《Superhuman Summoner (Harem, LitRPG, Deck Building, Apocalypse)》 Chapter 1 - The Cards Were Dealt A thunderous boom shook the small mountain town of Sayers Mills as a pair of fighter jets soared past. The shockwave from the sonic boom travelled down the narrow main street, rattling windows in their frames, and setting off car alarms. A second later, the baying of dogs filled the air. Warren watched the fighters until they had disappeared over the forested mountaintop. If he was a conspiracy theorist, he¡¯d probably think something big was going on. First, the cellphone network had gone down, and now over a half dozen air force jets had flown over the sleepy town in the last half an hour. ¡°I thought they weren¡¯t allowed to do that,¡± Lisa said, as she shielded her blue eyes to glance up into the bright sky. ¡°That¡¯s the third time they¡¯ve done that today. Are they trying to break all the windows? What do you think is going on?¡± Warren shrugged his shoulders at his sister. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re at war.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± She punched his arm playfully. ¡°If we are at war, then I¡¯ll have to ship out to protect your lazy ass.¡± He rubbed his arm, pretending to be hurt. ¡°Did they finally teach you how to fight at bootcamp?¡± ¡°I could always kick your ass,¡± she replied with a smirk. ¡°I just let you win all those times when we were kids, so I didn¡¯t hurt your fragile ego.¡± ¡°Sure you did.¡± His mood turned somber as his thoughts turned to their family. ¡°Do you think the realtor will still meet us with the cell network down?¡± Lisa pointed down the street at a bungalow that had been converted into an office. A simple sign, with gold cursive lettering loudly proclaiming ¡®Fournier Realty¡¯ sat on the front law. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask her?¡± Warren squinted his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s her office? Didn¡¯t that used to be the old McCreary place?¡± She cocked her head to the side and gave him a look. ¡°How long has it been since you¡¯ve been home?¡± ¡°Too long,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°I should have visited a long time ago. Did¡­ Dad ever mention me?¡± ¡°He talked about you all the time.¡± She placed her hand on his forearm comfortingly. ¡°Everyone got tired of hearing about his bigshot son working down south. What was your position again? Was it head janitor at a hospital or something?¡± ¡°The janitors worked way harder than I did,¡± he replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to clean up those messes for the crap pay they received.¡± ¡°Oh, lighten up.¡± She hit his arm again. ¡°I was only kidding around. We all know you¡¯re a wonderful doctor who can do no wrong. According to Dad, you farted rainbows and turned water to wine regularly. Not like his screwup daughter.¡± ¡°You made it through bootcamp, didn¡¯t you? And I¡¯m in my first year of residency. I¡¯d barely call that being a doctor at this point.¡± ¡°Better than being a private.¡± ¡°I bet you¡¯ll make sergeant in no time.¡± He grinned at his younger sister. ¡°After all, you love bossing people around.¡± This time, he dodged her swing and backpedaled away from her on the sidewalk. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she windmilled her arms and chased after him. Warren kept a safe distance between himself and his sister until they reached the bungalow. He stopped in front of a bulletin board with colorful house listings plastered across every square inch. His eyes widened as he read the prices. He still couldn¡¯t get over how expensive houses had become here. Once he sold his dad¡¯s old place, he could probably pay off most of his student loans. Lisa walked up beside him and poked him in the ribs. ¡°Who needs the army if you¡¯re rich, right? Dad¡¯s old place is worth a fortune. Heck, we could probably rent it out weekly and live off that money alone.¡± He paused to consider her idea. After his student loan payments and rent, he barely had enough money leftover for food. Maybe he should convert the old family home into some sort of retreat. The town was rapidly gentrifying, and he heard there were more tourists every year. ¡°Maybe,¡± he said without enthusiasm. ¡°It would be pretty hard to run it with both of us not living here.¡± ¡°We¡¯d hire someone, silly.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Do I have to think of everything? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be some sort of super smart doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He stepped up to the front door and tried the handle. It was locked. He leaned over and peered through the window. Inside, the lights were on, but he couldn¡¯t see any movement. Either the realtor had already left to meet them at the cabin, or she was off doing some other business. Rubbing a hand down his face, he glanced up at the foothills leading up into the foothills. He didn¡¯t want to trek all the way up to his dad¡¯s old place if he didn¡¯t have to. But he also didn¡¯t want to stand up the realtor. And with the cell network down, he had no way to contact her. ¡°I guess we should head to dad¡¯s,¡± he said. ¡°Do you mind taking your truck? My rental isn¡¯t exactly suited for dirt roads.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t complain about my driving.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªmy life insurance is paid up.¡± This time, he couldn¡¯t avoid her punch, and her fist hit him with a meaty smack on his shoulder. ¡°You definitely deserved that,¡± she said with a huff. When she turned back to face the street, she stopped short and raised her hand to wave excitedly at someone. ¡°Oh, what an unexpected surprise,¡± she said to him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we ran into my friend here.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Warren groaned internally as he rubbed his shoulder. ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t set me up with someone again. Wasn¡¯t last time bad enough for the both of us?¡± ¡°Me? Set you up with someone?¡± Her mouth dropped open with fake outrage. ¡°How could you accuse me of such a thing?¡± He turned around to see who she was waving at. As he did, he prepared himself for the worst. His sister had a record of choosing awful matches for him. The last woman she¡¯d set him up with had ordered the most expensive thing on the menu before stealing his wallet and leaving him to try to figure out how to pay for it. Thankfully, the restaurant owner had allowed him to call his dad so he could come pay for his meal. Warren followed his sister''s gaze and found himself pleasantly surprised. A woman with thick locks of dark hair cascading down to her shoulders was walking in their direction. She had high cheekbones, eyes the color of polished jade, and plump lips. The blue tube top she was wearing did little to hide her impressive curves, and a pair of tight jean shorts completed the look. The dark-haired woman hurried over to them and leaned in to embrace Lisa. Then she stepped back and clasped her hands in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Warren,¡± she said in a throaty voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about your dad.¡± ¡°At least he didn¡¯t suffer,¡± Warren said automatically before he paused at her words. He wracked his brain but couldn¡¯t ever remember meeting this woman. ¡°Again?¡± Lisa smirked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember Kassandra?¡± ¡°Kassandra,¡± he exclaimed. He couldn¡¯t believe this vision of beauty standing in front of him was the girl he used to play with as a child. She looked completely transformed from the gangly girl he used to know. But then again, he probably hadn¡¯t seen her in at least eight years. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you.¡± She stepped in close and pulled him into a tight hug. As she did, her heavy breasts pooled against his chest and the wonderful scent of vanilla filled his nostrils. ¡°How long are you here for?¡± Kassandra asked. ¡°Just until I sell my dad¡¯s place,¡± he replied. ¡°We have to get rid of a lot of stuff first and maybe fix up a few things. The realtor was supposed to come up to help us get ready to list today.¡± Kassandra twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger. She glanced down at the ground as she chewed on her plump lower lip. ¡°Do you think¡­ maybe¡­ well¡ª¡± Lisa interrupted Kassandra. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all have dinner tonight? We can all catch up, and I¡¯ll buy the drinks. " He watched a wave of palpable relief wash across Kassandra¡¯s face. To be honest, he was feeling a bit tongue-tied himself. He couldn¡¯t believe his old friend had grown up to become such a stunner. Kassandra smiled at him. ¡°That sounds great. There¡¯s a new Italian place just down the road. Why don¡¯t we meet there in a few hours?¡± Warren laughed. ¡°Do you mean this place has more options than just the old steakhouse and pizzeria?¡± ¡°We even have a sushi place now!¡± Kassandra exclaimed. ¡°And I think they¡¯re building some kind of German-Thai food fusion down the road. But I have no idea what that is.¡± ¡°That makes two of us.¡± He glanced up as another fighter jet roared overhead. ¡°I¡¯ve mostly been eating Cuban lately¡ª¡± ¡°And a steady diet of ramen noodles,¡± his sister cut in with a grin. ¡°At least that¡¯s what you told me when you got off the plane.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied through gritted teeth, shooting his sister a dirty look. ¡°But only when I don¡¯t have time to cook.¡± He didn¡¯t want to admit to being completely broke in front of Kassandra. Before his sister could reply, the sound of a nearby explosion made him spin around. He watched as a fireball blossomed at the end of the street. The explosion flipped a car over and the front of the laundromat collapsed into rubble. He started to run in the direction of the blast, but then the sight of something massive rising above the mountaintop overlooking the town made him freeze in his tracks. An impossibly large craft had appeared from behind the peak. It was roughly oblong, black as night, and covered in spikes, turrets, and jagged protrusions. It was like something you¡¯d see in a science fiction movie, and while the distance made it hard to judge, it was easily larger than the town. As the vessel continued to rise, it blotted out the sun and cast a long shadow over the street. The roar of a jet engine made him flinch, and he watched as a fighter screamed past the town just above the rooftops. A spray of flares burst free from the jet in a dazzling display of fireworks as projectiles streaked out from the strange craft hovering above the mountain. A bay opened in the belly of the fighter and a missile surged out; it streaked up toward the strange craft and slammed into the nose. The warhead exploded in a blinding detonation and blew a ragged hole in the vessel. Lisa grabbed his arm and jerked him around. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± Warren blinked his eyes as he tore his gaze away from the aerial battle. He had no idea what the hell was going on, but he knew standing out in the open was a bad idea. The best thing they could do was seek shelter. ¡°We should go to dad¡¯s. There are plenty of supplies and weapons up there. And I doubt whatever is happening will reach all the way into the mountains.¡± Kassandra took a step back. ¡°I need to get to the sheriff¡¯s office.¡± ¡°No, you should come with us,¡± Warren said. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to stay here. There¡¯s plenty of space for you at my dad¡¯s cabin.¡± Kassandra raised her eyebrow and then rounded on Lisa. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell him anything about me?¡± His sister gave a helpless little shrug. ¡°I was going to talk you up before dinner. And we agreed you¡¯d meet him later. I didn¡¯t know you were just going to pop up like that.¡± Kassandra sighed before turning back to Warren. ¡°I¡¯m a sheriff¡¯s deputy. They¡¯re going to need me with...¡± She waved her hands at the sky. ¡°Whatever this is.¡± As he opened his mouth to speak, he watched as hundreds of smaller crafts detached from the large vessel like seeds drifting away from a dandelion. After a second, the craft¡¯s engines ignited, and they hurtled down toward the town. Warren nodded tersely. ¡°If you change your mind, meet us at my dad¡¯s cabin.¡± He paused before adding. ¡°Stay safe.¡± He watched Kassandra hurry away, then he pointed at his sister¡¯s beat up old truck parked down the street. ¡°We need to go. Right now!¡± With one last look at Kassandra, he broke into a sprint and raced down the street toward his sister¡¯s vehicle. The main street was quiet in the middle of a weekday, and only a few people dotted the street. Some had their gaze locked on the sky, while others were fleeing in their vehicles. Reaching the truck¡¯s side door, he impatiently banged on the window as his sister fumbled with the keys. ¡°How the hell do you not have a FOB yet?¡± he shouted. ¡°Who still uses a key?¡± ¡°Have you tried buying a new truck on a private¡¯s salary?¡± She glared at him. ¡°Anyway, this thing is way easier to fix than all that new computerized crap.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dad talking,¡± he replied. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve suddenly aged thirty years.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± she grumbled, though her heart wasn¡¯t in it. A moment later, her door lock popped up, and she dove into the car. She reached across and swung his door open. Warren jumped into the seat and listened as the engine revved to life. He leaned to the side to peer up into the sky¡ªif they were lucky, they should be outside of town by the time the strange vessels arrived. Lisa slammed the gearshift into drive and the engine roared. The tires squealed as she peeled out and sped down the street. A few pedestrians raced out of the way, and she nearly clipped another car backing out of a parking spot. Normally, he¡¯d say something about her insane driving, but right now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about safety. We¡¯re going to make it. Then a dark craft covered in barbed points, blackened skeletons, and menacing weapons slammed into the middle of the street. The nose of the craft burrowed into the asphalt before coming to a rest, completely blocking their path. He glanced over his shoulder, only to see another one land on the far end of Main Street. They were trapped with no way out. Chapter 2 - Fight or Flight ¡°Drive!¡± Warren shouted as one of the dropship¡¯s turrets swivelled around toward them. His heart hammered in his chest as the barrels lowered before coming to a rest pointed directly at the truck. A reddish glow began to form inside of the weapon. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Lisa slammed the truck into reverse and barreled back down the street. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Twin beams like molten hellfire sliced across the street where the truck had been a second earlier. Where it struck, the asphalt vaporized, leaving behind a deep channel. Six other beams lashed out from the craft, cutting through buildings and streetlights. ¡°Over there!¡± He pointed toward an alleyway leading to a parking lot behind the pizza place. ¡°We can cut across the lots and escape the aliens.¡± Lisa shot him a look. ¡°Do you honestly think they¡¯re little green men?¡± ¡°What else could they be?¡± Warren flinched as a pair of beams blazed right past his window. ¡°I don¡¯t know many countries building spaceships the size of mountains.¡± Lisa spun the wheel, the truck briefly rising on two wheels. When all four wheels slammed down again, the engine revved and sent them rocketing across the street. She hit the curb and briefly lifted both of them out of their seats. With another spin of the wheel, she careened into the alleyway. The passenger side struck the brick wall of the building, and a loud sound of metal crunching followed. Warren braced himself against the dash as the truck plowed through garbage bins. Food waste and wrappers splattered against the windshield. Lisa barely seemed to notice the garbage sticking to her truck as she hammered her foot down on the gas pedal. ¡°Wait!¡± he called out as he spotted movement behind them. He could see Kassandra running across the street with a group of people in tow. ¡°Kassandra is right behind us!¡± Lisa¡¯s knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, but the truck only picked up speed. ¡°Stop,¡± he repeated more softly. ¡°We¡¯re safe back here and I¡¯m not leaving them behind.¡± Finally, the vehicle slowed before rolling to a stop on the gravel behind the pizzeria. His sister was breathing heavily, and she didn¡¯t release her grip on the steering wheel. She stared straight ahead without moving. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said, touching his sister¡¯s arm lightly. ¡°Just wait for me here.¡± Warren stepped out of the truck and waved at Kassandra who was running in his direction. She held a pistol with both of her hands and was leading a family with three children, along with an elderly couple. Their faces and clothes were covered in a layer of black soot. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you saw me.¡± Kassandra pushed back a strand of stray dark hair. ¡°Those¡­ things destroyed the sheriff¡¯s office. I tried to save as many people as I could¡­.¡± Warren stepped over to the truck and glanced in the cargo bed. Inside was an old box of tools, some worn coveralls, and a tarp, but there should be more than enough room for everyone. As his gaze returned to the rubble-strewn street, he decided it was a good idea to arm himself. He leaned over the side and flipped open the toolbox. From inside, he retrieved a beat-up old claw hammer and a box cutter. ¡°Everyone should be able to fit in the back of the truck.