As Joel stood over the smoking remnants of the Mother Otter, he felt a strange pull — a deep, primal hunger in his armour that he hadn’t felt before. The remaining void oil clinging to his armour began to shudder, sliding along the metal in rivulets, drawn as if magnetized. One by one, the dark tendrils seeped into the seams of his armour, disappearing into its core like liquid shadows.
His armour pulsed, its surface shifting and darkening, the metal taking on an inky, almost organic sheen as the void oil integrated itself, becoming one with the armour’s structure. He felt a surge, an intense rush of dark energy coursing through him, the tendrils weaving into his muscles and bones, strengthening him in a way that was both exhilarating and alien.
----------------------------------------
Personal System Notification:
Mechanic Core Adaptation
[Void Infusion: Successful]
Enhancement Applied: Void ArmourProperties: Enhanced absorption of physical and energy attacks. Passive void resistance increased.
New Ability Unlocked: Void Step - Allows brief intangibility when moving, consuming energy.
----------------------------------------
Joel clenched his fists, feeling the armour hum with newfound strength, each movement shadowed with an eerie afterglow. The power was darker and more unpredictable, but it felt as though he had just crossed into a whole new level of capability.
Joel took a steadying breath, his mind reeling from the rush of void energy and the sense that he was no longer quite the same. His armour shifted with his movements, its dark sheen catching the faint light as if absorbing it. He flexed his fingers, testing the new ability he’d unlocked. Void Step — the phrase echoed in his mind, intriguing and mysterious.
----------------------------------------
Personal System Notification:
[Energy Levels Depleted]
Joel's armour energy level has reached 0. Cooldown in effect. Limited mobility and shield capabilities until recharged. Armour returning to heart card.
Cool down in effect.
----------------------------------------
He glanced around, the battlefield still littered with remnants of the fight, and his gaze drifted to his remaining companions. Craig was struggling to his feet, clutching his dislocated shoulder with gritted teeth, and Darren was catching his breath, bruised but determined.
The remains of the Mother Otter lay scattered, steam rising from the smouldering floor where they’d fought, but the silence that followed felt heavy, almost sacred.
He turned to find Craig and Darren, who were picking their way cautiously through the debris. Both looked shaken, their faces pale with exhaustion, and Craig’s arm hung at an odd angle, his shoulder obviously dislocated. Joel took a deep breath, letting his fists unclench as he remembered why they were there.
They hadn’t fought this battle to destroy — they’d fought to survive, to reach this point, and to secure the workbench.
As they reached it, Joel gently ran his hand over its metal surface, feeling a deep, familiar comfort in its solidity. It was the heart of their labour, a place where hands could shape and repair, where skill could conquer the chaos.
They gathered in a rough triangle around the workbench, but the relief of victory was overshadowed by a sombre silence as they looked around at the wreckage and remembered those who weren’t there. Alex, and Kevin’s laugh, but don’t forget Mack’s stubborn grin, the easy camaraderie they’d shared — all of it hung in the air like ghosts, reminders of the toll they’d paid.
Craig lowered his gaze, voice rough. “Mack would’ve gotten a kick out of this,” he said, almost a whisper. “Would’ve made a joke about us needing to ‘file down the edges’ on that beast.”
Darren managed a half-hearted smile but looked away, his jaw set. “Feels wrong, being here without them.” His hand drifted to his chest, where his heart card rested, and he shook his head. “They were…good men. Shouldn’t’ve gone like this.”
Joel placed a steadying hand on the workbench, feeling a surge of gratitude and sorrow mingling within him. “We make it through this,” he said, voice low but firm, “we honour them. We use what we’ve got, what we’ve fought for. And we don’t waste it.”
----------------------------------------
System Notification:
[Asset Claim Available: Field Workbench level One]
The Field Workbench is now uncontested and available for acquisition. Claiming this asset will grant access to specialized crafting, repair, and upgrade functionalities. Ownership will allow integration with heart card enhancements, providing new opportunities to modify gear, recharge armour, and adapt to environmental challenges. This asset may also offer shelter and storage in emergency scenarios.
Do you wish to claim the workbench as your base of operations?
[Yes] [No]
----------------------------------------
Joel’s voice broke the tense silence as he glanced at Craig’s injured arm, ignoring the notification hovering in his field of vision.
“We should look after that arm,” he said, gesturing to Craig’s limp shoulder. “I’ve got a little mechanical training from when I worked on the Transmountain pipeline. Darren, you ever set a shoulder before?”
