I barely had a moment to gather my breath before the Juggernaut lunged at us again, its massive form casting a shadow that threatened to engulf everything in its path. I raised my hands to form another [Luminary Barrier], but I knew it wouldn't hold for long. The relentless creature was bent on destruction, and our combined strength was waning fast.
Black Star, even in his battered state, moved with a nimbleness that I could only envy. He deftly jumped back from the Juggernaut's range, but it was evident that he wouldn't last much longer. And I... well.
I took a second to scan my eyes over my status.
✨🌟 Sienna Russo: Cadet Mode 🌟✨
----------------------------------------
Occupation: Magical Knight Cadet, Guardian of Hope
Status effects: Inspiration
Level: 28
----------------------------------------
Vitals (Aggregate):
* HP: 270 / 1497
* MP: 1213 / 1971
* SP: 307 / 1858
----------------------------------------
Attributes:
* Strength: 🌠20 (4)🌠
* Constitution: 🌠26 (8)🌠
* Agility: 🌠24 ( 7)🌠
* Intelligence: 17
* Charisma: 11
* Magic: 21
----------------------------------------
Skills:
* Luminary Conversion (Rank 2)
* Luminary Bolt
* Luminary Beam
* Luminary Mirage
* Luminary Shield
* Luminary Nova
* Aura Sight
* Resilience
* Intuition
----------------------------------------
Luminary Arts:
Luminary Bolt: Rapid Fire
----------------------------------------
Transformation:
* Guardian Ascension: Sienna's partial transformation unleashes her latent magical energy, dramatically increasing her physical attributes, aura, and magical efficiency.
----------------------------------------
Active Quests:
* 🌍 (World Quest) Investigate the origins of the Outbreak
* 🌌 (Main Quest) Save Albert
* 🌌 (Main Quest) Save Twilight Aster
* 🌌 (Main Quest) Survive the Onslaught
----------------------------------------
Level-up Options for Sienna Russo:
Skill points to assign: 21 points
* Increase attribute points (2 points) - Cost: 2 skill points
* Increase MP pool and regeneration (20 points) - Cost: 2 skill points
* Emergency aura and luminary energy restoration - Cost: 3 skill points
Skills
* Learn new skill: Presence Amplification - Cost: 9 skill points
* Learn new skill: Luminary Flash - Cost: 12 skill points
* Learn new skill: Luminary Levitation - Cost: 14 skill points
* Learn new skill: Luminary Chains - Cost: 18 skill points
* Learn new skill: Celestial Connection - Cost: 20 skill points
* Learn new skill: Mystic Resilience - Cost: 12 skill points
* Learn new skill: Radiant Rally - Cost: 20 skill points
* Learn new skill: Heart's Beacon - Cost: 24 skill points
----------------------------------------
Skill Upgrades
* Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Conversion (Rank 3) - Cost: 9 skill points
* Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Bolt (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points
* Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Beam (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points
* Upgrade existing skill: Aura Sight (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points
* Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Mirage (Rank 2) - Cost: 12 skill points
* Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Nova (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points
----------------------------------------
Luminary Arts:
* Learn new Art | Seraph Wings - Cost: 14 skill points
* Learn new Art | Celestial Cascade - Cost: 16 points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Beam: Radiant Rainbow Blast - Cost: 28 skill points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Conversion: Hopeful Heart Alchemy - Cost: 30 skill points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Barrier: Celestial Guardian Dome - Cost: 32 skill points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Mirage: Ethereal Moonlit Dance - Cost: 25 skill points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Nova: Dawn's Glorious Eruption - Cost: 38 skill points
* Learn new Art | Luminary Crescendo: Prismatic Radiant Requiem - Cost: 70 skill points
----------------------------------------
Glancing over my status, I was surprised that my partially transformed mana pool was still relatively full.
If we could just buy some more time… maybe we could come up with a plan, maybe retreat and regroup. I just had to believe that there was a way out of this.
"I think we need a new strategy," Black Star wheezed out, coming to stand by my side.
"Definitely. But what?" I replied, quickly glancing at my skill set, trying to think of any ability that could turn the tide in our favor. "Our attack didn't even scratch it!"
