbled back. Blood flowed down his face and along his jawline. He placed an Iron-plated hand against his cheek. Kate let out a furious scream and swung her bat down on the kneeling creature¡¯s torso. Her muscled arms were¡ªsomehow¡ªlarger and more defined. Tom rushed forward; he swung his bat, ignoring the flecks of red landing around him. He connected with the monster¡¯s teeth and cracked one of them, though his hit didn¡¯t do as much damage as Kate¡¯s. The Headless dropped to both knees with another shriek. Sickly black veins pulsed throughout its body. Tess, Amber, and Kate converged upon the fallen monster, attacking it like ravenous jackals. With one final howl, and a gurgling sound, the creature collapsed to the ground. Finn let out a frustrated growl and yanked himself away from his father¡¯s grasp. He made his way over to Tom and began healing the deep cut on his face and the burning red welts covering his body.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Tom surveyed the scene, making sure there were no other monsters nearby.. His heart clenched; Chloe was hunched over, her shoulders trembling. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Chloe?¡± ¡°Almost out of mana,¡± Chloe panted. Her breaths were shallow and rapid. ¡°Hard to breathe.¡± Her eyes were large and her hands trembled as she clutched at the fabric of her coat. ¡°Hey,¡± Kate knelt in front of her. ¡°Hey. Look at me.¡± Kate put her hand gently on Chloe¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just breathe with me. In... and out... in... and out. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s over.¡± Chloe¡¯s breaths were shaky. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see things when I cast . . . it¡¯s so scary . . . ¡± ¡°Deep breaths, remember? We¡¯ll talk about it later. Right now, just focus on breathing.¡± Hana was doubled-over too, a green tinge beneath her skin. ¡°My mana is low as well.¡± She retched again. Tom glanced at his own mana bar. It was perilously low. I¡¯m not sick or breathless. Just . . . tired. Tired and heavy. Tom sighed, and mentally toggled off his [Skin Modification]. The plate gauntlets slowly melted and absorbed back into his skin. A cold, splinter-like sensation tingled along his hands and wrist. Blake and Bridget crept back over to them from further down the street. ¡°What in the hell was that?¡± Blake hissed. ¡°What is happening?¡± said Bridget. ¡°What are those?¡± She pointed to the bodies. ¡°Tried to tell you,¡± Bo said. ¡°You were lucky to go undetected last night,¡± said Tom. ¡°What the hell were you doing to those . . . things?¡± Blake pointed an accusing finger at them. ¡°We have abilities now!¡± said Loo. ¡°Abilities?¡± said Bridget. Loo started to explain their information sheets and abilities, but Bo waved her off the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s keep some things private, guys,¡± Bo whispered to the kids. ¡°Can you help me pull up my, uh, info sheet?¡± Bridget asked. ¡°Sure thing. You can¡ª¡± ¡°Hold that thought for a second, Loo,¡± said Bo. ¡°You guys can QUIETLY explain that while we walk.¡± Bo turned to Blake and Bridget. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the police station, if it still exists. Unless either of you have a cell phone on you?¡± Blake shivered and shoved his hands in his pockets. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything.¡± Blake recounted their night hiding in the basement, but Tom was not listening. His mind wandered back to their last fight. There were numerous occasions on which things could have turned out much worse. Bo almost lost his leg, and could have died if Finn and Kate hadn¡¯t healed him. They could have run out of mana and had no way to defend themselves. Amber¡¯s antics could have got her bitten again. Tom replayed close call after close call in his head. His heart rate refused to slow down. How can I keep them safe? Tom was a tank. Which meant he needed to take the risks, and the damage, so his family and friends didn¡¯t have to. Tom stretched, wincing. The cut and whelps were fully healed, but pain flickered wherever he had sustained damage. As if on cue, his thumb, back, leg, side, and pretty much everywhere else, began to throb. ¡°That¡¯s when I was just about to make my move, you see after Kate had taken my bat I was going to¡ª" ¡°We ready to keep moving?¡± Tom said. Blake shot him a sour glance. Thuds and clinking metal sounded behind them; items replaced the fallen Headless. ¡°Where did the monsters go?¡± asked Bridget. Blake spun on the spot, as though expecting the dead bodies to ambush them. Amber snorted. Loo, Blake, and Bridget had no items to gather. Chloe hobbled to the items, though thankfully her breathing was back under control. ¡°Maybe you only get loot if you contribute to the fight. Finn probably gets loot since he¡¯s healing people before the monsters disappear. That¡¯s just a guess, though.¡± Loo stared at the ground, her shoulders slumped. Tom put his arm around her. They added sixteen Copper Coins to their collection. Tom received another Iron Ingot. Hana received a pair of padded Simple Cloth Bracers that gave an XS boost to malady magic. She could only wear one, so Bo helped tie the other to her belt. Chloe received a Simple Copper Ring that boosted psychic power. Amber gained a Simple Bronze Dagger with increased critical strike damage, bringing her total items to two. A giant smile plastered her face. She practically skipped across the street and tossed the gore-covered, slightly bent fireplace poker into the woods. This is going to be a problem. ¡°Careful with that Dagger!¡± Tom called. ¡°We don¡¯t want anyone hurt.¡± Amber tilted her head back and sighed. Kate received a pair of Simple Leather Gloves, and Finn was given a Simple Leather Tunic. Both items boosted nature magic. ¡°Hey, Tess, what was the thing you and Amber did during the Level 2 monster fight?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I figured out I can assign targets and attack plans with my [Battle Map]. I can send the plan to someone and they can see it.¡± ¡°Yep! It looked like a path with green arrows, starting with me and ending at the monster,¡± said Amber. ¡°I could see Tess was going to do the same attack, but on the other side, because she had the same arrow path in front of her.¡± ¡°Well, that is . . . awesome,¡± Tom said. He wanted to remind them about being safe, but the residual pain made it difficult to think. The group donned their new items, handed out clothes and blankets, and redistributed the backpacks. They resumed their long walk to the police station. Tom and Kate led the way, with Bo and Hana at the rear, and the children¡ªand the Hesses¡ªin the middle. As they walked, the Damascus sisters explained how to access their information sheets. They traveled along what was once a smooth concrete subdivision road. The concrete was gone, and the dirt path was perforated by large new sections of dense woodland. Tom flinched over and over again at the sound of frozen mud crunching beneath the feet of eleven people. Tom¡¯s unease grew. It seemed like they had been walking for miles, yet Tom still recognized landmarks from their neighborhood; landmarks that should have only taken minutes to reach. Just as Tom was about to voice his concerns, Loo stopped and pointed toward the sky. ¡°Mom! Dad! Smoke!¡± ¡°We should go and look,¡± Hana said. ¡°Maybe they can help? Or maybe they need help?¡± Chloe¡¯s voice was small. ¡°What if that¡¯s a monster¡¯s campfire?¡± Blake pointed at Chloe and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m with her. I say we continue on to the police station. If there are people there, they can fend for themselves.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°That is real nice,¡± Hana said, her tone turning hot. ¡°What if we¡¯d done that to you?¡± ¡°I can check it out,¡± Amber said. ¡°The hell you will,¡± said Tom. ¡°I think we should check it out,¡± Bo said. ¡°People could need our help. But also, it¡¯s going to be cold tonight. Unless anyone remembered a lighter, we¡¯re going to need that campfire.¡± Dammit. He¡¯s right. ¡°Okay. I say we check it out, too,¡± Kate said. ¡°I agree,¡± said Bridget. She gave Blake a dirty look. ¡°Okay,¡± said Bo. ¡°If we do this, we need to be extra quiet.¡± He pointed at Blake. ¡°No running.¡± Blake mumbled something about not leaving Bridget. They cautiously made their way into the dense woods. The sharp scent of pine and damp earth filled Tom¡¯s nostrils. The trees seemed to close in around him, casting long shadows that danced on the forest floor. They came to a large open clearing. The area was expansive, stretching for what seemed like miles, before peaking into a large hill in the center. Most of it was blanketed in snow, though there were gaps where makeshift campfires burned, or where lone trees stood defiantly against the cold. Dread grew in Tom¡¯s heart. The snowy tapestry was marred by injured and bloodied bodies. Many were not moving. Others moaned in pain. A young East Asian woman dashed around, her head flitting in different directions. She carried a shovel across her body like a shield; she appeared unharmed, though she and her makeshift weapon were splattered with blood and other unidentifiable pieces of gore. Patches of white snow were stained scarlet. Deep tracks and footprints scored the clearing; not all of them were human. A young White man wept over one of the figures. A little boy with golden skin and wet cheeks stood alone, crying out for his Mommy. A middle-aged Black woman staggered around with an empty expression, rivulets of crimson leaking from beneath her curls. Tom had only ever seen images like this on the news before. But here it was; right in front of him. Chapter 15 - Bo - Week 1 Day 2 Bo pushed through the group and led the way to the hill. ¡°Dad!