Darren rubbed the back of his neck, his expression uncertain. “Not really,” he admitted, eyeing Craig’s injury with a mix of sympathy and unease. “But…I’ve seen it done a few times. Could probably follow along if you take the lead.”
Craig grimaced, managing a dry chuckle despite the pain. “Great,” he muttered, trying to keep his voice steady. “Sounds like I’m in the hands of two almost-docs.”
“Alright, boys, let’s get this done,” Darren said with a head nod.
Joel let out a deep breath, steadying himself as he moved to Craig’s side. He nodded back to Darren, and together, they braced Craig’s arm, positioning it carefully. Craig clenched his jaw, his face taut with anticipation as Joel counted down, each number slow and calming.
“Alright,” Joel murmured, giving Craig’s arm a final check. “On three…one…two—” With a swift, almost practised motion, he pulled and rotated the shoulder, the joint sliding back into place with a sickening POP!
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
Craig sucked in a sharp breath, his face going pale before the tension in his muscles eased, and he sagged against the workbench, relief washing over him. “Not bad, Doc,” he managed, forcing a wry grin through the lingering pain.
Craig chuckled, wincing slightly. “Yeah, my old man would’ve just said, ‘Rub some dirt into it and get back to work, you ass.’”
Joel and Darren both cracked a grin, then spoke in unison, “Sounds just like my old man.”
The three of them shared a dark laugh, the sound tinged with a mix of exhaustion and camaraderie. The laughter faded quickly, but it left them with a renewed sense of resilience, a reminder of the lives they came from and the strength that got them this far. At that moment, the weight of their losses felt a little lighter.
Joel looked between his remaining crewmates, their laughter fading into a more solemn silence. “Well, I think we need to lay Kevin and Alex to rest first, then deal with these otters. After that…” He glanced over at the workbench, the system notification still flickering at the corner of his vision. “We’ll tackle the workbench and hopefully sort out what to do next.”
Darren nodded, a determined look crossing his face. “Yeah, and we need to really start to understand what this system is all about. Can’t keep ignoring it and hoping it’ll go away.”
Craig sighed, looking toward where their fallen friends lay. “They’d want us to make it count, whatever the hell this new world’s throwing at us.”
Joel walked over to what was left of Alex's body, his eyes lingering on the remains of his friend. The battlefield felt quiet now, but the weight of loss was palpable. As he knelt beside Alex, something caught his eye—an eerie, blue light. The flicker of it was almost ethereal, pulsing faintly above where Alex’s chest had been.
Without thinking, Joel pressed his hand against the cool surface of Kevin’s clothes, feeling the light pulse against his palm. A soft hum filled the air before the heart card appeared, floating gently above Kevin’s body like it had been waiting.
Joel quickly read over the card, the text familiar but now imbued with a heavy, almost sorrowful meaning.
----------------------------------------
Heart Card: Blazing Vigil
Rarity: Common
Cooldown: 12 minutes
Level: One
Back Design: The card’s back features a rugged, darkened wood texture, symbolizing strength and resilience. Embers dance around the edges, catching the light like faint, fading memories. At the centre, a well-worn firefighter’s axe is silhouetted — a tribute to Kevin’s weapon of choice and his enduring will to protect.
Front Artwork: The front of the card showcases a broad fire axe, its steelhead glinting with traces of soot and char. The axe is partially engulfed in an ethereal flame, casting a haunting glow. The handle is reinforced with deep grooves, each one marking past battles. A burning forest looms in the background, tall shadows of trees flickering with red-orange flames that frame the weapon, offering both warmth and a sense of finality.
Abilities:
1. Ember Strike – Increases attack strength with a surge of fiery energy for three swings, leaving a brief burning effect on enemies struck.
2. Resilient Grip – Temporarily boosts the wielder’s stamina, reducing exhaustion when swinging the axe or performing laborious tasks. Ideal for endurance-heavy battles or prolonged efforts.
3. Inferno Arc – Channels fire energy to unleash a sweeping, fiery arc with the axe, igniting anything in its path. This flame can spread quickly to nearby targets, causing a brief area-of-effect burn that intensifies the damage with each second enemies remain in contact.
----------------------------------------
After a long moment, he gently pulled the card from the air, his fingers trembling slightly as he handed it to Darren.
“Here,” Joel said, voice low, “this is Kevin’s.” He didn’t need to say more; Darren understood.
Darren took the card, his face hardening with grief. He didn’t speak immediately but held the card close, the weight of it both a gift and a reminder of the cost. There would be time to honour Kevin later, but for now, they had to survive. And this card—this was a part of Kevin that would live on in them.