¡± He opened the tailgate and helped the family climb inside. The elderly couple took a bit more effort, but with the help of the husband, he finally managed to lift the woman inside. Finally, Kassandra leaped lithely into the back of the truck. In her hand, she clasped the familiar shape of a Glock 22 pistol. Warren stared at the weapon, his hammer suddenly feeling inadequate. What was he going to do against an alien invasion with a simple tool? It would probably be about as effective as harsh language. But he didn¡¯t return the hammer to the toolbox. Instead, he gripped the handle tighter as he hurried back to the passenger side of the truck. As he was about to climb inside, he spotted a woman marching out of the smoke with five men in armor flanking her. He knew immediately none of them were human. The woman wore black form-fitting armor, the surface polished to a mirror finish. In her hands, she clasped a futuristic-looking rifle with two barrels; one on top of the other. She had dark braided hair hanging to the side, showing off her swept back horns. Her skin was the color of a ripe plum, and her dark eyes glittered as her companions raised their weapons. The others with her wore the same type of armor, but their weapons looked even more ominous. The same glow he¡¯d seen from the landing craft appeared in the rifle¡¯s barrels before the woman raised her hand and barked something in a strange language. After a second, the men lowered their weapons and glared at him. Warren let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding. If the rifles they held were even a tenth as powerful as the ones mounted on their vessels, they would have destroyed the truck in a single shot. He didn¡¯t know why the woman had spared him, but he wasn¡¯t about to tempt fate by staying a second longer than necessary. The crack of a pistol firing made him spin around. Kassandra had raised her Glock and squeezed off a shot. She corrected her aim and fired again, the shot hitting one of the aliens in the head. As the lifeless alien crumpled to the ground, it was like time slowed down. He dove inside of the truck and shouted for his sister to drive. A storm of beams lashed out from the fallen alien¡¯s companions, pulverizing the side of the restaurant. The bricks fa?ade crumbled and an avalanche of masonry pelted the truck. He heard a pained cry from behind them, but he didn¡¯t have time to worry about who had been hurt. They needed to get out of here. His sister slammed her foot down on the gas and the truck lurched forward. She turned the wheel hard, and the tires kicked up a spray of gravel. The next shot barely missed them, and then they were safely behind the building. She didn¡¯t slow down as she sped across the parking lots linking the different downtown lots. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. As they drove, he realized the destruction in the town was growing worse. He could see flames burning in half a dozen buildings, and dark smoke billowed up into the sky. But worryingly, he didn¡¯t spot anyone else fleeing. Hopefully, they had all found shelter before that thing started shooting its crazy weapons all over the place. The truck zoomed past the hair salon and then into the parking lot of the local hardware store. When they reached the end of the building, Lisa spun the steering wheel into a hard turn. The back end fishtailed before the wheels caught on the gravel. They rocketed out onto main street at full speed, past the alien craft half buried in the asphalt. He waited for one of the weapons to disintegrate the truck, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t target them. Do their weapons only have a limited range? Or did they choose not to shoot at me? He didn¡¯t bother lingering on the question, as he didn¡¯t have enough information to unravel any of the alien¡¯s motives. He didn¡¯t know why the strange horned woman had spared him, or why this mountain town was under attack. Nothing made any sense at the moment. Warren remembered the pained cry from earlier and glanced through the rear window. The elderly man was holding a t-shirt up to his head and blood was streaming down his face. It looked like Kassandra had been wounded as well. But neither of the injuries looked serious enough to risk stopping to treat. Once they reached his father¡¯s old cabin, he could tend to them. Lisa slumped back in the driver¡¯s seat as they sped down the road heading out of town. ¡°What in the fuck is going on?¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Did you see that thing in the street? I mean¡­ lasers? Seriously?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re being invaded,¡± he said quietly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense, but I can¡¯t think of any other explanations.¡± ¡°Those¡­ things weren¡¯t human, were they?¡± she continued. ¡°I saw them in the rearview mirror. They had horns. Why are horned aliens invading our town? Is their planet low on rednecks or something?¡± Despite their dire situation, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at his sisters¡¯ words. ¡°We just need to lie low until the government deals with them.¡± Lisa gave him a weak smile. ¡°Or until Cletus and all his friends fill those assholes with buckshot. Don¡¯t they know how many guns we have in the hills?¡± ¡°Speaking of that,¡± he said. ¡°Do you have any weapons?¡± ¡°What, you think the army lets me take home machineguns?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything, but you know dad has an armory at the house. Plus, he has a ton of tannerite.¡± Warren frowned. ¡°Tannerite? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh right, I forgot Dad got into that after you left.¡± She slowed the truck as they approached the cutoff to the dirt road leading up to the cabin. ¡°You shoot at it and it explodes. I bet it could make a pretty good bomb in a pinch.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to be making any bombs,¡± he said firmly. ¡°We¡¯re going to hole up until the air force shoots down every last one of the bastards. After all, you saw the damage the missile did to the mother-ship, or whatever you want to call it.¡± ¡°Do you really think the army can win¡ª¡± ¡°They will win,¡± he said firmly before softening slightly. ¡°And I said the air force, not the army.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way the chair force will do anything,¡± Lisa shot back. ¡°Those guys are barely full-time compared to us grunts¡­¡± she trailed off and frowned. ¡°I need to get back to my unit. They¡¯re going to be fighting this invasion, and I can¡¯t leave them on their own.¡± Warren shook his head. ¡°Unless you have a helicopter in your back pocket, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting back to your base. Who knows what¡¯s going on in other cities? For all we know, every town in the state is being invaded.¡± ¡°Once it¡¯s safe, then we¡¯ll head to my base,¡± she insisted. ¡°I won¡¯t leave them behind.¡± He simply nodded, knowing now wasn¡¯t the time to argue. Instead, he concentrated on watching the road ahead. If there was an ambush waiting for them, he wanted to spot it before the trap was sprung. But no aliens lurked in the thick brush and the rest of the drive up to the cabin was uneventful. He couldn¡¯t even tell if the massive vessel was still hovering above the nearby mountain; the dense forest canopy overhanging the road only allowed him to catch brief glimpses of the sky. After nearly half an hour of driving up the steep trails, they finally pulled into the nearly hidden driveway of the cabin. Trees had grown around the entrance, and thick weeds sprouted from the middle of the rutted road. It looked like no one had lived here for years. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it this overgrown,¡± he commented to his sister. ¡°I thought dad¡¯s illness came on suddenly.¡± She shrugged in response. ¡°He was getting old. And most of the time he preferred to putter around in his woodshop instead of doing yard work. Can you blame him?¡± As they inched forward¡ªthe tree branches clawing at the side of the truck¡ªthe brush slowly thinned out until they reached the house. The one storey structure had been built over 150 years earlier and had thick field stone walls. Almost everything¡ªfrom the doors to the window frames¡ªwas original and had been lovingly restored by their father. Across from the cabin was an old wooden barn and next to it was the woodshop. At the sight of his dad¡¯s old army jeep parked next to the structure, he felt the sudden pang of loss. He wished he had come back more often when he was in school. Why had he waited so long to come home? Lisa steered the vehicle in front of the house and then put it in park. She unbuckled her seat belt before resting her head against the steering wheel. ¡°That was¡­ something. Wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Definitely something,¡± he replied. ¡°I need to check on the others. Will you be alright?¡± Lisa didn¡¯t reply and simply waved him away. Warren hopped out of the truck and hurried around to the back. As he approached, Kassandra stood up from the cargo bed, holding her left arm gingerly. She had dust covering her face and her shirt was torn. ¡°Let me see your injury,¡± he said without thinking. He gently held her soft hand and examined her arm¡ªit was swollen, with a nasty bruise forming. Her arm was almost certainly fractured. ¡°On a scale of 1-10, how much does it hurt?¡± ¡°Somewhere around an 8?¡± she said, the pain evident in her pinched features. ¡°But the others are worse off than me. Take care of them first.¡± Warren nodded tersely before clambering onto the tailgate. The old man was the most seriously wounded out of everyone. A loose brick must have struck his temple and his face was drenched in blood. ¡°I¡¯m Warren,¡± he said to the man. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Victor,¡± the man mumbled. ¡°Thank you for saving Eleanor and I.¡± He reached over and squeezed the elderly woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you know what happened to you?¡± Warren continued. ¡°And can you tell me how you ended up here?¡± He needed to check for a concussion. Not that he could do much without access to a hospital. ¡°Some War of the Worlds nonsense,¡± Victor grumbled in a scratchy voice. He reached up to touch his temple. ¡°I think a brick hit my noggin. Mind you, it was pretty hard to focus with all those demons shooting ray guns at us.¡± Warren leaned down to check on the man¡¯s eyes. Neither was dilated, so he had probably avoided a concussion. He reached out to help the man up¡ªhe needed to find a way to stop the bleeding¡ªbut recoiled when a searing pain erupted from his wrist. His eyes widened as a black band with a burgundy oval in the center materialized from nowhere on his forearm. After a second, the pain vanished, leaving only a dull ache behind. He pulled his wrist closer to examine it. In the middle of the oval, writing appeared:
Warren Caddel Peasant of the Godaurian Empire, Level 1 Faction: Terran Combat Decks: None Artifacts: None
While he examined the band around his wrist, the others in the truck¡¯s cargo bed reacted as their own wristbands appeared; the adults grimaced with pain while the children began to cry. Before he could dwell on the strange new development, he heard his sister call out. He spun around and caught sight of bizarre creatures moving to block the driveway. The aliens had found them. And there was nowhere left to run. Chapter 3 - The Last Stand Warren leapt down from the back of the truck and offered his hand to Kassandra. Once she was safely out of the vehicle, he helped the elderly couple and the family out of the cargo bed. He pointed at the cabin before shooting a glance over at the driveway; the dark shapes had spread out into the forest, though they seemed to have trouble traversing the thick undergrowth. ¡°What the hell do they want?¡± he muttered to himself. It was clear whatever was approaching the cabin wasn¡¯t the aliens he¡¯d encountered in town. Though the purple-skinned aliens had horns, they were still humanoid. But whatever was lumbering through the woods now was anything but. Kassandra hurried over to his side, clasping her injured arm to her chest. ¡°Do you have any weapons here?¡± ¡°I guess you could say that.¡± She raised her eyebrow quizzically. ¡°My dad was a bit of a gun collector,¡± he explained. ¡°If it was legal, he owned it.¡± Kassandra smiled at his words. ¡°Good, because I only have a few bullets left in the magazine.¡± ¡°Do you want me to pop in a new one for you?¡± He knew reloading would be difficult with an injured arm. She shook her head. ¡°I only had the one in my weapon. Needless to say, I wasn¡¯t expecting Armageddon to break out today.¡± ¡°I think it took us all by surprise,¡± he said dryly. He shot one last look over at the approaching aliens, then hurried over to the cabin with Kassandra at his side. At the front door, Lisa was struggling to open a lockbox hanging on the doorknob. ¡°What¡¯s the holdup?¡± Warren asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just use your key?¡± ¡°Oh, what a great idea,¡± Lisa said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think to use my key? Oh, that¡¯s right, it¡¯s in the lockbox for the realtor!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have the combo?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have the combo!¡± she exclaimed, the frustration clear in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know where dad left his keys, so I had to give the realtor my spare. And the realtor didn¡¯t tell me what the combo was. She was supposed to take care of all the showings.¡± ¡°I think I have an idea.¡± He raced around the side of the building and searched for the loose stone in the foundation. It had been so many years since he¡¯d lived here, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was still there. After examining the masonry for a few seconds, he finally spotted the slightly discolored rock. Leaning down, he grabbed the stone with both hands. It took a few solid tugs before it came loose to reveal a key hidden in the alcove. He grabbed the key and raced back around to the front door. He had to hope his dad hadn¡¯t changed the lock since before he left. Otherwise, they¡¯d have to find a way to break through the shutters. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Lisa asked. Warren slid the key into the lock and felt a rush of relief as it turned. ¡°Dad was always locking himself out,¡± he said. ¡°So, I hid one for him in the foundation. Of course, he could never remember where I hid it, but at least I could let him back into the house after school.¡± He swung the door open but stopped as Kassandra touched his arm. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Kassandra asked. ¡°Are we going to make a stand here? There¡¯s still a chance we could lose them in the forest.¡± She gave him a soft smile. ¡°I remember playing on these trails with you when we were kids. There¡¯s no way they could find us out there.¡± His thoughts flashed back to all the times he used to explore the hills with Kassandra and his sister. It had felt like they¡¯d ruled the hills when they were kids; they knew every cave, every stream, and every trail. Maybe they could survive out there until help arrived. ¡°If we¡¯re going to do that, I want to grab some weapons and supplies first,¡± he said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll see if we can lose those bastards in the foothills.¡± His sister stared at the forest as she chewed on her fingernail. ¡°How did they find us, anyway? I didn¡¯t see anyone following us on the route from town. It¡¯s like they just beamed in behind us.¡± Warren shrugged. ¡°Maybe they have drones watching the area? Or maybe we just got unlucky and stumbled into another group going door to door in the hills.¡± As he tried to step into the house, Kassandra held out a hand to stop him. ¡°If they have those beam weapons, this place isn¡¯t going to last long. We need to move fast.¡± He nodded, but this time, his sister interjected. ¡°We¡¯re not running off into the hills to live like hobos, you dunderheads,¡± she said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just get back into my truck and make a run for it? The gas tank is almost full, and we could easily make it to the next town. It¡¯ll be a bumpy ride but doable.¡± ¡°Their beam weapons will turn your truck into scrap metal.¡± Warren thought back to the horned woman who had stopped the soldiers from firing on them. He wasn¡¯t sure if anyone else had witnessed her actions. ¡°We¡­ got lucky back in town. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be so lucky a second time.¡± Especially not after Kassandra had taken down one of the soldiers with a headshot. ¡°I¡¯m still not going to live like a mountain woman in the bush.¡± Lisa pressed her lips together, then her expression brightened. ¡°Oh wait¡ªthere¡¯s the old bootlegger trail leading over the mountain. I doubt the aliens know about those. It¡¯s been a while, but I think I still remember the way.¡± Warren rubbed a hand down his face as he mulled over his sister¡¯s plan. He¡¯d hiked the trails a few times in his youth. They were difficult to traverse, but you didn¡¯t need any special climbing gear. And even the children should be able to handle it. ¡°I think¡ª¡± A dark beam slicing through the forest cut him off. Unlike the weapons he¡¯d encountered in town, this one was as black as midnight and the sound it made was horrifying¡ªalmost like a tortured soul screaming. Anything the beam touched crumbled into dust. ¡°Into the cabin!¡± he shouted. ¡°It should give us some protection.¡± He waited until everyone had piled into the building before he stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. The inside of the cabin was dim, with the shuttered windows only letting in narrow shafts of light. He fumbled around for a second until he found the light switch. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Warren flipped the switch on and was immediately transported back to his teenage years. Though he¡¯d been away for almost eight years, almost nothing had changed inside. He was standing in his family home¡¯s living room, with the rustic wooden furniture, faded wallpaper, and the various knickknacks his mother had collected over the years dotting the shelves. Despite the circumstances, it felt good to be home again after all these years. ¡°Oh wow,¡± Kassandra exclaimed. ¡°This place hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± She pointed at a dusty old television. ¡°I remember watching DVDs with you after school.¡± Warren took a second to shake away the nostalgia. Before he did anything else, he needed to find weapons for them. He sprinted over to the closet where his dad kept the guns. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t locked, which probably violated at least a few state laws. Not that his dad had ever cared much about those. Swinging the door open, he stepped back as he was greeted with the sight of piles of weapons and ammunition. The racks on either side were filled with rifles, while the back had pistols hanging on pegs. And propped up in the corner was the biggest gun he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°What in the world is that thing?¡± Lisa popped her head around the corner to look. ¡°That¡¯s a Boys anti-tank rifle. It was made in Canada during World War 2. Dad bought it at a gun show a few years ago.¡± Warren examined the weapon; it had a magazine mounted on the top, and a bipod at the front. The entire gun must be almost six feet tall. He¡¯d never seen anything nearly as ungainly in his life before. His sister smiled as she reached and grabned the Boys antitank gun. ¡°I¡¯ll take that, thank you.