“I’m Rocco,” The old man said. “I saw you fighting against those monsters. We could really use someone like you. Why don’t you join us? It’s safer in a small, trusted unit. See these people here? We’ll look after them.”
Only now did Gris inspect the others. Three men and a woman, in particular. They were holding weapons. They had blood on their hands. No doubt it was thanks to them that the people here had survived.
“Join you?” Gris said. “We’re all in this together. There aren't any groups to join.”
“That’s what you think,” Rocco said. The snake on his shoulder slithered its forked tongue. “But the times have changed. Soon, the world as we know it will become the survival of the fittest. No, perhaps it has already reached that stage. Only the prepared will come out on the other side. For that, we need people we can trust. That we can depend on. Can you trust the other people in the other cars? We fought and bled to keep these people alive. Will others do the same?”
Gris felt like he wasn’t talking to him, but the others in the car. What is he, some kind of doomsday prepper?
Inspecting him a bit closer, he definitely had that vibe to him. He also had an authoritative air around him that made it difficult to refute his words. It reminded Gris of people from the military. Was he a veteran?
But Gris shook his head. He was on the side of getting the hell out of here alive.
“Maybe later,” Gris said. “I’ll be going to the front now.”
Extricating himself from the group of people, he quickly entered the other car. Just like before, everyone turned to him. They took a step back once they saw his body, then another when their attention turned to his Summon.
“Sorry, he’s my Summon. He’s harmless.” Harmless? Nice one, Gris. Grimacing, he added, “I’m just passing through,” Gris said as he rushed to the other side.
As he entered the vestibule, he couldn’t help but stop and think for a moment. He wasn’t going crazy. He had for sure seen that person enter the car. The blood on the shirt… that person had the exact same pattern splattered onto it.
Oh well. Maybe I am. That sucks. I’ll tell the others about it just in case.
At the front of the car, he noticed some new faces. And a lot of arguing. Most of the people were congregated around the door that leads into the driver’s car. Bo was blocking the way as everyone shouted over each other. Jok was trying to calm them down from the side. It wasn’t working.
“Now that the train is working, we should go backwards, not forwards! I have a little girl at home waiting for me!”
“She’s right. We have families. Why the hell are we going forward? Drive it back!”
Jok snapped. “Look, think about it logically. We were only 5 minutes from entering London when the terraforming began. The previous stop was around 30 minutes away. Maybe more. Since we got the train moving, it has been around 10 or so minutes. And if you bloody look out the front, you’ll realise we’re nowhere near civilisation. If we apply the same logic to how far we have been travelling. Then the last town is hours, if not days away!”
Everyone settled down as they simmered in their own thoughts.
“Please, I need everyone to remain calm. We are all in this situation together. I have family back home as well, but we first need to find the next stop. Maybe they have a stronger radio that we can use to reach them.”
After a few minutes, Jok managed to convince everyone to return to their seats. Standing up and worrying was doing no one any good.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Gris approached Jok, and said, “So what’s the plan? We can’t go for much longer. What if the monsters have taken over the next station?”
Jok nodded. “I’ve spoken with Derek. We’re stopping soon. We’ll find a vantage point somewhere. A hill, maybe a tree. From there, we’ll try and figure out where the hell we are. If we’re even on Earth.”
“Alright,” Gris said, and walked over to Chloe. She was sitting on a four seater. Two seats facing the front, and two facing the back. It was only her and Vespemere. “Mind if I have a seat?”
“Of course,” She said, motioning for him to sit. He obliged. His summon sat next to him.
“I–” Gris was going to say, then he stopped. Was he really going crazy?
“Don’t be afraid to speak whatever’s on your mind Gris.”
Gris took a breath. He repeated what he had said to the others in the far car, then said, “What do you think? Think I’m going crazy here?”
Vespemere shook his head. “You are not used to the System. Anything can happen. It’s good to voice out your thoughts so that we can think about them together.”
Good advice, Gris thought.
“If we assume that you are not crazy, and he was indeed in that car, then we have a changeling walking amongst us.”
“Like a shapeshifter?” Chloe asked in shock.
“No. A changeling. A shapeshifter wouldn’t be able to morph into that young man’s clothes. In fact, most can only ever change into one thing. However, mimicking the blood on his shirt; that is the power of a changeling. They are far more flexible than a mere shapeshifter.”
“Do you really think that a changeling is amongst us?” Gris asked, sitting further back into his chair. He glanced around. “I mean, that’s not possible, right? No-one has entered the train apart from the greenkins…”
Gris realised. If a changeling had entered, then maybe. Just maybe, that it had arrived then.
“Yes,” Vespemere said, leaning forward, leaning his chin across his slender, pale fingers. “Or a Conjurer summoned the changeling, murdered its summoner, then took his form. Amongst the panic of our arrival, it wouldn’t be so far-fetched to believe.”
Gris nodded. That was also a possibility. He remembered the panic back then. And amongst the smoke he created with the initial burst of fire-extinguisher, the changeling could have taken his life then.
It was a harrowing thought. If the cockroach was stronger, and was a higher star, then Gris may not be sitting talking right now.
“We should tell the others,” Chloe said. And so she did. Vespemere left with her, guarding her devotedly.
While she was informing the others, Gris was in his System. He had Levelled up another time from the last remaining greenkins when he entered a rage. It was an easy choice once again. He placed two more points into Strength, bringing him to 20 in total.
And what the hell is a Core? Gris wondered as he gazed outside. Maybe it was what one needed to unlock Mana or some other form of energy source? He couldn’t figure it out.
Then there was the Class. That was an easy one. If this System used game-like elements, then that meant once he unlocked a Class, he would be given a choice like a Warrior, or rogue, or something like that.
Another chance for my luck to bite me in the ass. Is my class going to up and attack me?
The train slowed. He could hear the loud noise of the train stopping. Like air being forced out of a tight tube.
Gris quickly got out of his seat and jogged over to the front main doors of the car. Jok and the others were standing. Bo had his shield at the ready.
Jok stood to address the people in the car. “We’re going out to scout. Those of you who have any combat experience, it would be good if you could join us. If not, please stay seated. Keep your head down.”
“Do we have to stop?!” The teenager from before said. She was clearly unhinged and panicking. Gris didn’t blame her.
Thankfully, someone took the responsibility to pacify her. Godspeed. Gris wouldn’t even know where to begin. He wasn’t exactly known for his ability to converse.
Jok nodded to Bo. Bo stood in front as he opened the door. Gris peered out. It was clear. It was around a 5 foot drop to the grass below. Gris leapt down, then took in the fresh forest air. It was crisp. He could smell pine.
Gris was about to take a step forward when he heard a howl so loud that it scratched at his eardrums. He had never heard something so terrifying; so primordial. It was like that of an enormous dinosaur.
He even had to hold his hand to his ears in a vague attempt to mute it. After a couple more seconds, it disappeared.
Gris flinched. “Just what the hell was that?”