Chapter 50: The First March

For the next hour or two, I tried.

I sat with Sol first, talking him through the rhythm of breath and focus. "Close your eyes. Match your breathing to mine. Clear your thoughts, listen for what's underneath." He followed my voice and tried his best to stay still, but his eyes kept twitching behind his lids. His body stayed too tense, shoulders hunched like he expected a fight instead of peace.

Liz was no different. She kept glancing around, nerves tight as a drum. Her breathing was shallow, and her concentration was all over the place.

"It's not a spell," I reminded them. "It's awareness. You can't force it. You have to let go."

But neither of them could reach that threshold. Whatever switch flipped in me when I used the Meditation book, it wasn't flipping for them. Not yet.

Viktor wandered by, watching for a few minutes before he finally said, "Maybe you're not high enough level to teach it. Or maybe you don't have the right class for training others yet."

I gave him a look, but he wasn't wrong. I didn't have a teaching class, and the System didn't say anything about sharing. I clicked my tongue, standing and dusting off my pants.

"Fine. We'll put a pin in it for now."

He patted Sol's shoulder and walked off to join some of the others. Around the store, people were doing their own thing: stretching, sparring, patching gear, or lounging on sleeping bags.

I needed a break, not from the people, but from the noise in my head.

I started moving, weaving past crates and unplugged monitors until I reached the back office. The door creaked open with a push.

Nicole was inside, seated at a dusty desk with a map of the mall spread in front of her, lines sketched in pencil showing exits, stores, and supply points. She didn't look up when I entered.

"Expecting trouble?" I asked.

"Preparing for it," she said.

I walked over, arms folded. "I've made a decision."

She looked up. "Alright."

"I'm heading to the first floor. We need levels, gear, and experience. I want the Alpha team with me to scout and start grinding. We should aim to hit at least level seven or eight before tomorrow."

Nicole leaned back slightly. "That's aggressive."

I shrugged. "Strength is survival. Sitting around isn't going to help us."

Nicole tapped the map with the butt of her pen. "What about Marco? His daughter's still out there. And… do we tell him about the Chosen? About the Beginner's Store?"

Marco was a father—desperate, grieving, and still searching. We hadn't told him everything about the group we took down in the electronics wing. The Chosen, as they called themselves. If his daughter was among them… he had a right to know.

"I'll have someone bring Marco over," I said. "He can check the bodies, see for himself. No need to give him false hope."

Nicole gave a slow nod. "I'll make sure it's handled carefully."

"I don't care what we tell him," I said finally. "As long as no one does anything reckless. This group stays safe. That's the priority."

Nicole watched me for a beat, eyes unreadable, then nodded.

"And the store?" she asked, nodding toward the hallway.

"Our new base. We've got food, weapons, beds, and a damn vending machine that sells skill books. We keep it."

"Agreed."

"I want one team either Bravo, Charlie, or Delta to stay behind and hold the store. We should rotate shifts when needed so everyone can level up. Everyone else should head out to loot and grind. Hit the halls and sweep rooms. I want at least one person from each team at level five by the end of the night."

Nicole smirked. "Spoken like a proper raid leader."

I ignored the jab. "We don't know what kind of threat the boss will be. Better to overprepare than die guessing."

She folded the map carefully, then stood. "I'll inform the others. You want to break the news to Marco?"

I thought for a moment, then shook my head. "Let Logan do it. He's better with people like that."

Nicole nodded and left the room, leaving me alone with the faint sounds of the camp picking up again sparring grunts, laughter, footfalls, and the scrape of metal on the tile floor.

I left and found Alpha team resting near the broken monitors, a corner we'd unofficially claimed as ours, I guess, since they weren't interacting with anyone else. Liam stood with his arms crossed, Amber leaned back against the wall fiddling with her blade, and Sol had already started sorting his gear.

"Pack up," I said. "We're heading to the first floor. We're heading to the first floor. The goal is to hit level five and search for the missing women."

Liam looked up and stared at me for a moment silently trying to read me. Then he gave a single nod and bent down to tighten his boots.

I turned to grab my pack when I heard light footsteps behind me. Karen.

She stepped forward, clutching the straps of her bag. "Can I come?"

Sol immediately groaned. "Seriously? You'll just slow us down."

"Weren't you a burden too?" Liam cut in without even looking up, his tone flat. That got a surprised laugh out of Amber.

I sighed and shook my head.

"No one is a burden," Amber said lightly. "But it's not our call. It's Jasmine's."

All eyes turned to me. I looked at Karen. She stood straight but I could see her hands trembling.

"No," I said simply. "You wouldn't be helpful out there. It's going to be dangerous."

Karen's face tightened. "What if we find my sister? How will you know it's her?"

The group fell silent. We all knew what that meant. If the goblins had her sister… she wouldn't be in good shape.

I met Karen's eyes. "Are you sure?" I asked, voice lower. "Because if she's alive… she might not be who you remember. And if she's not—"

"I'm going," Karen said, cutting me off. "I'm going, with or without your permission. I won't be a burden. You don't have to protect me."

There was no hesitation in her voice this time. No fear. Just something hardened, like a past, she hadn't spoken of yet.

I nodded. "Then you're coming."

Liam shook his head and muttered under his breath. "Unbelievable."

"Liam," I said before he could say more. "Walk with me."

We stepped off to the side, behind a stack of overturned shelves. He didn't even get a word out before I held up my hand.

"I know what you're going to say," I told him. "That she's fragile, that she's not ready, that she'll get someone killed."

He didn't deny it.

"But she needs to see what's out there. If she breaks, then fine. But she'll learn," I continued. "This world isn't waiting for anyone to catch up."

"That's cold," Liam said, eyes narrowed. "You're cruel sometimes."

"Maybe," I said with a shrug. "But the world changed, and it's not getting any kinder. Either we change with it… or die trying."

Liam stared at me for a long moment, then exhaled through his nose and walked off to join the others.

I looked out at my team. Amber was adjusting her belt, Sol was double-checking his gear, and Karen was tying her boots with tight, fast motions.

Alpha team was ready. One way or another.

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We have officially reached 50 chapters. No probably cares but I'm excited. Currently at Dreamcon this weekend but I will try to get a some chapters out this weekend but mostly likely next one on Tuesday.