¡± Warren could only shake his head. He grabbed an AR-15 rifle, along with his father¡¯s favorite revolver. The pistol he stuck in his waistband, while he slung the rifle over his shoulder. Then he grabbed a few boxes of ammunition and some spare magazines. Finally, he took some bullets for Kassandra. When he stepped back, he noted Lisa had found a few backpacks and was distributing them to the others. Victor, along with his wife Eleanor, was seated on the overstuffed couch. Meanwhile, the parents of the family they¡¯d picked up in town were trying to calm their kids. From outside, the scream of beam weapons sounded again like the trumpet from the Book of Revelations, followed by the sound of a collapsing structure. He winced and hoped the aliens had spared his father¡¯s woodworking shop. The barn was about to fall down on its own, but there was a lot he wanted to save in the wood shop. Warren moved over to the window and peered out through a slit in the shutter. Outside, he could see a group of the aliens hosing down the barn with fire from their weapons. The creatures looked utterly foreign¡ªthey had eight stubby limbs, and an elongated body like a worm. The bottom appendages were used for walking, while the others clasped snubnosed weapons. Where the heads should be located was only a writhing mass of tentacles. Each of them was clad in segmented sandy colored armor. The worm-like creatures had nearly finished destroying the barn and it wouldn¡¯t be long until they moved on to the house. He gritted his teeth at the thought of them razing his dad¡¯s old place. Still, there was nothing he could do about it. ¡°Grab what food you can,¡± he said, pointing toward the back door. ¡°We¡¯re going to head up the old bootlegging trails into the mountains.¡± No one objected, though Victor struggled to rise from the couch. After the man¡¯s third failed attempt, Warren hurried over and hefted him to his feet. Once he was sure the elderly man wouldn¡¯t fall down again, he strode over to the kitchen. It took a bit of searching, but he finally found a stash of water bottles and canned food. He tossed them in the backpack before retrieving a flashlight from under the sink. He also found a good knife in one of the kitchen drawers. After tying his backpack shut, he walked over to the backdoor. He pulled back the curtain hanging over the glass window and peered outside. Immediately, his heart sank as he spotted a line of aliens approaching from the other direction. ¡°Shit,¡± he breathed. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± his sister exclaimed as she rushed over to the door¡¯s window. She leaned the oversize rifle against the wall and placed a spare magazine on the counter before she peeled back the curtain. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the approaching aliens. ¡°How many of those stupid things are there?¡± He gazed around the room as he watched the hope die on everyone¡¯s face. None of them believed they were getting out of here alive. As he watched the mother draw her children close for a hug, his resolve hardened. He¡¯d stay and buy the others time to escape. Warren unslung his rifle from his shoulder and pushed it into his sister¡¯s hands. Then he grabbed the anti-tank gun. He checked the magazine and found it already loaded. His sister must have put some bullets in it when he was gathering the rest of the stuff. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy you some time.¡± ¡°Hell no!¡± his sister replied. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave you behind to die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one besides me who knows the trails,¡± he said. ¡°I need you to get them over the mountain. This isn¡¯t going to be some heroic last stand. Once I take out a few of the aliens, I¡¯ll catch up with you.¡± Kassandra stepped forward. ¡°He won¡¯t be on his own. I¡¯m staying as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone else to stay.¡± Kassandra gave him a fierce look. ¡°It¡¯s my sworn duty to protect the townsfolk. I don¡¯t care what you say¡ªI¡¯m staying.¡± He opened his mouth to reply, but he could see she hadn¡¯t changed much since they were kids¡ªonce she made up her mind about something, it was impossible to change it. Instead, he took her pistol, popped the magazine out and started to push bullets into it. Lisa pressed her lips together until they turned white. She then scrubbed at her eyes and scowled. As she spoke, her voice cracked. ¡°I swear, you better not die. If you do, I¡¯m going to kick your ass so hard.¡± He gave her a weak smile. ¡°It will be hard to kick my ass if I¡¯m dead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring logic into this!¡± She hit his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m serious! I¡¯ll wait for you on the far side, and I expect you to be right behind me. Got it?¡± He nodded and stuck out his hand for a fist bump. Instead, he was shocked when his sister stepped in and flung her arms around him. She normally wasn¡¯t the hugging type. Warren gently tried to disentangle himself from his sister. ¡°You should go.¡± Lisa sniffed, her eyes shining as she gave him one last squeeze. ¡°Stay safe,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, too.¡± As his sister released him, he hefted the anti-tank rifle and stepped over to the window next to the back door. He unlocked it and then slid the pane open a crack. With a grunt of exertion, he manhandled the ridiculously heavy rifle to rest the barrel on the windowsill. Hopefully, this oversized weapon could pierce the alien armor. Otherwise, a head shot should take them out if he could manage one. It had been quite a few years since he¡¯d fired a gun. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± Warren asked, gazing across the people gathered in the kitchen. He realized he didn¡¯t even know the family¡¯s name. But he wasn¡¯t doing this for them¡ªhe was doing it for his sister. ¡°Once I open fire, I want everyone to head across the clearing to the forest. I¡¯ll try to draw all of their attention.¡± When everyone nodded, Warren returned to his weapon. He peered down the sight of the rifle and lined it up with one of the worm-like aliens. He closed one eye, breathed out, and squeezed the trigger. The weapon kicked like a mule, and a sharp crack reverberated between the hills. He watched as the heavy bullet caved in the front of the closest alien¡¯s armor; it went down with a shrieking scream. ¡°Go!¡± he shouted, already taking aim at the next alien. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡± His next shot went wide, and the bark exploded off a tree next to his target. He waited as the others streamed out of the house, fleeing toward the trail. He pulled the bolt back, ejecting the spent cartridge, and then chambered another massive round. Nearly a dozen black beams erupted from the forest and slashed the area in front of him. Deep furrows were carved into the overgrown back lawn, and where the weapons struck the cabin, the stone hissed and cracked before bursting into dust. From beside him, Kassandra added fire from her own weapon. She fired off a few shots one handed before ducking back down. He scanned the forest and noted nearly a dozen aliens were rushing toward the house. None of them appeared to be paying any attention to his sister leading the others toward the forest. His plan had worked. ¡°Good luck, sis,¡± Warren whispered to himself. He turned to look at Kassandra. ¡°There¡¯s still time for you to leave.¡± ¡°And let you have all the fun?¡± Her lips curled up into a smile, but her face was pale and her eyes tight. ¡°Not a chance.¡± He nodded and lined up another shot. He would make the aliens pay for attacking his dad¡¯s old place. And no matter what, he would buy the time his sister needed to escape. Chapter 4 - Squire of the Godaurian Empire Another alien beam weapon struck above Warren¡¯s head, and a chunk of the kitchen ceiling disappeared into a puff of dust. The scream of the weapon lingered in his ears, being replaced by a dull ringing after a few seconds. He realized they couldn¡¯t stay here any longer¡ªthe cabin was about to come down around them. It had been a few minutes since his sister had disappeared into the forest. One of the aliens had even walked past her as it sprayed the house with fire from its strange weapon. By wounding one of the worm-like creatures, he¡¯d driven the others into a blind rage, and they ignored everything but him. Now he just had to figure out a way to get out of this alive. Kassandra popped up and pointed her gun out of the window at an alien charging their position. She snapped off two rounds; the bullets striking dead center in the head of the creature. The first bullet severing a tentacle which waved around frantically spraying dark blood, the second dropping the alien. She ducked back down and examined her Glock pistol. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± He pulled back the bolt to eject the shell and found out he was out of ammunition as well. ¡°Me too.¡± Reaching down, he grabbed the revolver from his waistband. He handed the pistol to Kassandra, wishing he¡¯d grabbed more weapons before they decided to distract the aliens. But hindsight was always 20/20. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re falling back. Take this and I¡¯ll get some more ammunition and guns.¡± ¡°Will you go out for dinner with me?¡± He stopped, stunned by her question. Was this beautiful woman really asking him out in the middle of a battle? ¡°What did you say?¡± She looked up at him with her big, beautiful eyes. ¡°I said will you go out for dinner with me? I... don¡¯t know if either of us will make it out of here alive. And I¡¯ve wanted to ask you out for a long time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a date,¡± he said, forcing a smile as he turned back to Kassandra. ¡°How about that Thai-German food fusion place you mentioned?¡± ¡°Ewww¡­ I don¡¯t even know how that would work,¡± she said. ¡°Why not pizza like the old days? Do you still like root beer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my favorite,¡± he replied. ¡°What sort of pizza should we order? Half cheese and meat lover like the past?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve become a little more adventurous in my adulthood,¡± she said, grinning at him. ¡°I eat pepperoni now.¡± Warren laughed despite himself. This entire situation felt unreal. His old friend¡ªwho had become a gorgeous woman since he¡¯d been gone¡ªhad just asked him out while they were under siege from aliens who looked like earthworms. His laughter trailed off as he glanced out of the window, noting the aliens were regrouping along the tree line. The bodies of three of them twitched on the lawn, while another was slumped over the low wooden fence surrounding the backyard. In the distance, he spotted one with glowing golden armor approaching. Is that their leader? He patted her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Shout out if they make another push.¡± Keeping low, he hurried across the kitchen until he reached the living room. He threw open the door to the gun cupboard and pulled out a rifle and another revolver. Then he stuffed his pockets full of as many bullets and magazines as he could carry. As he turned, he heard the deafening sound of the alien¡¯s beam weapons again. The entire house shifted and dust drifted down from the ceiling like snow. The noise was followed by a thud and a pained cry. Panic flooded through his veins as he raced back to the kitchen. He stumbled to a stop at the sight of Kassandra lying on the floor, a golden lance piercing her chest. Blood poured out of the wound, and she feebly grasped at the glowing shaft with her one good hand. He scrambled over to her side and pushed her hand away. ¡°We have to leave it in until we reach the hospital. I need to be able to control the bleeding before we take it out. You¡¯ll be fine once I get you into surgery.¡± But even as he spoke, his words rang hollow. The location of the lance meant it had almost certainly pierced her heart. Unless he could get her to an ER in the next few minutes, she wouldn¡¯t survive. ¡°I guess I¡¯m going to miss our date,¡± she whispered, blood dribbling out of the sides of her mouth. ¡°Order a pizza for me¡­¡± Her words trailed off as her eyes glazed over. Then she slumped back onto the floor and her breath rattled out of her lungs. He¡¯d heard the sound enough times in the hospital to know she was gone. Kassandra was dead. ¡°Who the fuck did this!¡± he roared, rising to his feet and swinging the rifle around. He jammed a magazine into the weapon and raised the butt to his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll kill every last one of you fuckers!¡± As he stepped forward, he rapidly pulled the trigger, spraying rounds into the line of charging aliens. The bullets stitched bloody holes across the nearest one¡¯s torso. He then changed his fire to the next one. Each shot blew off a tentacle and made the creature screech in agony. Warren¡¯s vision narrowed as he stepped over the body of his fallen friend. As he did, memories of their time together flashed through his mind. He would make the aliens suffer for harming Kassandra. He would make them regret ever daring to invade his world. The sound of the front door splintering made him spin around. An alien burst through the entrance, only to eat a face full of bullets. He fired until his magazine ran dry and then ejected it. He jammed another magazine into the weapon as the house collapsed around him. The black beams lanced through the structure, burning down walls, and tearing gaping holes in the roof. Another alien clambered through the kitchen window, slicing its disgusting undulating body on the broken glass. He raised his rifle to fire, but as he pulled the trigger, it jammed. Dropping the weapon to the ground, he grabbed the revolver in his waistband and fired until the cylinder was empty. But the bullets were far less powerful than the rifles and the alien seemed to shrug them off. He dove to the side as the creature brought up its snub nose beam weapon and swept the room with black fire. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The alien let out a surprised squeak as he unsheathed the knife he¡¯d found in the kitchen and launched himself forward. With one hand, he grabbed onto the waving mass of tentacles, making it shriek in a high-pitched tone. With his other hand, he plunged the blade into its slippery skin. He stabbed again and again as they lurched around the kitchen. The alien slammed him against the cupboards, but he refused to let go. He continued to stab in a frenzy until at last the blade found something vital and the creature slumped forward. Warren released the tentacles and stepped back. He was drenched in purple blood and he could see the other aliens would be on top of him long before he could reload. He glanced over his shoulder at the shattered front door, and saw a group of aliens massing in the front yard. I guess this is how it ends for me. He took a deep breath and dropped into a fighting stance with the knife held in front of him. At least he could comfort himself with the thought he should have bought enough time for his sister to escape. Maybe I can take down a few more of these bastards before they vaporize me. Then his gaze fell on a magazine sitting on the kitchen counter. In the chaos of the fighting, he¡¯d forgotten his sister had grabbed a second one for the anti-tank rifle. Maybe he wasn¡¯t done fighting yet. Racing forward, he grabbed the massive gun and popped out the spent magazine. He then slammed in the new one. With a grunt, he lifted the weapon and chambered a round. He glanced down the iron sights and watched as the alien with golden armor emerged from the forest. It was holding a lance just like the one that had killed Kassandra. That was the bastard that had killed his friend. He lined up the shot perfectly before he squeezed the trigger. The boom was louder than he expected, and the recoil nearly knocked him from his feet. The bullet stopped short of the alien and bounced off what looked like a shimmering bubble around the creature. He grimaced as he ejected the cartridge and chambered another round. Did it have some kind of shield? At the sound of the gunfire, every alien in range charged blindly in his direction. Apparently, shooting at the one in the golden armor really pissed them off. None of them even bothered to use their weapons as they ran. It was like all rational thoughts had left them except for the urge to protect the alien in fancy armor. He waited until he had a clear shot before he fired again. This time, the shield shimmered around the alien before bursting into shards of light. The alien¡¯s movements were jerky as it turned to flee. Warren reloaded as he tried to ignore the horde of aliens growing ever closer. This was the last shot he was going to get off before they overran him. He needed to make it count. Squeezing the trigger, he winced as the butt slammed into his bruised shoulder. The bang rattled the kitchen cupboards, and the shot sped toward the alien. It hit the dead center of its strange head and the flesh exploded like an overripe melon. A mix of blood, flesh, and what looked like brain matter splattered over the nearby trees. There was no time to fire again¡ªthe aliens had reached the kitchen window. He released the rifle and picked up the knife again. But as he prepared himself to meet his fate, the aliens froze in place. Then they began to dissolve. He could only watch in shock as the aliens closest to him disintegrated into tiny particles of light as they drifted away. Within a few seconds, he stood alone with the body of his friend in the kitchen. Warren turned around and noted the aliens still remained in the front yard. But they looked lost without their leader. They milled about for a few seconds before retreating back into the forest. Somehow, he had won. But at a terrible cost. Warren walked over to Kassandra and knelt at her side. Her pale face looked almost serene in death. If he didn¡¯t know any better, he would have thought she was just resting. Words appearing in his vision interrupted his thoughts. The Eternal Emperor sends his praise, peasant. Through determination and bravery, you have defeated a squire of the Slaviigolaris Hive Faction. In honor of your victory, you have been granted the rank of squire in the Godaurian Empire. As the first of your faction to obtain a rank, a rare reward box has been granted to you. After everything that had happened to him today, his brain barely registered the notification. He tried to dismiss it, but nothing happened. A moment later, his wristband buzzed and when he looked down, his description had changed.
Warren Caddel Squire, Level 1
Faction Terran
Energy 1
Melee Attack 0
Ranged Attack 0
Defense 0
Health 1
Shield 1
Artifacts None
Combat Deck Please select a deck type.