The Juggernaut, sensing our hesitation, roared triumphantly. Its enormous feet pounded the ground, each step creating mini tremors, making the floor vibrate beneath us.
Then, from behind the beast, a loud crackling noise echoed through the air.
An electrifying lightning bolt burst forward, lashing at the Juggernaut and making it stumble forward, temporarily stunned. It roared in pain, the blue and red of its eyes temporarily dimming.
And just when I thought things couldn't get stranger, objects began to fly through the air toward the Juggernaut — knives, arrows, even chunks of debris — seemingly from nowhere. They vanished from view, only to reappear when they slammed into the monster.
Somewhere, someone was able to cloak these projectiles and manipulate them, but I couldn’t determine from where.
Then, a barrage of plasma beams and metal tendrils slammed into the beast from behind. The tendrils glowed a bright, almost blinding, blue, crackling and sizzling as they connected with the beast's hide, before quickly whipping back into the darkness.
From the shadows emerged a towering figure, a man glowing with electricity. It was a man with yellow yellow eyes blazing and a distinctive green mohawk standing with a slouch. The electricity emanating from his body seemed to dance and flicker like a live current. He moved confidently, his voice carrying a deep Boston accent that managed to boom over the panicking civilians.
"’Ey there, you kids look like you need some backup!"
Beside him, a woman with a sharp pixie cut appeared, her additional arms—mechanical in nature—whirring and adjusting to the weapons they held. Every arm was equipped with a different kind of weapon, from laser beams to what looked like a harpoon launcher that the tendrils were retracting back into.
“Ah shit, they came after me after all…” Black Star mumbled under his breath, his voice sounding almost exasperated. He hadn't noticed me overhear him.
"Who the hell are they?" I asked, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice. The electrical man and the multi-armed woman continued their assault on the Juggernaut, keeping it occupied while we tried to regroup. It was clear they were experienced fighters, but the way Black Star reacted to them made me feel uneasy.
"They're...complications," Black Star finally admitted, casting a wary glance in their direction. "But for now, they're on our side. Let's just take advantage while we have the chance!"
Still in a state of shock, I watched as yet another figure made an appearance, blending in and out of the surroundings. It was like looking at a glitch in a video game, his form unstable and almost pixelated, but he seemed to be the one responsible for the cloaked projectiles.
Black Star suddenly grabbed my hoodie sleeve, pulling me back. "We need to fall back, Sienna! We're not going to be much help here. Let’s focus on the civilians."
"But the Juggernaut?" I stammered, glancing at the still-raging creature. “Also, you’re showing concern for the civilians now?”
"Look, they won't be able to defeat it," Black Star snapped, "but they can stall it. Give us time. And right now, I can be damned sure we need time."
I bit my lip, uncertainty clouding my thoughts as I thought about the connection between Black Star and these people that definitely looked like supervillains.
Swallowing my pride, I nodded in agreement. "Okay, but you owe me an explanation after this."
Black Star smirked, even amidst the chaos. "Over sushi, then?”
"If there’s any left in the city after this," I bit back, summoning a larger barrier to protect the fleeing civilians behind us. The glowing barrier spanned the width of the chamber, providing a much-needed shield against the horde.
Amidst the terrified crowd, I recognized a mother clutching her young daughter, the girl's face pale with terror. Not far from them, an elderly Asian man struggled to move, his steps faltering. It seemed every glance revealed more reasons to ensure these people made it to safety.
Suddenly, a shrill cry echoed through the air. Turning toward it, I saw four wolf-like monsters with gray skin and blue eyes that had just leaped over my barrier. They snarled and snapped, quickly advancing toward the vulnerable civilians. I could feel the weight of panic and desperation pressing down on me.
I reacted quickly, snapping my staff as I prepared a barrage of Luminary Bolts, channeling my remaining mana to unleash a flurry of radiant energy at the monstrous wolves. Each bolt of light was a mix of my fear, my rage, and my determination. They burst forth in rapid succession, causing the monsters to explode into bursts of blue light, much to my surprise.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
I took a second to catch my breath, eyes scanning the horde pounding on my barriers. But just as quickly as the momentary reprieve came, it ended. Seven more blue-eyed wolves jumped over and began converging towards us, growling with insatiable hunger, eyes fixed on the civilians behind me funneling through the emergency exits.
