Chapter 33

Maura

Pain ignited in my neck, and I felt the world tilting as darkness threatened to swallow me whole. I fought against it, forcing myself to stay conscious. My heart raced, the sounds of chaos outside the tent reverberating in my ears. The clashing of weapons and the cries of my friends echoed like a distant storm.

“Maura!” Felix’s voice pierced through the haze, urgent and filled with concern. I blinked, trying to focus on his frantic figure as he knelt beside me. “Stay with me!”

I attempted to reach a hand up to brush away whatever was wet on my neck, but Felix grabbed my hand, forcing me to focus on his face. “Maura, stay with me. I’m healing you. I’m going to give you a healing potion, but we need to pull out the metal shard.”

The present rushed back to my mind, and I nodded, trying not to look down at the huge volume of blood pooling beneath me.

“On the count of three. One. Two… Three.” Felix pulled the shard out and forced a healing potion into my hand as he simultaneously began casting healing spells.

I felt the wound begin to stitch up, and I pushed through the pain to remain conscious, my vision swimming.

Felix didn’t hesitate. He placed his hands over the injury, his brow furrowing in concentration. “Just hold on,” he said, and I felt a surge of warmth radiating from his palms, washing over me like a tide of healing energy.

Notifications flooded my vision, the familiar sound chiming like bells in the distance:

Alert: Initiate Defeated

Congratulations, you have successfully defeated a Level 12 Human, an initiate from the planet Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Rewards: All gold, items, and points accumulated by the defeated initiate are now transferred to you.

+3200 Points

+68,000 Credits

Level Up!

Level 13 Technomancer

I blinked, confusion mixing with the pain. Items? Credits? Points? It was hard to focus on the details when my body felt like it was falling apart. I could see glimpses of the notifications, but the throbbing in my neck clouded my mind.

As he worked, I felt the chaos around us swirl like a tempest. The sounds of fighting intensified, but I focused on Felix’s voice, anchoring myself in the present. With each passing second, the pain eased, and I felt the strength slowly returning to my limbs.

“Almost there, just hold on!” Felix urged, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm. I felt the warmth of his magic surge through me, pulling me back from the edge.

“Felix,” I said, forcing the words out as clarity began to break through the fog. “We have to get ready. I can’t let them fight alone.”

With one final surge of energy, Felix finished the healing process. The throbbing in my neck dulled to a manageable ache, and I took a deep breath, feeling more like myself again.

“I’m good,” I said, forcing myself to sit up, though the effort made my head spin for a moment. “I can fight.”

“Maura, are you sure? You’re not really in any state to—”

“I’m fine,” I snapped sharply, cutting him off. He winced, and immediately I felt guilt overtake my frustration. “I’m sorry,” I continued softly. “I’m just overwhelmed. None of this has gone to plan.” I gestured to the gruesome scene around us.

Byte stood between us and the door to the tent. He’d acted as sentry while Felix healed me, and he ran over the moment I acknowledged him, rubbing against my leg and whirring nervously.

I smiled and patted the robot, doing my best to avoid looking at the carnage. With a deep breath, I grabbed my energy sword and forced myself to my feet. The lack of blood in my body went straight to my head, and my vision darkened for a moment as stars danced before my eyes. Felix placed a steadying hand on my shoulder, and together we left the tent.

With Felix’s hand steadying me, I pushed the tent flap aside and stepped out into Galene. The moment we emerged, the clamor of battle fell into an uneasy silence. The air was thick with tension, a palpable mix of fear and confusion.

A collective gasp rippled through the camp as the sight of us registered. Blood coated my armor and dripped down my face, stark against my skin. I could feel the weight of their stares as they took in the grim tableau—Felix beside me, equally stained, and Byte, the now much larger feline killing machine, beeped nervously at my side.

I glanced at Felix, the tension in his jaw evident, but we stood together, a united front amid the shock. I could hear distant sounds of arguing and fighting still raging, but here, in this moment, everyone was transfixed by our appearance. The fear in their eyes was unmistakable, stemming not just from the blood that marked us but from the uncertainty of what was to come.

“Maura!” John finally shouted, breaking the silence. His voice wavered. “Are you—are you okay?”

“I’m alright. It’s time to call the camp together and work out where we go from here.”

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John nodded to a few people close by, and they began telling the resistance to stand down and move toward the center of the settlement for a meeting.

After a few minutes, the majority of Galene gathered around the campfire where we had shared stories of our victories on that first night. Murmurs grew louder as people tried to guess friend from foe and what had happened. While John’s men gathered everyone, Felix and I quickly rinsed off as much blood as we could in the nearby well.

Once we felt somewhat presentable, we high-tailed it back to the campfire.

“Well,” I began, raising my voice to capture their attention. “Matt and Jared are dead. It is my understanding that the rest of the raiders are gone. There are some among us who preferred being under their rule, and even those who were loyal to their cause and who helped them.” I scanned the crowd, locking eyes with Darren.

Only after he looked away did I continue, “Let me make one thing clear: I have no intention of ruling over anyone. We were brought to this tutorial against our wills. Having any semblance of control in our lives right now is what we need. If you agree and want to contribute to this settlement, to surviving, to growing and helping each other, you’re welcome to stay. If you are opposed to any of that, feel free to go.”

A heavy silence followed my words, the weight of the decision hanging in the air. I held my breath, waiting for the reactions to unfold.

