Derek’s drive home was a blur of discomfort and pain. He maneuvered the truck into the yard. He grimaced as the backup alarm blared. Once parked near the storage building, he killed the engine and slowly emerged, his leg throbbing.
“Oh, Derek!” Marie’s worry was clear as she rushed to his side. “Let’s get you inside.”
Phil and Carson rushed over, each taking an arm, supporting Derek as he hobbled into the house. They helped him up onto a plastic folding table that barely seemed to hold his weight. Marie and Carson set to work each pouring mana into his body while wrapping him in bandages. Once the drama passed, the room was filled with the loud sounds of cooking and chatter.
Derek found physical pain easier to handle than the mental struggles he often faced. The tough years with his family and the loneliness that followed hurt more than any physical wound. This is probably why he didn’t express his emotions much. Derek’s mind drifted as Marie and Carson patched his wounds. He preferred dealing with this pain than thinking about past troubles.
‘Physical pain... at least that’s something I can endure,’ he mused silently, trying to distract himself.
A sharp sting from Marie’s needle brought him back to reality. He flinched, but quickly turned his attention to his interface, ready to review the day’s events.
Congratulations:
Over the course of three battles: you have killed 45 goblins, 10 orcs, 5 level one humans, 6 level two humans, 2 orc warriors, and assisted in killing 593 goblins, 214 orcs, 20 orc warriors, 1 orc mage, and 1 orc shaman.
With the death of members of the Collective, their slayer obtains experience based on their strength and credits in their possession. You have ownership rights of all possessions of killed individuals; you are required to collect them on your own.
Rewards:
3,538 experience
6,546 credits
Congratulations:
You have received the titles: Goblin Slayer (rank 4) and Orc Slayer (rank 2)
For killing: 1000 Goblins and 200 Orcs
Goblin Slayer: You are a known enemy of goblins everywhere. Warning: Your reputation precedes you. Nearby Goblins will actively seek you out for revenge.
Orc Slayer: You are a known enemy of orcs everywhere. Warning: Your reputation precedes you.
Rewards:
+10 stat points
Congratulations:
You have gained 3 levels and reached level 15.
+3 stat points
+1 milestone point
“Jesus Christ.” Derek cursed slowly.
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Marie paused in her stitching, but realizing he wasn’t in additional pain, she continued. “Did you just see your notifications?”
“Yeah.” Derek responded, his tone a mix of awe and exhaustion.
“Everyone’s level 12 and got the Goblin and Orc Slayer’s achievements. Phil has been trying to convince them to wait before using their points. Even the baby leveled.”
“Speaking of the baby.” Phil said. “Is it just me or are you… more pregnant?”
“Ouch, fuck!” Derek cursed as Marie stabbed him with the needle.
“Sorry,” Marie apologized to Derek. “um… Phil, I’ll talk to him later about it.”
With the last stitch in place, Derek rose from the table, his body a testament to the day’s battles. The atmosphere in the room subtly shifted, signaling a move from the immediate urgency of healing to the broader concerns of their new reality.
Janet moved in after him and wiped the table clean of blood and sanitizing it. As he moved towards the living room, he could hear the murmur of conversation and the chaotic sounds of the kids downstairs.
“Family meeting after dinner.” Derek said, limping into the bathroom. “Nobody spends any points until then.”
“Even the kids?” Janet asked.
“Yes.” Derek replied tersely, closing the bathroom door behind him.
Marie entered through the closed door, following him into the bathroom as he peeled off the last of his bloody clothing.
“Are you okay, love?” She asked, sitting the EMT bag on the floor.
Derek hesitated, then replied in a low voice, “It’s not just the pain. It’s everything piling up. I’m trying to keep it together for everyone.” He then stepped into the shower, showing a rare moment of vulnerability as he visibly flinched under the initial spray of water.
Marie, sensing his struggle, offered gently, “You have other people that you can rely on, you don't have to try and do everything yourself.”
Derek merely nodded, stepping into the shower, indifferent to the water’s temperature. His silence spoke volumes, leaving Marie standing there, a quiet support in his unspoken turmoil. In the past year, Marie had become more attuned to Derek’s emotional state, gradually understanding the depth of his internal struggles. She recognized his limited emotional capacity as a lingering impact of his past, a stark contrast to the man she married, who had skillfully masked his emotional scars. The therapy had started to help, but the apocalypse started and she could feel himself hardening to match the horrors that their lives had become.
The shower shut off, and she handed him a towel. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” He said, almost with some warmth in his tone.
If she pushed, she could get it out of him now, but it wasn’t the time. “Well, come on then, everyone is waiting for us to eat.”
They gathered at the large, well-worn wooden table, its surface a testament to the people it brought together. Candace and Jenny bustled around, plates in hand, serving a dinner rich with the aromas of herbs and spices. The kitchen was alive with the kids’ bubbling excitement, their voices lively with happy chatter.
As they took their seats at the table, the conversation was lively, filled with laughter and the children’s excited rambling about their new levels and points. The adults, while joining in, maintained an awareness of their reality, but for the moment, allowed themselves the luxury of lighter spirits.
The clinking of dinnerware, the shuffle of chairs, and the occasional burst of laughter created a symphony of domesticity, briefly pushing the outside chaos into the background. The boys, their eyes bright and voices booming, eagerly discussed their newfound stat points and the adventures to come. Candace, though equally excited, had a more measured tone, contributing thoughtfully between bites.
“I’m going to be a wizard!” James’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Candace, with a playful roll of her eyes, chimed in, “Maybe I’ll be a wizard too, or something even cooler.”
“James, why would you want to be a wizard when you can be like Conan the Barbarian or like Superman?” Leroy asked, while flexing his skinny arms.
Carson raised an eye at Jenny. “You wanna be Aphrodite? I can be your Ares?” He asked in a suggestive tone.
“I would rather you be Zeus.”
“She’d rather you be Hercules, half naked and oiled up in the sun.” Janet teased.
Derek smiled at the familial conversation. It lightened his heart to be a part of a real family, unlike his blood relatives.
Phil looked at Derek and smiled suggestively. “You can be Thor.”
“Yeah?” Derek laughed. “and who are you going to be?”
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.” Phil winked.
“Stop hitting on my man.” Marie slapped Phil playfully.
“You can join in if you’re jealous.” Phil laughed.
“Enough of that.” Carson said, throwing a dinner roll at Phil. “I don’t want your personality rubbing off on my boys.” Then he turned to the two boys. “Not a word, you two.”
They giggled and started laughing, not able to contain themselves after all the poorly hidden euphemisms. The warm conversation continued as the light faded from the sky plunging the city into darkness. Derek stared out the window, watching as the blood-stained yard and scars of combat faded until nothing could be seen. Marie retrieved another round of food. Tonight’s dinner was overly healthy with chicken and green vegetables as they would be needing the nutrients. Derek ate until he was absolutely miserable. His body needed all the energy it could get to heal the day’s wounds.
Dinner concluded with the clearing of plates, and as the last dish was put away, the atmosphere subtly shifted. It was time to transition from the day’s moments of levity to the more pressing matters of their survival.