Chapter 7

The day broke not with the chirping of birds or the gentle rustle of leaves, but with the sharp crack of an argument piercing the morning calm. I lay still for a moment, trying to cling to the remnants of sleep, but the voices outside my tent grew louder, more intense.

"You're not Dad, Corwin! You can't tell me what to do all the time!" Jackie's voice was tight with frustration, her words cutting through the cool air.

"I'm not trying to be Dad—I'm just trying to keep us safe until we find Mom!" Corwin's reply was edged with desperation, his role as the reluctant guardian weighing heavily on him.

The exchange was charged with the raw emotion of two siblings thrust into roles neither was prepared for. Jackie’s feet crunched against the loose gravel as she moved away, her tone growing colder. "Well, you’re not doing a great job of it, are you? Just leave me alone!"

Corwin’s response was almost a growl, his patience fraying. "Jackie, it’s not just about you! We have to—"

Jackie cut him off, her voice rising. "I don’t need you to protect me, Corwin! I can take care of myself!"

There was a momentary silence, heavy and thick. Then, Corwin's voice softened, tinged with regret. "I’m sorry, Jackie. I didn't mean... Please, just come back. We need to stick together."

But Jackie was already walking away, her figure receding into the morning mist that blanketed the camp. Corwin’s voice followed her, a mixture of command and plea that echoed briefly before being swallowed by the forest. "Jackie, please!"

With a sigh, I pushed aside my blanket and stepped out into the crisp morning, the camp slowly coming to life around me. The siblings' argument seemed to linger in the air, a stark reminder of the tensions that simmered just beneath the surface of our makeshift community.

I made my way towards the central fire where Susan was stirring a large pot with a practiced hand. Beside her stood a woman with sunken, red-rimmed eyes, who seemed to be more a ghost than a participant in the bustling camp life. Her hands trembled slightly as Susan offered her a bowl of steaming porridge, which she refused with a weak shake of her head.

"Morning, Susan," I greeted, my voice soft but clear.

"Good morning, love," Susan replied, her smile warm but her eyes shadowed with concern as she glanced at the woman beside her. "Just trying to make sure everyone gets something to eat, but some folks are harder to persuade."

I nodded, my gaze drifting over the quiet woman who seemed lost in her own world of grief. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, feeling a mix of helplessness and resolve.

Susan gave a small sigh, her gaze affectionate but weary. "Just keep an eye out, dear. Everyone’s dealing with this change differently."

With that, I moved away, the smell of Susan's cooking mixing with the fresh morning air. The camp was awake now, a community cobbled together by circumstance, each of us trying to find our footing.

Continuing through the camp, I sought out John and Elara to discuss the day's plan, but my attention was drawn to a fleeting sight that chilled the morning air around me. Through the bustling crowd, I caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure—almost certainly Jackie—dressed in the cloak we had found yesterday. She moved with a determined pace, her figure briefly illuminated by the morning sun before she activated the cloak, blending seamlessly into the shadows of the forest. Her form flickered, then vanished entirely, leaving only the rustle of leaves in her wake. A knot of worry formed in my stomach, I called out to her but either she didn’t hear me or she didn’t acknowledge me.

As I moved on, I stumbled upon a lively scene just off the main path: Andru, Stephan, and Billy had taken on the task of digging a well, their efforts marked by both magic and mirth. Andru, a sorcerer with a flair for the dramatic, was manipulating the earth with elegant sweeps of his hands, his magic carving out clumps of dirt and stone with precise, controlled bursts of energy. His deep-set eyes focused intently, contrasting sharply with his light, sandy hair that fell in a messy swoop just above his brow.

Stephan, the more muscular of the trio, wielded his shovel like a broadsword, his movements exaggerated and full of energy. His skin was tanned from days under the sun, and his hair was a tangled mess of curls that seemed to echo his playful nature.

Billy, with his slight build and quick smile, danced around Stephan, his shovel a fine rapier in this mock duel. His features were sharp, his eyes a clear blue that sparkled with mischief under a mop of dark, unruly hair.

“Did you guys see Jackie run by here?" I called out.

The three men looked between each other and shrugged and shook their heads before Billy and Stephan went back to their duel.

Andru glanced over with a smirk, his concentration briefly broken. "These two would rather practice than dig, it seems."

Billy parried a mock blow from Stephan, his eyes twinkling. "Why dig for water when you can strike gold with your charm, right?"

Andru responded with a groan, crossing his arms as he watched Stephan's playful assault on Billy. "You'll find my charm as dry as this well if you don't get back to helping out," he warned, a hint of fatigue in his voice from the morning's exertions. "It's first thing in the morning and I’m already running low on mana."

Stephan feinted with his makeshift sword, and with a swift move swept the legs out from under Billy, sending him toppling onto the soft earth with a surprised yelp. With a triumphant grin, Stephan turned back to the well, his movements smooth and fluid as he resumed digging.