In the midst of the chaos, a hand rested on my shoulder.
"I don’t think we should play hero here, Sienna," Black Star warned, his voice strained but resolute as he squared off against the wolves. "We've got to make our exit soon. There’s WAY too many of them!"
I stared at him, anger and despair swirling within me. Every fiber of my being screamed to stay and defend, but the rational part of me knew he was right. No matter how strong I felt with my new skills, these monsters were endless, and the supervillains were barely holding the Juggernaut back.
"Then we move together," I shouted back, voice rising over the cacophony. "I'll try my luck."
I let my barriers expand, forcing the creatures to retreat slightly. But my mana was quickly being drained, and I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to maintain the protection.
Behind me, the remaining soldiers continued organizing an evacuation, shouting for the civilians to move. The corridor leading to the emergency exits was filling up quickly, and I could see the terror in the eyes of the fleeing crowd.
Gritting my teeth, I turned back to the entrance, watching as the electrical man, the multi-armed woman, and the glitched figure continued their assault on the Juggernaut. For a moment, our eyes met, and the man with the green mohawk gave me a slight nod, a silent assurance. In these dire circumstances, the lines between hero and villain were more blurred than I’d imagined.
As I moved to join the crowd, I saw the elderly man from before, still struggling. His steps were heavy and slow, weighed down by both age and fear. Acting on instinct, I hurried to his side, offering my arm for support.
"Thank you," he whispered shakily.
"It's okay," I replied, helping him move faster. "We're going to get you out of here."
A loud explosion behind us made us both flinch. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the Juggernaut, now more enraged than ever, breaking free from its restraints and charging toward my barriers.
“We're almost there," I whispered, urging the elderly man forward. “Come on!”
As we made our way towards the exit, I felt a shiver down my spine, sensing a looming danger behind. Before I could react, one of the wolf-like creatures lunged at us. The world seemed to slow down for a second. There was a feral snarl, a blur of movement, and then I was shoved out of the way by the old man in a sudden burst of strength.
I could only stare in horror. The creature latched onto the old man, dragging him down to the ground with a force that made me fall into a roll. I immediately countered with a Luminary Bolt, a concentrated explosion of my energy, throwing the creature off him. But the damage was done.
I dropped to my knees, cradling the old man in my arms. His frail body trembled, and blood pooled from the deep gashes in his abdomen. His eyes met mine, filled with both pain and a resignation I wished I could deny.
"No no no," I choked as I bent over.
"It's alright, dear," he croaked, gasping for air, his grip on my arm surprisingly strong for his feeble state. "You… you did what you could."
"No! Please! Hang on!" I cried, my vision blurring as tears filled my eyes. Every ounce of my being ached to save him, but the severity of his injuries was beyond me.
"Heh. It's the duty of an old man like me to protect the young ladies like you," he whispered, a weak but sincere smile on his bloodstained lips, "not the other way around. I’d be ashamed."
His words cut through me sharper than any blade. Here was a man, nearing the end of his life, yet he chose to use his last moments to protect someone younger and stronger than him. The weight of guilt bore down on me.
"I'm so sorry," I choked out, tears streaming down my face, mingling with the dirt and sweat.
The man coughed weakly, blood flecking his lips. "It's not your fault, kid. This world... It's unpredictable sometimes, you know?"
Even as he spoke, I could feel a chilling change emanating from his body. The wounds began to darken, veins turning a sinister shade of blue. The signs were clear: the bite of the creature was turning him.
As I held him, I could feel the life rapidly ebbing from his body. The weight of the moment pressed down on me, and the sounds of the ongoing battle seemed to fade into the background. For a moment, the world narrowed down to just the two of us, two souls caught in the crossfire of a war we never asked for.
Mustering all the strength I could find, I focused my magic and used my [Luminary Conversion]. The bright light shimmered around him and for a moment, it felt like he was at peace as I drew it back into me.
When the light dimmed, the old man's body lay still, untouched by the curse of transformation. He looked as though he was sleeping.
