“This whole Codex thing is pretty cool, huh?” I asked as we made our way up another flight of stairs. These ones were a wide marble staircase in the center of the building with glass railings that wound back on itself.

“Yeah, I guess,” Tala said. She was keeping her focus upward and taking each step in two. I was already losing my breath trying to keep up with her.

“Well, I mean the way it affects us. I’m sure you’ve noticed it. Heck you probably realized with your low Body stat that you felt weaker than before.” Tala stopped climbing, turned around and gave me a hard glare. “I mean… not that you’re weak or anything. Hey you’d probably beat me in a fight. Not that I want to fight just that…”

“I know what you mean. Yes, I’ve felt a difference since I Unlocked my connection to Trinity. It was… unexpected. Didn’t think it would hurt as bad as it did.” Tala continued her climb.

“Mine happened in the middle of the night,” I said, falling into her stride. “I thought I was dying. Happy birthday to me.”

“Wait,” Tala stopped again. “It happened on your birthday?”

“Yeah. Four days ago,” I said as I continued past her.

“That’s rough.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?” Tala asked as she matched my steps.

“When did it happen to you?”

We made it to the next level which opened up to a small lobby that led to a series of wooden doors with small glass windows. The closest door had faded words on the opaque window. It was hard to read exactly what it said. I almost wanted to ask if she was interested in searching the rooms for supplies but she turned and continued up the stairs without pausing and said, “The day of the last Trials.”

“The last Trials? So six months ago? How come you didn’t participate then?” I asked.

“My dad didn’t want me to. Said I was still too young. Ridiculous right?”

“Sure, but… I thought everyone was forced to do the Trials? The Trinity makes us. We need to do this to prove our connections. To keep our Codex’s so we can survive out here. Why didn’t you do it then?” Tala didn’t answer me right away and I felt that I must have hit a chord. When she did answer me I could tell she was holding back something.

“I wanted to. I needed to. It almost killed me not to. You either succeed at the Trials or die. Even if you don’t participate,” She went quiet after that and didn’t say anything for the next three floors. We reached an end point in the stairs that found us in an open causeway with a walkway leading to the other side of the building. There was another set of stairs on the other end and a large chandelier hung twenty feet above the walkway. The glass centerpiece swung gently back and forth reflecting small trails of rainbow light that cut through the autumn sky. The golden chain that held it aloft squealed loudly as rust had eaten at its root.

I couldn’t help but admire the beauty that the chandelier cast upon the world. I had never seen so many beautiful colors before. It was awe inspiring yet uncanny. Almost as if such a beauty was not meant to last long in this world.

CRACK! A loud snapping noise echoed throughout the open ceiling. It was followed by another and another. Across the walkway a figure stepped out from a darkened hall. It was Theo. He was swinging a baseball bat at something.

“Hey, it’s Theo!” Tala exclaimed.

“It looks like he’s in trouble. C’mon.” I started to run. At first I wasn’t sure why. Was I worried that Theo was about to die? Maybe. Was it survival courtesy to help out another colonist? Perhaps. Deep down though I think I ran to prove something. When Theo was around I wanted to show him up. I wanted to save him not just for the sake of saving him but to prove I was better than he was. To be able to tell everyone when I got back that I saved the [Midnight Ranger’s] son from death. It was extremely petty of me but that’s why I ran. To prove something.

As I crossed the walkway I didn’t look back to see if Tala was following. Before I knew it I was across the walkway and closing in on Theo fast. I held my knife to my side, slowed my pace and readied myself for whatever it was that Theo was fighting. By the time I came within ten feet of him his fight was over. He swung his metal bat hard against a Shambler causing brown liquid to spray across the pristine white walls. The creature’s body went limp, fell to its knees then keeled over to the side. Theo was smiling and breathing hard.

“Theo… You alright?” I asked, coming to a stop.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Ward? How the hell did you get all the way up here? Thought you’d be dead already,” Theo swung his bat down, spraying more brown liquid on the short carpet.

“I thought you were about to die,” I said, trying to sound confident.

“What… that?” Theo pointed with the baseball bat at the crumbled mass on the ground. “Nah, that was just some good ol’ e.x.p. grinding.”

“Clearly,” I said.

“Theo, you alright?” Tala came up to join us.

“Wow, you too? Hmm guess I got more competition in this Trial than I thought. Let’s see,” Theo turned, squinted his eyes then let them go wide. “Level 1 for both of you. Impressive. Just hit Level 2 with that last Shambler. Things ain’t as tough as they look. After the first one I killed it became pretty clear. Their weakness? They're blind. Damn things can’t hit you if you stay quiet.”