I laughed, shaking my head at their antics. "Keep up the good work, guys. We'll need that water if the day heats up. Oh, and if any of you see Jackie can you let John or I know right away?”

They all agreed and leaving them to their tasks, I continued my search for John and Elara, the light-hearted encounter easing the tension from the earlier sighting of Jackie. I looked down at Byte who whistled and beeped a reassurance. Some people were handling this much better than others.

I spotted Elara and John by a large makeshift table scattered with the map and various lists on scraps of pre-system paper. Some on the back of receipts, old grocery lists, a few appeared to be on candy or gum wrappers. John looked particularly stressed, his brow furrowed as he listened to a young woman hastily rattling off numbers. "We've got 52 residents now, John. Eighteen are complaining about food and water shortages, twenty-four are unhappy with sanitary or living conditions, and five outright refuse to help with anything. Oh, and Mrs. Alcott isn’t helping or eating anything we give her. Susan is very worried she’s going to keel over. I don’t think magic healing can fix dehydration or starvation.”

John pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly overwhelmed. He shuffled papers around, trying to organize his thoughts into a coherent plan. "We need structured shifts for water and food distribution, and maybe set up more sanitary facilities... but where do we get the resources?"

Elara, arms crossed, looked on with growing impatience. She let out a frustrated sigh, her tone sharp as she interjected, "What do they want us to do about it, John? Magically produce supplies out of thin air?" Her voice carried a mix of irritation and exhaustion, echoing the strain of the increasing demands placed on their small leadership team.

John glanced up at her, his expression softening slightly, "I know it's tough, but we have to try and manage these complaints before they turn into bigger problems. Maybe there's something in the caches we haven't found yet that could help."

Acknowledging the pressure on them, I approached, hoping to offer some support or insight. "Maybe we can reorganize the camp duties, make everyone more accountable, and use some of the new supplies we found to boost morale and efficiency?" I suggested, trying to inject a bit of optimism into the challenging situation.

Byte chirped and beeped at my feet. The sound reminded me of my phone ringing, “Oh! I think I can rig up our cellphones to at least communicate again. If I can do that we could send scouting teams out further and hopefully make contact with more people outside of our group. That doesn't help with supplies but maybe giving people hope that soon we could find their loved ones or at least start making progress towards that could motivate people to trying to improve.” I rambled off before looking back up at John expectantly.

John looked up, a flicker of hope crossing his weary features at my suggestion. "That's a great idea, Maura. If we could secure a way to communicate, it might just give everyone a boost. Hope can be a powerful motivator.”

I pulled out a sample of the technomagical supplies I had found earlier, the fibers and crystals glowing faintly in my hand. "I found these in the woods . If there are more out there like this, we could really start to make some progress on the tech front."

John straightened up, organizing his thoughts into action. "Alright, let's prioritize this. Elara, could you help Maura organize a team to check out the next cache and gather as many resources like these along the way? And I’ll continue here, trying to streamline our current resources and maybe set up a more official complaint resolution system. Oh, why not take Corwin and Jackie. They did so well yesterday”

My face dropped, “I hate to bring up more stress, I heard Jackie and Corwin get into a fight this morning. I think I saw Jackie run off into the woods earlier. I know on top of everything else it’s a lot, but she’s the youngest one here and it really worries me her being out there by herself.”

John’s expression grew somber, his eyes reflecting concern. “I hadn’t heard about their fight. Thank you for letting me know, Maura. I’ll talk to Corwin. Maybe it’s best to keep them both back from the mission today until we figure this out.”

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Elara, overhearing our conversation, chimed in, her voice tinged with frustration but also concern. “I’ll help look for her, make sure she’s safe. She shouldn’t be out there alone.”

I nodded, appreciative of her willingness to step in. "Thanks, Elara. If we can make sure she's alright, maybe we can still include them in the team once things settle."

John rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze settling on the bustling camp around us. “Alright, let’s move fast. We don’t want to lose more time. Maura, see if you can gather any additional volunteers. We need to cover more ground if we’re going to locate Jackie quickly.”

Elara and I agreed, heading off in different directions—her to coordinate with the security team, and me to rally a few more hands for our upcoming mission.

After splitting up with Elara, I made my way through the camp, looking for volunteers who could help with the search and the subsequent resource mission. I approached a group of initiates who were huddled around a map, discussing potential scavenging locations.

"Hey, everyone," I started, capturing their attention. "We have a situation and could use some extra hands. We're planning to check another cache for supplies, and we also need to find one of our youngest who might have wandered off. Anyone willing to join?"

A couple of the group members exchanged glances before a tall, wiry man with a determined look stepped forward. "I can help. I used to do some tracking back home," he offered, extending his hand. "I’m Tom. Oh and let’s grab Darren too. He would be great for a little extra muscle.”