¡± said Finn. ¡°I think I can heal some of these people.¡± Bo turned to Tess. ¡°Keep watch on your map for any incoming creatures.¡± Finn stumbled as they climbed the hill. Bo grabbed his son¡¯s arm to steady him. The plastic in Finn¡¯s leg braces was starting to fracture. Holy shit. They won¡¯t last long with this punishment. They reached the top of the hill. Some people looked their way, but most stared at the ground. Few of them seemed completely unharmed. Bo wasn''t sure he wanted to get involved, but they had to try and help. Bo cleared his throat. ¡°Hey, everyone!¡± His voice rang out across the clearing. ¡°Does anyone require medical attention?¡± A few hands went up. A few voices answered. Finn limped in their direction, and Bo placed himself protectively beside his son, using his hand to guide him. The onlookers gasped in amazement as bright green light emanated from Finn¡¯s hands. Kate trailed after them, her own aura aiding in the healing process. A small, pale girl emerged from the growing crowd, examining the restored skin on her leg. Bo, Finn, and Kate moved through the horde, tending the wounded. Finn often had to take breaks in order for his mana to regenerate. As they waited, Bo mentally mapped out the empty clearing, and its central hill. There isn¡¯t going to be any police station. Bo caught snatches of the conversations around him. The people on the hill had been attacked in their homes as well, and¡ªjust like his family¡ªhad made their way here. Many had been injured. Many had missing or dead family members. There were even rumors of living people being dragged away into the woods. A White woman wandered around, asking for help to go and look for her family¡ªshe had been out jogging when the earthquake struck. Bo almost staggered beneath a wave of gratitude that his family was together. The alternative was unimaginable. Once the major injuries had been tended to, and Bo, Finn, and Kate had returned to their group, a circle of strangers started bombarding them with questions and demanding answers. Bo raised his hands. ¡°Hey! Hold up.¡± The people around them only got louder. Bo waved his hands in the air, signaling for quiet. Blake¡¯s voice yelled above the rest. ¡°None of these questions matter. We should leave right now and keep heading to the police station!¡± Bo almost barked at the group. ¡°You ALL need to shut the hell up before you bring those things down on us.¡± He pointed at each of the loudest people in the crowd, including Blake. ¡°Shut. Your. Mouths. I¡¯ll tell you everything we know, but you need to let me speak.¡± Bo glared at individuals in the crowd, until gradually they all fell silent. ¡°Great.¡± Bo continued in a normal tone. ¡°First, does anyone know what I¡¯m talking about when I ask if anyone can access information panels, or see things in their vision?¡± Most of them looked confused, but three people sheepishly raised their hands. Bo nodded. ¡°All right. I¡¯m about to show the majority of you something pretty shocking. Don¡¯t freak out, and don¡¯t get loud.¡± Bo brought up and shared the tutorial panel for everyone to see. Most people stumbled back from the floating prompt. Some of them shouted despite being told not to. Others whispered to each other as they read the ominous message hovering in the air above them. [Currently Available Public Information: Earth has entered an apocalyptic era of monsters and magic. Survive to be one of the last 100 million individuals and obtain immortality! Survivors are permitted to bring two people back to life. Explore and utilize your new classes and abilities. Caretaker System.] [I enjoyed meeting all of you. Best of Luck! Caretaker Balance.] ¡°It seems like in this new . . . ¡± Bo waved his hands around, looking for the words. ¡°Era? We now have spells and abilities to help us survive. Raise your hands, Robinson family.¡± Hana, Tess, and Finn raised their hands. ¡°And the Damascus family, raise your hands.¡±Stolen story; please report. Tom and his family all raised their hands. ¡°Right. Now, my family and the Damascus family will do our best to help you figure out how to access your info sheet and your ability list. Kate and my son Finn can heal if anyone is hurt. Please spread the word.¡± Bo looked at the other adults. ¡°Anything else to add?¡± They shook their heads. The people on the hillside pushed forward, pleading for assistance. After Bo snapped at a few people to back up and chill out, the families began to spread out and assist their neighbors. A group of children already seemed to be having some success, and moments later were high-fiving with Amber. The first person Bo and Tom helped was Helen, a gray haired older White woman who lived alone. She had two young White children with her, who were both bundled in hats, scarves and gloves; they had been playing in the snow when the earthquake struck. Helen had continued to look after them, unsure if their families were even alive. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just leave those poor girls outside alone after the earthquake. I called to them to come inside, so they left their snowman and ran in. We went down in the basement when we saw the monsters outside. We¡¯ve been lucky so far.¡± Helen radiated kindness, and Bo instantly warmed to her. When he explained how to access the info sheet, it didn¡¯t take her long to figure it out. The glowing words revealed that she was a Level 1 [Weather Wizard]. Bo turned to leave. ¡°Helen, let me know if you need anything, and I¡¯ll try to help.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± said Tom. ¡°Good job with those girls.¡± They left Helen to teach the children in her care how to access their own info pages. Evening settled in as Bo and Tom continued to help others. They met Richard, a single White man in his forties. He sat apart from everyone, his eyes watching the woods warily. Bo knew of this guy from his kids, who described him as the local grouch; always yelling or complaining about something. ¡°And so, I just had this feeling before the earthquakes even hit, that something was just trying to ruin my day. So, the second I heard the first scream, I ran to the hallway, locked myself in the closet, and stayed there all night. Then, today, the house started to shake. I grabbed some of my stuff and got out.¡± His words tumbled over each other. ¡°I was out in the woods, and I saw some of those things attack someone, and then they . . . ¡± Richard took a second to pause, his eyes scanning the treeline. ¡°I think there are too many of us here, and we¡¯re going to attract them.¡± Richard jumped to his feet, catching Bo and Tom off-guard.. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave and look for help,¡± Richard said. ¡°Hey, listen man,¡± said Tom gently. ¡°I don¡¯t know that running out there is the best idea, especially with night coming.¡± He placed a reassuring hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hang out by the fire. We¡¯ll figure out a better plan soon.¡± ¡°Y-yeah?¡± Richard peered into the dark woods again, his eyes fearful. ¡°What if those things come back here tonight?¡± he challenged. People were drifting around the campsite with shocked expressions, but there was no sign of the Headless. Bo turned back to Richard. ¡°What if you run off, and those things catch you in the dark, all alone?¡± Bo countered. Richards eyes seemed to bulge at the thought. ¡°Just hang out here tonight,¡± said Bo. ¡°Do your best to stay warm. Tomorrow, maybe we¡¯ll know more. You can¡¯t lose your shit, man.¡± Richard nodded. ¡°Come sit by the fire,¡± said Bo, indicating the direction. ¡°We¡¯ll teach you how to access your ability profile, just like everyone else.¡± With their guidance, Richard found his profile. He was a Level 1 Wizard with a specialization in Divination his first spell was [Detect Harm]. ¡°It¡¯s a passive ability,¡± Richard mumbled. ¡°I bet that saved your ass in the earthquake,¡± said Bo. More useful than fucking singing. ¡°Speak up if you sense anything coming!¡± Bo urged. To Bo¡¯s surprise, a slow smile spread across Richard¡¯s face as he continued reading. ¡°I also have [Fireball]!¡± Over the next few hours, Bo, Tom, and the others patiently helped people understand their information sheets and unlock their unique abilities. Bo had met many people with interesting classes and abilities. There weren¡¯t many who could heal, though. And there weren¡¯t many [Bards]. Probably because [Bards] are fucking useless. Why would anyone choose it? I would. Apparently. The dead people were gone. According to witnesses, they had vanished from the clearing simultaneously. ¡°Like the monsters,¡± Bo said. He didn¡¯t voice his next thought; that at least they didn¡¯t have to deal with THAT problem. The crowd gradually dispersed, most staying close but maintaining a polite distance from the Robinson and Damascus families, clearly afraid to venture too far away. Further up the hill, Blake and Bridget seemed to be fine. Blake had his hand on another man¡¯s shoulder, and he was pointing into the woods. Bo glanced around, before turning to their group. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s discuss our new spells. But keep it quiet, in case some of these people go sideways. I don¡¯t think we need everyone knowing all of our abilities.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Chloe asked. Tom brushed it away. ¡°Just that we don¡¯t know these people, honey.¡± Chloe looked at her Dad and narrowed her eyes, but thankfully she let it drop. Bo didn¡¯t feel like explaining that, once these people realized no help was coming, things could potentially get bad. Real bad. Especially with no food, shelter, or law enforcement. One by one, they quietly listed off their newly acquired Level 2 spells. Hana gained [Radon Light], which caused radiation poisoning in enemies, but also provided some illumination. In addition, she received an ability called [Bone Graft]; a passive spell that gave Hana bonus ability power while holding a bone. Tess learned [Counter Strike] and [Militia], which was a group buff raising everyone¡¯s martial skill. Finn received [Wooden Plateweave], which was a wooden armor that he could apparently grow; and [Calendula Officinalis Vine], which was a type of healing vine. It¡¯s going to freak me the fuck out if he starts growing plants. Bo himself obtained a passive boost called [Instrumental skill], and a toggle ability called [Autotune], which he just grumbled about. Loo had [Summon Silver Mana Zooplankton] and [Mana Irrigation]. ¡°I still can¡¯t figure out how to cast anything,¡± Loo said. ¡°Can I go practice?¡± ¡°Not now,¡± said Kate. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out later.¡± Amber acquired [Shiv]; designed to deliver injuries which hampered mobility or drained vitality. She also received [Dodge] as a toggle ability. Chloe received [Intracranial Hypertension] and [Heart Palpitations]. They were both damage-over-time spells, but [Intracranial Hypertension] semi-blinded the target and physically slowed their movements. Kate received [Wildstrike Prowess]¡ªa group buff for critical strike¡ªand an ability called [Mother Bear]. ¡°Mother Bear.¡± Kate frowned and shook her head. ¡°It says I actually turn into a bear, but it severely hinders higher thought capability. I¡¯ll never use that. I won¡¯t, I might hurt someone, especially one of the kids. Since this all started happening, my anger has been . . . off the charts. I won¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to,¡± Tom reassured her, his hand on her back. ¡°But... you probably have that ability for a reason. Maybe we can go off alone and try it so no one will get hurt.¡± ¡°No!¡± Kate pulled away from Tom and crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do it!¡± Tom sighed, and nodded. The winter sun had set hours earlier, but a steady trickle of people visited Bo, bombarding him with questions about plans, next steps, abilities, and what the hell mana was. Why is everyone coming to me with this? In between visits, the parents encouraged the kids to rest, or maybe even try to doze off by the fire. The darkness deepened, the wind picked up, and the children covered up with the blankets that they had brought. Bonfires were stoked high, casting flickering shadows across the faces of the frightened people huddled on the hill. Helen joined Bo and the others with the two young girls. ¡°Anyone got any food?¡± a White man asked, his stomach audibly rumbling. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think to grab anything when we left.¡± Bo frowned. He wished everyone, himself included, had been better prepared for the situation. He reached into his pocket and pulled out several beef jerky sticks he had grabbed the previous evening. He handed some out to the Robinson and Damascus children. ¡°Here,¡± he said to Helen, handing her some jerky. ¡°Give this to the kids, all right?¡± ¡°Thank you, Bo,¡± Helen replied gratefully, breaking the sticks into smaller pieces and giving them to the girls. The man who had asked for food at the start watched the exchange. He didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyes lingered on their backpacks. Bo leaned over to Tom. ¡°Food is going to be a problem soon,¡± he whispered. ¡°Looks like real soon.¡± Chapter 16 - Loo - Week 1 Day 2 Loo stared at the shimmering fire, lost in thought while she looked back at the terrifying fights they had lived through. So far she had just been along for the horrific ride; she had yet to cast a single spell, or fight, or help in any way. Chloe was slumped beside her. Her face was pasty and she had dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Chloe, can I get you anything?¡± Loo asked. ¡°No thanks, Loo,¡± Chloe whispered. ¡°I . . . I just cast too many spells, I think.¡± Loo looked at her sister with concern. She bit her lip. Her whole class was about managing mana, and she needed to find a solution to help. Now seemed like the perfect time to investigate her information sheet and spells more thoroughly. Perhaps there was something she¡¯d missed. She had tried to cast spells like the others, but nothing had happened. ¡°I¡¯m going to try and figure out my class,¡± Loo said. She stood and clapped the dirt off her hands. Chloe gave a small nod. ¡°Don¡¯t go far, and don¡¯t go anywhere alone.¡± Just like Dad. Loo nodded and walked away from the fire¡¯s warmth and comfort. She found an empty spot with only a shallow dusting of white, and sat down with her legs crossed on the ground, shivering a little. She closed her eyes and pulled up her information sheet, scanning through the details. [Loren Damascus] Age 12 Level 2 Conjurer Mana Inundationist You have selected the Conjuration class, specialization Mana Inundationist. You have chosen a distinct conjuring technique that probes the complex tapestry of mana currents, manipulating the core of magical energy via the harmonious practice of yoga. This class has the unique ability to perceive and influence the ebb and flow of mana, granting them unparalleled power over the unseen currents of magic. While the Conjurer Mana Inundationist excels in summoning mana, they are limited to summoning entities that naturally reside within these magical currents. 1 Gold to upgrade; you cannot do that here. Loo concentrated on her Mana Inundationist abilities first, since she couldn¡¯t summon Mana Plankton or Mana Zooplankton without a [Mana Spring]. [Mana Inundationist Abilities] [Mana Spring 1] Toggle ability. When cast, this spell enables the Conjurer to summon a vibrant mana flow directly at their feet, creating a wellspring of magical energy. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Medium - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Mana Irrigation 1] Toggle ability. When cast, Mana Irrigation harnesses the magical streams created by the Mana Spring, or taps into natural mana flows in the environment. The Conjurer gains the ability to control and shape these ethereal currents, directing them along the ground like a cascading river of magic. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Medium - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. Loo''s eyes widened. Duh! The required poses! No wonder nothing was happening! Loo pictured a floating astral spirit standing on a cloud, moving seamlessly through a series of graceful positions. Maybe that¡¯s what I need to emulate. If she could just learn and practice the right yoga poses, maybe she could unlock her abilities, and help Chloe and the others recover their mana. I don¡¯t know any yoga poses. Loo vaguely remembered something from gym class. She switched her position and lay on her stomach. She pushed her upper body off the ground while looking up at the dark sky. The cold ground and snow began to freeze her belly. She tried to activate several spells while holding the position. ¡°Uh . . . whatcha doing, dude?¡± Amber said. She raised a questioning eyebrow. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Loo sighed. ¡°Apparently nothing.¡± She stood and knocked the snow off her gloves and jacket. ¡°Sus,¡± Amber said. She continued on to sit next to the fire. Loo took a deep breath. She scanned the people nearby, wondering whether there was someone who could teach her yoga poses. Her Dad and Bo were talking with a group of guys one campfire over. ¡°Come on guys! There are kids all over the place,¡± her Dad said to the biggest of the other men, a White man who towered over him. ¡°Take a piss at the bottom of the hill from now on.¡± ¡°Fuck that, those things are out there,¡± the big man said. ¡°You want to start sleeping in everyone¡¯s piss and shit?¡± Bo said. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to bust your balls man, but this could get real gross up here real fast.¡± Bo patted him on the shoulder and began to lead him toward the base of the hill. ¡°What if we set up a ditch system down there somewhere? I saw at least one person with a shovel. Maybe we could borrow it. Me and Tom will help out, we can set up some lookouts and . . . ¡± Bo led the men away from the campfire. Loo started to walk away too. Kate appeared by her shoulder. ¡°Where you going, Loo?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, I want to ask around for someone to teach me yoga.