Chapter 11: Choices and survival – Arianna

Arianna lay in the bed, still dizzy and nauseous from mana depletion. Despite the exhaustion weighing her down, her mind couldn’t help but wander. Cassis was a born liar. Why hadn’t he used that skill in the other future? Things could have gone so much better if he had.

Before she could dwell on it further, a system message appeared before her eyes:

[Congratulations! You are now known to ten mortals as a benevolent deity. + 50 FP]

The notification made her think back to another system message she had received during the battle:

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Congratulations! You have reached Level 5.

You may now choose from the following basic classes:

* Cleric

* Ranger

* Mage

* Warrior

* TTime had stood still as she made her choice. The decision had been clear—becoming a cleric would be the most beneficial for a larger group of fighters. It was their best chance at survival. Without hesitation, she had selected Cleric.

A new message had followed immediately:

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You have chosen: Cleric.

New Skills Available:

* Heal (Heals one single target fully; restriction can only heal what the body could heal over time)

* Bludgeon (Can only be used with a blunt weapon)

* Elemental Barrier (Locked—Elemental Affinity not yet discovered)

Stamina upgraded to Basic.

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She had expected that to be the end of it, but another message had appeared:

[Two of your avatars have reached Level 5. Do you wish to appoint one of them as Chaotic Priest or Priestess?]

Arianna had hesitated. She had no idea what the title entailed, but she picked herself anyway. With no way to communicate with Cassis during the battle and telling him, maybe her becoming a Chaotic Priestess could help them.

After all, she was the reason they were in that mess to begin with. Cassis, having seen too much and knowing just how hopeless the situation was, would never have rushed in to help the family. But she hadn’t been able to ignore them. She had acted before he could stop her. If they survived, she’d have to apologize.

She had confirmed the selection, appointing herself as the Chaotic Priestess. A new system window had appeared:

[Your patron has designated you as their Chaotic Priestess.]

Quickly, she had skimmed through the title description:

[Given to the most faithful avatars of a chaotic deity.

Bonus: Once a day, you may grant one blessing and one curse in the name of your deity that will be active for 4 hours.]

Her breath had caught. There was a list of possible blessings and curses in her head. And then it hit her. Silence! She could use it on the baby to keep it quiet. That would give them a chance.

As soon as she had closed the system windows, time had resumed. Immediately, she had cast Silence on the baby, then Courage on Cassis, and finally, Heal on everyone. But with every heal she had cast, her body had weakened further. Her wounds had vanished, but the sickness inside her had grown worse. Fighting had become nearly impossible, but thanks to Cassis and the others—who had found their courage because of him—she hadn’t needed to fight as much.

When the last monster had fallen, relief had flooded her. But then she had heard the distant cries of more approaching. Cassis had shouted for them to get inside the house, scooping up the children before leading them all to the master bedroom upstairs. Once they were safe, she had lost control, violently throwing up.

She hadn’t been able to tell which way was up or down anymore. It had been unbearable. Then the headache had set in. But warm hands had steadied her, rubbing slow, soothing circles on her back. A soft, masculine voice had murmured encouragements, grounding her through the worst of it.

After a while, Cassis had helped her onto the bed, explaining that she was suffering from mana depletion. He had spoken with the others while she rested, allowing her a moment to recover. Bit by bit, she had started to feel better. Not good, but better. Her mana must have been regenerating slowly. She would need more time to fully recover, but for now, she was getting better.

At least they had accomplished their goal. They had reached Level 5 during the first wave. That was something.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Arianna felt annoyed that she received system messages in the same way as both an Awakener and a deity. It made things confusing. She fiddled with her settings again and changed the colour of the system window for her patron self to green. This way, she could easily differentiate whether the message was meant for her as an Awakener or as a deity.

While she had been resting, Cassis had told the Morrisons everything. Now, they sat together on the other side of the bed, looking utterly shocked as they whispered among themselves, trying to process his words. Arianna knew she needed to talk to Cassis immediately.

Raising a shaky hand, she caught his arm. He hadn’t moved far from her during his explanation. “We need to discuss our next move,” she told him, her voice still hoarse.

Cassis turned to her immediately, his sharp gaze scanning her face for any signs of lingering pain. Seeing that she was at least stable, he gave her a short nod.

Arianna took a deep breath and explained everything—how she had chosen the cleric class because it would benefit the group the most and how she had received a system message offering to appoint a Chaotic Priest or Priestess. She told him that she had chosen herself, hoping it would help them survive.

When she mentioned her ability to curse and bless others, Cassis looked surprised and immediately checked his status. His eyes flickered in recognition as he found the blessing listed under his status window:

[Blessing: Courage]

(Raises morale and damage of the blessed one. Special: As a blessed avatar, your blessing spills over in a reduced state to those around you. Time left: 03:37:19)

Cassis looked back at her with something close to admiration. “That was a smart move. And using silence on baby Jessica… that saved us.”