"Thanks, Tom. We really appreciate it," I replied, shaking his hand firmly. Another woman, with short, cropped hair and a keen gaze, nodded. "Count me in too. I’m Jenna.”

While I looked unsuccessfully for Corwin, Tom grabbed Darren and Felix. I briefed them quickly on the urgency of finding Jackie before anything else, emphasizing safety and the need to stay alert.

Darren swaggered at the front of our group, his axe slung over his shoulder with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. "Don't worry, with me leading the way, those woods won't know what hit 'em," he boasted loudly, glancing back to ensure his bravado was noted.

Felix rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, while I tried to stifle a sigh. The forest loomed ahead, its shadows deep and unwelcoming.

"Seriously, I’ve chopped more wood than all of you combined," Darren continued, his voice echoing slightly against the trees. "If anything out there thinks it can scare me, it's got another thing coming." He grinned, almost challenging the silent woods.

“We’re glad to have everyone. Thank you,” I let out an exasperated breath. Being nice to this guy is going to be harder than the wood he boasts about chopping I forced a smile before continuing, “We’ll split into two teams," I instructed. “The search team will start from the last place Jackie was seen heading towards the woods. Jenna you help Elara with preparing for the cache run but don’t leave until we I get back.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and soon, we were ready to move. Tom led the search team, taking a direct route towards the forest. As the teams set off, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in my chest. The trees seemed to loom larger and more foreboding with each passing moment, and the task ahead felt daunting.

With one last look over my shoulder at the camp, now a small hub of bustling activity and whispered hopes, I turned and followed Tom into the denser parts of the woods, the shadows of the trees swallowing us into their silent watch. The sounds of the camp faded behind us, replaced by the subtle rustle of leaves and the distant calls of unknown creatures. Even though she’d only been gone less than an hour, it was dangerous out there and every second counted.

As Tom led us deeper into the woods, his steps deliberate and focused, the atmosphere thickened with an almost solid tension. Each shadow seemed to loom larger than life, and the natural noises of the forest grew unnervingly distinct.

"Corwin!" I called out when I first spotted him through a thicket, his figure tense and erratic in the dim morning light. Catching up to him, I saw the wild, desperate look in his eyes as he turned to me. "Maura, have you seen Jackie? She just... she vanished," he stammered, his voice cracking with strain.

Shaking my head, I tried to infuse my tone with calm. "We haven’t seen her yet, but Tom’s leading the search. He’s skilled at tracking. We'll find her, don’t worry." My attempt at reassurance felt hollow against the backdrop of the dense forest that seemed to swallow every sound.

Corwin wiped his brow, his eyes darting around as if expecting Jackie to emerge from behind every tree. "I just looked away for a moment, and when I looked back, she was gone. I shouldn't have snapped at her," he muttered, his guilt a tangible thing that filled the space between us.

"It’s okay," I reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We’re all on edge. Let’s focus on finding her. Stick with us; she couldn’t have gotten far. She hasn’t been gone that long.”

He nodded, his expression tightening as he fell into step with us. Tom’s quiet confidence led us onward, his keen eyes picking out faint traces of Jackie’s passage—a crushed leaf here, a displaced stone there. Each sign was a silent testament to her recent presence and a spur to our quickening pace.

The forest seemed to close in around us, the trees arching overhead like silent sentinels. Light fell in patchy beams through the canopy, creating a mosaic of light and shadow that played tricks on our eyes. Every rustle in the underbrush felt like a signal, every distant birdcall a potential alarm.

"We’re close," Tom murmured, pointing to a fresh set of disturbances in the dirt. The trail was becoming clearer, the signs of Jackie's passage more frequent and pronounced.

Adrenaline coursed through me as we followed the trail, the forest around us both oppressively silent and eerily loud with the sounds of our hurried passage. Each step seemed to echo against the soft forest floor, and I found myself glancing over my shoulder, the feeling of being watched growing stronger with every moment.

As we moved, the urgency of our quest drew us deeper into the heart of the forest, where the light dimmed and the air grew cooler. The shadows deepened, the undergrowth thicker. Every snap of a twig underfoot, every whisper of wind through the leaves tightened the knot of anxiety in my stomach.

"We'll find her," I whispered more to myself than to Corwin, the forest seeming to absorb my words, leaving behind a heavy silence that weighed on us all as we pushed forward.

The silence that had once been a simple backdrop grew heavy, almost suffocating. The tense air was abruptly shattered by a sharp, piercing scream—a sound so startling and filled with fear that it rooted us all to the spot.