¡± Kate stared, her face deadpan. ¡°It¡¯s part of my class! It says yoga poses, and I don¡¯t know any, and I don¡¯t think you know any either, right?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know any. Is this seriously something we need to do right now?¡± ¡°Mom, more of those things might come! As it is, I can¡¯t help at all.¡± Kate sighed. ¡°All right, but we will not be bothering any people who are hurt or grieving. We¡¯ll walk around and meet some people together, and ask if they know any yoga.¡± A few minutes later, Loo approached a family sitting nearby, but they shook their heads apologetically. Another family looked at her like she was crazy. Undeterred, Loo continued her search, and received nothing but confused looks and headshakes. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Loo said, as she approached someone sitting on a large log by a campfire. He was a bald and muscled Black man wearing a YMCA hoodie. ¡°Do you happen to know any yoga poses?¡± The man looked up. ¡°I know some yoga but . . . why?¡± ¡°You do? Hi, I¡¯m Loo.¡± She plopped down beside the man, who looked a little stunned. ¡°That¡¯s my Mom.¡± Loo pointed out Kate, who waved back and said hi. ¡°I need to learn some beginner yoga poses for my class. I can¡¯t do anything without them.¡± The man paused before answering. ¡°All right. Hi, Loo. I just got here and I heard a few people talking about classes and abilities, but I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ll show you a few poses I know, and you can explain this class and ability stuff?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll show you how to access your information sheet and everything!¡± ¡°My . . . never mind. I¡¯m Terry.¡± He held his hand out and shook Loo''s. ¡°Do you, uh, want to learn them right now?¡± Loo nodded enthusiastically. Terry looked at Kate. ¡°You good with this, Mom?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you Terry! My name is Kate.¡± Terry nodded and turned back to Loo. ¡°I¡¯ll show you a few basic ones. Let¡¯s start with Warrior pose.¡± Loo eagerly followed Terry¡¯s instructions, mimicking his stance as she learned the Warrior, Tree, Mountain, and Upward-Facing Dog poses. As they practiced, Loo noticed Terry squinting at something in the air. ¡°Are you trying to see your information sheet?¡± Loo asked. Terry frowned. ¡°I think maybe I can see something? Is that what you mean by Information Sheet?¡± ¡°For one, it looks like you¡¯re trying to see it like it¡¯s off in the distance or something. Stop doing that. It will appear right before you if it works. You¡¯ll know it right away when it happens.¡± Loo explained how they all learned to access the info in the Robinsons¡¯ basement. After several minutes, Terry blinked and his expression changed. ¡°Got it! Thanks, Loo!¡± ¡°Happy to help!¡± Loo smiled. ¡°Get anything good?¡± ¡°Damn straight, says I¡¯m a [Monk], [Constriction] specialization. I used to wrestle so it sounds like a good fit for me.¡± He smiled. ¡°Great! Thank you for teaching me these poses!¡± As they finished their freezing-cold yoga session, Terry and Loo exchanged friendly goodbyes, promising to meet again to share more knowledge. Loo and Kate returned to the fire. Loo was energized; she hoped her newfound yoga poses would let her start using her abilities. Chloe was sitting on a log, her eyes closed and hands clasped together. Her color seemed even more faded; it was clear her mana was still low. Her mana rejuvenation is excruciatingly slow. Is everyone¡¯s like that? It seemed like Finn had to wait forever too, but not nearly as long as Chloe. Loo stepped away from the fire, giving herself enough space to perform the poses she had just learned. She moved through the Warrior, Tree, and Upward-Facing Dog poses while trying to cast Mana Spring. Nothing happened. Loo ignored Amber¡¯s teasing snorts and snickers. She focused all her energy on casting [Mana Spring] while she moved her feet together and ground them into the earth. She lengthened her spine, and took a deep breath. She then reached her arms overhead with palms facing each other. A surge of power coursed through her body, connecting her to the earth beneath her feet. She activated her [Mana Spring] spell, and a brilliant blue energy burst forth from the ground before her, creating a small bubbling geyser of pure mana. Loo''s hair whipped around her; it looked wet, but it was actually dripping with mana. ¡°Loo!¡± said Chloe. ¡°I don''t see anything? Did you do it, Loo?¡± ¡°Yep! It¡¯s Mountain pose! Now let¡¯s see if I can do something with it.¡± Excitement bubbled within her. The Forward Fold yoga pose followed the Mountain pose; going off a hunch, she hinged at the hips to bend forward. She kept her back straight and reached her hands to the floor. She concentrated on the flowing spring of mana she had just created and cast [Mana Irrigation], willing the mana to flow down the hill like a stream. There was an illuminated path on the ground beside her hands, indicating a potential route for the mana to flow. She adjusted her arms and hands until the irrigation channel flowed directly over where Chloe was sitting. She released the ability. To her delight, the blue energy stream responded, snaking its way down the incline. Chloe stared at Loo oddly for a moment, before shrugging. ¡°Nothing is happening.¡± ¡°Wait for it . . . ¡± Chloe¡¯s feet touched the mana-infused flow. Her face broke into a large smile. ¡°Yes, Loo, I feel it!¡± Chloe¡¯s anxiety visibly dissipated. Her eyes unfocused. ¡°My mana is filling up!¡± Encouraged by her success, Loo grabbed Finn and Hana, and approached others who had mentioned suffering from low mana. Word spread quickly. A small crowd gathered around the fire, each person taking turns stepping into the mana stream that was invisible to all but Loo. Loo''s [Mana Spring] slowly depleted itself. Her beautiful stream would fade away soon; in truth, she was somewhat surprised it lasted as long as it did. She was proud of her accomplishment and the assistance she had provided to others. Now that the excitement of her [Mana Spring] had settled down, Loo still had her Conjurer abilities to test out. Loo pulled up her ability list again. [Conjurer Abilities] [Summon Blue Mana Plankton I] On-use ability. Summon and control billions of Blue Mana Plankton. Allies within the Mana Plankton cloud experience a heightened rate of mana regeneration. The Plankton absorb ambient magical energy, infusing those within their proximity with revitalizing mana currents. Can only be cast in a Mana Spring. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. [Summon Silver Mana Zooplankton I] The summoned Silver Mana Zooplankton seek out and consume Mana Phytoplankton to maintain their existence. In the absence of Mana Phytoplankton, the Silver Mana Zooplankton will perish. If the Silver Mana Zooplankton consume enough Mana Phytoplankton, they bloom into a glowing silver haze. Allies gain increased Ability Power for each member inside the swarm. Can only be cast in a Mana Flow. Specialized yoga pose required. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 1 of 100) Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. The spell descriptions read like the beginnings of a food chain, and gave Loo the sense that she would have to manage a small ecosystem. It was incredibly nerdy, but exciting at the same time. Loo wanted to take her musings further and actually summon the Mana Phytoplankton. However, for that she needed to summon another Mana Spring, and that was currently on cooldown. She wrinkled her face at having to wait, and watched the cooldown on the Mana Spring ability slowly tick down. Chapter 17 - Bo - Week 1 Day 2 All right... Temporary sanitation, check. Firewood, check. Blanket sharing, check. Supply count, next. Fresh water, soon. ¡°Bo Robinson? I was told to talk to Bo?¡±. Bo had just returned to his campfire after distributing any extra blankets he could scrounge up from the few people who had managed to grab supplies. Bo sighed. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Bo¡¯s grip met with the brown-skinned stranger¡¯s calloused hand; one of several dozen people who had trudged through the dense woods and arrived at the hill. Bo¡¯s brain was beginning to numb from the endless introductions and questions. The clearing and hillside continued to fill up during the evening with fleeing and sometimes injured people. There were now over a hundred people gathered there; much of the snow had been worn away by their feet. So many people. No supplies. I gotta figure something out, and soon. ¡°Glad you and your family are all okay. That¡¯s a rare thing.¡± Bo¡¯s voice was tinged with fatigue. ¡°Make yourselves at home.