Immediately, new words flashed through his vision. Please select a combat deck based on your faction¡¯s mythology Warren furrowed his brow as he read over the options. He tried to dismiss the menu¡ªthe last thing he wanted to deal with right now was choosing a combat deck¡ªwhatever that meant. But the notification persisted. Finally, he selected ¡®Superhumans¡¯ as he felt he had the most familiarity with it. Another notification followed: Harvesting souls commencing. He frowned at the notification. The thought of harvesting someone''s soul was vaguely horrifying. For most of his life, he¡¯d been agnostic, and the revelation that souls existed hit him like a truck. But if they existed, he certainly didn''t want to harvest them for unknown reasons. Warren watched with growing alarm as a storm of light swirled around Kassandra. His wristband was harvesting his friend¡¯s soul. Was it to power his combat deck? ¡°Stop!¡± he shouted, banging on his wristband. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take her!¡± But his strikes only managed to make his wrist ache and didn¡¯t leave a single mark on the band. Within the blink of an eye, his friend was gone. He slumped to the floor and ran a hand through his hair. What the hell was going on? Then a picture with Kassandra¡¯s face appeared floating in the air in front of him. No, not a picture, he corrected himself; it was a stylized drawing. As more of the image took shape, he realized it was a collectible card. It had borders the color of burnished steel, along with stats in a box at the bottom. The card showed Kassandra as some sort of assassin, though her name was different. She was wearing a tight latex catsuit that showed off every impressive curve and left nothing to the imagination. Her dark hair was drawn up in a bun, and she was seated on a chunk of concrete with a slain alien at her feet. In her hand, she was balancing a wicked looking curved dagger on the tip of her finger. The card read:
Nocturne (Superhuman Deck) Quality: Poor
Energy Cost 1
Melee Attack 1
Ranged Attack 0
Defense 0
Health 1
Abilities: None
After a second, the card faded away, leaving him alone in the kitchen. The only sound was the creaking of the roof, and the steady drip of water from the damaged kitchen faucet. More than anything, he wanted to give himself some time to absorb everything that had just happened. But his sister was out there, and she needed him. So, he pushed himself back to his feet and headed to the gun cupboard. Once he was armed and had salvaged some supplies, then he would set out over the mountain. He¡¯d already lost one friend today; he wasn¡¯t going to lose his sister. Chapter 5 - Aftermath The kitchen floor shifted ominously as Warren made his way over to the living room. He paused as he took in a scene of utter devastation. The front wall remained mostly intact¡ªa picture of his father and mother hanging askew to the side¡ªbut the alien¡¯s beam weapons had swept away an entire side of the room. He fought down a curse as he swung open the door of the gun cupboard and saw what little remained of his dad¡¯s collection. One of the beam weapons must have bored through the wall and reduced the weapons to slag. Not even a single box of ammunition had escaped unscathed. Checking his pockets, he found some revolver ammunition¡ªto the weapon that had disappeared with Kassandra. The process of harvesting her soul had also taken her clothing and anything else on her person. And that included the revolver she¡¯d been given by him. Warren shut the door before walking back into the kitchen. With each step, the floor creaked underfoot. It sounded like the cabin wouldn¡¯t remain standing much longer. He needed to grab everything he could and get out of here. He walked over to the sink and checked the taps. Thankfully, the water still turned on. He pulled his shirt over his head before placing it under the faucet and scrubbing off as much blood as he could. He then took some time to wash his arms and face. If he was going after his sister, he didn¡¯t want to do it covered in alien blood. Once he¡¯d finished, he leaned down to scoop up his bag off the floor. He checked inside and saw the water bottles and food he¡¯d collected were undamaged. Now that he had a bit more time¡ªand no one shooting at him¡ªhe did another pass through the kitchen. He found a few cans of beans above the fridge he¡¯d missed earlier, along with some crackers. He also found a can of soup and a six-pack of soda. Warren then spent a few minutes inspecting the weapon that had jammed. He grimaced as he realized it had been a double feed. If he wanted to unjam it, he¡¯d have to disassemble the entire rifle. But right now, he didn¡¯t have time to do that. I¡¯ll unjam it after I catch up with my sister. Warren swung the bag over his shoulder and made his way over to the back door. He glanced back at the spot Kassandra had fallen before he tore his gaze away. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to become distracted. After he reached his sister, then they could mourn their friend together. The trail leading over the mountain was difficult at the best of times, and he needed to stay sharp in case he ran into an alien ambush. He strode outside through the door and headed in the direction of the fallen alien leader. Its golden armor had lost its shine and now appeared dull and worn. He stopped in front of the creature and examined its gear. Maybe it had something useful on its body. On one of the alien¡¯s three fingered hands, he noticed it was wearing a silver ring with black gems inset along the length. He reached down and twisted it free. The moment it had left the aliens¡¯ finger, a prompt appeared:
Ring of Vlasiiang (Artifact)
Activate: Provide 1 additional energy for the current round Cooldown: 2 rounds
He wasn¡¯t sure how everything worked yet, but he had a feeling this artifact would come in handy. For now, he popped the ring into his pocket. He wasn¡¯t about to start shoving alien artifacts on his fingers before he knew exactly how they worked. Remembering the alien¡¯s weapons, he searched the forest floor for them. A beam weapon would come in handy if he encountered any of the worm-like creatures again. But he didn¡¯t see any sign of the golden lance or the snub nose pistols among the ferns and bushes. Had they all disappeared when he¡¯d slain the alien leader? After a few minutes, he finally gave up his search. He let out a sigh as he adjusted the straps of his backpack before setting off in the direction of the old bootlegging trail. At first, the path was flat and spacious, but it rapidly narrowed as it angled up towards the mountain. He nearly slipped a few times on loose stones, and he wondered how the others with his sister were faring. Lisa will help them, he thought to himself. She¡¯ll get them to the village on the far side. He stumbled to a stop as a red hexagonal wall of energy sprang to life in front of him. At the sight of the shield, he swung his rifle around. He couldn¡¯t fire the weapon, but the aliens didn¡¯t know that. Not that the ones he¡¯d encountered at the cabin had seemed overly concerned with their safety. They had thrown themselves at him, heedless of their own losses. A few moments passed, but when nothing appeared, he lowered his weapon. Then he took a step toward the wall to examine it. As he did, a prompt appeared in his vision: Warning: Control of the Knight¡¯s Fee has not been established. The following factions still contest the area: Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Udruk Empire Arriad Republic Krescriles Flock Vuda Overmind Bhularian Empire Daskian Empire Should you leave the knight¡¯s fee, your faction shall cede all claim to any and all territory, and no new squire shall be appointed. Warren paused at this information. He noted the Slaviigolaris Hive Faction wasn¡¯t on the list. Had he eliminated them when he¡¯d killed their squire? He then turned his thoughts toward his own situation. By obtaining the rank of squire, had he somehow become the de facto champion of the human race here? If he left, what would happen to all the survivors? He stood at the edge of the energy wall for several minutes, trying to decide on what to do. More than anything, he wanted to go after his sister. But he also didn¡¯t want to abandon the residents of Sayers Mills to the aliens. Scrubbing a hand down his face, he swore softly under his breath. When he¡¯d become a doctor, he¡¯d taken an oath to do no harm. If he had a chance to save the survivors, he needed to stay and fight for them. Warren lingered a moment longer before he turned back toward the cabin. He felt he should be safe there until he figured out what to do. He doubted the worm-like creatures would return after having their leader slain and being soundly defeated. Plus, he had nowhere else to go. The hills above the town were dotted with cabins and hotels, but it would take hours to reach any of them. And with everything happening, he didn¡¯t want to stroll onto someone else¡¯s property and get pumped full of buckshot. Never mind the fact the other alien factions may have claimed the buildings as their own. His mind made up, he set off back down the trail. It was far quicker going down than up, and he soon reached his dad¡¯s property again. He fought down a swell of anger at the sight of the destroyed cabin. The outer stone walls had been shattered, and chunks of the roof had been sheared away. But at least the wood shop hadn¡¯t been damaged in the battle. The one-story building was completely unscathed and would make a good shelter for the night. His dad had often slept in there when working on a new project, so there should be a cot. He picked his way through the devastated lawn and past his sister¡¯s truck. The vehicle¡¯s windows had been shattered, and all the tires were flat. It would be awhile before it could drive again. At the very least, he¡¯d have to patch the tires and clean up all the glass from the cabin. When he reached the door to the woodworking shop, he found it unlocked. He pushed it open and then flipped up the light switch. The fluorescent light flickered before illuminating the building in their harsh white glow. Like the cabin, this building had barely changed in the eight years since he¡¯d been gone. A cot was pushed up against one wall, with blankets and a pillow piled up on top of it. The far wall was filled with every woodworking tool you could imagine, while the other wall held carefully sorted lengths of lumber. In the center of the room a lathe, band saw, and circular saw stood covered in a thin layer of sawdust. He felt another pang of regret at taking so long to return. He¡¯d been so caught up in his studies and money troubles, he had put off coming home for far too long. His dad had always seemed as enduring as the mountains¡ªhe never even caught a cold. But then he¡¯d died suddenly, without giving Warren a chance to say goodbye. Why didn¡¯t I come home more often? Warren walked over to the cot and sat down on the edge. He bounced a few times, testing it out. It wasn¡¯t the softest bed he¡¯d ever slept in, but it beat sleeping in the on-call room at the hospital. Plus, a nurse wouldn¡¯t be popping into the room to wake him up every fifteen minutes. Now that he¡¯d taken on the mantle of protecting the town, he had to figure out a way to stop the aliens. But the truth was, he didn¡¯t have a clue where to begin. He¡¯d lost virtually all the weapons and ammunition he¡¯d possessed. And he wasn¡¯t about to retake the town with a jammed AR-15 and half a magazine of bullets. Apparently, he had a combat deck now, but he had no idea how to use it. Or even if it would be effective against the aliens. If he tried to fight them, would they just nuke him from orbit? He found it hard to believe an interstellar civilization used only magical decks in their wars. I feel like David fighting Goliath, except in this story, Goliath is a ten-story tall mecha who can squish me with his foot. In the silence of the room, he noted a blinking icon on the side of his vision. He must have missed it on his trek back down the trail. He concentrated for a second until a notification appeared in front of him. Claim rare reward box? (Yes/No?) He recalled being informed that he had earned a reward earlier. This must be the reward the prompts had talked about. He reached out to touch the ¡®Yes¡¯ hovering in the air in front of him. The words immediately disappeared, and he watched as a long metal box materialized on the concrete floor in front of him. He hesitantly reached forward and flipped open the lid. Inside, a simple card was nestled among folds of silk. The outline was a dull metallic blue, while the image was of a sword black as night. In the depths of the blade, you could barely make out the swirl of distant galaxies. He lifted the card free of the box to read the information listed on the bottom:
Blade of Deimos (Superhuman Deck) Quality: Rare
Energy Cost 1
Abilities: Upon striking an opponent, the Blade of Deimos steals 1 Health and then grants 1 Health to the deck wielder and all friendly minions.
Warren had never played a collectible card game in the past, but based on his time playing video games, this card sounded useful. Anything that kept him alive was good in his eyes. Though he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to bring a sword to a beam weapon fight. After a second, the card disappeared from his grip, and a prompt showed it had been added to his deck. When he pulled up what he was calling his character sheet, it now showed two cards underneath the combat deck listing. Still, he wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to compete with only two cards. Before he could puzzle out how to activate his combat deck, he received yet another notification. However, this one didn¡¯t seem to be targeted to him alone. Inhabitants of Terra, Rejoice, as your savage planet, has been placed under the protection of the Holy Godaurian Empire. Thanks to the Eternal Emperor¡¯s beneficence, the inhabitants of Terra have been granted the opportunity to serve in his Endless Crusade. Should you wish for your race to endure, then prove yourself worthy against the many factions of the galaxy. There is only victory or slavery for your race. ¡°Well shit,¡± Warren muttered to himself. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Chapter 6 - Nocturne The after image of the notification lingered in Warren¡¯s eyes as his brain tried to process its alarming message. It sounded like the Earth had been attacked by a sprawling galactic empire. And if humans wanted to survive, they had to defeat the invaders. If he was going to throw the aliens out of his town, he needed to learn to use his combat deck. But the thought of using it while one of the cards had the likeness of Kassandra turned his stomach slightly. Did anything remain of his friend? And if it did, what sort of existence would she have trapped in a deck of cards? But regardless of how he felt about his friend, he couldn¡¯t put off using his combat deck forever. He needed to learn how to control it. He turned his focus toward the deck icon in his vision and thought about activating it. A second later, two cards appeared, hovering in front of him. One was the Nocturne card, while the other was the Blade of Deimos. As the cards appeared, another prompt overlaid his vision. Much of it was empty¡ªhe assumed it filled up when he was battling an opponent¡ªbut on the left, he could see a display with a single shining blue orb. That must be my energy. Thankfully, both of his cards only cost one energy. He chose the Blade of Deimos first. The card disappeared from his view, and a sword materialized in his grip as if by magic. He¡¯d half expected the weapon to feel ephemeral, like it wasn¡¯t real. But the leather grip felt solid in his hand. Warren took a few swings with the blade before sliding it through his belt. He couldn¡¯t try out its ability right now, so he¡¯d have to wait until he faced a real opponent. As he¡¯d cast the card, the glowing sphere in his vision had drained, and now it was a empty circle. He waited impatiently as his energy slowly refilled, the entire process taking about two minutes. Once his energy was full again, he took a deep breath and then selected the Nocturne card. A cloud of darkness swirled in front of him, and a woman in a latex catsuit burst out. She landed lithely on the floor, with one hand touching the ground in a heroic pose. Her head snapped up, and her eyes darted around the room. As Kassandra¡¯s unmistakable deep blue eyes locked with his own, they widened slightly. ¡°Warren¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°Is that you, Kassandra?¡± He took a step forward. Had the aliens somehow preserved his friend while harvesting her soul? Was she still inside of her new avatar? ¡°Who else would I be?¡± She gave a nervous little laugh before her expression turned serious. ¡°What happened to the aliens?¡± ¡°What do you remember?¡± Her brow descended slightly. ¡°I remember fighting them in your dad¡¯s cabin¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°After that... I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s all fragmented and jumbled up in my mind. What happened to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he replied, unsure of where to begin. If she didn¡¯t remember her death, should he even tell her? Though he supposed her transformation into a card might be hard to explain otherwise. Before he could continue, Kassandra gasped as she glanced down at her outfit. The latex strained against her firm breasts, leaving her hard nipples in stark relief. The rest of the catsuit left nothing to the imagination and clung to her toned body in a provocative manner. ¡°What. Am. I. Wearing!¡± she gasped, adding emphasis to each word. Her face reddened, and she lifted both hands to cover her chest. ¡°Did you change me while I was unconscious?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Warren shook his head. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°Start talking!¡± She pointed at the blankets on the cot behind him. ¡°Do you mind? I feel like I¡¯m naked over here.¡± Warren turned around and fetched one of the thin blankets from his dad¡¯s old cot. He averted his gaze as he walked back to Kassandra. She snatched it from his hand before wrapping it around her shoulders. Once she was covered, she took a deep breath. ¡°Something bad happened to me, didn¡¯t it?¡± She cocked her head to the side, a few loose strands of dark hair falling over her face. ¡°I keep seeing flashes of a battle. But it¡¯s like I¡¯m watching a movie or something.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this¡­¡± he trailed off and scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°One of the aliens had a lance. He¡­ well, you died.¡± ¡°I died?¡± she whispered as the color drained from her face. ¡°Wait, if I died, how am I still here?¡± ¡°After you fell, I killed an alien wearing golden armor,¡± he replied. ¡°Then I received a prompt about becoming a squire for our faction.¡± When her face scrunched up with confusion, he quickly added, ¡°We¡¯re part of the Terran faction.¡± ¡°Oh right, that makes total sense,¡± she said sarcastically. She then took a deep breath, her heavy chest heaving enticingly underneath the blanket. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why I¡¯m not dead.¡± She waved a hand at herself. ¡°Or why I¡¯m wearing fetish gear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fetish gear,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re a superhuman.¡± ¡°I¡­ have superpowers?¡± For the first time since she¡¯d been summoned, there was a hint of excitement in her eyes. ¡°I think so?¡± He grimaced. ¡°There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know. After I was granted the combat deck, I had to choose a theme from Earth¡¯s mythology. The one I chose was superhumans. There were a few other options, but I had no idea what any of them were. I thought since I read comic books as a kid, I¡¯d have a better understanding of this option. As soon as I chose my deck, my wristband started to harvest souls.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Souls?¡± she yelped. ¡°That thing sucked up my soul like it was a Ghostbuster? Wait, does that mean souls are real?¡± ¡°I wondered the same thing. But the aliens may view souls as something completely different than us.¡± He held up his wristband. ¡°Unfortunately, this thing doesn¡¯t come with an instruction manual and it doesn¡¯t explain much of what is going on. It might be a while before I can give you any answers.¡± She pressed her plump lips together. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Warren shrugged. ¡°Take out the other alien factions, reclaim the Sayers Mills, and save everyone?¡± Kassandra gave him a weak smile. ¡°That sounds like a good plan, but you might need to flesh it out a bit. For example, do you have any idea how to deal with the enemy ships?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with superpowers,¡± he returned her smile. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take them out? I¡¯m just a guy with a deck of cards.¡± She laughed, some of her color returning. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very superpowered at the moment. Unless my power is to wear inappropriate clothing in front of people.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work on getting you a new outfit,¡± he said. