Mixed Horde

The sanctuary's walls buzzed with a faint hum as the team regrouped in the central room. Each of them bore fresh bruises and blood splatters, a grim testament to the chaos they had just escaped. Alexia's katana dripped with infected blood, the eerie glow of the system's interface still hovering in the corner of her vision.

[Horde status: 11 hours until impact. Remaining infected neutralized: 32%.]

Alexia clenched her fists, swallowing the rising frustration. It wasn't enough. The horde was still massive, and they hadn't even seen the worst of it.

Damien stood at the far end of the room, his usually pristine suit now stained and torn. His dark gaze swept over the group as he spoke. "We held the line, but this was just a taste of what's coming."

Alex sitting on a crate as he wiped the grime from his face, nodded. "That evolved infected was no joke. We were lucky that was only one."

"Luck has nothing to do with it." Quinn leaned against the wall, shadows curling lazily around his boots as if they minds of their own. His voice was calm, but his sharp eyes betrayed his unease. "I feel as if we're being tested. That thing wasn't leading the horde----it was scouting for weaknesses."

Alexia's heart sank at the implication. "Which means more are coming. And they'll be smarter."

The room fell into silence, the weight of their predicament pressing down on them like a physical force. Alexia broke it first, her voice cutting through the tension.

"We don't have the firepower to handle that many evolved infected, not with the numbers they might be sending." She turned toward Damien. "What's your plan, strategist?"

Damien crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Since we've established the fact that they might not be mindless creatures, we hit them harder. Create chaos in their ranks and force them to spread out. If we can separate the horde, we stand a better chance of taking them down one at a time."

Quinn straightened, his shadows flickering in excitement. "I can do that. Use my shadows to split them up, cut of their vision. But we'll need to draw them into the right area."

"That's where I come in," Alex said, raising a hand. His drone hovered nearby, its red light blinking ominously. "I can rig the explosives we have left to create choke points. If we time it right, we can trap the evolved in kill zones."

Alexia frowned, her mind racing. "It's risky. If even one of those things break through, we'll be in trouble."

Damien's voice was steady, a quiet authority that cut through her doubts. "Every plan has risks. But we don't have the luxury of playing it safe."

She hated to admit it, but he was right. The horde wasn't going to wait for them to feel ready.

[System notification: Tactical bonus unlocked. New feature available: Command Field.]

Alexia blinked at the message, the unfamiliar term sparking curiosity.

"What is it?" Damien asked, noticing her sudden stillness.

"The system..... just gave me something called 'Command Field.' I think it's tied to leading the group in combat."

Alex perked up, his fingers twitching with excitement. "What does it do?"

"I don't know yet," Alexia admitted. "But if it's anything like the other upgrades, it's meant to make us more effective as a team."

"Then we'll need to test it." Damien's gaze was intense. "If this field can give us an edge, we'll use it."

Alexia hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine. I'll figure it out before we go back out there."

Later that night in the space, as the other rested, Alexia retreated to a quieter section of the sanctuary, her katana resting against the wall beside her. She focused on the system interface, pulling up the new command field feature.

[Command Field: A localized area of effect enhancing the abilities, focus, and coordination of allied within range. Activated by proximity and requires mental focus to maintain. Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

The description filled her with equal part hope and dread. It was powerful, but the short duration meant timing would be everything. She'd need to use it sparingly---and precisely.

"Not sleeping?"

She turned to see Quinn standing in the doorway, his ever-present smirk softened into something less teasing.

"Neither are you," she countered.

He shrugged, stepping closer. "I don't sleep much. Too many things on my mind."

Alexia studied him for a moment. In the dim light of the sanctuary, the scar on his face were more pronounced, shadows casting them in sharp relief.

"Worried about the plan?" she asked.

"No," he said simply. "Worried about you."

Her eyes narrowed, unsure whether to be flattered or annoyed. "I can handle myself."

"I know," Quinn said, his voice quieter now. "But you shouldn't have to carry all of this alone."

For a moment, the weight on her shoulder felt lighter.

"Thanks, Quinn," she said, her tone softening.

"Don't mention it it," he replied, turning to leave. But before he stepped out, he added, "Just don't forget---you've got us."

When the countdown reached it's final stretch, the team was ready. The sanctuary was emptied of anything they didn't need, and the traps outside had been reinforced.

Alexia stood at the edge of the barricades, her katana in her hand. Damien and Alex were perched on a nearby rooftop, scanning the horizon. Quinn was by her side, his shadows already spreading out like ink into the darkness.

[Horde status: 2 hours until impact.]

The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint rustling of the wind. Then, like a dam breaking, the infected surged into view.

"Position!" Damien's voice echoed across the battlefield.

Alexia activated the Command Field, a faint golden glow radiating outward as the system took hold. Immediately, the group felt the difference----their movements sharper, their reactions quicker.

Quinn's shadows lashed out like living whips, tripping and slicing through the horde. Alex's drone weaved through the chaos, dropping explosives with deadly precision. Damien's command kept them all in sync, his energy domination skill pushing back the infected whenever they got too close.

But the real challenge came when the evolved emerged. Three of them this time, their grotesque forms towering over the horde.

"Here we go again," Quinn muttered, his shadows coiling tighter.

Alexia's grip on her Katana tightened as she met the first evolved head-on.