¡± He pointed to one of the open areas near a bonfire. The man gave a grateful nod, and shuffled off to find a spot among the gathered throng. Bo watched the man and his family settle into a spot by the fire, which was already starting to burn low. Bo sighed, and mentally un-checked ¡®firewood¡¯ on his list. He was one of the few people who were helping in that regard, and his back was already aching. Bo¡¯s gaze wandered, scanning the crowd for familiar faces, when it landed on Loo. She was bent into a pose, her arms reaching for the sky as if she was trying to grab something just beyond her reach. Bo began to feel an urgency; a call to action. Loo was adapting, learning, while he... he was already stalling. He had been pouting about his dumbass class, causing him to look for any other task apart from actually learning about it. If I made a conscious decision and chose [Bard], then I must have done it with good reason. He was being weak minded; crying about it when he should have been getting to work. Time to face the music. He smiled at his own shitty pun. Bo took a few steps away from the campfire, searching for a spot removed enough to grant privacy without courting danger. There, a fallen log lay nestled against a thicket, close enough to the campfires¡¯ glow that he could still see any monsters that might be coming. Perfect. ¡°First things first,¡± Bo murmured. He sat on the log, running his fingers along the rough bark. He pulled up his ability interface and found [Summon Ethereal Instrument]. The spell was as easy to execute as breathing. The prompt asked for an instrument choice, and he mentally called out a guitar. The air shimmered, and there it was in his hands; a guitar crafted of dancing light, its blue glow pulsating with potential. He could almost feel the strings beneath his fingertips, tangible yet tingly. Bo¡¯s vision blurred as he checked his mana bar. It was dwindling, but manageable. He checked his active buffs and verified the XS.01 boost to instrument skill. He had a familiarity with the guitar that he hadn¡¯t had before.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. All right, step two. Bo repositioned himself on the log and got comfortable. He activated [Summon Sheet Music]; a prompt jumped into his vision, asking him to select a song. Something simple. ¡°Mary Had a Little Lamb,¡± he decided; a good starting point. The prompt displayed [Mary Had a Little Lamb by composer Lowell Mason & Hana Josepha Hale]. A [play] arrow floated in the center of the prompt, and Bo mentally clicked it. His vision swam; he now had a heads-up display. The lyrics to Mary Had a Little Lamb scrolled across the bottom of his vision, as if he was about to sing karaoke. Color-coded musical notes fell through the air, reminding him of Guitar Hero. He had to play the notes on the guitar and sing the song at the same time. He also wanted to use his [Autotune] ability, but couldn¡¯t figure out how to toggle the spell while he was inside the sheet music interface. I bet I can¡¯t use other spells once I start the song. Bo mentally poked around, and missed several of the beginning lyrics and notes. A red indicator flashed into his vision showing a debuff of [Mary¡¯s lambs are disgusted by you], giving an XS.01 debuff to sheep herding. Bo frowned; it looked like if he messed up the song, it would debuff the group instead of help. I better not fuck up. He had to sing, play, and do that with monsters trying to kill him? He could barely see through all the falling notes as it was, and Mary Had a Little Lamb was a simple song. Bo looked around to make sure no one was nearby, and missed more of the song. The debuff flashed again; XS.02 now. He jumped into the song and strummed the magical guitar. He actually played the notes smoothly and easily; it looked like the passive [Instrument Skill] could easily handle beginner songs. He started singing the words. The debuff glowed blue in his vision and switched to a buff; it now read [Mary¡¯s lambs find you barely tolerable] and gave an XS.02 buff to sheep herding. What¡¯s up with these prompts? Bo played through the last of the song, and the buff disappeared as the song ended. A notification popped up in his vision. [Bardic Discovery! The buff granted by your melodic prowess shall endure beyond the final notes; but only should your performance be flawlessly executed.] That¡¯s going to be tough. Bo looked at his mana; between summoning the guitar and the sheet music he had used almost 40% already. He figured he had mana left for one more simple practice session. This time he toggled [Autotune] on; it would cut into his mana, but he wanted to see the difference. He tried to [Summon Sheet Music] for Mary Had a Little Lamb. A red prompt appeared. [This song is on cooldown for the next 12 weeks.] ¡°Twelve weeks!¡± Bo said, too loudly. He toggled off [Autotune]. The ridiculously long cooldown meant he couldn¡¯t practice songs beforehand? Yet, if he messed up, everyone would get a debuff. Bo¡¯s irritation spiked. He didn¡¯t want the class anyway, and now he was finding out how difficult and high risk it was. He contemplated his situation. Like the work horse he was, he concluded there was nothing he could do about it, except move on and get to work. He chose another easy song. This time he re-read the description of his class, and lingered on infusing intent into a song. Bo tried to figure out how to tie Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with some type of battle buff, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. Let¡¯s just shoot for something easy. How about a boost to stargazing? That makes sense, right? Bo toggled his [Autotune] ability back on, selected [Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Taylor]. Bo mentally pushed [play], and thought hard about how much he wanted to give everyone a buff to stargazing. The notes fell and the lyrics scrolled. This time, Bo knew what to expect. The melody of his music softly filled the air, every note clear and distinct. His usual gravelly voice transformed into a gentle and soothing baritone as he sang the children¡¯s rhyme. Bo¡¯s mind buzzed as he confirmed his acquisition of an XS.02 stargazing buff. The song ended. Bo¡¯s head throbbed from low mana, so he dismissed the guitar; it vanished into the air. Unable to practice without mana, Bo went through a long list of "fight" songs he knew, starting with the soundtrack to The Karate Kid, which he and Finn had just finished watching. He also had to consider the difficulty level of each song when playing and singing, despite how [Autotune] improved his vocals. He still needed to hit the correct notes for each piece. Bo¡¯s contemplations were broken as Bridget approached him. ¡°You¡¯re a [Bard]? I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that.¡± Bo chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed it either, but yup.¡± ¡°I am too. My specialization is [Rock Diva].¡± Bo raised an eyebrow and Bridget laughed. She reminisced for a few minutes about her college days and playing in a band, where her powerful vocals used to turn heads. ¡°I could wail, but then I met Blake, and he didn¡¯t really like the. . . Anyway, Blake thinks we made a mistake staying here, and he¡¯s trying to get a group of people to leave for the police station. I-I just wanted to say, thank you for saving us in the street, and I hope the best for you and your family.¡± She paused. ¡°What kind of [Bard] are you, by the way?¡± ¡°[Soundtrack]. I was just practicing.¡± ¡°I heard you. It was good.¡± Bridget turned to leave. ¡°Anyway, thanks again. If we do stay, and you need help with anything, please come find me. I handle stress better when I¡¯m busy.¡± Bo nodded. Bridget waved goodbye and headed up the hill. Despite being drained of mana, Bo refused to call it quits for the day. He grabbed a stick. Bo wrote calculations in the snow as he timed his mana recovery; working out how long he would have to wait to sing again. Then he went over his spells one more time. Once done with that, he mentally categorized a few more songs. Whatever he could do to be ready. Eventually, Bo got up and made his way back to the campfire where the rest of the group was gathered. They were all buzzing with excitement because Loo had successfully created a [Mana Spring]. Bo congratulated her, and wasted no time sitting in the flowing stream of mana. He couldn¡¯t see it, but he could feel it working on his body. He smiled deeply as the uncomfortable feeling of depleted mana reserves slowly began to fade. Once my mana fills up, it¡¯s back to work. Chapter 18 - Tess - Week 1 Day 2 The crackle and pop of burning wood was a steady white noise in the background of Tess¡¯s turbulent thoughts. Her Mom and Finn relaxed in Loo''s invisible mana stream. Loo was animated and babbled endlessly about her abilities; it didn¡¯t look like anyone was really paying attention, but she didn''t seem to care and continued talking anyway. Yet, amid the warmth and camaraderie, a restless energy thrummed in Tess¡¯s veins; an inherited trait from her father that made idleness feel like a sin. Tess concentrated, and her translucent information sheet materialized in front of her. Her gaze roamed over the listed skills; they all seemed so . . . straightforward. Not much to experiment with. A twinge of envy nipped at her as Loo explained her plans to develop a magical ecosystem to anyone within earshot. Amber was perched on a nearby log, her athletic form tense like a coiled spring. ¡°Hey,¡± Tess whispered, leaning closer to her. ¡°You want to try and like . . . practice, or something? I can¡¯t shake off this itch to do something.¡± Amber¡¯s lips twitched into a grin, her eyes gleaming. ¡°Hundred percent!¡± She looked at Tom, who was chatting with someone nearby. ¡°Let¡¯s escape next time my Dad moves away.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Tess nodded. She summoned her [Battle Map] with a quick mental swipe, watching as it unfolded in the corner of her vision like an ancient canvas. Blue dots¡ªfriendlies¡ªpeppered the terrain, while green dots¡ªher family and the Damascus family¡ªclustered near the heart of the camp. Thankfully, there were no red dots. