The heavy glass door came to a sudden close. The impact of its wooden frame caused dust to rush the air. I hadn't intended for it to slam so fast but a difference in air pressure caused it to vacuum shut behind me. The loud thud made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My skin tightened as goose pimples crawled across my arms and legs. I held my weapon at the ready waiting for something to react to my presence. Nothing came.
The air was colder now. It was a subtle difference but I could feel a soft chill drifting through the air. The distant winds were no longer muffled and far, but close and haunting. Within that shifting breeze could be heard a soft whistling. I followed the noise down a nearby seating area. There were tall glass panels here, the same as most of the building but the middle one had been broken near the top. The window was missing a chunk broken in the shape of a large triangle. The sunsetting winds were whistling their way through it.
The sun had fallen behind the distant mountains, and the once violet sky had turned a deep blue, almost black. The wild fields of clouds were beginning to drift off somewhere beyond the city skyline. The grand eye in the sky was missing as well. Or it had closed itself and fallen into a deep slumber, hiding its gaze till morning's rise. In its place was something of remarkable beauty. The moon, bright and full, illuminated the silhouettes of the city below. It was a wonder to behold. In all my life I had only seen the moon once. I had turned thirteen and Indy, for my birthday, had taken me down a long subway tunnel that let out near an old warehouse. The exit to the tunnel had been chained up and blocked off with large oil drums and wooden boards. But despite the darkness falling, and the looming buildings blocking the sky, we saw the moon. It was a sliver of its current self. A needle whose light only shined between a one-inch gap in the barricade. That was a beautiful moment, but this was a miraculous one.
That beauty would only last a short while. As wonderful as it was to bask in the cold light of the moon, I wasn’t the only one enjoying the twilight sky. Within the soft ambience a god walked. Its head reached my floor lending itself to be at least over sixty feet tall. The creature's face was a blank slate of white flesh on gaunt cheekbones and an ivory skull. There were no eye sockets, no eyebrows, and what could only be described as a mouth was jagged and filled with black needles. Its body was thin with arms that reached below its knees. They swung back and forth in a wide arch, carrying the creature’s ashened hands through the city streets. I couldn’t see the creature’s feet. The shins faded away to nothing. Nothing, was an apt name for its presence. I heard no breathing, no footsteps, there was only silence as it walked by.
I watched in sheer terror as this ghostly god silently hobbled forward like a forgotten shadow of the sun fading into the city. As the monstrosity fell behind the shade of a nearby skyscraper, it vanished. It was as if the light of the moon had allowed this apparition to walk the earth so long as it stayed within its sight. It made me wonder what other things could be hiding behind the veil of our own senses limitations. How many invisible gods walked among us without us knowing?
I turned from the ever darkening city and back into the heart of the Crumbling Tower. Everything had gone dark. The only light was that of the moon from without. It was enough to walk by but knowing the truth of what it could show me didn’t feel me with ease. Instead of dwelling on more existential questions, I focused on what I could do at that moment. What part of my reality I could control. I had loot to get and bandages to deliver.
It took me a few short minutes to arrive at the winding staircase below where I had last seen Tala and Theo. Looking out from under the collapsed walkway, I could still see the soft blue light of the loot item. The Abomination laid within a pool of moonlight. It’s body was starting to collapse away as if years of rot had suddenly come to claim it. A reminder that loot doesn’t last forever. So I quickly flew down the steps, taking them three at a time, turning a corner and taking the last dozen steps in three leaps. My feet landed among the rubble of the crumbling building and collapsed walkway. The damage had broken out in all directions. Several of the larger marble pieces had managed to slam against nearby walls creating long stretches of cracks. Another reminder that loot wasn’t the only thing that doesn’t last forever.
I crouched low and walked till I came to the edge of the light of the moon. My father’s lesson had not left me. I was still hiding in the shadows, keeping myself hidden from searching eyes. Darkness was dangerous but it had its advantages if used wisely. I walked towards my left till I came to a wide circular pillar standing between two fake plants. I hid among the leaves and searched the area.
There was only settling dust, soft winds, and silver light in the large atrium. I couldn’t see any movement, nothing to suggest anything was watching. Then an opportunity arose. A drift of clouds blotted out the pouring light, basking the entire room in shadows. I didn’t hesitate and ran forward towards the blue light. My steps were loud, echoing off the high chambered ceiling, and I felt my breath was a scream. Regardless I made it to the rare item, swiped quickly and then ran back to my hiding spot. As I did the clouds fell away and the room flooded with light again. Nothing moved.
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[Obtained: Swift Windbreaker of Grace]
I felt a rush of excitement come over me as I read the notification. A truly rare item. It wasn’t some common trash that I got out of luck. No, this was a true loot item I earned. I opened my Codex to my Inventory and looked at my new item.
