"Sit down, child! You speak about loss, about the death of your close ones, but do you truly understand what a real loss is? No, you don't... You haven't experienced it yet, but you will. People like us always do, and the multiverse isn't kind enough to spare us the pain.

I want you to remember this day, this conversation. And then, when the universe collapses around you, taking away everything you had ever known, you must be strong. You mustn't forget to live, or all this pain and suffering will be for naught. Wasted, like a feather on the wind."

~ Batrak, The only survivor of the 2nd Outbreak, to an Unknown person, 37th Outbreak

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Leo paused in front of a gaping hole in the stairs just when a bone-chilling hiss reverberated through the entire building. He knew all too well what kind of creature was waiting for him above; after all, he had already faced one of its kin earlier that day.

So two Inferior Crawlers. Only this time, they are well aware that I am here. Shit. Leo grimaced, his gaze darting back and forth between the two ends of the collapsed stairs. Not even True Stealth could save him from making some noise here.

This is gonna be great…

Exhaling, Leo jumped across the gap, wincing as the resounding clatter of rubble striking the ground was met with another cacophony of hisses. The fact that those Voidlings didn't descend on him yet was a miracle in itself.

And the Bestiary said that they only hunt alone... Shows you can't just blindly trust everything the System says. Lovely…

Swallowing down his growing frustration, Leo peered over the edge, straining his eyes to catch a glimpse of anything above. Unfortunately, the gap between the two opposing stairs was too narrow, and despite having more than enough points in Vision, his sight remained far from supernatural.

Whatever... Leo growled inaudibly and took the last few steps that separated him from the first floor. The sight of two lifeless forms was the first thing to greet him, while trails of dried blood caught his gaze next. Some just painted the walls and ground red, while others led in and out of the open apartments on this floor.

Leo really didn't want to do this, but he had to know, and so with a heavy heart, he crouched next to the only dead human. His cursed arm rose, bathing the frozen body in crimson light.

An unfamiliar face stared back, and for a moment Leo hated himself for letting out a sigh of relief.

Thank God. The thought passed through Leo's head as he turned away and headed toward the Voidling's corpse. However, before he could even take two steps, a dark blur scurried out of one of the flats, heading straight for him.

The creature was fast, faster than probably most of the Cursed Humans, but it was still way below Leo's league.

Like a guillotine, claws descended on the small beast, sinking deep into its flesh. The Voidling squeaked, thrashing about in Leo's grip. Nevertheless, the damage was already done, and before long, the light faded from its ruby-colored eyes.

A giant, bald rat? And how the fuck did it hide from my pulse? Leo arched an eyebrow at the creature ensnared in his grip. It resembled a Scavenger, albeit larger and evidently more agile... An evolution perhaps? Mutation?

Race: Voidling | Subspecies: Scuttlejaw

Expected Potential: F-

Weapon of choice: Jaws

Known weaknesses: Lack of survival instinct

Scuttlejaws evolve from Scavengers after collecting the necessary Essence. In spite of being dubbed as a Stage II evolution, Scuttlejaws are still one of the weakest Voidlings that a User may come across. They usually hunt in groups of three to four and are known for squabbling over the right to a fresh kill. Beware of their speed and swarm potential.

No explanation for why I couldn't sense them... Although 'lack of survival instinct'? Leo snorted, and to further prove the point, a moment later, two more Scuttlejaws darted out of the apartments.

Leo rolled his eyes but didn't hesitate for a second. He quickly stepped forward and brought his heel down hard on the first rat. The crunch of bones echoed through the building as he ground the creature into the floor.

Without missing a beat, Leo turned to face the second beast, brandishing his bowie knife. In one quick motion, he plunged the knife into the monster's hide, slicing through flesh and bone with ease. The rat let out a piercing squeal as it was almost cleaved in half, its lifeless body falling to the ground at Leo's feet.

Pathetic. Leaving the dead rats, Leo approached the lifeless Cursed Human, his eyes sweeping over the body without a hint of emotion. Unfamiliar features greeted him once more, and he turned away; his job here finished.

The Scuttlejaws proved to be an excellent outlet for his frustration, but Leo was here for a reason. And I still have two Crawlers waiting for me. He grimaced and headed for the staircase again.

This building had four floors, and if Leo's pulse was at least somewhat accurate, then the Crawlers should be either on the third one or higher... He could scan the building again, but wasting more Essence on pulse didn't seem like the best idea when more surprises could pop out at any moment.

Just focus on what's important, Leo. If the rats could hide from my pulse, then why couldn't Nick? Nodding, Leo sheathed his knife and let Essence surge into his healthy hand, shadows swirling to form a long and sharp hook.

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This should be better for Crawlers in closed spaces like this…

With a burst of energy, Leo bounded up the stairs, nimbly leaping over each gap with practiced ease. Adrenaline surged into his veins as he landed on the second floor, and another series of hisses filled the building.

Leo turned sharply to his right, gaze landing on the stairs leading to the third floor.

Here you are.

One of the Inferior Crawlers sat there, stuck to the staircase's wall. The beast reared its bald head, crimson eyes drilling holes into Leo. For a moment, the world stopped as the two locked eyes, sizing each other up.

Suddenly, the Crawler convulsed, its six legs tensing as it released a low guttural screech. Leo quickly reacted and dodged to the side as the beast spit a stream of its paralyzing saliva. He really didn't want to find out how efficient the fluid was.