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see . . . ¡± Tess murmured, dragging her finger through the air over the map. With deliberate swipes, she tested assigning movement commands and marking kill priorities. If the map was a chessboard, she¡ªthe strategist¡ªwas intent on mastering the game. Wish I could see everyone¡¯s health and mana bars. [Would you like to enable health and mana bars for a modified party overview?] Tess leaned back in shock. ¡°Absolutely!¡± Amber sat up. ¡°Tess, I just got a prompt asking me to share my info with you?¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Finn said from across the fire. Over the next few minutes, all of the Damascus and Robinson family members had received and approved the prompt. Colorful bars materialized above each green dot on Tess¡¯s map, pulsating gently to indicate their status. Available abilities and buffs hovered beside them. As a test, Tess mentally prodded Finn¡¯s [Floral Surge] healing ability. ¡°Uh, you want me to heal someone?¡± Finn said, his eyebrows raised. ¡°How did you know I wanted you to do that?¡± ¡°Indicator popped up saying you requested I used the skill.¡± So many possibilities. Tess mentally stepped through several different map options, when she came across a particularly helpful prompt. [Would you like to enable shared party visibility for health, mana, abilities, buffs and debuffs for enhanced team coordination? Note: While in combat, the Battle Map spell is modified to draw extra mana.] Obviously I want it! She selected yes.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Hey, Amber, activate [Dodge] for me?¡± Tess said, not taking her eyes off the map. ¡°Sure!¡± came the easy reply. As Amber began a flawless [Dodge] maneuver, the corresponding ability label became visible beside her nametag. Now, all the family members would be able to see each other¡¯s active abilities and health. That was a lot of shared information, and all it cost Tess was a little extra mana. Tess leaned back against a log, her gaze never leaving the map as she absorbed every detail of the abilities laid out before her. Each member of their group was a constellation of potential. She envisaged scenarios and combinations of their skills that could hopefully turn the tide of any battle. Each rotation of her mind sparked ideas for tactical formations and synergistic attacks. The fire crackled, sending a cascade of sparks skyward. Tess unfolded herself from the ground, stretching her muscles into readiness. The adults had drifted away to talk with some of the other people, and she was yearning to transition theory into practice. ¡°Come on,¡± Tess whispered to Amber, ¡°let¡¯s find a quiet spot to work on some drills.¡± She hefted her Sword. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Amber replied with a grin. She stretched like a cat as she stood. Finn stood too. ¡°Finn, you stay here,¡± said Tess. ¡°You¡¯re . . . not a fighter.¡± ¡°Oh. Uh . . . all right.¡± He sat back down, his shoulders slumped. They put a little distance between themselves and the campfire, and found a relatively open space. Amber turned to Tess. ¡°So, attack each other on three?¡± ¡°What, are you serious?¡± Tess shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not how we¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Kate¡¯s voice was stern. She walked over to the girls, her gaze fixed on the Dagger in Amber¡¯s hand. ¡°Chillax, you guys are too easy. I was obviously joking, Mom. I wasn¡¯t going to¡ª¡± ¡°Not funny. Get some sticks and practice,¡± Kate said. Amber and Tess blinked. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll stay close for my healing aura and keep watch on the woods.¡± Kate settled onto a nearby log. ¡°Just be careful with your eyes, and watch out for splinters. Don¡¯t get hurt, or your Dad will kill me.¡± Tess and Amber quickly located two large gnarled sticks poking out of the trampled snow. Amber had a giant smile on her face. ¡°Okay . . . can we start by taking turns practicing our abilities?¡± Tess asked. Amber nodded. ¡°I¡¯m down. You¡¯re the boss.¡± Tess thought for a moment. ¡°How about if I try hitting you with this stick first, then we can compare how difficult it is to hit you while [Dodge] is active.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good for whatever. Let¡¯s do this!¡± Tess took a deep breath and gripped the rough bark of her stick. She raised it and charged at Amber. She swung her weapon with the precise aim provided by her passive ability [Weapon Skill], and struck Amber several times. Each time Tess landed a blow, Amber let out a huff of frustration, but urged her to keep attacking. As the fight wore on, Tess could see that Amber still hadn¡¯t activated her [Dodge] ability, but she was getting harder to hit as time went on. Amber gracefully incorporated nearby trees and rocks into her movements, using them to her advantage by jumping onto or off them, rolling past Tess¡¯s attacks, and even flipping over one of Tess¡¯s swings. ¡°Okay, activate your [Dodge],¡± Tess said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what it does.¡± The label appeared next to Amber¡¯s nameplate. Tess wasted no time, and lunged toward Amber with the stick. She swung with all her skill and speed, but it was futile. Amber moved like water, effortlessly ducking and dodging Tess¡¯s attacks. Tess could only connect once during the entire duration of [Dodge], and even then it was just a glancing blow to Amber¡¯s arm. Amber did a happy dance. ¡°That was fun!¡± ¡°Okay, my turn. You attack me.¡± Tess took up a defensive stance. She was curious to see how much her passive [Weapon Skill] would aid her in defensive movements. Amber swung at Tess several times. However, Amber did not have a passive weapon skill, and her attacks were random and sloppy. In fact, they were so bad Tess decided she couldn¡¯t continue until she relayed some of the ¡®basics¡¯ she knew from her [Weapon Skill] ability. Over the next two hours, Tess let all the knowledge she knew on dagger fighting flow from her [Weapon Skill] as she worked with Amber: including how to hold a dagger; footwork; twisting the hips when stabbing; and target zones. Amber was all business, and she was a fast learner. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go again. Try to hit me.¡± This time, Tess felt her passive ability kick in as she knocked the incoming attacks aside with her stick. Amber came at her several times, her face growing redder. However, Tess had settled into a rhythm, and she was never in danger of being hit. Amber stopped with a growl. She looked around, huffed, then bent over to pick up a second stick, bouncing its weight in her left hand. She nodded at Tess, then came in fast. Tess had to backpedal as she slapped away Amber¡¯s attacks. She was able to block them, but the continuous barrage left her with no chance to strike back. Amber kept up her ¡®double-dagger¡¯ assault. However, Tess once again found her rhythm, and she was able to slowly turn the tide and put Amber on the defensive. Amber rolled to the side, and a small smile tugged at her lips. Tess saw the [Shiv] ability flash to life next to Amber¡¯s nameplate. Amber tried to catch Tess off-guard with a quick poke to the back of the knee. In a corner of her vision, Tess¡¯s own [Counter Strike] ability lit up, and she activated it. She deflected Amber¡¯s attack and spun close to her, delivering a backhanded smack with the stick that would have been a deep, biting cut if she was actually using her Sword. ¡°That was amazing!¡± Amber was unfazed. ¡°If you had used your [Dodge] ability I would have never hit you, and I¡¯d be the dead one. We are going to have to be real smart with our abilities and cooldowns.¡± Tess asked if she could practice with her target calling and movement commands. She would not¡¯ have time to focus only on her [Battle Map] during a fight, so she wanted to test her ability to control the map during combat. ¡°Amber, I¡¯m going to try and communicate a battle plan without speaking.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I¡¯m happy, as long as I¡¯m not sitting.¡± Tess came up with a plan where they would both rush to a designated target tree and attack simultaneously from different sides. Tess pretended that they were in a real battle; she quickly brought up her [Battle Map], hastily marked the tree as the target, and sent the battle plan to Amber. ¡°Got it!¡± Amber rolled forward and stabbed the tree on the wrong side. Even worse, she hadn¡¯t waited for Tess. However, when Tess looked at her hastily drawn map, she realized she had made mistakes with the arrows. She also forgot to set an attack timer, causing Amber to attack too soon. Tess discussed her errors with Amber, and went through some of the available battle indicators and controls. However, she could spend days going through all the possible symbols. It was overwhelming. After scrolling through a few more options, Tess chose the most obvious indicators, and they tried again. They rolled in unison and attacked the tree¡¯s ¡®legs¡¯ at exactly the same time. Kate, who had patiently sat with them during the entire training session, smiled and clapped in approval. Tess and Amber stepped back, breathing heavily but smiling. Guttural snarls and growls echoed from the shadows. Red dots appeared on Tess¡¯s [Battle Map]. ¡°Looks like training is over.