Last night, I realized something important: fear is the best alarm clock.
I woke up around three in the morning when the "thing" outside started scratching at my iron door. It wasn't just scratching. It was a nerve-grating, disgusting sound, like someone dragging long nails across a blackboard. Scritch-scratch. Scritch-scratch.
I lay motionless on the sofa. I had even stopped breathing. The door was thick iron, but it had many rusted spots. If the thing outside was bigger than the Rusted Hound (and judging by the sound, it definitely was), the door could be opened like a tin can.
"Please, go away," I said in my mind. "I am not here. I am just dust. I taste terrible."
The metal at the bottom of the door bent slightly inwards.
My sleep vanished instantly. Adrenaline hit my brain. I jumped up and went to the door. I placed my hand on the cold metal. The system window glowed like a beacon in the darkness.
[Object: Iron Door (Reinforced)]
[Condition: 45% (Rusted, hinges loose)]
[Restoration Cost: 8 Ether]
My mana (Ether) reserve had refilled during my sleep. I had 100/100 now.
"Restore!" I whispered through gritted teeth.
Blue light covered the inside of the door. I felt the metal densifying, the rust falling away to be replaced by smooth steel. The part of the door that sat in the frame thickened. Even the locking mechanism clicked into a more solid state.
The thing outside scratched one more time. But this time, the claws slid off the smooth steel. Then a dissatisfied "grumble-grumble" sound was heard. It sounded like a bear with a cold sneezing.
After a while, the footsteps moved away.
I slid down to the floor, leaning against the door.
"Rule number one," I said to the darkness. "In this world, doors are not just decoration. They are a matter of life and death."
Dawn broke. Or something like it.
Gray light entering through the cracks illuminated the garage. I stood up and stretched. My back cracked. My neck cracked. Even my left knee cracked. I am a twenty-five-year-old seventy-year-old man.
My stomach played a "grumble-grumble" tune. Yesterday's cola had been digested, and not even a memory of it remained. Thirst was even worse.
"So, Mr. Restorer," I said to myself. "What's on the menu today? Dust? Rust? Or will we get lucky and find another undead rat?"
I began to inspect the garage. I hadn't been able to see well in the dark yesterday. This place didn't look like an ordinary garage. Strange schematics were drawn on the walls, and some kind of oil was spilled on the floor.
Most importantly – the Diesel Generator in the corner.
I approached it. It was massive. Yellow, with "CAT" written on it, but there were also some characters in Cyrillic script next to it. A mixture of worlds, remember?
[Object: Hybrid Generator (Diesel + Mana)]
[Condition: Non-functional (Pistons seized, filters clogged, electrical wiring severed)]
[Restoration Cost: 45 Ether]
"Expensive," I whistled. "But worth it."
If there's electricity, there's light. If there's light, a heater might work. And most importantly, this generator is called "hybrid." I don't know what that means, but I liked the word "Mana."
I checked the jerrycans. Two cans, each with about 10 liters of diesel. This would last us a while. But first, the generator needed to be "revived."
I placed my hand on the engine cover. I closed my eyes and imagined the structure. I felt like I could see inside the engine: blackened oil, rusted pistons, broken wires.
"Here we go."
A flow of Ether left my hand and poured into the generator. This time, the process was slower. I heard the sound of metal "scratching." Pistons fell into place. Clogged filters cleared, the dirt inside turning to powder and falling out. Severed wires connected like snakes, becoming whole as if wrapped in electrical tape.
[Restoration Complete!]
[Experience: +25 XP]
[Ether: 47/100]
The generator was now gleaming. The yellow paint looked new, and even the smell of motor oil was pleasant, like that of a new car.
I opened the tank and poured in the diesel from the can. Then I looked for the start button. Red button. Classic.
I pressed it.
Whir-whir-whir... VROOOOM!
The generator coughed once, then began to hum steadily and quietly. To me, this sound was more beautiful than Beethoven's symphony.
Immediately, the lights on the garage ceiling flickered on. First dim yellow, then bright white light filled the room. The thing in the corner that looked like a vacuum cleaner also whirred to life – ventilation! The air circulated, and the stale smell began to diminish.
"Yes!" I shouted, raising my fists in the air. "Prometheus gave people fire, Liam gave them 220 volts!"
Now, time to search for loot.
It was easier to rummage through the garage in the light. I checked every corner, every shelf.
Result:
Adjustable Wrench (Monkey Wrench): Big, heavy, rusted. Perfect as a weapon.
Duct Tape: Half used. The most necessary item in the universe.
