Chapter 4: Into the Nest
There was no music. No ominous drums. No warning screen.
Just the sound of Kael's footsteps echoing as he descended into a dead subway.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became. Red mist curled across the cracked tiles like breath from something that had been sleeping too long.
His grip on the saber tightened.
He could feel it.
Something was waiting.
> [Entering: Sector 10 – Core Zone]
[Boss Nest Detected – Threat Level: Very High]
[Caution: No active checkpoint in this zone.]
No beacon. No safety.
If he died here, he'd be dragged all the way back through the horror of Sector 10.
Not an option.
Kael stepped onto the subway platform. It stretched into darkness, train cars mangled and melted into the walls. Flickering lights buzzed overhead, casting twitching shadows across blood-slick tiles and shattered glass.
Then something moved.
Kael dropped behind an old control panel, peering into the gloom.
It was massive.
Hunched over. Covered in plates of fused bone and pulsing black veins. Its claws dragged like steel along stone. Its skull-like head was split clean down the middle—each half twitching and gnashing like jaws possessed.
> [Graveborn Alpha – Lv. 6]
Boss – Sector 10 Core
Claimed Nest: Active
Class Influence: Variable
Kael held his breath.
The boss dragged a corpse into the center of the room. Human. Recent. The Graveborn didn't eat. It displayed—like a spider arranging prey for fear or glory.
Three smaller figures prowled around it. Spindly limbs. Twitching muscles. Red veins glowing through translucent skin.
> [Graveborn Spawn – Lv. 3] ×3
Linked to Alpha. Aggression: Guard Mode.
Kael slid back into shadow.
He needed a plan.
---
He found the break room behind a warped steel door, half-collapsed, reeking of mold. Graffiti covered the walls. Most of the shelves were empty.
But not all.
He laid out what he found:
Scrap wire
A cracked battery
A shattered emergency light
His old bent steel rod, scarred from Sector 1
> [Crafting Options Available]
Fuse Rod + Battery = Shock Trap (Crude)
Fuse Wire + Fire Extinguisher = Pressure Blast (Unstable)
Fuse Saber + Bone Shard = Piercing Boost Upgrade
"Yes. All of it."
By the time he finished, he had:
A crude, delayed shock trap
A makeshift explosive with just enough blast to disorient
A stronger edge for his saber
It wasn't perfect.
But it was something.
---
Back on the platform, Kael moved fast.
He slid the shock trap beneath a mound of bones near the third rail. He hid the explosive in a shattered seat casing close to the center.
The Graveborn paced lazily, claws leaving deep gouges in the tile. Its spawns sniffed the air, unaware.
Kael pulled a bone shard from his pouch and tossed it across the floor.
Clink.
All three spawns froze. The Graveborn's head snapped up.
It turned.
Kael waited.
Then—
> [Shock Trap Activated – 20V Discharge]
[Stagger Chance – Success]
Lightning danced up the Graveborn's leg.
It shrieked—a metallic, guttural sound like a modem screaming through blood.
Kael was already moving.
He lunged from the dark and slammed his saber into the first spawn's spine. It dissolved on impact.
> [EXP +20]
The second sprang.
Kael sidestepped and kicked it hard—right into the trap casing.
> [Pressure Blast – Triggered]
A shockwave erupted. Dust, debris, glass. The spawn was thrown backward—straight into a pillar, where it burst into static-red light.
Only one remained.
It tackled him before he could react.
They hit the ground hard. His blade flew from his grip. The spawn snapped at his throat.
Kael reached out blindly, grabbed a sharp shard of rail metal, and rammed it upward.
Straight through the monster's neck.
> [EXP +20]
[EXP: 840 / 800]
[Level Up – Pending (Combat Locked)]
Kael shoved the corpse aside and gasped for air.
No time to rest.
The Graveborn was recovering—its limbs realigning with loud, wet cracks.
> [Boss State: Aggressive]
It saw him.
Then charged.
---
Kael ran.
The platform erupted behind him as the Graveborn smashed through benches and concrete. It swung wide with its claws—Kael rolled under the arc and slashed at its leg as he passed.
> [Weak Spot Hit – Bonus Damage +30%]
[Boss HP: 82%]
It spun, faster than he expected.
Its claw raked across his ribs, sending him flying into a shattered vending unit.
> [HP: 39 / 170]
His breath caught. Pain blurred his vision. Blood soaked his side.
"Still not dead," he hissed.
The Graveborn lunged.
Kael rolled left, grabbed a fallen spawn limb, and hurled it at the monster's skull.
It hesitated.
One second.
That's all he needed.
Kael drove his saber straight into its exposed chest cavity.
> [Critical Hit]
[Boss HP: 63%]
It screamed—so loud the platform lights burst.
Then it grabbed him by the leg and hurled him like trash across the station.
He slammed into the far wall and didn't move for a moment.
Everything hurt.
> [HP: 12 / 170]
The Graveborn stalked closer.
> [Boss Phase: Berserk]
Mutation Surge Detected
Its limbs began to stretch. Its jaw split wider. Corruption surged beneath the skin like static ready to tear.
Kael groaned and forced himself to his knees.
The saber was still in his hand.
He could barely see.
But he stood.
The Graveborn roared—and lunged.
Kael charged forward.
Not to survive.
To end it.
---
📊 Kael Draven – Status (End of Chapter 4)
Level: 5 (Pending Application)
EXP: 880 / 1000
HP: 12 / 170
Stamina: 24 / 100
Weapon: Saber (Bone Reinforced, +Piercing Bonus)
Armor: Tattered Cloak (Torn, no stat bonus)
Skills:
Reflex Trace Lv. 1 – +5% reaction, +0.2s dodge timing
Traits:
Awareness Boost (develops tactical instinct with repetition)
Combat Improviser (passive bonuses using crafted traps)
Zone: Sector 10 – Core Nest
Next Objective: Defeat Graveborn Alpha