¡± Chapter 19 - Tom - Week 1 Day 2 Tom froze. Under the night sky, the bone-chilling squeals of Headless echoed from the woods all around them, growing louder and more frequent. Oh fuck, that¡¯s a lot. Tom¡¯s heart raced in unison with the growing alarm surrounding him. People murmured, their voices tense as they crowded together, pointing into the woods. ¡°Group up! Defend yourselves!¡± Bo yelled to the gathered people. Tom marched back and forth, herding their children into a protective circle. Kate appeared with Amber and Tess, both girls gripping their Bronze weapons. Tom locked eyes with each of his daughters. ¡°If this goes bad, you guys bolt.¡± His voice was firm and steady, despite the fear clawing at his chest. ¡°If I say go, you go. Do not stop. Look out for each other.¡± The kids stared back at him, defiance dancing in their eyes, but Tom summoned his best stern look. ¡°You can¡¯t argue with me on this.¡± Then he looked at Kate. ¡°You too. Be safe. Love you.¡± His gaze was drawn to the ground; a lime-green arrow directed him to an area just ahead. He shifted position, moving down the hill and to the right. Other members of their group took up their positions in Tess¡¯s formation. Kate¡¯s healing buff tingled on his skin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tom,¡± Tess said. ¡°We got this.¡± God I hope so. The agonizing minutes stretched on as they waited for the creatures to appear. Their collective breath hung in the cold air like fog. A mob of Headless creatures burst from the treeline at the base of the hill. Squeals filled the air as at least twenty [Level 1 Headless Pygmy: Dungeon Born] charged the groups of humans from several different directions. ¡°I¡¯ll mark our targets! Prioritize them!¡± Tess called out. Small red skulls appeared next to the nameplate over the closest Headless. A bright yellow-green glow shone in Tom¡¯s periphery, and he risked a glance behind him. Hana had cast [Radon Light]. The Headless monsters entered the light and stumbled, their grotesque mouths all retching. Hana was pale, but she kept up the spell. Tom stepped forward, gripping his bat tightly. He yelled at the creatures, trying to draw their attention toward him and away from his family. He swung his bat, hitting a few of them, and causing just enough threat to pull their focus toward him. Kate followed up behind Tom. She let loose on the closest Pygmy, hitting it hard on its side with her bat. It crumbled with a bone shattering crack. Chloe added her spells to the fight. There were spell indicators for each of her three damage-over-time spells hovering above the two Headless in front of Tom. A second later, Kate whomped them down with her bat.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The Headless that had focused on their group were all dead. However, more Headless were streaming from the woods and up the hill. Tom risked another glance behind him. Loo planted her feet firmly into the dirt, straightened her spine, and took a deep breath. She placed her palms together and extended her arms overhead. Her hair whipped around her face, and an icon flashed above her head showing she had conjured a [Mana Spring]. Only Loo could see mana, but Tom assumed it had worked. ¡°I¡¯m making the stream flow directly through the middle of the group!¡± Loo yelled, and moved into her next yoga pose. ¡°Tom, pay attention!¡± Tess snapped. ¡°Move forward, and watch your arrows! More Headless incoming!¡± Tom followed his arrow, moving away from the group and further down the hill. The Headless swarmed him. Tom grimaced as teeth clamped down onto his back and legs. He tried to throw them off, but there were too many to defend against. However, they easily fell¡ªone by one¡ªunder the combined onslaught of Amber, Tess, Kate, Chloe, and Hana. Moments later, almost all of the Pygmies that had attacked their group were dead. Tess called out another threat. ¡°There¡¯s a [Level 3 Headless Boar Rider: Dungeon Born] at the bottom of the hill, and something else big is coming through the woods.¡± The sounds of fighting reverberated around the hillside. The Boar Rider charged through the clearing below, knocking people aside like dominoes, and trampling those who didn¡¯t crawl away fast enough. Some people tried to access their abilities, placing themselves between the monsters and their family members, and throwing whatever magic they could. ¡°Helen, over here!¡± Bo shouted from somewhere on Tom¡¯s left. Helen struggled to pull the two small girls along with her, trying to reach the group before the monsters reached them. She stumbled, and a Pygmy leaped in front of her, blocking her path. Her gray hair wild, Helen screamed and unleashed a bolt of lightning from her fingers. The Pygmy shrieked, spasming on the ground, before Tess finished it off with a swift chop of her Sword. ¡°I¡¯m healing Tom¡¯s bites!¡± Finn yelled. Tom¡¯s Pygmy-bites closed up, but his ¡®thank you¡¯ shriveled in his throat. A massive [Level 3 Lake Troll Murk Brute: Dungeon Born] crashed out of the trees. The Murk Brute dwarfed even the Troll Lurkers they had seen earlier; this thing was rounder, and easily nine feet tall. It roared, and its enormous tusks glinted menacingly in the moonlight. Its skin was a mixture of dark-green slime, dangerous looking spikes, and random patches of oily matted hair. We are all fucking dead. The Troll locked eyes with Tom, and charged. It was much faster than it appeared. Hana screamed at Finn to back up. A glowing blue guitar formed in Bo¡¯s hands. The icons for [Autotune] and [Summon Sheet Music] formed above Bo¡¯s head. Bo sang; meekly at first. The energetic tempo and beat of [You¡¯re the Best by Joe Esposito] rolled across the battlefield. All the family members turned to look at Bo, along with many others on the hill. Someone from a different group mouthed ¡®what the fuck¡¯. Despite their stares, Bo pushed through and sang louder. Other indicators popped into existence above his head, showing a bar chart with columns for [Instrumental], [Vocal], and [Showmanship]. [Showmanship] was at zero. A new buff flickered to life. [Best Around: XS.03 increase to dodge and physical damage. Provider: Bo Robinson.] The Troll crested the top of the hill. Tom stepped forward to meet it. Holy shit. The creature towered over Tom. Its stagnant-water stench almost made him gag. It snarled, and swung its massive club at him. Tom dodged the blow. He swung his bat hard at the Troll¡¯s knees to keep its attention on him. Amber and Tess launched themselves at the Troll¡¯s back and savaged it with their blades. Each slice opened up a wicked cut that bled green. Tom dodged another blow. Chloe and Hana launched their damage-over-time spells at the Troll. ¡°Keep it up!¡± Tom shouted through gritted teeth. He dodged another crushing blow. Bo sang louder, his face creased in concentration. He even added a little shimmy, and was rewarded with an uptick in [Showmanship]. [Best Around: XS.04 increase to dodge and physical damage. Provider: Bo Robinson.] The Troll had a massive health pool, and it continued to fight. Amber and Tess skillfully slashed at the Troll¡¯s exposed back. Hana and Chloe targeted it with their spells. Kate rained crushing blows into its flesh, which elicited wet squelches and roars. Amber made a move toward the back of the Troll¡¯s legs with a blurry [Shiv] attack, possibly to hobble it. The Troll was smart enough to see it coming, and raised its free arm to swat her. Tom instinctively reached out to stop the creature¡¯s arm. Too late, he realized Amber had activated her [Dodge] skill, and was already safe in a different spot. This left Tom off-balance, and he tipped wildly to the side. Finn had ignored his mother and stayed close behind Tom during the fight. Tom fell sideways and crashed into him. Tom quickly rolled over. The Troll loomed over Finn, who was still on the ground. ¡°Finn!¡± Hana screamed. She sprinted forward. Bo stopped singing. ¡°Finn!¡± The music died mid-song. [Worst Around: XS.04 decrease to dodge and physical damage. Provider: Bo Robinson.] The Troll raised its club above Finn, who tried to push himself away. Tom stumbled back to his feet. He scooped Finn off the ground and roughly tossed him backward, away from the Troll. ¡°Tom!¡± Kate screamed. Tom heard everyone yell just before he turned his head. The giant club crashed into his face. His nose smashed. Stars danced in his eyes. His neck and spine bent sickeningly backward, past the point where they should have snapped. For a moment, he thought he could see his own heels. The next thing Tom knew, he was on the ground. His body spasmed, no longer under his control. He was vaguely aware of screams and shouts, but the pain was all he could focus on. His eyes rolled back. Chapter 20 - Hana - Week 1 Day 2 Kate stood over Tom, screaming his name. The Troll lifted its club again. Tess and Amber hacked at its skin, drawing it away. ¡°I¡¯ll help him!¡± Finn yelled. Hana made a half-hearted attempt to hold him back since the troll was still near, but he easily slipped away from her. He knelt beside Tom. ¡°Kate, help them! I¡¯ve got him.