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how much I can personalize the cards. Maybe there¡¯s something like cosmetic options similar to what you find in games?¡± Kassandra stretched out her arms as she inspected her outfit. ¡°I think I can live with this for now. It beats being¡­ you know.¡± Warren could tell she was putting a brave face on for him. He¡¯d seen it often enough in the hospital, working as a doctor after someone received bad news. In the span of a day, Kassandra had endured an alien invasion, her own death, and then being transformed into a card. He needed to get her mind off of things. He pointed at his backpack on the floor. ¡°I was about to cook some dinner. Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Kassandra brushed back a strand of her dark hair. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t mind eating. What gourmet options do you have for me to choose from?¡± Leaning down, he flipped open the flap on his backpack. From inside, he pulled out a few cans. ¡°I have tomato soup, baked beans, and a whole chicken in a can.¡± He paused after reading the last label. ¡°Anything called chicken in a can probably doesn¡¯t taste very good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not risking the chicken in the can,¡± she replied, mirroring his own thoughts. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll try the soup.¡± Warren glanced around the room in search of something to cook on. His dad had practically lived in the woodshop. There must be a hot plate or a camp stove around here somewhere. After rummaging around for a few minutes, he finally found a hot plate and a beat-up old pot. He plugged in the hot plate and watched as the light on the front flickered on. It was a miracle the electricity was still on, but when it finally failed, there was a generator located in a shed out back. However, he wanted to save the fuel to power the well. Without water, they would be in serious trouble. With the hotplate warming up, he turned his attention to the soup. He frowned as he realized he didn¡¯t have a can opener. Instead of jogging back to the house, he pulled out the Blade of Deimos from his belt. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Kassandra exclaimed. She strode over to him, her shapely hips swaying with each step. ¡°I leave you alone for a few minutes and you find some supernatural sword? You really don¡¯t ever change, do you?¡± He glanced down at the weapon to see a star burning in the center of the blade. ¡°I don¡¯t seem to recall ever stumbling across a weapon like this before.¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied, her lips curling up into a shockingly sexy smile. ¡°But you always had the craziest stuff happen to you. Like the time you found the gold nugget in the stream? It¡¯s why I liked hanging out with you so much.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you hung out with me because my sister and I were the only other kids within 20 miles.¡± Kassandra¡¯s expression fell at the mention of his sister. ¡°Is she¡­alright? I mean, did she make it over the mountain?¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t even know how long I was gone for. Have you been bravely fighting the alien invasion for weeks without me?¡± ¡°It was only a few hours,¡± he reassured Kassandra. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t follow my sister. If I leave here before defeating the enemy, then apparently the human race gives up all claim to this area. I couldn¡¯t leave everyone in the town to their fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure your sister is fine.¡± Kassandra stepped closer and placed her hand on his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s tough and resourceful. If anyone can get over the mountains with all those people, it¡¯s Lisa.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± He placed the can of soup on the floor and positioned the blade of his sword against the top. As he pressed down, the weapon sliced through the aluminum like it was made of paper. After a bit of sawing, he was able to squeeze a finger under the lid and flip it back. Then he lifted the can and poured the contents into the pot. As the woodshop filled with the pleasant smell of cooking soup, he felt his stomach rumble. He¡¯d only had a light breakfast, and he¡¯d been going all day without food. I guess fighting an alien invasion really gives you an appetite. While the soup was warming, he brought out a package of crackers from his backpack. He then grabbed a can of meat for good measure. He was pretty sure soup alone wasn¡¯t going to fill him up. Kassandra walked over to the cot. She sat down and crossed her long legs, the latex creaking slightly. ¡°How long until I go back?¡± ¡°Go back?¡± He furrowed his brow. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m some sort of card, then I doubt I¡¯ll stay out permanently.¡± Warren rubbed a hand down his face. He hadn¡¯t even thought of that. He searched his vision until he spotted a little icon in the right corner of his eye. It resembled an hourglass, and the bottom was slowly filling. ¡°Not for a while,¡± he replied. ¡°It looks like we probably have about 15 minutes together.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She clasped her hands in front of her. ¡°Because that soup smells divine.¡± He realized he didn¡¯t have any bowls or utensils, so he began another search. In a cupboard above the woodworking tools, he found a vast collection of plastic cutlery and paper plates. Leave it to dad to not want to wash the dishes. From inside, he pulled out some paper bowls for them to eat from, along with a pair of spoons. He walked back to the warming plate and waited until the soup was steaming. Then he poured out a generous portion for both of them. It wouldn¡¯t be long until food was an issue, but for now, they could eat their fill. Warren walked back to Kassandra, who was sitting on the cot. He handed her the bowl before settling down beside her. He took a spoonful and shoveled it into his mouth. The soup was a bit too salty, with way too much garlic, but it still tasted better than anything he¡¯d had in a long time and he knew from the pleased noises from beside him that Kassandra felt the same. They ate in silence for a few minutes, though he noticed Kassandra barely consumed any of her food. He couldn¡¯t tell if she didn¡¯t need sustenance, or if she just didn¡¯t have an appetite. If he hadn¡¯t hiked the mountain trail, he probably wouldn¡¯t want to eat either. Kassandra leaned back slightly, the blanket around her shoulder parting slightly to show her flat stomach. ¡°So, what¡¯s the real plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to scout the town tomorrow,¡± he replied between mouthfuls. ¡°I need to figure out a way to level up. Once I¡¯m powerful enough, I¡¯m going to make the aliens regret ever coming to our planet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a better plan.¡± She gave him a lopsided grin. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to help you take out every one of those jerks.¡± He started to reply, but as he did, the timer on the side of his vision expired. Beside him, Kassandra opened her mouth in surprise before she disappeared into a storm of light. He was left alone on the cot in his dad¡¯s old woodworking shop. A new timer replaced the old one with a much larger hourglass. It would be many hours before he could re-summon Kassandra again. Until then, he would prepare for his mission tomorrow. Chapter 7 - A Wild Card The morning light pouring through the windows seared Warren¡¯s eyelids, and he groaned before rolling over onto his side. He briefly wondered why his father hadn¡¯t installed blinds in the woodshed. But then he remembered his dad had always been the ¡®rise before sunup¡¯ type. Warren draped his arm over his face, hoping he might be able to fall back asleep. After a few more minutes, he gave up and swung his legs over the side of the cot. The call of nature was too pressing to ignore, and his throat felt parched. As he stood up, he winced and pressed a hand against his back. During his training to become a doctor, he¡¯d become far too sedentary. The simple act of hiking up a mountain slope had made him ache all over. Once this all blew over, he¡¯d swore he¡¯d hit the gym after every shift at the hospital. He paused as he wondered for the first time if this would blow over. For all he knew, aliens might have invaded every town across the country. Maybe even the world. If that was happening, there was no going back to his old life. There was only adapting to this new reality. Warren walked over to the woodworking table and plugged in the coffeemaker. He frowned when the light didn¡¯t come on. He then pulled the plug out before shoving it back in again. Nothing happened. His frown deepened as he walked over to the light switches and flicked them a few times. Again, nothing happened. It looked like the power had finally failed. Either the electrical lines were down somewhere, or the aliens had taken out the power plant. He briefly debated starting up the generator to make his morning coffee. But he finally decided it wasn¡¯t worth wasting the precious fuel. An emergency might still crop up that required power. He didn¡¯t want to be caught with a dry generator because he needed a caffeine fix. Instead, he walked over to his backpack and pulled out one of the colas he¡¯d retrieved from the kitchen fridge. It wasn¡¯t his preferred choice of drink in the morning, but at least it would give him a shot of caffeine. He cracked it open and then took a long swig. As he sipped on the cola, he examined the many partially completed projects his father had left behind. There was a nearly finished mailbox built to look like a barn, and what he assumed was the beginning of a kitchen table. He could almost picture his big bear of a father puttering around the wood shop holding a hammer. The ghost of his dad loomed large in here. He pushed down his thoughts as he gulped down the last of the cola. There was no point wasting anymore time in here. He needed to head back to town so he could scout it out. Hopefully, he¡¯d get a better idea of what he was facing. So far, he¡¯d only seen two of the alien factions. The others remained a mystery. Warren picked up his rifle¡ªhe¡¯d cleared the jam the previous night¡ªand then tossed his backpack over his shoulder. He was halfway to the door when a new notification jumped into his vision. ¡°What now?¡± he muttered to himself. Each time a message appeared, it seemed to herald more bad news for him and the rest of mankind. The integration of Terra into the Holy Godaurian Empire has concluded. In accordance with the Treaty of Abadox, the fledging world has been seeded with challenges. Warren waited for more writing to appear, but no further information was forthcoming. He wondered what it had meant by ¡®challenges.¡¯ He had a sinking feeling that the world had just gotten a lot more dangerous. Walking over to the door, he noted a new icon blinking in the corner of his vision. When he focused on it, a map of the area sprang into his view. In the center was a little symbol which must represent himself. As he zoomed in, he noted he could see all the local structures, roads, and topography. There were also numerous flashing points of light across the area. He lifted his hand and touched one of the dots of light. A description slowly scrolled across the map. Torovox the Destroyer: Boss, Level 20 Touching another one, a longer description appeared. Dungeon of Terran Life Level Range 1-5 An intriguing selection of flora and fauna of Terra have been altered to create trials of increasing difficulty for knight aspirants. Warren breathed out as he finished reading. At least this answered his question of how to grow stronger. While he believed he could also gain levels from defeating the aliens, these would likely be a better source of experience. Plus, this way, he wouldn¡¯t have to face legions of soldiers spraying beam weapons around like lunatics. He dismissed the map before stepping out of the woodworking shop. But he stopped dead in his tracks as he came face to face with the end of a rifle barrel. ¡°Oh shit,¡± he muttered, groping for his own weapon on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± a woman snapped. ¡°Are you a fucking human?¡± ¡°Am I a human?¡± he raised his hands into the air. ¡°What sort of question is that?¡± ¡°Answer the fucking question!¡± she shouted, pressing the gun¡¯s barrel against his face. Warren took a second to examine the woman. She looked like she was part of some sort of special forces unit. She was wearing a light helmet that didn¡¯t cover her ears with what looked like night vision goggles mounted on the top. Her uniform was green and tan camouflage, and she had a heavy backpack slung over her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m a human, just liked you,¡± he replied in what he hoped was a calming tone. ¡°My name is Warren, and this is my dad¡¯s place.¡± The woman let out a long breath and then swayed to the side. She opened her mouth as though she meant to speak, but no words came out. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed against Warren. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He caught her without thinking and dragged her into the wood shop. With one hand, he propped her gun up in the corner. Then he half-dragged, half-carried her over to the cot. As he laid her down, he noticed the back of her jacket was dark with blood. Rolling her over, he lifted the garment to peer underneath. She had a nearly square puncture wound in the small of her back. And he quickly realized she was losing a lot of blood. Thankfully, whatever had caused the wound had missed her major organs and intestines. Normally, he would send a wound like this up to surgery. But it wasn¡¯t like he could get her to a hospital. He would have to stitch up the wound and hope whatever had stabbed her hadn¡¯t caused internal damage. If he remembered correctly, his dad always kept a first aid kit in the bottom drawer of the cabinet. He hurried over and was relieved to find a fully stocked kit. From inside, he retrieved some gauze, a tube of antibiotic cream, and a needle with thread. Then he grabbed some soap and a bottle of water. He hurried back over to the woman on the cot and reached down to lift the back of her jacket again. But this time, a hand shot out and caught his wrist in an iron grip. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± the woman demanded, her voice raw with pain. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor,¡± he replied. ¡°And I need to dress your wound.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a¡­ doctor?¡± She released his hand and rolled onto her side. ¡°Get it over with, then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to stitch the wound closed,¡± he continued. ¡°But first, I have to clean the area.¡± When she didn¡¯t reply, he proceeded to thoroughly wash out the puncture wound with soapy water. He was surprised at how little the woman flinched. Most of the patients back in his hospital would have been begging him to stop without at least some local freezing. Once he felt satisfied that he¡¯d cleaned it as much as he could, he set about stitching the injury closed. His hands moved in well-practiced motions, the thread pulling the skin together. He¡¯d done this hundreds of times before and in a few minutes, he was finished. He then unscrewed the cap to the antibiotic cream and daubed a generous amount around the edges. The woman glanced back at him with dark eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Warren,¡± he said as he cut the gauze into a square before taping it into place. ¡°Do you know what happened to you?¡± ¡°One of those whale looking assholes stabbed me,¡± she said, her face tight with pain. ¡°After the ambush, I got separated from my squad.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Corporal Ramirez,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m a green beret with the 5th Special Forces Group.¡± ¡°Do you have a first name?¡± She hesitated for a second. ¡°I guess I could just call you Corporal¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Valentina,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Sorry about shoving a gun in your face. And thanks for patching me up, doc.¡± When she tried to push herself up, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve lost a lot of blood. I need you to rest for a while before you try to stand up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to complete my mission,¡± she replied, struggling into a sitting position. ¡°Everyone¡¯s counting on me.¡± She reached up and pulled off her helmet, shaking out flowing locks of dyed blond hair. She had short bangs that stopped right above her manicured eyebrows. Warren was surprised at how feminine she looked when she removed her helmet. Her heart-shaped face was perfectly framed by her straight blond hair. And her dark eyes were like endless pools under her thick eyelashes. He cleared his throat as he tried to dispel his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s your mission?¡± She frowned before answering. ¡°I guess I can tell you. Not like you¡¯re going to run off and tell those little green men. My squad was tasked with special reconnaissance in this area. At last report, there are at least 500 invasions occurring across the country. But we lost contact with base a bit after setting out.¡± He paused as he considered his next words. ¡°Did you receive any of the notifications about the empire?¡± Valentina nodded her head, looking unsure. ¡°I thought I was going fucking nuts.¡± ¡°That makes two of us,¡± he laughed. It was a relief to hear he wasn¡¯t the only one receiving the strange prompts. ¡°You got them, too?¡± She gave him a brilliant smile before wincing with pain. ¡°Thank Jesus.¡± Warren walked back over to the first aid kit and pulled out a bottle of pain killers. He raised his brow as he read the label¡ªthese were incredibly strong. His father must have been using them shortly before his death. Unscrewing the cap, he popped out a pill into his palm. He then strode over to his bag and retrieved a bottle of water. He turned back to Valentina and handed her the water before offering the pill. ¡°Take this,¡± he said. ¡°It will help with the pain.¡± She pushed away his hand and staggered to her feet. ¡°I can¡¯t take any meds. I¡¯ve got to get to Sayers Mills and complete my mission.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea in your condition.¡± ¡°I have no choice.¡± He held out a hand to steady her. ¡°At least let me go with you.¡± ¡°You want to come with me?¡± her eyes narrowed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I want to see what we¡¯re up against,¡± he said. ¡°I want to help you fight the aliens.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only here for recon.¡± She pressed her plump lips together. ¡°You should leave the fighting to the military. Anyway, I¡¯d feel bad if you got wasted after patching me up.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want all my hard work to go to waste,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be very annoyed if another alien stabs you after I just finished stitching you up. Plus, I¡¯d like to find some antibiotics for you in town. Normally, I¡¯d leave a wound like yours open to help drain it. But I didn¡¯t have that option here. You¡¯re at a very high risk for developing an infection.¡± ¡°I guess I could use a guide,¡± she said slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know where I¡¯m going, and my GPS is out. But if we run into any trouble, let me handle it. Got it, doc?¡± He nodded his head in agreement. But he had no intention of keeping his word. If they encountered aliens again, he planned to test out his combat deck. Especially if he met one of those worm-like Slaviigolaris. He still owed them some payback for what they¡¯d done to Kassandra. ¡°How did you get here?¡± Warren asked. If he was lucky, she had a chopper stashed nearby. Or maybe some dirt bikes. What did the army use for all-terrain vehicles, anyway? He remembered hearing about special forces on horses in Afghanistan, but he doubted they used those back home in the states. ¡°We humped it over the mountain,¡± she said. ¡°Some old trail the sarge knew about.¡± At the mention of the trail, his thoughts turned to his sister. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you encountered a young woman leading a group of refugees? She has blond hair, blue eyes, and was with a family and an elderly couple.¡± Valentina covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°Oh no. You know her?¡± At her words, the blood in his veins turned to ice. Something terrible had happened to Lisa. ¡°She¡¯s my sister¡­¡± ¡°My squad saw someone who looked like that,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯d been taken prisoner by some demonic looking aliens. They had purple skin and crazy horns on their heads. We would have done something, but we were outnumbered and sarge said it would compromise the mission.¡± ¡°Was there anyone else with her?¡± He needed to know for sure. Not that he believed there was more than one blond hair woman climbing the old bootlegging trails in the mountain. ¡°There was an elderly couple and a family,¡± Valentina gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t her? There could have been a lot of girls going over the mountain.