Fear

As Darren left the classroom, EDS's words immediately put him on edge: a breach had opened downtown, and Kaycee was there alone. He needed to hurry—nothing else mattered but getting to her.

The lights flickered, and the world around him seemed to fade as his body surged with electrical energy. In a flash, he bolted forward, dissolving into pure lightning. The doors disintegrated as he shot through them without pausing.

Outside, he halted briefly to orient himself, then bolted again, racing straight toward downtown.

"EDS, tell me I'm not too late!" he shouted, but the system remained silent.

Within moments, Darren reached downtown. The streets were eerily deserted, the only sound drifting from the east. He bolted toward it, but lost control and crashed into the side of a bakery.

"Ow, what the hell was that?" he muttered, picking himself up. Glancing around, he saw the breach not far off. Drawing his sword from his inventory, he advanced. Bodies littered the street, green and blue arrows jutting from their disfigured faces.

"Kaycee was here," he murmured, "but where is she now?"

A blood-curdling scream echoed from the opposite direction. Darren bolted toward the sound. As his perception slowed, he analyzed the scene—grotesque creatures loomed ahead, but he tore through them, sending them flying, dead or dying, before they even realized what hit them.

A cloaked figure stood over Kaycee, her body lying prone at its feet. Darren streaked forward in lightning form, but as he swung his sword, the creature dodged effortlessly, hopping back.

"Ah, another one of you. I knew it couldn't just be this girl, though she was stronger than expected," the creature sneered. Its voice and visage made Darren's skin crawl. Now standing between it and Kaycee, he refused to turn his back.

"EDS, is Kaycee okay?" he asked urgently.

"She is. Her wounds are already healing," came the response, and Darren exhaled in relief. He'd made it just in time.

"What do you want?" he demanded, barely containing his rage.

"What do I want?" the creature mocked. "To kill you, and everyone like you."

Electricity crackled around Darren's body as the battle's heat surged within him.

"I don't know who or what you are, but I won't let that happen," he growled, pointing his sword at the creature. He activated his IMBUE skill, channeling lightning into his weapon. The charge surged through his Knight's Armament and kept traveling, striking the monster.

The creature convulsed under the attack but stayed upright, staggering forward despite the electric onslaught. Growling, it stepped closer, seemingly immune to the force holding it back. Darren tried to pour more power into the attack, but his limits held him back.

With a snarl, the creature unsheathed its sword and swung it outward. Darren's lightning followed the blade's path, shooting into a nearby building, shattering walls and windows. Screams erupted from within.

Darren cut off the lightning, but the energy still surged through him and his sword. The creature lunged, and he barely raised his blade in time to block the overhead blow.

"Ah crap, EDS, I don't know how to sword fight!" he admitted.

"Follow your instincts," EDS instructed calmly.

With no other option, Darren did his best to parry the creature's strikes. It moved faster than he anticipated, its blade flashing in rapid succession. He couldn't keep up, and its sword pierced his left shoulder. Crying out in pain, Darren bolted to the side, barely escaping its reach.

"Surprised, human? Only the strong can rise to my rank," the creature taunted.

Blood soaked Darren's shirt. He knew Kaycee could heal him, but she was still unconscious. He hadn't even checked on her yet, and her condition gnawed at him. But he had no choice—he had to finish this. The creature outmatched him in skill, and his lightning attacks weren't doing enough.

Then, thunder rumbled in the sky. Dark clouds rolled in, and Darren felt an overwhelming surge of power. The storm charged the air, sending lightning arcing from him to the surrounding buildings and streetlights.

He then remembered his passive ability, Storm Call. Storm's were naturally drawn to him and grew stronger depending upon his mental and emotional state. This would increase the power of his abilities and all his stats by 50%!

A grin spread across his face. Maybe he had a chance after all.

He bolted forward, moving so fast that the world seemed frozen around him. His sword sliced through the creature's left arm. He struck a nearby power pole, then shot along the electric lines, launching himself back at the enemy.

In an instant, Darren severed the creature's left leg. Its dismembered arm hung in mid-air as he moved, striking a light pole and turning once more. This time, he aimed for the neck.

The creature's attempts to defend itself were futile. Darren's blade cleaved through its neck and spine. He landed, watching as the monster's body fell in pieces to the ground.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," he muttered.

But the moment he stopped moving, pain surged back into his shoulder. Gritting his teeth, he rushed to Kaycee's side.

"Kaycee, can you hear me? Kaycee!" He shook her gently, then more forcefully. "Come on, Kaycee, wake up!"