¡± Finn¡¯s hands were shaking, but his voice was firm. Kate hesitated, and then Amber only narrowly dodged a swing from the Troll¡¯s club. She kissed Tom¡¯s bloodied forehead, hefted her bat, and charged at the Troll. Hana¡¯s numbness receded. Is Tom dead? Hana threw her [Sickness] and [Radon Light] abilities at the Troll. Tess lunged forward again, her Sword raised. Amber leaped and rolled, her Dagger swiping back and forth.. The Troll showed no signs of slowing down. Hana¡¯s stomach spasmed as its club whistled past Tess¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, fuck it.¡± Grimacing, Hana crouched and cast [Debone] on a slain Headless Pygmy nearby, uncertain of what would happen. The flesh on the Pygmy¡¯s arm rotted away, leaving only bone behind. The stench of decay assaulted her senses, and Hana struggled not to gag. She leaned forward to pull the bone away from the rest of the body. She expected to hold herself up with her right arm; the arm she kept forgetting was missing. Hana tipped forward into the lifeless body, planting her face directly into it. With a frustrated growl, she used her left hand to push herself back up. Her face was smeared with crimson Pygmy gore. She spat out an unknown chunk of meat that was sharply acidic, and retched. When her eyes stopped watering, Hana retrieved the decayed arm. Yellow-green mana pulsed down her left arm, exiting out of her fingertips, and infusing into the rotting limb. Strands of mana formed magical tendons and ligaments, holding the bones together. A prompt displayed in her vision. [Please select a spell you would like to merge with the Headless Pygmy bone¡¯s essence.] What? Hana tilted her head to the side and peeked around the displayed prompt, catching a glimpse of the colossal Troll swinging its club in a wild whirlwind. Amber leaped over the club, while Tess barely crouched below it. Hana tried to dismiss the prompt in front of her, but it wouldn¡¯t go away. She refocused on the prompt, selecting the [Sickness] spell without understanding what she was committing to. [Your Sickness spell has now been modified while using Headless bones.] [Sickness I is now Malnutrition I.] On-use ability. Sickness gains: +XS.01 A sickly green mist materializes around the chosen victim, wrapping them in an unseen shroud of malevolence. The spell takes root deep within the target¡¯s body and drains their essence: triggering emaciation; fatigue; and the rapid development of genetic disorders. Ability Power: XS.03 (Extra Small - Power Rank 02 of 100). Mana Usage: M.1 (Medium - Mana Drain Rank 01 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The Troll took another swing at Tess. A dark smile spread across Hana¡¯s face. She cast a spell she had not yet used. [Bone Graft] On-use ability. When the Witch Hag invokes the Bone Graft spell, a sinister ritual unfolds. The bone merges with the caster, infusing her with a deep connection to the dark arts. This infusion enhances her control over the macabre energies she wields, allowing her to unleash more devastating spells upon her foes. Ability Power: XS.01 (Extra Small - Power Rank 01 of 100). Mana Usage: S.01 (Small - Mana Drain Rank 1 of 100). 10 Copper to upgrade; you cannot do that here. All right, fucker. Try this one. Kate was a tornado of screaming maternal fury. Her muscles bulged unnaturally, her veins standing out like cords, as she slammed her bat over and over into the Troll. The Troll freely took all the damage; it was caught in Chloe¡¯s [Fear] spell. It gripped its head and howled in terror. Hana unleashed [Malnutrition] onto the Troll. It staggered and swayed unsteadily, a hand raised to its mouth. Hana dropped to her knees, fighting through her own nausea as she chanted the on going spell. ¡°Fix the debuff, Dad!¡± Tess yelled. She turned back and sliced across the Troll¡¯s thigh. Bo summoned his magical instrument once more. His eyes unfocused, and a moment later the chorus surged forth from his throat. An indicator appeared above his head: [Playing: You¡¯re the Best by Joe Esposito]. Bo¡¯s fingers danced across the glowing guitar strings. The air shimmered as the notes rippled across the battle field. The song crashed into Hana, and the notes raced across her skin like tiny electric charges. [Best Around: XS.04 increase to dodge and physical damage. Provider: Bo Robinson.] ¡°Tess, I think I can share my mana vision to your map!¡± Loo yelled over the Troll¡¯s snarls. ¡°Can you see my [Mana Spring]?¡± Tess paused for half a heartbeat. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good! Direct everyone into it!¡± ¡°Follow your arrows!¡± Tess yelled. She sliced her Sword across the Troll¡¯s other leg. Struggling not to puke, Hana followed her arrow toward the mana stream. When she reached her designated spot, she could feel the warmth of Loo¡¯s [Mana Spring]. She shook the bony arm and resumed her chanting, once again casting [Malnutrition] on the Troll. The Troll¡¯s eyes dulled, and rolled back in its head. Its rotund body grew gaunt, and its dark-green skin faded. Its movements became sluggish. It gave a tired swipe at Tess. Bo belted out the song¡¯s chorus, his fingers strumming his air guitar. He had fully committed to some type of hip-shimmy. [Best Around: XS.05 increase to dodge and physical damage. Provider: Bo Robinson.] Tess squared off against the Troll, her stature dwarfed by the creature¡¯s monstrous bulk. ¡°C¡¯mon! Hit me!¡± Hana tensed, and almost lost the [Malnutrition] spell. The Troll roared, its anger tangible in the air. It took a mighty swing at Tess. Tess stepped back; just enough to let the club whistle past, grazing the air where she stood moments before. The monster reared, a growl rumbling deep within its chest. However, pain marred its brutish features. It dropped the club. One hand clutched its heart and the other hand clutched its head. The Troll swayed under a litany of ailments: [Malnutrition]; [Radon Light]; [Migraine]; [Intracranial Hypertension]; [Heart Palpitations]; all converging in a vicious onslaught. ¡°Now!¡± Tess hollered. Tess and Amber leaped into action. Tess¡¯s blade danced across the Troll¡¯s chest, carving deep, unforgiving slashes. Amber¡¯s blurry energy roiled up her arm. Agile as ever, she darted low and struck true, her blade severing the tendons in the creature¡¯s legs. A piercing scream erupted from the Troll as it collapsed onto its knees. Tess was relentless. She screamed her warrior cry and delivered the coup de grace. The Troll¡¯s head tumbled cleanly from its shoulders. Its body slumped forward in defeat. The final note of Bo¡¯s song faded into silence. Hana stood, but she was unsteady and weak. Her stomach roiled as she fought not to puke. This was the most spells she had consecutively cast, thanks to Loo¡¯s [Mana Spring]. She had used her full mana bar twice over, and her mind and body were paying for it. Her vision was blurred and her senses were chaotic. Finn hovered over Tom, his face a picture of concentration, and his hands resting on Tom¡¯s neck and face. Tom¡¯s face, still a mess of blood and cuts, slowly pulled together under the vibrant green glow. The rest of them made their way over to Tom and Finn. Tom coughed out a wad of blood, then let out a grateful grunt once his smashed lips knit back together. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Tom grunted through teeth which were re-aligning in front of Hana¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure it looks worse than it is.¡± I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still alive. ¡°Thank you, Finn.¡± Tom¡¯s voice was raspy. Kate and the Damascus kids slumped beside him, in varying states of anguish and relief. Kate added her [Regeneration Aura] to the healing effort. Through the clearing haze, Hana¡¯s gaze locked onto the Level 3 Boar Rider in the distance, its silhouette charging back and forth across the hilltop. Someone was holding it at bay; a woman whose shrill curses laced the air. Tess fidgeted with her Sword. ¡°We need to help them!¡± Tom slowly lifted himself into a sitting position. He moved his each leg experimentally, and relief washed over his face when they both seemed to obey him, Tom tapped Finn¡¯s leg¡ªasking him to make room¡ªand Tom heaved himself up, bracing against the ground with one gauntlet-clad hand. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Tom said. He straightened his back, trying to hide his obvious pain. A glowing green arrow appeared on the ground. Hana and the others followed Tess¡¯s orders. Tess marked the first target with a red skull; a Pygmy headed toward Helen and the kids. Tom surged forward, bypassing Helen in a rush. He tanked it, and between the whole group the monster barely lasted seconds. It lay in the snow, twitching and staining the ice red. ¡°Easy peasy!¡± Amber cheered. ¡°As the nine of us continue to level and receive abilities, we get exponentially stronger,¡± Loo rambled. ¡°If we each get two spells per level, and there are nine of us, then the¡ª¡± The Pygmy let out a final gasp before going limp. Time seemed to stretch; the tumultuous sounds of battle dimmed, as if Hana was submerged underwater. A bright light enveloped her, so intense that she recoiled and shielded her eyes. The blinding luminescence consumed her mind. Then, silence. Hana blinked against the after-images dancing in her vision. She looked around slowly, as did the rest of her orca pod. We¡¯re back in the Soul Chamber