Arianna exhaled in relief, but the moment of peace didn’t last long. Cassis’ brows furrowed. “But what happens when the curse wears off?” he asked, his voice low. His gaze flickered toward Elena, who was still clutching her baby. Jessica’s tiny face was scrunched up, her mouth open in an endless silent cry. Cassis’ jaw tightened. “The monsters will come flocking back the moment the silence lifts.”

Arianna followed his gaze and felt a sinking dread settle in her stomach. She wasn’t in any shape to fight more monsters—not even in four hours when the curse would wear off.

Regret twisted in her chest. She looked back at Cassis, guilt flashing across her face. “I’m sorry,” she said earnestly. “For putting you in danger. I know you wouldn’t have ended up like this if not for me.”

Cassis met her eyes for a long moment before sighing. “We’ll deal with it,” he said, his voice quieter than before. But he sounded resigned.

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Arianna was sure she had made the right decision to jump into that fight—but a right decision didn’t equal a smart decision, or even a decision that would keep them alive. It was too late now. They needed a plan.

Arianna forced herself to focus, pushing aside her exhaustion.

She glanced at her accumulated CP. Before today, she had 20 CP. Now, the number had surged to 190 CP—110 CP for killing sentient beings and 50 CP for saving mortals.

Just as she took that in, her CP suddenly jumped by 30 more.

[+30 CP (for saving a group of mortals using a blessing)]

Then, another surge.

[+30 CP (for saving a group of mortals using a curse)]

Arianna stiffened. Her inner scale—her alignment—wavered violently, tipping back and forth between good and evil. The shifting force made her stomach churn. She clenched her fists as a wave of nausea hit her again, but after a moment, the scale finally settled—leaning slightly toward the evil side.

She exhaled shakily, taking stock of her situation. She now had 250 CP in total.

Without wasting any time, she opened the Patron Shop and searched for something—anything—that could help them. She needed an item that could silence, dampen sound, or at least create a sound barrier. She tried every search combination she could think of.

A list of options appeared:

1. [Veil of the Silent Phantom] – A cape that completely erases presence and sound. 1,200 CP.

2. [Cursed Bracelet: Silence] – A bracelet imbued with a silence curse. 540 CP.

3. [Sound Barrier Rune] – Creates a temporary soundproof barrier. 370 CP.

Arianna’s heart sank. Everything was too expensive.

Next, she looked at her Fame Points. She now had 70 FP. But she couldn’t find any use for them. There was no extra shop for them and in the Patron Shop she couldn’t change the currency to FP. Just what were they good for?

She bit her lip and turned to Cassis. “I found some options, but I don’t have enough CP for any of them.” She explained the items and their prices, frustration seeping into her voice.

Cassis furrowed his brows, deep in thought. After a long pause, he finally looked at her and spoke.

“I have an idea,” he said.

Arianna blinked, waiting for him to continue.

His expression was unreadable, but there was something different in his demeanour.

Cassis laid out his plan with a calm, steady voice.

First, they would escort the Morrisons back to his family’s house. Once there, they would awaken his father—increasing their fighting strength, and also awaken Violet and Noah—increasing their survivability.

If it had been possible, he would have wanted to awaken Jessica. As an F-rank awakener the mana wouldn’t bother her much which meant she would stop crying. But others had tried that in the other future and failed. No child younger than two had ever been awakened.

After the first part of the plan was finished, they would barricade themselves inside his mother’s office.

Cassis described the room. It was once part of the living room before being converted into a windowless office for Cassis’ mother, who had worked from home. The walls were sturdy, and there was only one entrance—a perfect defensive position.

“When the monsters come—and they will, the moment Jessica starts crying again—we’ll be ready,” Cassis continued. “With more awakened fighters, we can take turns defending the doorway while keeping the children safe inside. You can take breaks, meditate on your mana and heal when necessary. Maybe some of the others will also get to level five increasing our fighting strength more.”

Arianna stared at him in disbelief. “Are you suggesting...?”

Cassis stared back; his gaze unwavering but questioning.

Arianna couldn’t believe it. Was this really her Cassis—the man who always tried to handle everything alone? The Cassis who never relied on others?

For the first time, he was suggesting a plan that involved working together.

Before Cassis and Arianna shared their plan with the Morrisons, Cassis turned to her and said, "We should party up, now that we both have basic classes."

Arianna blinked, caught off guard. In the past, when she had been his patron, he hadn’t liked being in a party. Solitary, self-reliant Cassis had always preferred to carry the weight of survival alone. He must have noticed her surprise because he quickly added, "The party system splits experience evenly. Since you're a support class and probably won’t damage most monsters, this is especially important for you."

His voice held the faintest hint of awkwardness, and despite the tension thick in the air, Arianna found herself smiling.

A notification appeared before her. [Cassis invites you to join a party. Accept?]

She accepted without hesitation.

"Can you hear me?" Cassis’ voice resonated directly in her mind, clear yet strangely intimate.