Swift Windbreaker of Grace (Rare)
🛡 9 Defense
Upper Body
◈ +1 Mind
◈ + 8% Movement Speed
Combat Power: 112
Without hesitation I equipped the armor. A gray and black jacket materialized around my body in a haze of blue light. It wrapped itself around me, and fit my figure perfectly. It was light, made of some kind of nylon fiber, and helped ease the chill of the wind. I even felt a sense of renewed clarity as I equipped it as if a thin veil was slowly being removed from my eyes. On top of that I swore I lost a good thirty pounds. Feeling lighter and quicker than ever.
It was incredible to feel such a change in power and strength after my first day of being in the Fallen States. I wanted to see where I currently stood when it came to my stats and abilities. I adjusted the Codex to my profile and was pleased with myself.
Warden Pierce
Class: Unknown
Specialization: Unknown
Level: 2 (240/500) XP
Condition: Unharmed
Title: Starter
Stats
Body: 4
Mind: 3
Spirit: 2
Combat Power: 428
There were several new categories on my Codex now that I hadn’t noticed before. One for Stat Bonuses, one for Quests, and another for Collections. I don’t remember seeing the Quests one when I first entered the Fallen States so I wasn’t sure when that one finally populated, and the Collections one must have been unlocked when I got that photo. The Stat Bonuses one on the other hand was definitely new. It was one of the features I was looking forward to digging into once I unlocked it. I pressed my will on Stat Bonuses and was brought to a new page in the Codex.
Stat Bonuses
🗡 1 - 4 Damage
🛡 9 Defense
◈ 5% Chance to cause [Bleeding]
◈ +1 Mind
◈ + 8% Movement Speed
It was a breakdown of all the stat increases I was receiving from my equipment. It was the page I could use to maximize my efficiency in combat and my skills. As of right now things were shaping up pretty nicely but I knew that once I unlocked my Class Pathway then the true testing would begin. I would unlock another page of my Codex for my Class Abilities and Skills and from there I could work on utilizing my equipment to better suit my attacks and powers. I couldn’t wait to share it with my dad and possibly get help from some of the Outriders on how to become powerful.
I closed down my Codex and started for the stairs. I needed to get the bandages to Theo soon. I knew he was hurting and I also didn’t know how Tala was fairing either. As far as I knew I was the strongest out of the three of us. I had the colt revolver, though I only had one bullet, and with my new windbreaker, I had some extra armor to help out. I also had the movement speed bonus which felt fantastic. I could feel my steps become lighter and quicker. It was as if I was bounding on a rubber floor that continually shot me forward.
Back at the Quarters I had seen some of the higher leveled survivors practicing their skills and combat abilities. Usually it was done in private lessons, or in closed off sections of the colony to prevent others from getting injured, especially those that focused more on skills more suitable for support. The few times I managed to sneak into their practices I was hoping to get a glance at the Midnight Ranger fighting, but he never showed his true strength to anyone beyond the Outriders. Still, those who did show off their abilities, it was a sight to see.
One of the Outriders that I had the chance of watching was Wilma Hendrix herself. I knew that she was a [Soldier] Class Pathway with a specialization in [Defense] so I figured I would get to see some interesting defensive abilities. I was wrong. She was fast. Way faster than anyone her age should be. She moved around the training stage as if gravity had no effect on her. All the more impressive since she carried around a sledgehammer almost as tall as she was.
The head of the sledgehammer was a brilliant silver metal, curled like a vine squeezing the life out of itself. The handle was a deep black rock, with metallic threading for the handle. She was practicing some new ability, I didn’t quite catch the name of it, but I do remember what it did. Wilma had set up a large dumpster, green and on wheels, in the center of the stage. It was filled with cement debris and various metal scraps. Once she was in position, she pulled by her sledgehammer and let it fly. It smashed the side of the dumpster and sent it flying thirty feet into the air. It came slamming down in an awful tremble. Dirt, stone, and dust flew everywhere obscuring my view.
Once everything cleared I saw the true extent of her ability. The dumpster was scarred in purple ash, and violent streams of energy. She had poured real power into her attack, not just of strength but of spirit. The whole display frightened me at the time. To see how strong someone who had Unlocked their Connection to Trinity was capable of.
It made me wonder if my dad could do the same. I figured he couldn’t as he never worried about leveling himself up. Just on helping others. “It was good to be strong, but it was safer to be wise.” Another one of his many sayings. I always tried to live by that. To be smarter than simply stronger. To help those around us and to learn to survive. However, feeling the power of my new upper body armor and how it was affecting me physically—it only solidified my new desire to join the Outriders.