Despite the miss, the monster wasn't deterred. It dashed forward, gliding along the wall like a snake hunting for prey. The prey in question stood his ground as the beast neared and finally left the wall, sailing through the air right toward Leo.

Three. Two. One.

Leo ducked low, extending the hand with the shadowy hook. And got you. The Crawler howled as the weapon sunk into its belly, and Leo, using the momentum, swung with all his might and hurled the airborne Voidling directly into a wall.

A loud crunch echoed throughout the hallway as the beast slid to the ground, its limbs still flailing in agony. Leo knew he had to act fast; giving the Crawler time to recover was the last thing he wanted.

Without a moment's hesitation, he moved in for the finishing blow. He kicked the Crawler in the head, stunning it before bringing down his sharp claws onto its exposed neck.

A surge of Essence flowed through him, activating Reinforcement and imbuing him with even greater strength. And so, in a swift motion, Leo sliced through the creature's flesh like a hot knife through butter. The monster's body went limp as its head fell, rolling away in a shower of blood.

Fuck. Leo swallowed hard as the adrenaline rush slowly began to leave his body. That was way more brutal than necessary. He shook his head and turned away. Why should I care, though…

Sighing, Leo cast his eyes across the second floor, noting the lack of bodies. Well, except for the Crawler bleeding all over the ground.

Only two more floors. Even then, there was a voice deep in Leo's mind, laughing at his naivety. Laughing at his hopes of finding his family. Fuck you.

Leo ascended the stairs slowly, teeth gritted and another shadow hook tightly gripped in his hand. The hisses of the last Crawler continued to echo through the building, but their volume gave Leo a clue. He knew he wouldn't meet the creature until he reached the top floor.

At first glance, the third floor seemed empty, devoid of any signs of struggle. But then, in the far-off corner, something caught Leo's eye. He could see a glimpse of something, a flicker of familiarity.

No.

Without even being aware, Leo's feet carried him to the corner. He fell to his knees a moment later, something wet sliding down his cheek.

Please no.

Leo raised his cursed arm, casting a crimson glow on the corpse lying slumped against the wall. It was a Voidling, there was no doubt about that, but as his hand pushed the monster's chin up, Leo finally became aware of the tears flowing freely from his eyes.

Nick…

Leo first saw it from a distance, the remnants of the dark blond hair. Instantly after, he spotted the shreds of unique clothing Nick loved so much. And now, kneeling right next to the body, Leo gazed into his brother's face, a face claimed long ago by the Void and then by death's embrace.

"Fuck!" Leo punched the wall right next to his brother's head even as his stealth swallowed the shout.

The pain in his hand was nothing compared to one drilling through his heart. Leo knew he could have done nothing to save Nick; his brother was claimed by the Void during the Outbreak. And yet, he couldn't help but feel like he had failed. Failed to save his brother, like he helped to save Leo in the past.

"Fuck..." He muttered, and at that exact moment, a loud hiss reached his ears.

Leo's eyes narrowed as something snapped inside him.

The fury that had been simmering beneath all the misery and sorrow suddenly erupted like a volcano. Flames ignited within Leo's veins as rage overwhelmed him, prepared to consume anything in his path.

A path that was now blocked.

Leo's eyes snapped to the stairway, and there he saw it, the last Inferior Crawler stuck to the ceiling, its crimson eyes locked onto him. The beast screeched, and Leo rose slowly, snatching the bowie knife out of its sheath.

Essence exploded out of Leo's soul as his Limit Break activated subconsciously, intertwining with Reinforcement like one unit. The surge of power almost overwhelmed his senses, but a voice suddenly pierced through the haze, giving Leo's anger the final push it needed.

'Kill it.'

Like a demon freed from its shackles, Leo ran at the Crawler. The Voidling responded in kind, crawling forward along the ceiling.

Only the beast was way too slow.

Before the Crawler could even blink, Leo seized the creature's head and yanked it forcefully. The monster plummeted to the ground, landing on its back like a sack of potatoes. It convulsed, releasing ear-piercing shrieks as Leo cut off leg after leg, leaving only a limbless body spasming on the ground.

However, even now, he was far from done.

Standing above the helpless creature, Leo stabbed it without remorse. He twisted the knife and slashed with claws again, feeling the Crawler's flesh and organs shred beneath his blades. Blood spattered on his face, but Leo didn't stop, fueled by rage and grief.

"Fuck off," Leo growled when a System notification tried to fill his vision. He didn't care about anything the entity wanted from him; only the remains of the Crawler underneath him mattered now.

Nonetheless, even Leo's rage had its limits, and as the fires in his veins died out, so did his onslaught upon the long-dead Voidling.

Slowly Leo stood up, panting heavily. Blood dripped from his hands and face, but he barely took notice. With the anger gone, a cold emptiness took its place, settling deep inside Leo's soul.

He lost.

Without a word, Leo retrieved his knife and climbed the stairs to the fourth and final floor. Absently he scanned the ground in search of more corpses, but there were none, and so he let his feet carry him straight for the open door of Nick's apartment.

It's empty. Leo laughed bitterly as he checked room after room. There were no signs of life anywhere. No signs of struggle or battle. Hell, he couldn't find even a speck of dried blood anywhere on the floor.

"They are gone," Leo mumbled, collapsing against a wall in the apartment's corridor. "They are gone..."

I'm sorry, Nick, Adam, and Ava. I failed.