A box of nails: Useful.
Old coveralls: The size seems right for me. Torn, but better than my jeans.
Water filter (household): The most important find!
I put on the coveralls. They were thick fabric, blue. "Tech-Support" was written on them.
"Very fitting," I laughed looking at my reflection in a mirror (I found a mirror too). "I am the tech support service of this world. We fix your broken world; payment is with your life."
I took the adjustable wrench in my hand.
[Object: Heavy Wrench]
[Condition: 60%]
[Restoration Cost: 3 Ether]
I restored it. The wrench was cleared of rust and became shiny chrome. The handle was covered in rubber. Now it fit very comfortably in the hand, and if it hit a head, it would definitely crack it.
[Weapon: "Master" Key]
[Attack Power: 12-15]
[Bonus Effect: "Dismantle" (+20% damage against mechanical enemies)]
"Excellent. Now I have 'Excalibur,' just the plumber's version."
Now for the most interesting item. The Memory Crystal dropped from the Rusted Hound yesterday.
I still have over 40 Ether. 20 is needed to open the crystal.
I sat on the sofa and placed the crystal in my palm.
"Come on, show me where this place is."
I sent Ether into the crystal. It heated up and began to float in the air. Then, like a projector, it cast a 3D map in front of me. The map was very detailed but only showed a small area – about a 5km radius.
My location – "Garage on the Hill" – was marked with a green dot.
There were many red zones around.
But to the north, about 2 km away, there was a blinking blue marker.
[Marker: Ancient Bunker (Entrance)]
[Note: "Supply Depot Detected"]
Supply. That word echoed in my brain. Food. Water. Weapons. Medicine.
But 2 km. In these ruins, that's like 20 km. And God knows what lives there.
My stomach grumbled again. Louder this time.
"I get it, I get it," I said to my stomach. "We're going."
I tucked my "Excalibur" (the wrench) into the belt at my waist. I put the water filter in a backpack (found this too, though one strap was broken). And walked towards the door.
Before opening the door, I took a deep breath.
"Luck, please, just be minus five for a bit, okay?"
Outside was quiet. Very quiet.
The sun (or that cracked sky) was overhead. I surveyed the surroundings. Since the garage was on a hill, it had a good view.
Below lay the junkyard valley where I woke up yesterday. Smoke was rising from there. In the distance, a massive, crimson forest could be seen. The trees in the forest looked like they were made of meat.
"I will never go to that forest," I noted.
My path lay north, through ruined city blocks.
I set off. I took every step cautiously.
After walking for about 20 minutes, I encountered the first problem.
A wide, dried-up riverbed blocked my path. There was a bridge, but its middle had collapsed.
On the other side of the bridge, the map indicated the road leading to the bunker I was looking for.
I approached the bridge.
Just then, I heard a strange skitter-skitter sound.
The sound came from between the metal beams of the bridge.
I peeked over.
And I saw dozens, no, hundreds of tiny eyes.
They looked like spiders, but the size of cats. Their bodies were made of rusted metal, their legs of sharp wires. They were... eating the metal parts of the bridge.
[Enemy: Metal-Eater Spiders (Scavengers)]
[Level: 1]
[Trait: Attacks in swarms. Loves iron very much.]
I slowly backed away. What do I have in my hand? An iron wrench. What am I wearing? Coveralls with iron buttons. I was a walking "Snickers" to them.
If I want to cross the bridge, I have to fight them. But there are too many. Fighting a hundred spiders with one wrench is stupidity.
Use my brain, Liam. You are not a warrior. You are an engineer. You are a Restorer.
I looked around. On this side of the bridge stood an old, fallen utility pole. And a transformer box was hanging from its top.
My eyes lit up.
Transformer. Oil. Electricity.
I went to the base of the pole.
[Object: Transformer Box]
[Condition: Disabled. Contains 5 liters of cooling oil.]
Plan ready.
I picked up a rock from the ground and hit the metal railing of the bridge with all my might.
Clang!
All the spiders stopped instantly at the sound. Hundreds of red eyes looked at me.
"Hello, boys!" I shouted. "Who's hungry?"
They "screeched" and surged towards me like a flood. The clicking of their metal legs on the asphalt sounded like falling hail.
I ran back towards the utility pole. They were very fast.
Reaching the base of the pole, I struck the rusted bolt holding the transformer box with my "Excalibur."
The bolt broke. The heavy transformer box fell down, right into the path of the spiders.
But that wasn't enough.
The box hit the ground and cracked, black, sticky oil flowing out of it.
The spiders didn't stop. They began running over the oil.