"Yes, party chat works." She responded without speaking, testing the link between them.

Arianna slowly pushed herself upright, relieved to find that the dizziness had finally begun to fade. She still wouldn’t be able to cast a heal but at least she could move. Across from her, Cassis glanced at his timer—3 hours, 14 minutes, and 49 seconds remaining before Jessica’s silencing curse lifted.

They were running out of time.

When they finally explained the plan to the Morrisons, the reaction was immediate. Benny and Elena recoiled, shaking their heads.

"It’s too dangerous!" Benny argued, his voice tight with anxiety. "You’re asking us to go outside with a baby and a child, with monsters still lurking? There has to be another way!"

"We can’t risk it," Elena agreed, clutching Jessica protectively against her chest. "We barely survived out there the first time!"

Cassis and Arianna remained silent as the couple vented their fear and frustration. Arianna understood their desperation—she felt it, too. But there was no alternative.

It was Joseph who spoke next, his voice quiet yet resolute.

"We don’t have a choice," he murmured, his gaze lingering on Noah and the now-silent baby. His hands, wrinkled with age but still steady, curled into fists. "If we want to save them, we have to move. The monsters will come when Jess starts crying loudly again. We can’t stay trapped here, waiting for the next attack."

His words settled heavily over the room. For a long moment, the only sound was the faint, distant cries of monsters prowling the streets.

Benny exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face, while Elena bit her lip, her expression torn. Then, at last, they relented.

Their survival depended on it.

The group moved with quiet urgency, preparing for the treacherous journey ahead. Benny and Elena slipped on denim jackets, their makeshift armour against the dangers outside. Joseph layered another thick sweater over his clothes, his movements steady despite the tension in the air.

With careful effort, they pushed aside the heavy closet blocking the door, revealing the path to the rest of the house. They moved in silence, first sneaking into Noah’s room to dress him in thicker clothes, hoping they would protect him from the monsters. Then, they crept into Jessica’s nursery, grabbing a bag filled with diapers and wipes—because, as dire as their situation was, no one wanted to deal with a crying, uncomfortable and smelly baby on top of everything else.

When it was time to go, they fell into formation. Benny carried Noah, his arms tense but secure. Elena cradled Jessica; her grip protective. Cassis swung the bag over his shoulders, wearing it like a makeshift backpack. Arianna clenched her baseball bat, her knuckles white as she mentally prepared herself. She could only hope that her bludgeoning skill would prove useful in a real fight.

Cassis moved first. He slipped down the stairs like a shadow, his steps silent. The rest of them waited in tense anticipation, barely daring to breathe. Then—two muffled thuds.

Arianna’s pulse spiked, but before panic could set in, she heard his voice in her head through party chat:

"All clear. Come down."

They descended quickly; their feet light but their nerves frayed. At the bottom, two lifeless kobolds lay sprawled across the floor, their bodies still. Cassis had already wiped the blood from his weapon, his expression unreadable.

He makes it look easy, Arianna thought grimly.

Cassis turned to Joseph. "We can’t leave through the front. Do you have a backdoor? A window we can use?"

Joseph nodded and gestured for them to follow. He led them through the dim house, past overturned furniture and signs of a hurried escape, until they reached the winter garden. He pointed to a door leading to the backyard.

"This opens to the back of the garden," Joseph whispered.

Cassis didn’t hesitate. He slipped out first, his movements silent and precise. Joseph followed close behind, his posture tense but determined. Elena cradled Jessica tightly against her chest, shielding the baby as best she could, while Benny carried Noah, his grip firm despite the slight tremor in his hands.

Arianna was the last to exit, gripping her bat with white-knuckled fingers. She and Cassis, the group's strongest fighters, naturally took the front and rear positions, watching for any threats that might emerge from the darkened streets.

The world outside was eerily quiet—too quiet.

A cold breeze rippled through the bloody neighbourhood, rustling broken glass and discarded debris. Growls and guttural snarls echoed between the houses, a grim reminder that the monsters still lurked nearby.

Moving cautiously, they crept down the street, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Every step felt like an eternity, each rustling leaf and snapping twig sending jolts of anxiety through them. Twice, they were forced to take cover—once behind a rickety old garden shed, its wooden walls barely enough to shield them from the monstrous forms stalking down the road. Another time, they dove into the overgrown bushes of a neighbour’s garden, hearts pounding as a group of kobolds passed within feet of their hiding place, sniffing the air for prey.

By the time they reached their destination—which was only two streets away—Arianna’s muscles were taut with tension. What had felt like hours had only been thirty minutes, but the weight of every second had been suffocating.

They reached the kitchen window, their breaths shallow.

Inside, Liam spotted them immediately, his eyes widening in relief and surprise. He scrambled to unlock the window, pushing it open as they rushed forward. One by one, they climbed inside, slipping into the relative safety of the house.

For now, at least, they had made it.