I closed his eyes gently, whispering a silent prayer. "Thank you," I murmured, laying him down with as much respect and care as I could muster. My heart was heavy, burdened with the weight of all I had witnessed, but I knew I had to press on. There were still lives at stake, and the battle was far from over.
There was a mournful howl from the wolves, which made my heart race. They sensed weakness and were eager to pounce again.
Black Star dispatched another group of the wolf-like creatures and came to my side. "Sienna," he began, but I cut him off.
"I know," I whispered, wiping away my tears. "We have to keep moving.”
Taking a deep breath, I got to my feet and took one last look at the old man before turning my attention back to the horde. I had to focus; there was no time to get lost in grief now. That moment of vulnerability had cost us, and the wolves had closed in.
Every time I had run into fresh infectees since this began, I had felt an energy emanating from them, much like stagnant water – still, but dense. It was almost as if their life essence was being eroded, desperate for help. Without knowing how or why, I'd been able to draw this energy out and repurpose it for my own, purifying them in the process.
But these wolves, their energy was different. It felt... active. Turbulent. Like a maelstrom. It wasn't still or stagnant. Instead, it was chaotic and wild, swirling with a vicious intent. Trying to draw from them felt like attempting to contain a cyclone with my hands alone.
As another wolf lunged at me, I reacted immediately and intercepted it with a Luminary Bolt.
I reached out, hoping to use my [Luminary Conversion] on it as a test. However, the familiar tug of energy I expected to feel was absent. Instead, I felt a jarring backlash, as though I'd tried to siphon from a power source too vast and chaotic for me to control. It was like trying to drink from a roaring waterfall, the force of the energy pushing back against my own, threatening to overwhelm me.
The backlash threw me off-balance, causing me to stumble back. Waves of nausea and dizziness crashed over me, and my vision blurred. I barely registered Black Star as he lunged forward, his knives gleaming as he dispatched the wolf that had just attacked me.
Black Star glanced at me, concern briefly flashing in his eyes. "What did you try to do?"
"I tried to purify them, like I did with the people who were infected," I replied shakily, "But their energy is... it's chaotic, wild. I can't manipulate it."
"We need to get out now, Sienna," Black Star urged. "There’s too many of them.”
Torn, I looked around and took in the situation. Only about two-thirds of the civilians had managed to escape so far.
The horde of wolves kept growing, their snarls filling the air. I could see the electrical man and the multi-armed woman fending off the Juggernaut, but they were slowly getting overwhelmed. The glitched figure was moving swiftly, dodging and attacking from the shadows, but even he seemed to be reaching his limit.
"I can't leave," I whispered desperately. "The civilians aren't in the tunnels yet. If I drop the barriers..."
"Listen to me," Black Star said, his voice sharp. "If we stay here and die, who will protect the survivors in the tunnels? We have to think about the bigger picture."
His words stung, but they also made sense. It was the cruel calculus of leadership: to weigh individual lives against the greater good. The burden of those choices weighed heavily on my shoulders.
Taking a deep breath, I looked towards the remaining civilians and shook my head.
"Sorry Black Star, but that isn't an option. We need to speed up the evacuation," I said. "I'll extend the barriers and buy some more time."
I closed my eyes, focusing my energy on the barriers. They shimmered and expanded, closing the gap overhead and creating a wider protective space for the civilians to flee. I could feel the strain of maintaining such a large barrier, but I held on, gritting my teeth against the pain.
"Sienna, focus! You've got this!" Black Star shouted, his voice cutting through my pain and fatigue.
Beside me, a soldier barked orders, directing civilians to the tunnels. Parents clutched their children tightly, faces etched with fear, while elderly were given support by younger men and women. The unity and compassion amidst the chaos was heartening.
I could feel sweat dripping down my face, each drop a testament to the energy I was pouring into the barriers. My vision started to waver at the edges, and a dull ache formed behind my eyes.
But somehow, I felt myself regain a second wind. The crystal on my staff shone with a brilliant purple brilliance as the barriers regained a healthy luminescence, and the ache around my temples lessened ever so slightly.
A loud roar shook the area, drawing my attention back to the entrance where the Juggernaut was desperately trying to break through the combined assault from the electrical man and the multi-armed woman. The glitched figure was nowhere to be seen, likely retreating to recover or get a better vantage point.
