Author's Preface
The next morning, Eve’s team arrived at the checkpoint. Eve glanced back at them. “Everyone ready?” They all nodded. One of the Association awakeners nearby looked over at her. “Pushing deeper today?”
“That’s the plan,” Eve replied. “Be careful,” the man said. “One of the chopper pilots spotted a few larger monsters to the east.”
Darrien let out a quiet chuckle. “Hrm… bosses right where we’re heading."
Samantha grunted. “So much for a lax day.” Cynthia stepped in, her usual upbeat tone cutting through the mood. “We got this, y’all.”
Chris gave a small nod, and Blue did the same. Without another word, the team moved out, following the path they had cleared the day before, heading east. As the team moved through the streets, it was oddly quiet. Even as they pushed deeper into the territory the Rift Crawlers occupied, there was less movement than before. Then they heard it. A loud, high-pitched scrape like something dragging across metal.
Blue and Darrien didn’t hesitate. They both dashed forward, stopping just before the corner. Darrien leaned slightly, peeking around. “… Damn. That’s a big one.” He glanced over at Blue. “Looks like he ate all his Wheaties as a kid.” Blue let out a quiet chuckle. They pulled back and returned to the group. “It’s a big one,” Blue said. “And I didn’t provoke it. Happy?” Chris turned toward him. “Blue. Seriously, man.”
Eve let out a quiet sigh. “Alright. We’ve dealt with this before. Bigger means slower. Stick to the usual flow.” She looked toward Cynthia. “Can you manage with what’s around?” Cynthia nodded immediately. “Yeah, there’s plenty of scrap. I’ll have it ready.”
The team turned the corner. Chris moved first, immediately separating himself from the group as he drew the boss monster’s attention. The next ten seconds moved fast. Blue and Darrien dashed in and out, striking at the creature’s hardened carapace. Their attacks weren’t meant to end it right away. They were testing its reactions, its range, and how quickly it adjusted under pressure. Blue stepped in once more and released a clean slash of sword energy, cutting one of the monster’s claws clean off.
“Nice,” Darrien said, as he threw his aether daggers toward its eyes. The remaining claw snapped up, blocking the attack. A second later, the boss let out a piercing screech. Chris’s taunt had run its course. The three of them pulled out of range immediately. Eve’s vines surged forward, taking their place, while Nomi darted in, her energy wrapping around the creature and slowing its movement. The boss reacted quickly. It drove its remaining claw into the ground and tore up chunks of the street, hurling them toward the team. Cynthia was already ready. A wall of concrete rose in front of them, stopping the debris before it could reach anyone. The moment the creature pushed through its own movement, it lunged straight for Chris. This time it didn’t get far. Ice formed beneath its feet, locking it in place. Above it, several ice lances hung suspended in the air. With a flick of Samantha’s wrist, they drove down into the creature’s back. Green blood splattered across the street. Chris steadied himself, keeping his eyes on the timing. “Ten seconds,” he said. “I’ll have taunt back. Get ready.”
They weren’t fighting just to destroy the boss. They were using it. Every movement, every opening, every rotation through the formation was deliberate. This wasn’t desperation. It was practice. The boss had become a target for them to refine timing, positioning, and coordination for the ranker competition. Chris stepped forward again as his taunt returned. The creature locked onto him once more. At the same time, Cynthia moved. Flux gathered around her arms as she pulled from everything nearby, scrap metal from cars, broken light poles, and pieces of buildings. It all shifted at once, dragging into place along both sides of the street before welding together under her control. In seconds, four thick chains shot forward and wrapped around each of the creature’s legs. She tightened them hard. The boss crashed to the pavement. Eve’s vines followed immediately, wrapping around its neck and pinning it in place. Blue and Darrien moved in together, taking the opportunity to cut through what remained of its legs while it was restrained. The creature screamed. “Shut up already,” Samantha snapped. A massive axe of fire formed above her and came down in one clean swing. The Rift Crawler’s head separated from its body. It was over.
They pushed deeper after that, not realizing how far they had gone. The rest of the day passed with only a few skirmishes and nothing that slowed them down for long. By the time the sun began to set, they finally stopped and looked around. They were far out. Too far to make the trip back before night. After a brief discussion, they decided to camp where they were. Darrien found a building that was still stable, with enough space on the roof to hold everyone. Chris set his pack down and pulled out a small metal box. He pressed a button along the side. The structure unfolded instantly, expanding into a large tent.
While the team got settled, Blue walked over to Cynthia. “So… how does your power work exactly?” he asked. “Because it’s pretty badass.” Cynthia smiled slightly. “Well, the machines on Veltrax explained it like this,” she said. “My power forces its will onto the objects around me. Then I use my mind to construct what I want, so as long as it’s compatible with the material I’m working with and i know how to make what I want work, then voila!” She lifted a hand. Metal shifted around them, pulling together as it formed into four turret structures at each corner of the roof. “If I tried to make these out of wood,” she continued, “Or if I hadn't studied and learned how turrets work. They wouldn't work." She reached down and picked up two boxes of ammunition that had been constructed then handed them to Blue. “Thats why thise machines revere intelligence over strength, my power is useless if i don't understand what im trying to do. Here. Load those into the turrets over there, please.”
Everyone had started to wind down. They sat around, eating and talking through different strategies they could start using now that Blue was with them. Eve’s radio crackled. “Attention all teams. We have a team missing on the northeast side of Dublin. All teams in the area are requested to respond and assist in the search. Choppers are in the air with spotlights. Keep radio communications clear until further orders are given.” The tent went quiet. The team looked at each other. Samantha, already settled into her sleeping bag, glanced up at Eve. “…We’re close, aren’t we?”
Eve nodded once. “Yuup.” She didn’t hesitate. “…Everyone pack up.”
The team had packed up their gear and were heading toward the area where choppers circled overhead. As they moved through the streets, something felt off. It was too quiet. Too empty. There was no sign of the missing team anywhere. Then Chris slowed slightly, his eyes narrowing. In the distance he watched a car fly through the air. It spun once before slamming into one of the helicopters above. It smashed into the tail rotor which caused the helicopter to spin uncontrollably. Chris watched as the helicopter spun and seconds later it crashed into a ball of fire.