Racing after Corwin, my heart thundered with fear for Jackie. The chilling echo of her scream propelled me faster, and soon we burst into a clearing, the scene unfolding like a nightmare. There, backed against a tree, was Jackie, her face pale with terror. Opposite her stood not a wild animal, but a hulking humanoid. The creature had dark orange skin and long tusklike teeth. It carried on it’s hip an axe just like Darren’s and had on leather breeches and a tunic.

Orc: Level 5

"Jackie, don't move!" Corwin's voice shattered the tense silence, his body rigid as he inserted himself between his sister and the orc. Despite his bravery, his presence seemed only to enrage the orc further.

I pulled my energy sword and activated it, its white glow and hum filling the air as I prepared to defend them. The orc's gaze shifted, its focus now split between Corwin and me. Before I could react, Darren burst through the foliage, axe raised high.

"Out of the way!" he bellowed, not waiting for a response. With a reckless swing aimed at the orc, his axe whistled through the air. But in the chaos, Corwin moved, trying to pull Jackie further back.

The axe missed the orc and instead struck Corwin, severing his arm with a gruesome precision. Blood spurted wildly, painting the leaves and Jackie’s face red as Corwin screamed—a sound even more harrowing than the one that had drawn us here.

Jackie shrieked, tears streaming down her face as she fell to her knees beside her brother. Felix sprang into action, his healer's staff aglow as he activated hurried spells, trying to stem the flow of blood.

A deep and gruff “Holy shit.” Could be heard amongst all of the screaming.

"Get back!" I yelled, stepping forward to engage the orc, which roared in confused fury by the sudden display of violence. Using its momentary confusion, I led with a series of strikes, driving the creature back.

The orc, immense and looming, seemed slow to react despite its evident strength. As it advanced, I darted beneath its outstretched arms, my energy sword humming with lethal intent. Each swing was a blur, cutting through the air, my focus so intense that the forest around us seemed to fade into a distant murmur. The extra points in dexterity evident with my increased speed and accuracy. Felix’s voice wove through the chaos, a steady stream of magic that flickered in the periphery of my vision.

I could feel the orc's frustration grow as its large, clumsy swings met empty air, my movements too quick, too desperate to be caught. Behind me, Felix's magic intensified, the air now vibrating with the power of his spells. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath as the battle unfolded, the only sounds the grunts of the orc and the soft hum of my sword.

Seizing an opportunity, I slid under a particularly wide swing and came up behind the creature. With all the force I could muster, I drove my sword deep into the orc's thick, muscular thigh. The beast roared in pain, its rage palpable as it reached back, trying to dislodge the blade that bit into its flesh. The swords white hot energy burned the orc’s hand and it reeled back in surprise.

As the orc stumbled forward, grappling with the pain, I didn't relent. I pulled my sword free and circled to its front, dodging another swipe of its massive hands. I struck again, this time aiming higher, my blade finding the soft underbelly. The orc bellowed, a sound so loud it shook the leaves on the trees.

Blood, dark and thick, began to pour from the wounds, staining the ground beneath us. The creature's eyes, once burning with a fierce malevolence, now showed a hint of fear. It swung wildly, a desperate attempt to fend off the inevitable.

I ducked another blow, then stepped in close, driving my sword upward into the orc's chest. The tip of the blade emerged from its back, a fatal strike that silenced the beast's roars. It stood there for a moment, as if surprised by its own mortality, then collapsed to its knees and toppled forward with a ground-shaking thud.

Stepping back, I watched as the life faded from its eyes, the forest around us falling silent once more, save for Felix’s continued spells casting a faint glow in the dim light. The danger had passed, but the impact of the encounter—the brutal necessity of our defense—hung heavy in the air as we regrouped.

As I was catching my breath and gathering my composure a sharp notification appeared.

Alert: Initiate Defeated

Congratulations, you have successfully defeated a Level 5 Orc, an initiate from the planet Axeyous in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Rewards:

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

+200 Points

+1000 Credits

Level Up!

Level 6 Technomancer

New Achievement!

First Kill

New Skill Selection Available

This unexpected message left me feeling hollow. The realization that the creature I had just fought was another initiate—a being pulled into this chaos just like us—weighed heavily on my conscience. The implications were vast and disturbing.

Exhausted, I lowered my weapon, turning back to see Felix kneeling over Corwin, whose face was ashen, his eyes closed. Jackie clung to her brother, sobbing uncontrollably, her relief at his survival mingled with the shock of the attack.

As the immediate threat receded, Darren stood frozen a few feet away, his axe hanging loosely by his side. His face was etched with horror and disbelief, grappling with the gravity of his own actions. The burden of what he had inadvertently caused seemed to weigh him down, his shoulders sagging under the immense guilt.

"We need to get back to camp," Tom said, breaking us out of our shock. "He needs more help than we can give here."

Together, we carefully lifted Corwin, making our way back to the camp with heavy hearts. The journey back was silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts about the fragility of our situation and the brutal reminder of just how quickly things could turn deadly.