"We’re almost through! Hold on just a bit longer!" a voice cried out.
The civilians streamed through the gates in droves. With every passing second, the horde of wolves grew more restless, scratching and pounding at my barriers with increasing ferocity. I felt every hit like a jolt, further draining my already waning energy.
Black Star, sensing my struggle, came to my side. "Hey, I'm with you, Sienna. We've got this." He took a stance, his twin knives shimmering menacingly as he kept a wary eye on the monstrous wolves, ready to defend if they broke through.
The last group of civilians was almost through the gates. A little boy, no older than five, his teddy bear clutched tightly in his arms, looked back at us, his eyes wide with fear and awe. His mother pulled him forward, urging him on. Their figures faded into the darkness of the tunnel, marking the end of the evacuation.
"I think... I think that's everyone," Black Star said, relief evident in his voice.
The barriers, which I had been desperately holding, shimmered once before dissipating completely. Exhausted, I dropped to my knees, my staff clattering beside me. The world around me seemed to blur, the sounds of the battlefield distant and muffled.
The wolves, sensing the disappearance of the barriers, howled in triumph, readying to pounce on their now defenseless prey.
“On your feet, Sienna,” Black Star growled, his gaze locked onto the wolves, preparing to charge. "You can rest when we're safe."
Before the first wolf could reach us, a beam of plasma zipped past, striking the creature in the heart and causing it to dissolve into blue mist. More beams followed suit, keeping the approaching pack at bay. The multi-armed woman appeared beside us, her mechanical arms humming with energy.
"Thought you two could use a little help," she commented, a smirk playing on her lips. "Though I'm more interested in keeping the shrimp there safe," she added, nodding towards Black Star.
The glitched figure emerged from the shadows, landing gracefully beside the woman. "Keep them distracted," he whispered, his pixelated face hard to read but carrying an undertone of urgency. “You kids get on out of here with the rest. Ricardo’s tied up outside but the boss will come for you.”
Black Star sighed. "God you’re a lifesaver, Arsenal. Sienna, I'll explain later. For now, just trust me, okay?"
In the distance, the Juggernaut continued to wreak havoc, the electrical man with the mohawk doing his best to hold the beast off. The ground quaked beneath us, and I had to grip my staff tightly to keep from falling over again.
"We need to retreat," Black Star said, locking eyes with me. His face was serious, the playful banter from earlier gone. "They'll handle things here. We have to ensure the civilians in the tunnels make it to safety."
The multi-armed woman nodded. "He's right. The shrimp isn't as clueless as he looks."
Black Star scooped me up again with ease, showing a surprising gentleness amidst the turmoil. He darted toward the gate where the last of the civilians had gone, with the glitched man and the multi-armed woman covering our escape.
A sharp, deafening explosion echoed through the chamber, causing the ground to tremble even more. I turned my head and watched in horror as the Juggernaut broke free from another layer of bindings, the electrical man barely evading a devastating blow as he zoomed away in a blur. The multi-armed woman unleashed a barrage of attacks, each weapon in her mechanical arms firing in rapid succession at the encroaching zombie hordes.
Black Star carried me through the gates at a breakneck pace. Behind us, the sounds of battle continued to rage, but they became muffled and distant as we descended further into the tunnels.
We finally came to a stop, finding ourselves in a large underground room back in the primary maintenance and evacuation tunnels, where the survivors were regrouping. Soldiers barked orders as the gates behind us slammed shut in the distance, tending to the injured. Children cried out for their parents, while others sat in stunned silence.
Black Star gently set me down, crouching in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. "Sienna, are you okay?"
I nodded weakly, my mind still trying to process the chaos and death we'd just left behind.
"I... I think so. But those people... The ones who were fighting the Juggernaut... Who are they? What the hell do we even do now?"
"They're friends of mine," Black Star replied wearily. "Complicated allies, but allies nonetheless. I'll explain everything, I promise."
"I'll hold you to that," I said, trying to muster a smile.
The memory of the elderly man, his eyes begging for just one more moment of life, swamped my mind. The enormity of it all was suffocating.
I felt a sudden surge of nausea, and before I could react, I retched and violently emptied the contents of my stomach on the ground.