They ran. The ruined street was a minefield of debris. They dodged overturned cars and swerved around the ominous purple fissures that pulsed with a quiet, menacing energy. The sound of their footsteps seemed impossibly loud in the echoing silence.
They made it two blocks, the adrenaline-fueled sprint leaving their lungs burning. They were just passing a ransacked electronics store when a familiar, chittering hiss cut through the air.
From behind a burning bus, a pack of three Gutter Scuttlers emerged. They were faster than the ones Kai had fought before, their movements more coordinated. They fanned out, their multifaceted eyes locking onto the two humans, cutting off their path forward.
[Gutter Scuttler - Level 3]
[Gutter Scuttler - Level 3]
[Gutter Scuttler - Level 3]
They had leveled up, just like him.
"Elara, get behind me!" Kai yelled, pushing her back as he raised his saber and shield. "Don't let them surround us."
The Scuttlers didn't hesitate. The one in the center charged, its mandibles snapping. Kai stood his ground. He remembered the raw power of the Broodguard's attacks, and this smaller creature suddenly seemed less intimidating.
He activated his new skill. Vital Strike.
A faint blue energy swirled from his chest, coating the blade of his saber. The world seemed to slow for a fraction of a second. He saw the opening, the small gap in the chitin where the creature's head met its thorax.
As the Scuttler lunged, Kai sidestepped and thrust. The energized saber slid into the weak point with almost no resistance, punching straight through. The monster's charge died with a wet gurgle, and it dissolved into a shower of blue particles.
[Critical Hit!]
[You have slain a Level 3 Gutter Scuttler.]
[XP Gained: 35]
[XP: 90/200 to Lvl. 5]
The attack had cost him a sliver of stamina, but the result was breathtaking. One monster down in as many seconds.
The other two, however, didn't pause. They used their kin's death to their advantage, attacking from both sides. Kai brought his shield up, the Broodguard Plate absorbing the slash from the left with a loud clang that vibrated up his arm. The blow staggered him, and he wasn't able to fully dodge the attack from the right.
A serrated claw raked across his thigh, tearing through his jeans and drawing blood. Pain, sharp and hot, flared up his leg.
[Health: 88/110]
"Kai!" Elara screamed.
He gritted his teeth against the pain. "I'm fine!"
He shoved the monster on his left back with his shield, creating a precious half-second of space. He pivoted, swinging his saber in a low arc at the creature that had wounded him. He didn't have time to aim for a vital point, but the blade crunched into its forward leg, partially severing it.
The Scuttler shrieked and stumbled. As it tried to regain its footing, Elara, who had been pressed against the wall of the store, saw her chance. Her terror was eclipsed by a fierce, protective instinct. With a raw cry, she lunged forward, plunging her kitchen knife into the side of the monster's head.
The blade was small, but her aim was true. The Scuttler froze, its shriek cut short, and then it too dissolved into particles.
Kai stared for a second, a mixture of shock and pride on his face. Elara stood panting, the knife still in her hand, her eyes wide with what she'd just done.
The last Scuttler, seeing its packmates destroyed, let out a furious hiss and charged Kai. He met it head-on, his movements now fueled by a grim determination. He parried its first strike, blocked a second with his shield, and then ran it through with a simple, efficient thrust to the chest.
[You have slain a Level 3 Gutter Scuttler.]
[XP Gained: 35]
[XP: 125/200 to Lvl. 5]
Silence returned to the street. Kai leaned heavily on his saber, his wounded leg throbbing. He absorbed the three cores that lay glowing on the pavement, the influx of XP doing little to dull the pain.
Elara rushed to his side. "You're hurt!"
"It's just a scratch," he lied, though the tear in his jeans was already soaked with red.
"We need to get off the street," she said, her voice firm, the initial shock of her first kill wearing off. She pointed to a large, stone building across the road, its windows dark. "There. The public library. We can rest. I can patch you up."
Kai looked at the imposing building. It looked as good a place as any. "Okay," he breathed. "Good plan."