¡± ¡°It was her,¡± he said in a steely tone. ¡°As a doctor, I have to advise you to rest here for a few days. I¡¯ll handle this on my own.¡± Valentina shook her head. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t we just say that you were going to show me the way to town? ¡°I¡¯m going to get my sister back.¡± The purple aliens had taken control of the town, so he had to assume that was where they were taking their prisoners. And if she wasn¡¯t there, then he would make the aliens tell him where they had taken her. By any means necessary. He walked over to his bag and rifle, but was surprised when Valentina staggered over to block his path. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let some civilian go off and get themselves wasted. If you want to get your sister back, I¡¯ll help you once I¡¯m done with my mission.¡± Warren mulled over her words silently. Finally, he muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t slow me down.¡± Hitching his own backpack over his shoulder, he walked toward the doorway. It was a long hike to town, and in his current mood, he hoped he ran into some aliens on the way. Because he was going to make them rue the day they ever came to this planet. Chapter 8 - A Familiar Face The hike to town proved uneventful, but with each plodding step, Warren¡¯s thoughts continued to grow darker. His sister had been captured by the aliens. The same aliens who had leveled half of Sayers Mill with their fiery beam weapons. At this very moment, they could be inflicting all sorts of terrible tortures on his sister. But despite his mounting worry, he had a growing respect for Valentina¡¯s resilience. For most of the trip, they had kept to the dense underbrush growing along the road. He¡¯d been sweating and tired before they reached the halfway point. But she hadn¡¯t complained once and kept a steady pace, even with a minor stab wound in her back. He slowed as they crested the hill overlooking the town. A few wisps of smoke rose to the sky from the charred ruins dotting the main street, but little further damage had been inflicted since the invasion yesterday. Aside from the handful of buildings destroyed in the initial attack, the town appeared relatively unscathed. He¡¯d been worried that he¡¯d see mounds of rotting corpses when they arrived. But he didn¡¯t see a single body. While the aliens had no problem killing humans, it looked like they weren¡¯t engaged in genocide. At least not yet. He spotted a group of townsfolk in chains being led down the street by one of the horned aliens. It took every ounce of self control he had to not summon his combat deck and attack immediately. He had to remind himself he only had one minion and a sword. If he wanted to save his sister, he needed to be stealthy. And a battle in the middle of Main Street was the opposite of that. Beside him, Valentina lifted a pair of binoculars and peered down at the town. She took a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t believe little green men are attacking us. This is like one of those Japanese cartoons my little brother used to watch.¡± ¡°Believe it,¡± he snapped, before softening slightly. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just worried about my sister.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± she said. ¡°If it was my sister, I¡¯d be kicking in every fucking door down there. But these things have weapons way better than ours. We¡¯ve got to be smart.¡± Maybe more advanced than yours, he thought to himself, his gaze flickering over to the icon for his combat deck. Valentina lifted a radio and fiddled with the buttons before sighing with frustration. ¡°Why isn¡¯t anything working?¡± ¡°My phone stopped working before they arrived,¡± he commented absently. ¡°Do you think they took out the satellites?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I doubt it. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a jamming signal or something.¡± While she spoke, she lifted her binoculars again and swept the hills surrounding the town. This time, her sigh was deeper. ¡°My squad should be here. Why aren¡¯t they here?¡± Warren had a good idea why her squad hadn¡¯t shown up, but he wasn¡¯t about to say it out loud. Most likely, they had either been killed or captured by the aliens. He¡¯d seen firsthand how useless basic weapons were against the invaders. And he doubted the other green berets had been carrying anti-tank weapons like the one he¡¯d used back at the cabin. The sound of a horn made them both duck low. It repeated, once, twice, and then a final time, the bellowing noise echoing across the hills. As the horn faded away, a stream of aliens poured out of buildings and raced in their direction. ¡°Shit balls,¡± Valentina whispered. ¡°I think we¡¯ve been spotted.¡± Warren furrowed his brow. How had the aliens seen them? They were hidden behind the crest of a hill over a mile from town. Numerous bushes and trees obscured them from sight, and they had barely moved since they arrived. He cursed himself as his view fell upon one of the landing craft still half buried in the street. Both turrets were pointed directly at them. It only made sense they had advanced targeting technology on the spacecraft. Maybe they had a heat sensor or something. But regardless of how¡¯d they done it, the aliens had discovered them. The purple skinned humanoids waved their weapons as they flooded down the streets in their direction. They carried a bizarre assortment of beam rifles, swords, and axes. Many of them were dressed in gleaming black armor, while others wore little more than loin clothes, their exposed skin covered in intricate tattoos. Valentina pushed herself back, while keeping low, and swung her rifle around. ¡°Oh Jesus. Why do they look like crazy barbarians?¡± He could only shrug his shoulders in reply. So much about the aliens didn¡¯t make any sense to him. From the whole combat deck thing to melee weapons in modern combat, he couldn¡¯t understand their motivations. At the rear of the army, he spotted a flash of silver. ¡°Let me see your binoculars.¡± ¡°Are you fucking crazy?¡± Valentina whispered, her eyes widening. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± But after a second, she grumbled and handed him her binoculars. Warren lifted the field glasses to his eyes and peered toward where he¡¯d seen the flash of silver. After scanning the ranks of the aliens, he spotted a male wearing shining armor. The alien¡¯s head sported massive horns, almost like overgrown deer antlers, with a grisly trophy hanging from each point; one sported a skull, while another had a bone covered in rotting flesh. The other trophies were indecipherable from such a long distance. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. This had to be their leader. His suspicions were confirmed when a name plate appeared above the alien¡¯s head. It read: Faction: Daskian Empire Squire, Level 11. But his heart stopped as he spotted movement behind the alien¡ªa large group of captured humans were being led down the street. And in the front of the line was the unmistakable figure of his sister. She was wearing the same jeans and t-shirt from yesterday, and though her hair hung over her face, there was no mistaking her. Warren knew he was outmatched and outnumbered, but this might be his only chance to get his sister back. If he had to carve his way through the entire army of aliens, he would do it to save Lisa. He would kill every last one of them with his bare hands if necessary. He rose to his feet and started to march down the hill. A hand grabbed his arm, but he shook it off. Valentina let out a cry of frustration and raced after him. She caught up with him after a few paces and grabbed his arm again. This time, he couldn¡¯t shake her off. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed!¡± ¡°I saw my sister,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°And I¡¯m going to get her back.¡± ¡°Would she want you to die?¡± Valentina yanked on his arm and spun him around. ¡°Well? Would she? Do you think she¡¯d want you to do some kind of suicidal charge?¡± ¡°I can fight them,¡± he grunted, though he felt his resolve wavering. ¡°With your pea shooter?¡± Valentina snorted. ¡°They shrugged off everything my squad threw at them. I may as well have been using harsh language.¡± ¡°Just leave,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this on my own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere without you.¡± He stopped at her words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you willing to let me die?¡± She lifted her chin defiantly and crossed her arms. ¡°Because I¡¯m not leaving some civilian behind so he can get turned into paste. So, you stay, I stay. Got it?¡± Warren glanced down the hill¡ªthe aliens had almost reached the halfway point to them. They would be in beam weapon range at any second. If Valentina didn¡¯t leave soon, she would almost certainly be collateral damage. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡± With Valentina in tow, he scrambled back over the hill and down the others side. Once the invaders were out of sight, the black rage clouding his mind receded like the tide going out. Had he really been about to take on the entire alien army himself? ¡°We¡¯re going to get her back,¡± Valentina panted as she slid down the slope in a mini avalanche. The displaced rocks and clods of dirt bounced down the hill. ¡°I promise you.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the only family I have left,¡± he replied. ¡°I can¡¯t leave her with the aliens¡ª" ¡°Contact!¡± Valentina shouted as she threw herself at him. She hit his side, and they tumbled down the slope in a tangle of arms and legs. A second later, a fiery beam carved a deep channel where he¡¯d been standing. As they rolled to a stop, Warren pushed himself upright. He followed the direction of the beam weapon to see a group of five horned aliens emerging from the forest in front of them. Only the leader carried a beam weapon¡ªthe others grasped wicked looking axes. They completely blocked their path back to the cabin. Valentina swung her weapon around and snapped off a shot. The bullet went wide, and the foliage exploded next to the lead alien. She shook her head and then shouldered the weapon to peer down the iron sight. The next shot slammed into the horned creature¡¯s eye. Blood sprayed into the air as the alien toppled over. A cry of rage went up from the other attackers. Warren stood frozen, unsure if he should call upon his combat deck. Once he used it, it would only be active for 15 minutes. But if he delayed, they may lose any chance of escaping. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to use that thing?¡± Valentina called over to him. She squeezed off another shot, and a female alien with spiked hair went down screaming. When he didn¡¯t reply, she shouted, ¡°Your rifle! Shoot one of those twat waffles!¡± He blinked his eyes, rousing himself from his indecision. Another group of aliens was emerging from the forest to their right. He knew they couldn¡¯t shoot their way out of here. He¡¯d have to use his combat deck. Warren concentrated on his deck until two cards materialized in his vision. At the same time, a shield shimmered to life around him. The text read: Shield Toughness: 1. Turning his attention back to his combat deck, he ignored the card Blade of Deimos and instead selected Nocturne. What they needed right now was a distraction to help them break through the alien lines. A second later, Kassandra appeared from a storm of darkness and landed right in the midst of the aliens. The horned warriors shied away as she rose to her feet. She then shot a glance back at him. ¡°Are you having trouble with aliens again, Warren?¡± ¡°Maybe a little bit,¡± he replied, lifting his rifle. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate a bit of help.¡± Valentina lowered her weapon, making the sign of the cross. ¡°Mary, mother of God, what is going on? Who is she? And what the fuck just happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once we¡¯re safe,¡± Warren said. ¡°I promise there¡¯s a good explanation.¡± As a group, the aliens charged Kassandra. But she moved almost faster than the eye could follow. She ripped the curved blade free from its sheath on her toned thigh and slashed it across the throat of the nearest alien. Dark blood sprayed across her face. She spun around as another Daskian charged at her with a raised axe. Her foot lashed out, catching her attacker square in the face. A terrible crack echoed across the hillside as the creatures¡¯ jaw deformed around her boot¡¯s toe. The alien collapsed to the ground, its face reduced to a bloody pulp. ¡°Holy cow!¡± Kassandra cried out. ¡°I think I know karate!¡± Warren snapped off a shot at one of the Daskians charging at Kassandra from behind. His round hit the alien on the side of the head, and it dropped like every bone had been removed from its body. His next shot went wide. After her shock seemingly wore off, Valentina added her own fire to the battle. She was a surprisingly good shot, and every squeeze of the trigger downed one of the invaders. Soon, the hillside was filled with dead or dying aliens. None of them had even reached them. The remaining Daskians broke and fled, leaving their comrades to their fate. Warren glanced behind them to see the first tattooed warriors from the town cresting the hill. He shouldered his weapon and sprinted over to Kassandra, who stood in the center of a pile of corpses. She might only be considered a poor quality minion card, but she was still incredibly deadly. As he ran, he noted a new notification blinking in the side of his vision. But he didn¡¯t have time to deal with all the combat deck crap now. He stumbled to a stop in front of Kassandra, who was taking in her handiwork with a shocked expression on her face. Kassandra lifted her blood-stained dagger. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know how I did all of this?¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°Not that they didn¡¯t deserve it. I¡­ think it was kinda of like autopilot?¡± She shrugged helplessly, her latex outfit crinkling. Valentina trotted up next to them. She eyed Kassandra before turning to face Warren. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get moving.¡± She stabbed her finger at him. ¡°But then you¡¯re going to explain everything to me. A woman popping out of clouds is crazy. Even more crazy than little green men.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± he replied. ¡°Assuming we make it back in one piece.¡± He looked back to see more Daskian swarming down the hill. Hopefully, they could lose them in the forest. Otherwise, they¡¯d have to find a place to make a stand. Chapter 9 - Deck Improvements Warren peered out through the roots of the fallen tree, watching the last members of the Daskian patrol disappear into the distance. The horned aliens had marched right past their hiding spot without even glancing in their direction. The combination of thick underbrush and a latticework of roots had made them almost invisible. Valentina scrambled over to his side. ¡°You think they¡¯re gone?¡± she whispered. ¡°I thought for sure they¡¯d see us here.¡± ¡°I think it was the landing craft that spotted us before,¡± he replied in a hushed tone. ¡°And I doubt the aliens have much bushcraft. At least not for Earth. It probably never occurred to them there would be a hiding spot under a fallen tree¡¯s roots.¡± She pressed her plump lips together. ¡°Now, are you going to tell me what the fuck happened with that lady before?¡± Warren exhaled as he tried to figure out how to explain everything that had happened to him. He would have preferred Kassandra to be here for it, but she¡¯d returned to the deck a few minutes earlier. He was on his own for this one. ¡°A group of aliens called the Slaviigolaris attacked my dad¡¯s cabin,¡± he said, deciding to start at the beginning. ¡°That¡¯s the place where I ran into you. I stayed behind with Kassandra to hold them off while my sisters and the others tried to escape.¡± He slowed as he felt anger welling up again toward the aliens. ¡°Kassandra¡­ was killed¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Valentina held up her hand to interrupt him. ¡°If she¡¯s dead, then how is she still here? Don¡¯t tell me there are zombies now. I don¡¯t think I could handle that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting to that,¡± he continued. ¡°There was an alien wearing golden armor among the others. My dad was a bit of a gun nut, and he had an old World War 2 anti-tank rifle. It took three rounds, but I managed to put the alien leader down. Once I did, I received notification that I had earned the rank of squire.¡± He held up his wristband and pointed at it. ¡°This thing then harvested Kassandra¡¯s soul and turned her into a card.¡± ¡°This is all too much.¡± Valentina rubbed a hand down her face. ¡°Cards? Squire? What is this, like a video game or something?¡± ¡°Maybe to the aliens, is it?¡± Warren shrugged. ¡°But I was granted a combat deck and a map of all the places where I could improve it.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Valentina stood up and adjusted her backpack. ¡°We¡¯re going to hump it back over the mountain and find my unit. I bet someone at HQ will know what to do with you. Maybe we can use you like a weapon to fight the aliens or something.¡± Warren shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± Valentina furrowed her brow. ¡°Why the fuck would you want to stay in this alien infested hell hole?¡± ¡°I received a prompt that said I¡¯d relinquish control of the area to the invaders if I did. This whole thing doesn¡¯t make much sense to me either.¡± ¡°New plan,¡± Valentina said. ¡°I¡¯m going to head over the mountain tomorrow morning to hand over the info I¡¯ve gathered. I¡¯ll do my best to convince them to send some reinforcements to help you. But that¡¯s all way above my paygrade. No matter what, though, I¡¯m coming back to help you.¡± ¡°I have some plans of my own while you¡¯re gone.¡± She cocked her head to the side, a strand of blonde hair falling over her cute face. ¡°Why don¡¯t I like the sound of that? You¡¯re not going to try to take on the entire alien army alone again, are you? Because that was crazy. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do that again,¡± he replied with a grimace. ¡°But we need a way to infiltrate the town to free my sister. While you¡¯re gone, I¡¯m going to try to find an alien patrol to ambush. Maybe if I¡¯m wearing a suit of their armor, I can slip in undetected. " ¡°I really wish you¡¯d come with me,¡± she replied, her face a mask of concern. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving you behind, doc.¡± ¡°I give you my word I won¡¯t do anything reckless again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± She brushed back her hair with one hand and looked away. ¡°You just seem like a good guy. And I owe you for patching me up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you saved my life back there.¡± He pulled out a bottle of water from his backpack and handed it to Valentina. ¡°Which makes us even.¡± ¡°I know you would have come to your senses.¡± Valentina unscrewed the cap and took a swig of water. ¡°I promise I¡¯m coming back to help you get your sister. And the might of the entire U.S military is going to be at my back.¡± ¡°I think my sister would have liked you if you weren¡¯t army.¡± Valentina raised a dark eyebrow. Warren smiled. ¡°She just finished her Marine Corps recruit training.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s a marine?¡± Valentina grinned. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m saving her ass then.¡± Her smile died, and she crossed her arms. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t really mean that. It¡¯s just reflex with the marine corps.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he replied. ¡°She probably wouldn¡¯t want a grunt helping to save her, anyway.¡± Warren needed to stop talking about his sister, as his worries were multiplying again. He turned around without another word and clambered out of the pit at the base of the tree. He stopped when he reached a thick bush and scanned the forest. There was no sign of the Daskians. He remained wary as he crouched behind cover, his eyes sweeping the forest. He strained to hear anything, but there was nothing except for the usual buzz of insects and the warbling calls of the birds. The last of the aliens must have retreated back to the town. I wonder if they knew I was a squire. While it was possible the aliens had identified him, he doubted they would have given up so easily if they knew they were hunting a squire. Most likely, the leader hadn¡¯t spotted him from such a long distance. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Or maybe the native population of a planet didn¡¯t have any identification? There was still so much he didn¡¯t know. He really wished the combat deck came with an instruction manual. The thought of the deck made him remember the tiny icon flashing on the side of his vision. He glanced over and selected the notification. A second later, a new prompt appeared: The Eternal Emperor congratulates you on reaching Level 2. New Stat Points Awarded:1 New Deck Improvements:1 Warren pulled up his character sheet and confirmed he had reached level 2. Also, he had one point awaiting allocation in his character sheet.
