Training
The following morning, sunlight filtered through the cracked blinds of the apartment, casting fractured beams across the living room. Alexia sat on the arm of the couch; her posture relaxed, she'd taken a leap of faith last night making Damien and Quinn her allies and later she'll have to fulfill her part of the deal.
She sat down waiting for Damien and Quinn to finish what they were doing so they could take her to go get registered and then show her around the base.
She felt that as guys they both took way too long to get ready,
Quinn leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping coffee from a mug, that'd she'd made for them. His gaze fixed on Alexia while Damien was seated at the table sorting through maps and supply lists, though his focus drifted more than often towards Alexia.
"So, what happens now?" Quinn finally asked, breaking the silence.
Alexia glanced at him. "I need to get registered remember?"
Quinn and Damien both looked at each other before looking back at Alexia, "I don't think you need to, we'll be leaving soon, I have to go over to my brother" Damien said, his brows furrowed.
"You have a brother, is he younger or older?" Alexia asked, her mind already turning with plans on how to take care of a toddler or teenager.
"His younger than me.... twenty years, I'm twenty-two and Quinn's twenty-one" Damien said, realizing they both never gave her their age.
"I'm nineteen" Alexia said.
It was Quinn's turn to look baffled, "Nineteen?!!, I thought you were sixteen"
Alexia frowned about to respond when the system interrupted.
[Stage 1 Objectives:]
-Build an alliance capable of survival
-Locate family or friends of your allies (optional).
-Survive the hordes
Reward: Unknown.
[Primary Quest: Survive the first wave of evolved infected. Estimated time until emergence: 72 hours.]
Alexia's stomach sank. "Three days? That's all the time we have.
[Correct. Additional allies and resources are recommended to ensure survival.]
She exhaled, before speaking to both guys.
"The system's given me a new quest. We have three days until the first wave of evolved infected hits."
Quinn's jaw tightened. "Three days? That's not much time to prepare."
Damien crossed his arms. "Do we even know what we're up against?"
Alexia shook her head. "Not exactly, does evolved infected give you any idea if so, stick to that, the system also suggested gathering more allies and resources."
"One of the system objectives is to build an alliance, so if we find your brother, I'll ask him if he wants to bind" she continued, to which Damien nodded.
Later that day, Alexia, Quinn, and Damien stood before the base general. His hardened face betrayed little emotion, but the weight of their news struck a chord.
"You're saying a horde will be here in 72hours?" The general's voice was calm but edged with urgency.
Alexia nodded. "Yes, don't ask how I got the news. It's a massive horde; you'll need to prepare."
The general leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he processed the information. "We've been monitoring the infected activity, but this.... this is another level. I'll order a lockdown and get defenses ready."
Quinn crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Good. You'll need every advantage. We've seen firsthand what these things can do."
The general gave a curt nod before standing. "And you three? What's your plan?"
"We're leaving," Damien said. "We have someone important to find----my brother."
The general's eyes flicked between them, his fingers twitching. "I won't stop you, but you're own once you leave this base. If you make it back, you'll find the gates locked."
"We'll manage," Alexia said confidently.
As they exited the general's office, the base erupted into a flurry of activity. Soldiers fortified the walls, weak civilians were ushered into safe zones, and supplies were rationed. But the trio had no time to linger. With a final glance at the bustling base, they slipped through the bustling gates and into the chaos beyond.
The forest was eerily quiet as they walked, the usual sounds of birds and insects replaced by an unsettling stillness. The weight of their mission pressed heavily on Alexia's mind.
"Damien," she said, breaking the silence, "how far is your brother's last known location?"
"City A," Damien replied. "It's about a day's journey if we move fast."
Alexia frowned, her thoughts racing. "System," she called mentally, "is there a way to locate Damien's brother?"
[Tracking features are locked.] The system replied in its usual monotone voice.
"What do I need to unlock it?" she asked.
[A system upgrade is required. Cost: 1,500 upgrade points.]
Alexia paused mid-step, causing Quinn and Damien to look back at her.
"You, okay?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah," Alexia replied, shaking her head. "Just thinking."
She turned her attention inward. "System, let's do the upgrade."
[Are you sure? This will consume all available upgrade points.]
"Yes," Alexia confirmed.
[Upgrade initiated. Time required: two hours.]
A faint hum filled her ears, and she felt a strange warmth spread through her body.
"Alexia?" Damien's voice broke through her concentration.
"I'm fine," she assured them. "The system is upgrading. It'll take a couple of hours."
"Upgrading?" Quinn raised an eyebrow.
"It's complicated. Just... keep an eye out while I handle this."
They nodded, and the group pressed on, with Quinn and Damien taking the lead while Alexia focused on the process.
Two hours later, Alexia's vision was filled with a cascade of notifications:
[Upgrade complete.]
[New features unlocked:]
-Weapon Unlock: Shadowfang Katana added to spatial dimension.
-System Store: Accessible now.
-Enhanced System Sanctuary: Capacity doubled. Categories added.
-Tracking Feature: Locate individuals related by DNA with host or allies.]
"Shadowfang Katana?" Alexia muttered, intrigued. She summoned the weapon and unsheathed it, and a sleek, black-bladed katana materialized in her hands. its surface shimmered faintly, and it felt perfectly balanced.
"Nice sword" Quinn remarked, eyeing the weapon appreciatively.
Alexia dismissed it back into her system space and focused on the tracking feature. "System, locate Damien's brother."
[Scanning.... Target located. City A. Coordinates marked.]
"He's in city A," Alexia announced. "The system marked the coordinates."
Damien's expression hardened. "Is he safe?"
Alexia hesitated. "The city's under siege by infected. If we want to get him out, we'll have to move fast."
Quinn let out a low whistle. "Figures. Nothing's ever easy."
"We can handle it," Damien said firmly. "We have to."
Alexia nodded. "Agreed. But we'll need to be prepared. The system's store might have something useful. Give me a moment."
She accessed the store, scrolling through the available options. Weapons, medical supplies, and strange artifacts filled the list. Her eyes landed on a set of communication devices listed as freebies and she clicked on them instantly.
"Here," she said, handling a device to each of them. "These will keep us in touch if we get separated."
"Useful," Damien admitted, slipping his into his pockets.
With their next destination clear and the system's upgrades in place, the trio pressed on, each step bringing them closer to the unknown dangers awaiting them in city A.