I took the Matches from my pocket (I found them in the smoking room of the office building yesterday, forgot to mention).
I lit one match.
"Bon appétit," I said and threw it into the oil.
Nothing happened at first. I got scared. "Is this oil non-flammable?!"
But then...
WHOOOSH!
The black oil suddenly caught fire. A wall of fire rose up. The spiders were engulfed in flames. Since they were metal, they didn't burn up, but they overheated! And overheated metal – doesn't work. Their internal circuits melted, and their legs began to seize up.
Agonizing sizzle-sizzle sounds were heard. The front row of spiders got "cooked." The ones behind stopped, afraid of the heat.
[A group of Metal-Eater Spiders destroyed/neutralized.]
[Experience: +80 XP]
[Level Up! You are now Level 2!]
"That's how it's done!" I panted, backing away from the fire. "Barbecue season is open!"
The way was now clear (though I had to wait for the fire to die down).
As I passed, I kicked one of the seized spiders. It didn't move.
After crossing the bridge and walking for another half hour, I reached the destination.
The Bunker.
It was carved into a small hill. The entrance door was open... No, not open. Broken.
Someone had entered here before me.
I gripped the wrench tighter and went inside. The inside of the bunker was dark and cool. The system automatically offered "Night Vision" mode (dim green filter). I accepted (1 Ether/hour).
I walked along the corridor. There were footprints in the dust on the floor. Boot prints.
And bloodstains.
At the end of the corridor was a large room. In the middle of the room was a table, broken chairs, and... a body.
A human body.
I approached. It was a soldier. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and had a machine gun in his hand. But the machine gun was snapped in two.
The soldier hadn't been dead long. Maybe two or three days.
I checked his pockets. (Not the time to think about ethics).
Finds:
Half a chocolate bar. (Heaven!)
Knife. (Military knife, very sharp).
Notebook.
I opened the notebook. The last entry:
"We thought we escaped the White Fog. But they followed us. The Captain died. Sarah died. I am left alone. I locked the door, but they came in through the vents. They... they live inside the shadows. If anyone reads this – do not turn off the light. Light is the only salvation."
I swallowed.
There was no light in the bunker.
Just then, a rustling sound came from behind me, from the corridor I entered. Like someone dragging themselves over dry leaves.
I raised "Excalibur" and turned around.
In the green night vision mode, I saw the shadows on the walls... moving. They weren't ordinary shadows. They were thick, pitch-black, and formless.
[Enemy: Shadow Parasite]
[Weakness: Light]
The note in the notebook: "Do not turn off the light."
I have no light. Only one last match and the light of the System interface.
"System," I said quickly. "Did a skill unlock for Level 2?"
[Congratulations! Level 2. Opportunity to choose a new ability:]
[1. Rapid Repair (Instantly repair items during combat)]
[2. Rune of Light (Engrave a light-emitting symbol on an item)]
There was no time to choose.
"Second! I choose the second one!"
[Ability Learned: Rune of Light]
The shadows lunged at me. They were like black smoke, but cold and suffocating.
I took my wrench and screamed with all my might:
"RUNE!"
I drew a symbol on the metal surface of the wrench with my finger. White light came from my finger and etched into the metal.
The wrench flared up. It began to emit bright white light, like a lightsaber from "Star Wars" (but in the shape of a wrench).
As soon as the light touched the shadows, they "shrieked" and evaporated. The light burned them!
I walked forward, holding the wrench like a torch.
"Get lost, filth!"
I saw a large iron chest in the corner of the room. Supplies!
But the chest was locked.
"No time," I said. The shadows were gathering in corners, preparing to attack. My rune would only work for 1 minute (due to Ether consumption).
I ran to the chest. Placed my hand on it.
[Restoration Cost: 10 Ether]
The chest opened.
Inside...
Canned food. Water. Bullets. And... A Pistol. A simple, old pistol (looked like a PM Makarov), but intact.
I stuffed as much as would fit into the backpack. Tucked the pistol into my belt.
My rune began to flicker and fade.
"Need to run," I said.
I ran out of the bunker. The shadows chased me, but when I stepped into the sunlight, they stopped. They were afraid of the sun.
I collapsed onto the grass. My breath caught in my throat.
My backpack full of food. A gun at my waist. A magical (temporary) wrench in my hand.
And I am alive.
"Day two," I said, laughing at the sky. "Score is 2:0, Mosaic."
But there was a worry inside me. The note in the notebook: "They followed us."
So, these "Shadow Parasites" are not random animals. Someone... or something controls them.