Warren Caddel Squire, Level 2
Faction Terran
Energy 1
Melee Attack 0
Ranged Attack 0
Defense 0
Health 1
Shield 1
Available Stat Points 1
Artifacts None
Combat Deck Energy Required
Nocturne (Poor Quality) 1
Blade of Deimos (Rare Quality) 1
He turned toward Valentina, who was still crouched in the pit beneath the fallen tree¡¯s roots. ¡°The coast is clear. But I need a few minutes to take care of something. Do you mind taking point?¡± ¡°Take care of what?¡± She gave him a look like he was crazy. ¡°It has to do with my combat deck.¡± She nodded her head. ¡°Oh¡­ I get it. Just follow the road, right? Wait, where¡¯s the road?¡± ¡°The road is just over there through the trees.¡± He pointed in a vaguely northwest direction. As they set out, he turned his attention back to his deck. He tried to add points to his energy first, but nothing happened. The points must be limited to his five main stats: Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, Defense, Health, and Shield. Once again, he wished he had a primer on the deck, but for now, he¡¯d just have to muddle through. For the time being, he didn¡¯t want to put any points into Melee Attack. The aliens he¡¯d encountered so far had crazy armor and most likely had artifacts on top of that. The last thing he wanted to do was get in close combat with them. But then he remembered that he¡¯d run out of bullets during the battle. He popped out his magazine to confirm it was empty and not a single bullet remained. Which meant he might have to improve his melee skill in the near future. Unless he could somehow scrounge up one of the alien¡¯s beam weapons at some point. Next, he turned his attention to Defense, Shield, and Health stats. While it would be nice to have a stronger shield, he still wasn¡¯t sure how it worked. Would it prevent melee attacks? Or only ranged attacks? Until he knew better, he decided to focus on Defense and Health. It was a harder decision deciding between the two remaining stats. At first, he was leaning toward Defense, but then he realized his top priority was just staying alive. And Health should help with that. His mind made up, he dumped the single point into Health and waited for something to happen. After a few seconds, nothing major had changed, though he felt somehow stronger than before. However, that could all be in his mind. Valentina glanced over at him. ¡°All done?¡± ¡°Not quite yet.¡± Warren concentrated on his deck and new writing appeared. Combat Deck Improvements Now, this was more interesting. He brought up the Energy option first and noted it simply added another point to his existing pool. Still, it might come in handy being able to summon the Blade of Deimos and Nocturne at the same time. Not that he had any urge to charge a horde of aliens with nothing more than a sword in his hand. The Card option listed under the Combat Deck Improvements was similarly limited. If he selected it, he would gain a random card for his deck. At this point, it might be his best option. He doubted he could win a duel with only two cards. He quickly read through Duration and Summons next. Duration doubled the amount of time his deck was active to 30 minutes, while Summons allowed him to reduce the summoning time by half. If his observations were correct, he could only use his combat deck twice a day. It seemed to have a recharge time of around 12 hours. By choosing the Summon option, he¡¯d be able to use it four times a day. While the Summons upgrade was interesting, the Bodyguard option was by far the most tempting of the choices. It allowed him to choose a minion card that cost 1 energy, and it would then act as his bodyguard while his combat deck wasn¡¯t active. Not only would this option give him some added protection while his deck was on cooldown, but it had the added benefit of allowing Kassandra to escape from her void. He considered his options for a few minutes as they hiked through the forest. Finally, after a few miles had passed, he selected the Bodyguard improvement. While a second card would have significantly increased his power, he could only use his deck twice a day. And Kassandra had proven herself deadly during their encounter with the aliens. Until he could improve his deck further, he needed her at his side. Bodyguard Improvement Selected Please choose one of the following cards to act as your bodyguard: ¡°It¡¯s not like I have many choices,¡± he muttered to himself as he selected Nocturne. A cloud of shadows swirled in the air before Kassandra leapt forth. The dark-haired woman landed in a traditional hero pose, with her hand down and legs spread apart. As Kassandra appeared, Valentina swung around, her weapon held at the ready. The green beret exhaled as she lowered her weapon. ¡°Maybe give a girl a little warning next time?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Warren said sheepishly, holding out his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she was going to appear right away.¡± Next to him, Kassandra straightened up and placed a hand on her shapely hip. ¡°Trouble again?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± he replied. ¡°After our fight with the aliens, I reached level two. I was given a list of deck improvements to choose from, and one of them was a bodyguard perk. As long as the deck isn¡¯t active, you¡¯re going to act as my bodyguard.¡± Kassandra¡¯s face brightened as the information sank in. ¡°Does that mean I don¡¯t have to go back?¡± Warren nodded. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± She stopped and glanced down at her skintight outfit. ¡°But please tell me you found a new outfit for me.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m working on it.¡± Kassandra tried to frown, but her smile won out. ¡°Where are we anyway?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a few miles from my dad¡¯s cabin.¡± ¡°Great,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe we can still catch up with Lisa.¡± His expression darkened at her words. During the battle, he hadn¡¯t had time to explain everything to Kassandra. But before he could speak, Valentina stepped forward with her hand thrust out. ¡°Hi,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Valentina.¡± ¡°I guess I should have introduced you to each other.¡± Warren scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m Kassandra.¡± The dark-haired woman took the soldier¡¯s hand and shook it firmly. ¡°Nice to meet you. Or maybe my name is Nocturne now? That¡¯s why the little title above my head says. Either way, great shooting back there. I used to do target practice with my dad, but I¡¯m nowhere near as good as you.¡± Valentina brightened at her words. ¡°I was one of the best shots in my unit.¡± Kassandra released Valentina¡¯s hand and turned back to face Warren. ¡°What happened to Lisa? Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t read your face. You couldn¡¯t hide anything from me when we were kids and you still can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in on the way back,¡± Warren said as he adjusted his backpack. ¡°While you¡¯ve been in the deck, you¡¯ve missed a lot.¡± Chapter 10 - At a Crossroads The sun hung high in the sky, the relentless rays beating down on the parched ground as they trudged through the forest leading up to the cabin. At the front of their little group, Kassandra ranged ahead to scout for any aliens. She never seemed to tire and possessed almost superhuman hearing and eyesight. Warren still hadn¡¯t figured out Kassandra¡¯s superpowers. While the combat deck was labeled Superhumans, she didn¡¯t have any easily discernible powers. Then again, more than a few comic books featured femme fatale assassin types. Maybe she was just extra fast and deadly. Which would make sense with the way she had dispatched the Daskians. She had cut through them like a scythe through wheat. In the span of a few seconds, she had taken down four of the warriors. If a poor quality minion that cost 1 Energy was so deadly, he worried about what he¡¯d face in the future. After all, the squire he¡¯d spotted in the city had been level 11. Most likely, the horned alien had been expanding his deck for years and would have numerous high-quality minions. If he was going to face the Daskians again soon, he needed to grow stronger. And fast. Valentina wiped a sleeve across her brow. ¡°Is it always this fucking hot here?¡± Kassandra slowed and glanced back. ¡°We¡¯re in a bit of a heat wave... and a drought.¡± ¡°We are?¡± Warren asked. ¡°I knew it was hot, but I didn¡¯t realize we were having a drought.¡± ¡°We sure are,¡± Kassandra replied. ¡°My dad was having to truck in water because his well dried up.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Warren swore softly. Until now, he¡¯d been planning to use the well at his dad¡¯s cabin for their water supply. But if the groundwater was drying up, then there was no telling how long it would last. He would just have to add it to his ever-growing list of problems. The thought of Kassandra¡¯s dad made him pause. ¡°Should we check on Thomas?¡± Kassandra shook her head. ¡°He went down to Florida last week.¡± ¡°In the middle of summer?¡± ¡°In his words, if you¡¯re going to be hot, you might as well do it on a beautiful beach.¡± He could understand Kassandra¡¯s dad¡¯s logic. The weather was one of the main reasons why he¡¯d moved down to Florida himself. After living in the rainy, cold mountains for most of his life, the sunny climate of the south had seemed like paradise. As long as you worked in an air-conditioned building, of course. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t come back home for my dad¡¯s funeral? He knew for a fact he wouldn¡¯t have become a squire. And while a lot of bad things had happened to him here, he was grateful for the chance to hit back against the invaders. But more than anything, he was glad he hadn¡¯t left his sister to face this invasion alone. I¡¯m getting her back, no matter what. The sight of the wood shop¡¯s roof in the distance gave him a surge of relief. He glanced over at Valentina, shocked at how well she¡¯d been holding up. Once they were safely inside, he wanted to check on her wound. She was looking a bit pale, but nothing out of the ordinary¡ªat least not for someone who had been stabbed and then hiked all morning. None of them said anything as they reached the front yard and marched past the ruins of the cabin. Somehow, Kassandra still looked completely fresh. Not a single hair on her head was out of place, and she looked bright and energetic. Even her makeup was perfect. Meanwhile, he felt ready to keel over. At the thought of Kassandra, he veered toward the cabin. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you inside,¡± he called over his shoulder. ¡°I just need to grab something first.¡± Warren stepped through the front door of his old home and tried to ignore the devastation. He stopped just inside the doorway and grabbed the picture of his mom and dad hanging on the wall. He barely remembered his mother¡ªshe¡¯d died a week before his fifth birthday¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want to lose the only picture he had of his parents together. He stopped at the couch next. Thankfully, none of the weapons had hit the furniture. Once he was finished with his task, he¡¯d ask Kassandra to help him move it into the wood shop. He¡¯d need somewhere to sleep tonight with Valentina using the cot. His next stop was his dad¡¯s bedroom. Most of the beam weapons fire had been concentrated on the back of the cabin, with the kitchen and the bedrooms taking the brunt of it. After walking around the scorched remains of the bed, he spotted something gleaming on the floor. When he bent down, he realized it was his dad¡¯s wedding ring. The simple gold band shone in the light as he pocketed it. Finally, he walked into the room he used to share with his sister. It hadn¡¯t been easy sharing a room with a teenage girl. But they¡¯d never had much money, and his dad couldn¡¯t afford a place with three bedrooms. His father had always talked about building an addition to the house, but he¡¯d never gotten around to it. As he and his sister had grown older, he¡¯d started sleeping in the living room to give her some privacy. Warren tried not to dwell on his sister as he raided her dresser to grab some clothing for Kassandra. He opened up the drawers to inspect the clothing she¡¯d left behind after she departed for the marine corps bootcamp. Then he grabbed an armful of shirts, some pants, and finally some shoes from the corner. If Kassandra wanted to borrow some undergarments, she could take them herself. Because he was not going into his sister¡¯s top drawer. With the clothes in hand, he hurried back outside. He slowed at the sight of the Slaviigolaris corpses rotting in the sun. A few adventurous crows were pecking at one of the bodies. But most of them lay untouched where they had fallen. At first, he couldn¡¯t understand why they all hadn¡¯t disappeared when he¡¯d slain their leader. But now he suspected the ones attacking him in the kitchen had been from a combat deck. It was the only thing that made any sense. Meanwhile, the others must have been soldiers attached to their leader. He scanned the bodies and tried to think of a solution to deal with the rotting corpses. If he left them out in the sun much longer, they¡¯d start to cause health problems for them. But he couldn¡¯t exactly burn them¡ªthe last thing he needed was a giant plume of smoke marking their location. However, he couldn¡¯t see any other solutions. He didn¡¯t have any heavy equipment to excavate a pit for the bodies. And it would take the better part of a day to dig it by hand. The only other option was to store them somewhere cold¡ªlike in the morgue at work¡ªbut his father hadn¡¯t owned a walk-in freezer. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I think I¡¯m going to be on gravedigger duty tonight. Maybe one of the girls would have an idea of how to deal with the corpses. For now, they needed to rest and plan their next move. He wanted to obtain an alien set of armor to save his sister as soon as possible. Then he could use it to infiltrate the town. Warren entered the room to see Valentina sitting on the cot while Kassandra was examining the half-completed mailbox. Upon seeing him, Kassandra gave him a brilliant smile. ¡°I always loved Chester¡¯s little creations. You know, my dad had one of his wood carvings hanging in our kitchen. What did it say again?¡± She pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side. ¡°Oh right, it said To Live Without Hope is to Cease to Live. I always loved that saying.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember my dad making anything like that.¡± Warren dropped his bag on the floor and rubbed his shoulder. ¡°Most of the stuff I saw him build was silly.¡± ¡°He made it long after you left,¡± Kassandra said. ¡°My mom was in the hospital at the time, and I think it was his way of saying don¡¯t give up.¡± She paused and her smile faded. ¡°You know, I really liked Chester.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± he said softly. Before he could add to his statement, Valentina stood up and pulled out a flask from her backpack. ¡°Who wants a drink to celebrate?¡± ¡°Celebrate?¡± Warren stared at her like she¡¯d lost her mind. ¡°What do we have to celebrate?¡± ¡°Because we just kicked the alien¡¯s asses!¡± She unscrewed the top and offered the engraved metal flask to him. ¡°You may not know this, but we¡¯ve been getting our butts kicked up and down the seaboard. Hell, my squad couldn¡¯t take down a single one of those whale looking bastards. But we just took out a bunch of the horned ones!¡± ¡°They have my sister,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°I can¡¯t celebrate while she¡¯s their prisoner.¡± ¡°She¡¯s alive,¡± Valentina countered. ¡°A lot of other people can¡¯t say that about their family. Between your deck thingy and the platoon I¡¯m coming back with, we¡¯re going to make the aliens regret taking her. I promise you¡ªwe¡¯re going to get her back soon.¡± Kassandra stepped forward, her high heel boots clicking against the concrete floor. ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡± She took a swig from the flask before grimacing and coughing. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly smooth.¡± She then glanced over at Warren. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about Lisa if I were you. Your sister is so tough that by the time we return to town, the aliens will be begging us to take her back. Assuming she doesn¡¯t escape on her own.¡± She held out the flask to him. At first, he wanted to refuse the alcohol. But then he realized they had defeated the aliens twice now. Something that a highly trained green beret squad apparently hadn¡¯t been able to accomplish. Though he suspected Valentina¡¯s squad had run into a squire who had used a combat deck against them. Still, his sister was alive, and he had the means to get her back. The situation could be far worse. He put the clothes he was carrying aside and then took the flask from Kassandra. He took a sip, and it felt like liquid fire going down his throat. He had to fight down the urge to cough. At his reaction, his friend descended into a fit of laughter and didn¡¯t stop until he shot her a glare. Kassandra turned to Valentina, who was also giggling. ¡°What is that stuff?¡± ¡°Mezcal,¡± the blond-haired woman said with a grin. ¡°It takes a bit of getting used to.¡± Warren took another sip, this time enjoying the smoky flavor. While it wasn¡¯t terrible, he doubted he¡¯d make this his drink of choice once this was all over. A lot of people around here enjoyed moonshine, but he¡¯d always been more of a beer drinker himself. Valentina retrieved the flask from his grip before returning to the cot. She took a dainty sip and sighed with happiness. ¡°My grandpa used to always get in trouble for sneaking this back home. Grandma used to chase him around the yard with a big wooden spoon every time she caught him drinking. But I totally get why he risked it.¡± The young green beret placed the metal flask aside and then shrugged off her jacket. Underneath, she was wearing a tight tank top, which accentuated her impressive curves. She had a completely flat stomach, with just a hint of abs showing through the thin fabric. And the swell of her cleavage was on full display from the plunging neckline of the shirt. Warren found himself momentarily distracted as Valentina leaned back on the cot, her firm breasts straining against the tight shirt. Her baggy uniform had done an amazing job of hiding her impressive figure. He shook his head, realizing that a pleasant warmth was spreading from his stomach. Normally, he¡¯d never stare at a woman he barely knew. But he hadn¡¯t had much to eat over the past two days, and the liquor had gone straight to his head. Just as he was about to avert his eyes, Valentina caught him looking and raised her brow. But she seemed more amused than annoyed. Damn it, he thought to himself. I¡¯m a doctor. This is completely unprofessional behaviour with a woman I¡¯m treating. He cleared his throat and walked over to his bag. From inside, he grabbed one of the colas. Maybe a bit of caffeine would help to clear his mind. He opened the can with a hiss and then chugged half of the sweet liquid without stopping. As he lowered the can, he realized that Kassandra was looking at him with a strange expression on her face. Had she caught him looking, too? Warren needed to change the subject. He walked over and grabbed the first aid kit. Maybe if he mentally switched to doctor mode, he¡¯d stop acting like an idiot. With the kit in hand, he marched over to the cot. ¡°I¡¯d like to check on your wound.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, doc,¡± Valentina replied. Warren sat down next to her and then lifted his head to speak to both of them. ¡°I¡¯d like your opinions on the best way to get some suits of armor for us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Valentina said. ¡°Why not upgrade your deck more first? You gained a level after the fight near the town, right?¡± He nodded as he lifted Valentina¡¯s shirt to reveal the bandage. He then gently pulled the tape off one side of the gauze. ¡°My main priority is getting my sister back. I can¡¯t waste time on anything else while the aliens have her in captivity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with her,¡± Kassandra said. ¡°If you can find a way to grow stronger, I¡¯d do that. At least you¡¯d be safer when you go after the aliens.¡± She paused before continuing. ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡± ¡°What if something happens to my sister in the meantime?¡± He examined the wound, relieved to see there was no sign of infection yet. But just to be safe, he put on a pair of gloves and then applied a generous amount of antibiotic cream. He really wished he had some access to proper antibiotics, though. Valentina flinched slightly from his touch but didn¡¯t make a sound. Once he was finished, she continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any sign of people getting killed in town. And you said you can¡¯t leave this area, right? I bet that means the aliens can¡¯t leave either. They¡¯re probably going to use their captives as forced labour or bargaining chips. I know I¡¯m just a lowly corporal, but if you can get an advantage before a fight, you take it.¡± Warren gritted his teeth as he mulled over the woman¡¯s words. His first instinct was to rush back to town, capture a few suits of armor, and then save his sister. But he keenly remembered the enemy squire, who was level 11. If he ran into him again, he¡¯d almost certainly lose a fight. ¡°I¡¯ll decide what to do later,¡± he said. ¡°First, we need to find a way to get rid of the alien bodies out there. And then we need to take stock of our supplies.¡± He pointed at the pile of clothing he¡¯d left on a table near the entrance. ¡°I grabbed some of my sister¡¯s stuff for you to wear, Kassandra. I don¡¯t know what will fit, but there¡¯s more in the house.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a life saver!¡± Kassandra exclaimed. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be stuck looking like a fetish model forever.¡± She hurried over and grabbed the clothing before looking around the room. ¡°Where should I change?¡± Warren gestured at the washroom. ¡°It¡¯s clean enough in there if you want to use it.¡± Once Kassandra had locked herself in the washroom, Valentina turned to look back at him. ¡°Anything else you want to check out, doc?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re good for now.¡± He placed a few new pieces of tape on the gauze. He would have to remember to change the dressing sometime later today. With their limited medical supplies, he didn¡¯t want to waste them. ¡°For now, just try to get some rest.