The air smelled of rain and metal—a storm brewing, or maybe it was just the lingering tang of blood and oils from the monstrous creatures they’d narrowly escaped.
“Let’s keep moving,” Craig said, breaking the silence, his voice a gruff reminder of the necessity pressing on them all. He glanced at the remaining cards, then at the workbench they’d managed to claim. With Kevin and Alex gone, every step they took felt heavier like the ground itself was weighted with their memories.
It was time to lay their friends to rest. Joel took point, feeling the sturdy comfort of his heart card pulsing against his chest, his armour humming softly inside his core.
As they pushed on, Darren’s face remained set, but Joel could see the tightness in his shoulders. He reached out, placing a hand on his friend’s back, a wordless reassurance. Darren acknowledged the touch with a nod, his hand brushing over Kevin’s card, feeling its quiet strength. They all moved slower now, conserving energy for whatever waited on the horizon, yet each step carried the weight of the cards they bore—remnants of the lost.
They pressed forward, dragging as much as carrying the bodies. As they reached a particularly open section of the storage yard, the sea stretched out in front of them, gray and restless. A surge of water splashed up against the guard railing, spraying their faces with salt. Joel squinted against the wind, scanning for movement in the churning waves below the sea wall, half expecting to see one of those creatures emerging from the depths again. He tightened his grip on the wrench at his side, the feel of it grounding him.
Joel knew it wasn’t much, but this place would have to serve as the resting ground for Kevin and Alex.
“Joel,” Darren whispered, nodding toward the grass’s edge. They began to dig, using one of the shovels they had found while searching the place.
With somber determination, they began gathering what they could find—a few scraps of torn metal, and a couple of bent tools—to mark the spot. Joel and Craig worked silently, creating a small mound to signify the place where Kevin and Alex would rest. Darren knelt beside them, his hands steady yet his expression clouded, his thoughts far away.
Before they put the bodies to rest, Craig crouched beside the small mound and carefully lifted Alex’s heart card from where it had rested. He hesitated, tracing his thumb over its edge as if trying to draw some lingering connection to their new and lost friend. With a quiet sigh, he stood and handed the card to Joel.
“Here,” Craig said, his voice thick but steady. “Hold on to it… for now. Figure it out when you’re ready.”
Joel took the card, feeling its familiar weight settle into his palm. He nodded, his chest tight with the bittersweet responsibility. Without a word, he slipped it into his pocket, a quiet promise to himself to look at it when the time was right—to learn what it held of Alex’s spirit, of who he was beyond the few days they’d shared. As he patted his pocket, the card felt warm against his hand, a steady presence close to his heart.
A shadow caught their eye, out in the sea.
“Think it’s one of them?” Craig muttered, barely audible.
“Could be,” Joel replied, his voice steady. “Or maybe it’s just the ocean playing tricks. Either way… let’s not stay to find out.”
The three of them moved as one, their footsteps synchronizing as they skirted the edge of the hole, each covered in a layer of dirt and blood. The memory of those oily monsters loomed fresh in their minds, making every ripple seem alive, every wave a possible threat.
Joel placed a hand on Darren’s shoulder again. “It’s time,” he murmured, his voice low and respectful.
They began to fill in the hole, and then after it was done they took a moment.
“We didn’t get a chance to know you like we should have,” Darren said, voice rough but steady. “But… you were one of us. And we’re grateful you were here.” He pressed his hand to his chest, then touched it to the mound, a silent, heartfelt goodbye.
Joel stepped forward, feeling the ache in his throat that words couldn’t quite convey. He bent down and took a handful of grit, letting it sift through his fingers over the mound. “You fought with us. That means something. More than I could say. And we’ll carry that with us… for as long as we can.”
Craig remained a step back, his usual gruffness softened as he inclined his head respectfully. “We’ll keep going. For you both,” he said simply, his voice barely above a whisper.
The three of them stood together, each of them carrying a piece of the weight. It wasn’t enough to make sense of what they’d lost, but it was something—a mark, a memory. They stood in silence, letting the quiet settle around them.
Finally, Joel spoke, his tone gentle yet resolved. “They’re at peace now. Whatever we face, they’ll be with us.”
With one last look, they turned and walked away, each step heavier than the last but filled with purpose, Kevin and Alex’s memory a quiet strength within them. As they moved, the storm clouds shifted, parting just enough to let a thin beam of light cast over the makeshift grave, a final farewell from the sky above.