Chapter 18
To the Unknown
Part 4
Day Three
Date: 03/01/01
Location: In the city.
Mission Duration: Three Days
Remaining Time: Two Days
Objective: Reach the City Gate
Subject Names: Thomas & Samira Ali
Previous success rate: 95%
Expected success rate: 75%
Failed Subjects: 235
Successful subjects: 9
A brilliant blue flash erupted from the substation, a loud, crackling sound that filled the air. The Golem, caught in the middle of a massive roar, suddenly froze. A blue electric current, like a thousand lightning bolts, surged through its body. The Golem's red eyes flickered, the constant grinding sound from its mouth ceased, and its massive body went rigid. It was stunned. For five seconds, it was completely immobile.
Thomas was ready. He had been waiting for this exact moment. He was already in the air, having used his agility and speed to get close to the Golem. He had to use his most powerful skill. The Qadab (Level 2) skill, with the new Qadab Control (Level 1), was no longer a mindless rage. It was a focused, controlled surge of raw power. He summoned the power, and his body swelled with a primal fury. He felt the cold, empty feeling in his heart, but his mind was clear. He was in control.
He aimed for the Golem's core. With a powerful kick, he unleashed a wave of raw energy.
The kick was not just physical; it was a pure, focused blast of energy that hit the glowing red orb on the Golem's back. The orb shattered with a sound like a thunderclap, and the Golem's body went limp. It swayed for a moment, and then, with a slow, agonizing groan, it collapsed, its massive body shaking the ground one last time as it hit the ground with an earth-shattering thud. It lay motionless, its eyes dark, its body a simple pile of concrete and steel once more.
Thomas, exhausted and panting, fell to his knees. The power of Qadab receded, leaving him weak but alive. He looked up at Samira, who was still standing by the substation, her body trembling with exhaustion. They had done it. They had defeated a high-level enemy that was a living tank, not with force alone, but with a combination of her intellect and his raw power. They were not just a team; they were a perfect match.
A new message from the System rang in his ear and appeared on the windshield.
{Mission Complete: Grambith
Destroyed}
{Rewards:}
{Level up: 1}
{Points: 500}
{New Skill Acquired: Vitality Surge (Level 1)}
{You have gained five attribute points, which can be distributed to Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Vitality.}
Samira's reward appeared in front of her as a separate message, her contribution to the victory reflected in the System's cold logic.
{Rewards:}
{Level up: 1}
{Points: 500}
{New Skill Acquired: Trans Conduit (Level 1)}
{You have gained five attribute points, which can be distributed to Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Vitality.}
Thomas smiled, a tired but genuine smile. "Trans Conduit," he said. "It knew we'd need that."
Thomas felt the familiar ache once more in his arm, a dull throb that had been his constant companion since his fight with the Grambith. But the ache was nothing compared to the satisfaction he felt now. The feeling of accomplishment was so great that he didn't even realize that someone—or something—had been watching him during his fight.
Back at the car, before he even opened the door to enter, he was only thinking about whether they would be able to reach the city gate, which was still a long way off. The system notification in his ear made him stop in his tracks.
{The human larynx is capable of producing a wide range of sounds that can be transmitted as language, enabling humans to speak and learn any language.}
{Langkatan speaks three different languages.}
{Language skill unlocked: Langkatan (Common) you will be able to speak, read and write the common langkatan language}
Thomas had a strong feeling that there was a reason the system granted him this new skill. He knew the system would not give anything for free or without cause, which gave him an uneasy feeling. What reinforced this belief was the look on Samira's face when he looked at her.
Samira was leaning forward, her eyes wide with a mix of terror and wonder. The ruins of the city had given way to a large, open area. In the distance, a group of figures huddled together. For sure they were not human.
"They're... they're real, they look like the ones I used to see in the alien movies" Samira whispered, her voice barely a breath.
The System's message was still fresh in his mind.
{Language skill unlocked: Langkatan (Basic)}
Thomas felt a strange connection in his head, a new understanding of the alien language. He wasn't speaking or hearing the words; he was just... knowing them. It was a cold, digital understanding, but it was there.
The Langkatans were tall and slender, with long, delicate limbs. Their skin was a pale, pearly white, and their heads were large and V-shaped, bald, with large black eyes. Their noses were just two holes in the face, and they had small mouths. They wore simple, one piece
clothes similar to overall. They looked more like graceful birds than a dominant race that had once ruled this world. One of them, a male with a scarred face, was looking straight at them through a pile of rubble.
"They look so fragile," Samira said. "They don't look like they could have built this city."
"The System told me they were a peaceful race," Thomas replied, his voice low. "The parasite changed everything."
Just then, the Langkatan with the scarred face stood up, holding a small, metallic box. He looked around, his large black eyes scanning the ruined city. His eyes fell on their car. He froze.
The air was heavy with tension. Thomas felt a new message flash in his mind.
{Subject: Langkatan.}
Level: 3.
State: Neutral.
System: Active
Emotions: Fear, surprise.
The alien's fear was intense. He didn't know what kind of creatures he was looking at; he only saw the fight with the monster, which did not prove to him that they were not monsters themselves. He knew firsthand how much the animals and beasts of his planet had changed and how they had evolved into something else.
He was just a survivor searching for a way to live in the city. When he realized that they had noticed him and his companions but did not attack immediately, he convinced himself that at least they were not monsters. Slowly and carefully, he began to walk toward them, raising his empty hands up and down to show that he had no weapons and meant no harm.
"He's coming toward us," Samira said. "What do we do?"
"We wait," Thomas said, his hand resting on a piece of scrap metal. "Let's see what he wants, but the way he is raising his hand, I guess he means he wants to talk in peace."