I started biting my lip again, feeling the scar that was still tender. One step ahead of me. Theo would always be one step ahead of me. Looking at him was like looking at one of the old arcade machines back in the old mall. The ones with the snarling zombies on the side and the maniac who smiled with a gun in his hand. Theo lived for this world while the rest of us were in this world to live.

Theo looked down and swiped at a glowing gray orb floating above the creature. He grimaced and said, “More junk. Can’t stand all this common loot. When’s the real stuff supposed to show up? You guys get anything good yet?”

“Not really,” I answered, holding up the kitchen knife.

“Same,” Tala said.

“Too bad,” The rubbed at his neck, gave it a good stretch then started for the stairs.

“Hey… don’t you think we should stick together?” Tala asked.

“What? Why?” Theo asked in return.

“I just think that it’s safer if we all work together. You know… greater strength in numbers sort of thing.”

I was about to object to the idea but Theo beat me to it. “Nah, I’m good. You guys would slow me down. I’m gonna be the first one to the top. No way I’m gonna let either of you get their first.” Theo started up the stairs again and I had to put my hand on Tala's shoulders to stop her.

“Let him go. He’s not gonna help us,” I said.

“Damn right I'm not,” Theo called back.

“You asshole!” Tala said.

“What’d you say?” Theo stopped and swung his bat onto his shoulders.

“You heard me.”

“You really wanna tick me off right now?” Theo swiveled on his foot and let his weapon drop to his other hand. “We're not friends here. This is the Fallen States. It’s the strongest who survive. You know what that means don’tcha? Think about it. First to the top wins.”

“Theo calm down,” I said. I stepped in between the two of them and gave him my hardest stare. Theo took a few steps down, a great smile on his face as he swung his bat back and forth.

“Or what?” Theo and I were now only feet apart. He had stayed on the steps so that he was looking down at me. Despite his grin and the fact he was already a foot taller than me, I didn’t back down. His deep blue eyes stared daggers and his short-cut blonde hair stood sharp as spears. I tightened my grip on the knife and prepared to swing. Theo suddenly lifted both hands, “Hey I’m just messing around. Let’s not let things get out of control. Remember we’re practically family. The Quarters always comes first.”

My hand unclenched and I could feel my fingers ache from squeezing too tightly. Had I really been ready to kill another person? I let the thought vanish before I could let it sink in. There was no way I was going to let my life lead to that. I was never going to kill someone even if that person was Theo Fletcher.

I jumped in my skin at a loud thump from above us. Looking at the others it seemed to have startled them as well. The three of us took a few steps back from the staircase as another loud thump shook the glass railings.

“What is that?” Tala asked, holding the tire iron close to her chest.

“I don’t know. Theo?” I asked.

He didn’t answer. He kept his eyes on the stairs and fell in beside me and Tala.

Thump… Thump… Thump… The heavy sound continued its slow descent down the stairs until finally a mass of flesh came stumbling onto the landing. It stood seven feet tall despite being hunched over as if it couldn’t handle the weight of its own body. It was flesh colored but distorted with veins of deep violet and running black. It was vaguely human shaped but bloated and rolling in layers of skin. Its head, if you could call it that, hung low and had one central eye with great red veins.

My Codex flared to life and my heart dropped in a violent shutter.

[Rare Monster Encounter]

Abomination - Level 2

Condition: Infested

Weaknesses: ???

Resistances: ???

“Watch this,” Theo marched right up the stairs. Bravery on his shoulders and his bat at the ready.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Tala said. “It’s a rare monster encounter. I don’t remember the First Unlocked mentioning anything about rare monsters during the Trials.”

“Listen to her Theo,” I chimed in. “Let’s work this out together. Think first before you get yourself killed.” As I spoke I realized that I was taking steps backwards, my feet ready to run.

“You can run,” Theo said, jumping a few steps. “But if I’m going to be first and join the Outriders then I’ll never run.”

“Theo—” Tala didn’t have time to finish her sentence. Theo had taken the next steps in a single bound. He landed firmly in front of the Abomination and swung with all his might right into the creature’s side. The bat hit the target squarely in the ribs. There was no cracking sound like before. It was more of a wet impact like punching a soaked sandbag. The creature didn’t flinch at the attack. It stood still while its flesh crawled like ripples in water.

Theo pulled at his baseball bat but it seemed to be stuck fast in the layers of worming skin. He tugged harder and harder but still the weapon wouldn’t budge, in fact it seemed to get pulled in deeper with every try.

In an ungodly howl, the creature swiped with its long rotting arm knocking Theo back several feet causing him to land hard on his back at the bottom of the stairs. The hit knocked the wind out of him and he hit his head on the floor. Tala came to his side and helped him to his feet. I came to stand next to them, knife at the ready.

“You alright?” I asked.

“Okay,” Theo said after he managed to catch his breath. “I may need help with this one.”