“John,” I said, redirecting the focus toward him. “You’re the one with the most experience leading us. What’s the next step?”

John nodded, quickly stepping into the role he was accustomed to. “Right. We need to assess our situation and determine our resources. The camp is in disarray, but if we come together, we can rebuild.” He glanced around at the gathered faces, trying to instill confidence in them. “First, we need to fortify our defenses and ensure there are no more threats lurking in the shadows. I want scouting parties sent out to check the perimeters and gather intelligence on any remaining raiders.”

As he continued to outline the plan, my mind began to drift. I could hear the urgency in his voice, but my thoughts were elsewhere, spiraling into a pit of guilt. I couldn’t shake the image of Matt’s face, the moment his life ended at my hands. The memory was a haunting echo, playing on repeat in my mind, and the weight of his blood stained my consciousness.

I tried to focus on John’s words, but the panic rising within me drowned out his voice. “I didn’t mean to…” I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists at my sides. The memory of my energy sword cutting through flesh was vivid and grotesque, and the guilt wrapped around me like a suffocating shroud.

The plan unfolded around me, the sounds of voices blending into a distant hum. I could see Felix beside me, nodding along, but I felt detached, as if I were watching from a great distance. My heart raced, and I could feel the walls closing in.

I wanted to fade into the background, to slip away from the judgment in their eyes, but the reality of what I had done kept me anchored in place. Each breath felt heavy, and I couldn’t shake the dread that clawed at my insides.

“Maura.” Felix’s quiet whisper cut through the haze, his fingers entwining with mine snapping me back to the present. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry,” I replied, forcing a smile. “I’m here.”

As John continued, I found my gaze drifting again, searching for anything to distract me from the turmoil within. Felix, sensing my unease, squeezed my fingers and the warmth spread through my hands to my face, but it wasn’t enough to ease the guilt gnawing at my heart.

“Let’s move out and gather supplies,” John concluded, his voice firm. “We’ll also need to assign roles based on everyone’s skills. Maura, you’re with me.”

I forced myself to nod, but inside, I felt like I was drowning. The weight of Matt’s death hung over me like a dark cloud, and I struggled to maintain my composure. As we began to disperse, the reality of what lay ahead settled heavily on my shoulders.

“Maura! Oh, thank goodness you’re alright!” Mrs. Alcott exclaimed, her voice a mixture of relief and a surprising amount of enthusiasm. She rushed toward us, her eyes wide and shining with a hint of manic energy. I recognized her as the woman who had been crying in the early days of our arrival—a face marked by grief and loss.

“Mrs. Alcott,” I greeted, trying to mask my confusion with a polite smile. “It’s good to see you.”

“Oh sweetie, you can call me Jessica. Oh, I was so worried!” she continued, her voice rising with excitement. “When I heard what happened, I feared the worst! But you’re here, and that’s what matters!”

Before I could respond, she crouched down to Byte, who had been by my side, still buzzing softly. “And look at your little friend! He’s so much larger now! I can’t believe how much he’s grown since we got here!” Her enthusiasm felt jarring against the backdrop of the chaotic scene.

I glanced at Felix, the tension in his jaw evident as he exchanged a look with me. I could see some initiates still whispering among themselves, trying to process what had just happened, but here was Mrs. Alcott- Jessica, bubbly and animated, as if the previous chaos hadn’t even touched her.

“Byte’s been a great companion,” I said, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch up in a smile despite the overwhelming weight of guilt on my chest. “He’s been keeping an eye on me.”

“Yes! That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about!” she gushed, her eyes brightening as she shifted her focus back to me. “Your communication devices! They were brilliant! I’ve been thinking about how they could help us organize and communicate better, especially in times like this! If we can just get everyone on the same page…”

Her words rushed out in a torrent, and I felt a knot in my stomach tighten. It was bizarre to see her so animated, especially after she had spent so much time refusing to engage or even eat. “Um, yes, I think they could be useful,” I said, my voice faltering. My mind was still reeling from the chaos, and I wasn’t sure I could keep up with her enthusiasm right now.

“Oh, they could fix everything! Just imagine the possibilities!” Jessica continued, oblivious to my hesitation. “Real-time communication! No more confusion or misunderstandings! Just imagine how much smoother everything would be!”

I forced myself to focus on her words, recognizing the spark of hope in her eyes, but it felt surreal. Here was a woman who had been so overcome with sorrow that she refused to do anything the first several days of the tutorial, and now she was bubbling over with ideas about communication devices as if we hadn’t just emerged from a battle.

“Sorry Mrs. Alcott,” John interjected, looking equally uncomfortable. “We need to regroup and address the issues at hand.”

“Jessica. Please.” She said while nodding animatedly, but there was a lingering awkwardness in the air. “Of course! But I really think we should prioritize getting more of those communication devices set up. If we could have a network, it would change everything for us!”

“I’ll work on it,” I promised, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “We just need to ensure everyone is safe first.”

As she continued to talk excitedly about the devices, I felt myself tuning out slightly, my thoughts spiraling back to the events that had transpired. I couldn’t shake the image of Matt’s face, the moment his life ended at my hands. Each breath felt heavy, and I couldn’t shake the dread that clawed at my insides.

“Maura?” John’s voice cut through my haze, pulling me back to the present. “Let’s head over to my tent and debrief.”

He pulled Felix and I away leaving Jessica waving after us asking to talk again real soon.