¡± As he stood up from the cot, the metal frame squeaked in protest at his movement. He walked over to the window and gazed outside. He knew he should get some rest himself. But his sister was out there, and he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the terrible things the aliens could be doing to her. They¡¯re right, he thought to himself. I need to grow strong enough to defeat the Daskian squire. He decided after lunch he was going to set out to find the dungeon he¡¯d seen on his map. But the second he reached level 11, he was going to free his sister. Chapter 11 - Zarya Zarya stalked down the corridor of the building they¡¯d confiscated from the Terrans, her eyes taking in every detail. The walls were plastered with documents printed on some kind of parchment, extolling the latest developments and gatherings. She was most impressed by the ones showing completed construction projects. The Terrans had some truly wonderful architecture. She stopped in front of a door, with the words ¡®Mayor¡¯s Office¡¯ painted on the glass. According to the captives, this had been a government building before the invasion. However, she wasn¡¯t sure if she believed them. Her unit had personally captured this building, but when she confronted the leader of this settlement, he had dropped to their knees like a mewling savire cat and begged for mercy. What leader wouldn¡¯t fight to the death to protect his people? Had the Terrans somehow tricked her and the real leader had fled to the hills? She would know soon enough, when the torture of the man who called himself mayor was completed. But not all Terrans were as cowardly as that soft man. She¡¯d encountered a group earlier fleeing the settlement in a land vehicle. One of their number had even managed to kill a member of her retinue. The loss of a bodyguard still stung. In hindsight, she should have allowed her retinue to open fire on the vehicle. But she found it distasteful to kill children and the elderly. There was no honor in that. Zarya breathed in deeply, preparing herself for what waited on the far side of the door. She then raised her hand and rapped on the glass. It was never a pleasant experience to be in the presence of Alatu¡ªespecially after a notable failure. ¡°Enter,¡± a deep voice rumbled from inside. She pushed on the door before remembering she needed to twist the metallic knob. The Terrans were shockingly advanced in some ways¡ªeven managing to inflict losses on the Daskian landing vessels¡ªwhile in other ways they were strangely primitive. Why would a technologically advanced race still use manual doors? Turning the knob, she stepped into the room. Inside, Alatu sat at an imposing wooden desk. A craftsman of impressive skill had carved indigenous plants into the legs and sides of the wood. Her gaze rose to meet Alatu¡¯s dark eyes. His gaze was harder than usual, a slight crease on his forehead beneath his horns, the only sign of his simmering fury. As usual, grisly trophies hung from the points of his horns, showing off his many victories. He was clad in thick black armor, with runes imprinted on the surface to deflect any attack. As he watched her from behind the desk, the wrinkle in his forehead deepened. ¡°Is there any word from the war bands?¡± She held up her fingers in the gesture in an apologetic gesture. ¡°No, my liege. The warbands have scoured the forest, but have found no trace of the Terrans spotted by the landing vessels.¡± Alatu leaned forward, his hands forming the symbol for annoyance. ¡°I want their heads mounted on my wall before nightfall. Should their heads not grace my desk, then I shall take the heads of those who failed me.¡± ¡°My liege,¡± she continued, trying to keep her growing worry from her voice. ¡°Why do you care so much about these Terrans? We have more than enough slaves to construct a mighty fortress here.¡± Alatu rose to his feet, his massive frame looming over her. ¡°There is no need to fear for your life,¡± he said, his voice like two boulders rubbing together. ¡°I have made my intentions clear to your family to mate with you.¡± She fought down a shudder at Alatu¡¯s words. The man had no honor, and his family had only risen to prominence through treachery and deceit. While they may be powerful, she would not breed with such a dishonorable Daskian. ¡°I am humbled by your interest in me,¡± she lied. ¡°However, I do wonder why you are so concerned with the Terrans. A war band captured those who fired their primitive weapons at me earlier.¡± ¡°Not so primitive,¡± Alatu mused, running his claws along the surface of the desk. ¡°This is the first invasion in over a millennium where the natives of a planet managed to fight off an incursion with no combat decks. Their level of technology is concerning.¡± ¡°Surely they are no match for us,¡± she said fiercely. ¡°I will defeat any who stand against me in honorable combat.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Alatu said. ¡°Yet they possess war craft capable of soaring through the skies. And atomic weapons have obliterated several mother ships.¡± ¡°They dare to use forbidden weapons?¡± she gasped, making the symbol of shock with her hands. ¡°The Eternal Emperor will not stand for such blasphemy.¡± ¡°The Terran faction has been warned of the consequences if they use them again,¡± he continued. ¡°However, they are the first threat our faction has faced in many generations. My family spent the bulk of its treasure to send me here. I will not allow the Terrans to stand in the way of expanding our duchy. As you know, the resources here are critical to my family¡¯s continued prosperity.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Zarya frowned. ¡°What does any of this have to do with the Terrans? They are weak and soft. Surely, the ones who escaped earlier shall be slain by beasts or the other factions competing for this area. I believe they are headed in the direction of the Slaviigolaris. Those blind worms will most likely slay them without mercy.¡± Alatu steepled his fingers, indicating concern. ¡°Those disgusting earth crawlers are no more. I believe one of the Terrans eliminated their squire and obtained its rank.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°A native squire has never risen this early in an invasion before. It¡¯s unheard of for such a thing to happen within the first few days.¡± ¡°Regardless, the reports from the skirmish in the hills all but confirm the presence of a Terran squire. If they are not found and eliminated soon, the Holy System will grant them immeasurable power.¡± Zarya fought down her disappointment at learning of the squire being defeated by one of the Terrans. While exceedingly rare, someone without a combat deck like herself could be granted one by the Holy System after slaying a squire. While the odds of such a thing happening were astronomically low, apparently the system had smiled on a Terran. Which meant this was the most dangerous location on the planet. The Holy System showed immense favoritism to the native population of a planet during integration. Not only were they impossible to detect for the first 60 days, but if a Terran possessed a combat deck, their power would grow incredibly fast. She made the symbol of servitude and bowed her head. ¡°What may I do to help, my liege?¡± Alatu strode over and touched the top of her horns. ¡°I command you to find this Terran and slay him in any way possible. However, you shall not engage him in honorable combat. Take a squad of firecallers with you and burn him to ash. Once you have removed his skull, bring it to me to prove you are worthy to be my mate.¡± She had to fight down the urge to shudder at the mention of being Alatu¡¯s mate again. To think she would lie with him after he¡¯d commanded her to abandon her honor nearly made her sick. Zarya would find and kill this Terran, but not for Alatu. She would do it for the chance to earn her own combat deck. And once she had it, she could lift her family out of poverty and found her own house in the Daskian Empire. She lifted her head to gaze into Alatu¡¯s eyes. ¡°As you wish, my liege. I shall present the Terrans¡¯ head to you before the next rise of the blood moon.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Alatu walked back to the desk. As he settled down, the chair creaked alarmingly under his massive frame. ¡°Do not disappoint me, Zarya. Should you fail, I will turn you into my pleasure slave. I imagine your family would be most disappointed if that happened.¡± Stiffening at his words, she spun around and marched out of the room. She slammed the door behind her, briefly losing control of her emotions. In the hallway beyond, she sucked in a deep breath. The threat of him enslaving her was beyond inappropriate. After a second to collect herself, she hurried down the hallway to the exit. She pushed open the double doors and walked outside into the humid air. The overly bright sun hung suspended in the sky directly above. This place was nothing like her home planet, Daskia. It was too bright, too hot, and far too humid. She found herself longing for the endless tundra back home. What she wouldn¡¯t give to stand under the red sun again, gazing up into the dark skies. Zarya shook her head. This was no time to get homesick. She had come here to defeat the Terrans and to make a name for herself. Once she¡¯d gained power and wealth, she could return and lift her family up once more. She set off toward a building at the edge of town. Her retinue had turned a merchant¡¯s store into their barracks. While her family could only afford a retinue of five to guard her, Alatu had given her permission to recruit other soldiers. As she walked down the deserted street, she peered into the many broken windows of the merchants. The Terrans certainly had an interesting culture, and she was taken with all the items for sale in the shops. Once the Daskians seized control of this area from the other factions, these items would sell for a premium on the galactic market. A piece of litter fluttered down the street before catching against her leg. She glanced down to see a piece of paper with a drawing on its surface. It depicted a larger Terran holding hands with a smaller one. She suspected from the crude lines and colors that it was the work of a child. Another gust of wind ripped the paper free, and it continued its path down the street. She watched the drawing disappear, vaguely unsettled at all the children being held in the sports facility. Strangely, the ice rink, as the Terrans called it, was the only familiar thing here. They had many of the same structures back home on her planet. With a shake of her head, she continued on until she reached the barracks. At the door, a soldier stood at attention, gripping a firecaller in his hands. He held up his fingers in the sign for greeting. Zarya returned the gesture and walked through the door. Inside, dozens of beds had been laid out in the hall. The soldiers not on duty guarding or patrolling the town were spread out across the room. Some were gaming, while others drank the fermented milk of kosifar beasts. She spotted a familiar face on the far side of the room and walked over to Kratala. Her friend was nearly as tall as her, with feminine horns curved back over her head. The woman stood nearly a head shorter than her, and her loin cloth and tattoos marked her as the lower class. ¡°Kratala,¡± Zarya said. ¡°It is good to see you. Would you like to accompany me on a mission?¡± ¡°I would be overjoyed to have a chance to earn my armor.¡± ¡°You will have a chance if you come with me,¡± Zarya said. ¡°Gather up twenty firecallers and meet me at the edge of town. We are seeking a Terran in the area claimed by the Slaviigolaris.¡± Kratala smiled, her white teeth in stark contrast to her purple skin. ¡°I look forward to battling those earth crawlers.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you will not have battle with them today,¡± she said. ¡°A Terran squire has arisen and defeated them.¡± ¡°Then I will help you to defeat the Terran,¡± Kratala said fiercely. ¡°I will meet you shortly with the bravest warriors I can find.¡± Zarya raised her hands and gave the gesture of gratitude. She then turned and headed toward the exit. Her friend Kratala was a dependable leader who wouldn¡¯t do anything foolhardy, but who also had a strong sense of honour. She deserved to wear the armor more than most. Once she left the building, she set out toward her own quarters. She would gather her retinue and then hunt the Terran squire. If she was correct, all she had to do was lay in wait near the dungeon, and the Terran would walk right into her trap. Chapter 12 - Dungeon Diving Warren swiped the air to bring up the map his combat deck had provided and inspected the surrounding area. He¡¯d set out from his father¡¯s property to find the dungeon shortly after Kassandra had changed into more comfortable clothing. While Valentina had protested, he¡¯d refused to bring her along to a fight that could prove deadly without a combat deck. While he had a shield to protect himself, and Kassandra had her almost supernatural reflexes, Valentina only had her special forces training. And she was currently slowed downed by the wound on her back. Finally, he¡¯d won the argument by using his best doctor''s voice and stating she needed to rest, or she¡¯d never heal. But her heart hadn¡¯t seemed in the argument. She looked completely exhausted after their battle with the Daskians and the long hike back to the cabin. With the map hanging in his vision, his gaze flicked over toward the symbol for Torovox the Destroyer. As long as the boss didn¡¯t veer toward his dad¡¯s old place¡ªor another group of aliens didn¡¯t stumble across the cabin¡ªthen Valentina should be safe. Warren glanced up from the map and studied the valley. Trees covered the hills as far as the eye could see, a verdant blanket without a single break in the canopy. The dungeon could be anywhere out here in the wilds. He traced a finger through the air and compared it to the map. If he was reading it right, they should almost be on top of the Dungeon of Terran Life. In the description, it said it had a level range of 1-5, which should make it perfect for him. Kassandra sauntered up beside him and raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She then placed her other hand on her shapely hip as she looked out across the valley. ¡°Where is this stupid place?¡± He glanced over before quickly averting his gaze. He thought it would be easier being around Kassandra while she was wearing Lisa¡¯s old clothing. But she had a much different body than his sister. What should be a comfy shirt on her was almost skin-tight and bared her flat stomach. And the jean shorts rode up distractingly high on her round ass. He couldn¡¯t believe how beautiful she¡¯d become since he¡¯d left. I wonder if she remembers asking me out. When she¡¯d first been reincarnated as a card¡ªor whatever had happened when the combat deck had harvested her soul¡ªshe¡¯d only had fragmented memories of her last moments. Had any more of her memories returned? ¡°Did you remember anything more about the fight with the evil worms?¡± He¡¯d tried calling them Slaviigolaris a few times, but it was too much of a tongue twister. They¡¯d just settled on calling them evil worms. ¡°I remember most of it,¡± she replied, slowly. As she spoke, a strange look came over her face. ¡°It¡¯s good that some of your memory is coming back,¡± he replied, almost immediately regretting his words. Was it really good to remember your own death? She set off down the hill without looking back at him. ¡°We should keep moving.¡± Warren nodded and followed Kassandra down the steep incline. She probably didn¡¯t remember planning their date. But if she did, she clearly didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Plus, in their current situation, he had a feeling neither of them had any time for romantic feelings. He held up a hand to stop her after travelling about a quarter of a mile. If the map was correct, then they were standing right on top of the dungeon. But aside from some pine trees and a pile of nearby boulders, there was nothing here. ¡°Is there something wrong with my map?¡± he mused to himself. As he held the map open, he paced around the forest. But he didn¡¯t see anything even remotely resembling a dungeon. Or even an entrance to a dungeon. ¡°Over here!¡± Kassandra called out excitedly. She raced down the steep hillside, her feet sliding in the loose dirt. She skidded to a stop by a depression in the ground and waved excitedly at him. Warren hurried after her, holding onto branches to keep himself from losing his balance on the slope. He nearly stumbled once, only grabbing a hold of a sapling at the last moment. As he struggled to keep his balance, he recalled these trails being far easier to travel when he was younger. He slowly descended the hill until he was standing next to Kassandra. From his new vantage point, he could finally see what had made her so excited¡ªan ancient door lay hidden in an overgrown pit. ¡°Where did this come from?¡± He walked up to the entrance to examine it. There were all kinds of old mines dotted around the hills. But this didn¡¯t look like anything he¡¯d seen in the past. Had the aliens created this door? The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I have absolutely no idea.¡± Kassandra¡¯s hand dropped to the dagger sheathed on her thigh. ¡°Should we go inside?¡± There were no markings to be found, so he realized the mystery of the door¡¯s origin wouldn¡¯t be solved any time soon. He instinctively reached for his rifle, but then remembered he¡¯d left it back at the cabin. After his fight with the Daskians, he¡¯d run out of ammunition for his AR-15. And since his father¡¯s store of bullets had been destroyed, he had no way to reload it. For now, at least, he¡¯d have to rely on his combat deck alone. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had no idea what lay behind this heavy steel door. But whatever it was, he had a feeling it wasn¡¯t going to be an easy fight. Warren prepared to activate his combat deck in case the dungeon started immediately. As he did, he reached forward and grasped the door handle. ¡°Ready when you are, Nocturne.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a cool name?¡± Kassandra gushed. ¡°You know, I always loved those ninja movies with women in them. I¡­loved how badass they were.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have anything on you,¡± he replied with a grin. ¡°I¡¯d take you over any of them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she glanced over at him. ¡°Are you being honest?¡± He nodded. ¡°Once we¡¯re inside, I¡¯m going to have to rely on you. I don¡¯t have a gun, and my only other card is a sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°After all, you still owe me a dinner.¡± Warren raised his brow in surprise at her words. Before he could figure out how to reply, she took the handle from him and swung the door open. The hinges rotated easily, belying the ancient look of the door. From inside, the tortured cries of animals echoed down a long brick corridor. A series of lights had been bolted to the roof, the cords old and corroded. This had definitely been built by humans¡ªthere was no way the aliens would replicate this sort of crappy electrical work. He started to step inside, but Kassandra held out a hand to stop him. She drew her dagger, the blade hissing out of the scabbard. As she did, she fell into a fighting position and crept forward. She continued down the tunnel, her weapon held out in front of her. He waited a minute before following her inside. He briefly considered calling on his combat deck. But it only lasted for 15 minutes, and he didn¡¯t want to risk it expiring before they reached the first challenge. Instead, he followed after Kassandra at a slow pace. Now that his old friend was wearing running shoes, she moved like an assassin. Meanwhile, he felt like a moose crashing through a store. Every step he made thudded loudly against the brick floor. To make matters worse, he accidentally kicked an old metal pipe, sending it clanging down the narrow corridor. Kassandra glanced back at him and rolled her eyes. He had to assume Kassandra had gained her stealth abilities from being transformed into a card. Because the girl he remembered was a complete klutz. She¡¯d tripped over her own feet more often than anyone he¡¯d ever know. The tunnel ended abruptly after fifty yards and opened up into a vast, domed room. The ceiling and walls were covered with thick flowering vines, while the floor had roots burrowing their way into the concrete. At the center of the room stood a gnarled, dead tree. He stopped at the entrance as he wondered how to activate the dungeon. Did he have to do something? Or would the encounters just start on their own? For all he knew, there were patrolling monsters headed their way right now. ¡°I¡¯m going to use my deck,¡± he whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but the Blade of Deimos could be the difference between victory and defeat.¡± Kassandra pressed her plump lips together. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to keep me as your bodyguard a little longer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he replied. ¡°This room might require a combat deck to activate. Plus, I¡¯d like to start charging my energy.¡± She chewed on her lower lip. ¡°I hate going back in there.¡± He frowned at her words. ¡°What do you mean? Does it hurt you?¡± She shook her head, a few strands of blond hair falling over her face. ¡°I don¡¯t like leaving you alone,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ worried something will happen to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he replied, in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. ¡°If all goes according to plan, you¡¯ll only be gone for a few seconds.¡± Kassandra crossed her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything without me.¡± He nodded as he selected the combat deck. As he¡¯d come to expect, Kassandra disappeared into shards of light. Then two cards appeared to the right of his vision: Nocturne and The Blade of Deimos. The second he finished calling upon his combat deck, the dungeon sprang to life. The roots covering the walls twisted and coiled together, while the flowers folded their petals and disappeared. A great creaking sound emerged from the dead tree at the center of the room. As he watched, the tree pulled its roots free from the floors, and the branches swung around like limbs. At the center of the trunk, two holes cracked open to reveal glowing red eyes. They were quickly joined by a jagged mouth, nearly splitting the middle of the trunk in half. A name plate appeared above the tree with the following writing on it: Wizened Milbark Level 1 I guess I¡¯m fighting a treant, he thought to himself. A few days ago, the thought of fighting a sentient tree would have seemed insane to him. But after an alien invasion and his friend being turned into a card, a tree barely registered on the weird scale. Wyatt selected his ¡®Nocturne¡¯ card, and Kassandra emerged from a cloud of darkness. She landed lithely on the floor and rolled forward before springing to her feet. She then ripped her dagger free of its sheath. As he summoned his card, a mirror storm appeared in front of Wizened Milbark. The creature that emerged from the darkness almost resembled a predatory flower. It stood nearly as tall as a man, and at the center of its petals was a mouth filled with rows of shark-like teeth. The creature lurched forward in an unsteady gait on its roots. A flurry of barbed appendages emerged from the stem, waving in the air. The tree has a combat deck, too? He watched as the sphere representing his Energy drained until it was completely empty. It would take a while before he could summon his sword. For now, the only thing he¡¯d have to defend himself with was a knife he¡¯d retrieved from the cabin. Hopefully, it would be enough.