The adrenaline from the level-up and the acquisition of the Tome was a powerful, intoxicating drug, but it couldn't last forever. As the three of them stumbled away from the smoldering, black ruin of the library, the reality of their situation crashed back in. They were still stranded in a hostile world, miles from their goal, and the massive plume of smoke rising from the collapsed building was a giant, unmissable beacon for every monster in the district.
"We have to move," Kai said, his voice cutting through their dazed exhaustion. "Back to the lab. Now. Before something else comes to investigate."
He took the lead, his saber in one hand, the heavy autoclave lid shield back on his arm. The 5 points he'd dumped into Agility had made a world of difference. His movements felt lighter, quicker, more certain. The world seemed to move just a fraction of a second slower, giving him more time to react.
The journey back across the quad was no less tense than the first time, but it was different. They were no longer just prey. They moved with a purpose, their teamwork honed in the crucible of the library fire. Elara kept her magnesium-wrapped tire iron ready, its glittering head a promise of searing flame. Ben, still clutching the Tome, scanned their surroundings, his sharp eyes picking out potential threats and optimal paths.
They were halfway across when a trio of Gutter Scuttlers crawled out from behind a toppled food truck, drawn by the commotion. They were fresh, uninjured, and they immediately fixed on the three survivors, their mandibles clicking hungrily.
This time, there was no fear, only a cold, focused resolve.
"Ben, left flank! Elara, with me!" Kai commanded, his voice ringing with newfound authority.
He didn't wait for the Scuttlers to charge. He met them, his increased Agility allowing him to close the distance with a startling burst of speed. He flowed around the first Scuttler's clumsy lunge, his saber a silver arc in the gray light. The swordsman's echo guided his hand, and the blade bit deep into the creature's vulnerable leg joint, crippling it instantly.
Elara was right beside him. As the second Scuttler reared up to attack Kai, she scraped her club on the pavement, igniting the magnesium. With a battle cry, she swung the flaming mace in a brutal, horizontal strike that smashed into the monster's side, sending it reeling with a pained shriek.
The third Scuttler, seeing its companions falter, tried to circle around to attack their exposed side.
"Kai, thirty degrees to your left!" Ben yelled, his voice calm and precise. He had spotted the maneuver instantly.
Kai reacted without hesitation, spinning on his heel. He met the flanking Scuttler head-on, his shield deflecting its claws while his saber plunged into its neck.
[You have slain a Level 2 Gutter Scuttler.]
[XP Gained: 25]
He and Elara dispatched the other two wounded creatures in a matter of seconds. The fight was over almost before it began. It was a brutal, efficient, and perfectly coordinated takedown. They stood panting in the silence, looking at the fading blue particles of the slain monsters.
They exchanged a look. It was a silent acknowledgment: something had changed. They were no longer just three people trying to survive. They were a team. A weapon.
They made it back to the science building without further incident, the familiar sight of the shattered lobby doors a welcome relief. They barricaded themselves back in the third-floor chemistry lab, the heavy steel table sliding into place with a comforting, final thud.
Safe. For now.
Elara and Kai slumped against a wall, the accumulated exhaustion of the day finally catching up to them. Ben, however, seemed to be running on pure intellectual energy. He gently placed the Tome of Echoes on the clean surface of a black lab bench, his eyes shining behind his cracked lenses.
"It's time," he said, his voice brimming with anticipation.
Kai pushed himself to his feet and joined him at the bench. He looked at the Tome, then at the old cavalry saber still sheathed at his belt.
"The System says I can use this book to extract a skill from another Echo," he explained, his hand resting on the saber's hilt. "I have to use my own XP as fuel to... manifest it. As a book that one of you can read and learn from."
He unsheathed the saber and laid it on the bench beside the Tome. The two Echoes seemed to recognize each other, a faint, resonant hum filling the air between them.
"So, the first lesson begins," Kai said, a small, determined smile touching his lips. He placed one hand on the cool leather of the Tome and the other on the worn grip of the saber. He closed his eyes, focusing his will, his intent, and his own precious experience points into the artifacts.
"Let's see what you've been trying to teach me."