Chapter 13: A New Weapon
Basement.
"Are we there yet?"Emma asked for the third time.
Her voice echoed through the narrow walls of the corridor, as if the very humidity was trying to mimic the sound. They had been descending through increasingly tight passages for several minutes, and with each step, the air felt denser.
"Now we're here…" Richard finally replied.
The sound of suitcases hitting the floor broke the silence. A cloud of dust rose like an animal that had been asleep for too long, forcing them to cough until the air became breathable again.
The basement was a graveyard of construction materials: rusty beams, hardened cement bags, forgotten tools. The spoils of an unfinished renovation, now turned into their only fortune.
Ethan looked around, confused. Emma frowned, just as lost."What are we doing here?" they both asked, almost in unison.
Richard smiled, that kind of smile that never meant anything good."You wanted to know what that holographic screen was… and the talents I told you about, right?"
He pointed at the pile of rubble, only adding to their confusion."Then we'll start with Uncle Ethan. But first…" he paused, his voice taking on a mocking tone. "We need to clean."
And just like that, their excitement died."Come on… it'll be fun."Not even he believed his own words.
There was a reason why he had only cleaned the main rooms of the shelter. The rest of the place was reinforced, yes… but buried under layers of grime that seemed to be part of the very structure.
An hour later, the basement no longer looked like a junkyard. It wasn't spotless, but at least they could walk without tripping on rusty nails.
Rebecca arrived at the perfect time, descending the stairs with a plate in her hands. Toast, some fruit, and a jar of cold juice. The contrast was almost absurd: a homemade snack in the middle of an apocalyptic shelter… it felt like a dream.
Richard accepted the food with a gesture of gratitude. Few things pleased him as much as this kind of indulgence: tasting something fresh and sweet while, outside, society crumbled. All rewards for acting fast. This month would be their vacation before starting to collect cores to continue evolving.
"So you brought us here just to clean while you sat back and rested?"Emma grumbled, shooting him a glare that could have melted the rusty beams.
Richard chewed slowly, smiled, and replied with complete shamelessness:"Let's just say… it was necessary."
Emma huffed, crossing her arms. Her hair, covered in dust, made her look like an annoyed cat. Richard almost laughed but held it back."This better be worth it…" Emma muttered.
The room was finally clean. It was time to move forward with the plan.
Richard set the plate aside and looked at Ethan, who was organizing knives and metal rods on an improvised table. His face showed a strange mixture of nerves and anticipation.
"Before you try it," Richard said, his tone grave, "you need to understand how all this works."
His words caught Emma's and Ethan's full attention.
"The world no longer follows the old laws. Everything revolves around what scientists called Necroplasmic Energy. It's not magic. It's not just a virus. It's a quantum fuel, unstable, capable of rewriting and enhancing organic life."
He paused briefly, letting them absorb it."To awaken, you must assimilate that energy. And each evolution breaks a chain of the human body."
He raised his fingers, counting them off."Threshold of Humanity: the first contact.""Flesh Forger: when your body begins to stop being human.""Bearer: when you learn to manipulate the energy beyond yourself.""Then come Ascended, Herald… and finally, Lord of Ruin."
His voice faltered before revealing more. It was better not to overload them with information."Each stage has three levels: beginning, intermediate, and limit. And with each progression, you step further away from what it means to be human."
He leaned closer to Ethan, his gaze unwavering."The problem is that you haven't even reached the Threshold of Humanity yet. Your talent awakened, yes… but without the right fuel, you won't be able to stabilize the resonance necessary to synthesize anything."
Then Richard bit his finger. Blood dripped, thick and red, onto the table. With a swift motion, he began to trace signs on the corroded metal: curves, crosses defying logic, designs that seemed to belong to an unknown language.
Richard placed his hand over the symbols, and the blood began to glow with a hypnotic light, drawing everyone's attention."With this, you'll be able to synthesize your materials, even if you're not a full awakened yet."
The knife and the metal rod trembled on the table, as if an unseen force coursed through them. A subtle murmur, like the buzz of electricity, filled the air.
"Is this… okay?"Emma stepped closer to Richard, confused by the state her father had entered.
Richard didn't respond immediately. His eyes were locked on Ethan. All the materials were surrounding him, and he seemed to be guided by his own talent."No… it's not okay. It's perfect," Richard finally murmured, never looking away.
Emma stared at him in disbelief."Do you get it now, Emma?"Richard shifted his gaze to meet hers."The talent each person awakens… is actually the talent they were meant to have in their daily life."
He pointed at Ethan, who looked like a child in awe. That was the freedom of discovering why you had been brought into this world. The feeling of finding what you were truly meant to do."Your father, for one reason or another, never made use of his latent talent. And now, with everything that's happened in the last few days, that talent has awakened… and been amplified by Necroplasmic Energy. What you're seeing is the result."
The atmosphere grew heavier. The fragments of metal fused together, forming a glowing sphere, vibrating like a beating heart.
Ethan's breathing was ragged, as if on the verge of collapse. His eyes flew open when the sphere shattered in a blinding flash.
In his hands was a knife. Its blade was as dark as obsidian, crossed by red veins that pulsed as if alive.
Ethan stared at it, panting, sweat dripping down his forehead, still unable to believe what he had done. It was like being pumped full of adrenaline, his thoughts lost in the energy coursing through his body."I… I made this?"
Richard nodded."Yes."
Ethan extended the weapon toward him, like a father giving away his daughter."Take care of her… she's like the daughter I never had."
Emma growled, glaring daggers at him, but Richard accepted the knife.
The blade was warm. It fit his hand as if it had been waiting for him all along. Red symbols ignited along the edge, responding to his blood.
An invisible window unfolded in his mind:[Weapon Created: ???][Rank: E][State: Incomplete. Requires designation.]
Richard didn't hesitate."You'll be called Crimson Oath."
The name of his old weapon fit perfectly with the knife Ethan had crafted.
[Weapon Created: Crimson Oath][Rank: E]
[Affinity: Necroplasmic]
[Durability: Low]
[Special Ability Unlocked: Minor Absorption]
Richard's eyes widened at the last line.
[Minor Absorption: When dealing damage to a living target, the weapon absorbs a fraction of its necroplasmic energy to reinforce its edge and regenerate its durability.]
The blade pulsed softly, like a pleased heart. A silent desire ran from its hilt to its tip.
"A weapon with a special ability…" Richard whispered in awe, to Ethan's delight. "You have no idea what you've just done, do you?"
Ethan shook his head, still stunned."I only know that… it came from me. As if I had done it before."
Richard gripped the knife firmly, feeling a subtle vibration running up his arm, claiming a bond."You're a damn genius, Ethan…"