The top of the rock was cold despite the desert heat lingering below. Wind slid across the stone in low whistles, carrying distant sounds of movement from the dunes. Blair lay on her back with one arm over her eyes, resting like a predator that never truly slept. Owen sat near the edge, legs pulled close, machete resting beside him as he kept watch over the night.
He checked his interface again, the translucent numbers floating quietly in front of his eyes.
Strength: 1x Peak Human
Durability: 0.4x Peak Human
Agility: 0.4x Peak Human
Endurance: 0.4x Peak Human
Owen flexed his arm slowly, watching muscle tighten beneath his skin. It felt strange, heavier and more responsive than before. Not overwhelming like Blair's strength, but solid. Real. He clenched his fist, released it, then did it again. "So this is what peak human strength feels like," he whispered. "Took dying and a gacha system to get it."
Below, the desert was alive. Even at night, Owen could see movement everywhere. Shapes crawled, burrowed, fluttered. Shadows slid between rocks. Something screeched far away, answered by another sound that made his spine tighten. This world never rested.
Hours passed. When Owen was about to wake Blair for her watch, he noticed something different in the sky. A shadow moved against the moons, far larger than any bird he had seen before, maybe 6 feet big.
Owen's breath hitched. He leaned over and shook Blair's shoulder. "Blair. Up. Look."
Blair was awake instantly, rolling to her feet and following his finger. Her eyes narrowed. "That thing is huge."
The bird circled again, lower this time. Its silhouette showed hooked talons and a long neck. Owen swallowed. "If it dives, we are in trouble."
Blair planted her halberd firmly into the stone, angling the blade upward. "Then we make it regret it. Pretend we are helpless."
Owen lay back down, forcing his breathing to slow. The bird's shadow grew larger. Wind roared as wings folded. The dive came fast, violent, a scream ripping from the creature's throat.
At the last second, Blair shoved the halberd deeper into the stone and braced. The bird slammed down, impaling itself cleanly through the chest. Blood sprayed across the rock in a hot wave. The impact shook the stone beneath them.
The creature thrashed, wings beating wildly, talons scraping uselessly. It tried to pull free, screeching in agony, then tore itself loose at the cost of shredded flesh. It stumbled across the rock's edge and fell. It flew a bit of distance from Owen and Blair when it fell and hit the ground far below with a wet, final sound.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then the desert erupted. Insects poured from the sand toward the corpse, clashing and tearing at each other in a frenzy of chitin and limbs.
Owen sat up slowly. "Nice one, Blair."
She exhaled, resting her weight on the halberd. "You set it up. Good bait."
Owen rubbed his eyes. "You should sleep. I do not like how active things are tonight."
Blair shook her head. "No, I already sleep enough. You sleep. Who knows what shows up next minute."
Owen did not argue. Exhaustion pulled him down, and sleep took him quickly. Blair resumed her watch, eyes sharp, body relaxed but ready. From time to time she glanced at Owen, then back to the wasteland. The moons crept lower.
Near the base of the rock, movement caught her attention. Three insects, each nearly three feet tall, crawled out from cracks in the stone. They did not notice the humans above. Instead, they began carving into the rock, secreting resin and clicking softly as they worked.
Blair frowned. "Nope. Not letting you build a nest here."
She dropped silently from the rock. The first insect turned just as she swung. The halberd cleaved through its head, splitting it cleanly in half. The body collapsed, twitching violently.
The second insect screeched and lunged. Blair met it head on, ramming the halberd shaft into its mouth and forcing it open. She kicked its leg backward, snapping it, then twisted the blade sideways, ripping out mandibles and muscle. Black blood sprayed her armor.
The third insect tried to flee. Blair chased it down, grabbed one of its legs, and smashed it repeatedly against the rock wall. Chitin shattered. She finished it by driving the halberd through its thorax and pinning it in place until it stopped moving.
She stood among the corpses, breathing steady, gore dripping from her weapon. "Quiet night my ass."
Blair climbed back up and sat beside Owen, who slept on, unaware. A few hour passed. Then she saw it. Far in the distance, a flicker of light. Small. Steady. Artificial.
When Owen stirred, Blair shook him gently. "Boss. Wake up."
He blinked. "What is it."
"I saw a light," she said. "Far away. Not fireflies. Something steady."
Owen sat up, tension returning immediately. "People?"
"Maybe," Blair replied.
Owen frowned. "That is great news... but could also be dangerous. People in this world might be worse than monsters. We do not know their language, their rules. But finding human civilization is even more important."
Blair leaned closer. "Staying alone forever might gets us killed anyway. We need information, supplies, maybe allies. Or at least enemies we understand."
Owen hesitated, staring at the horizon where the light flickered faintly. "I'm starting to hate this."
After a long pause, Owen nodded. "Alright. We go carefully."
They climbed down and retrieved the bike. The ride was rough. Darkness still clung to the land, and insects attacked relentlessly. Blair drove with one hand and swung her halberd with the other, smashing bodies apart in sprays of blood. Limbs flew. Shells cracked. Owen clung tight, pointing out threats and cursing under his breath.
As the light grew closer, the river's presence became obvious again. Shapes moved near the water. Blair cut through them without slowing.
She laughed once, breathless. "Cannot wait to have a real fucking vehicle."
Owen grimaced but nodded. "Yeah. Me too."