Liam crouched low behind the rooftop barricade, watching the streets below fill with movement. The horde was coming fast. Dozens of creatures, twisted by system corruption, poured from the shadows of Zone Four. They moved like predators, some crawling on metal limbs, others dragging rusted weapons fused to bone.
Rena stood beside him, sword in hand, breathing steady. Her eyes never left the closest street.
"They're spreading out. Testing for weaknesses."
Sarya was across the rooftop, setting a line of frost mines near the southern wall. Her fingers moved with speed and precision, her face locked in focus. She didn't look at Liam, but she spoke clearly.
"They'll find them. I didn't set this place up to be pretty. I set it to kill."
Liam nodded, checking the energy charge in his sword. Still good. Icebind pulsed under his skin, cold and ready.
"They want to take us down," he said. "We make them bleed for it."
> [System Alert]
Horde Proximity: 400 meters
Enemy Force: 42 Confirmed
Mutant Types: 3
Bond Trial Active – Sarya
Time Remaining: 45 Hours 12 Minutes
Buff: Overwatch – Active
Team Damage Resistance: +10%
Rena cracked her neck.
"This reminds me of the last time I almost died."
Liam glanced at her.
"Let's not repeat it."
The first mutant appeared at the edge of the street. Tall, hunched, with metal spikes across its back. Its eyes glowed red, its arms longer than they should have been.
Behind it, more followed.
Sarya stepped back from her traps and raised her crossbow.
"They're early."
"No," Liam said, standing. "They're eager."
He raised his hand.
"Icebind."
A blast of frost surged out, slamming into the lead mutant. Its body froze solid in mid-step, crashing to the ground in shards of ice.
The others howled.
And charged.
The horde reached the building in seconds. The first wave slammed into the ground floor, climbing, clawing, breaking through weak spots. Sarya triggered the frost mines.
A roar of ice exploded across the southern wall. Three mutants were caught in the blast, frozen and shattered by debris.
Rena met the first climber at the rooftop edge. She cut it down with a clean strike, then kicked the body off.
More climbed.
Liam rushed to the north side, cutting down two before they could crest the ledge. Blood sprayed across the rooftop. He didn't stop.
Sarya fired again, her bolt pinning a mutant to the wall.
"Right side!"
Liam turned. Another group surged over the barrier.
He raised his sword, swung hard, breaking one's jaw with the hilt, then stabbing through its throat.
Rena covered his flank, taking down two more.
The rooftop was chaos... blood, frost, steel.
> [System Alert]
Horde Count Remaining: 28
Icebind Uses: 1 Remaining
Warning: Sarya Vital Signs – Critical Risk
Buff Triggered: Guardian Surge
Effect: +15% Strength – 30 Seconds
Trigger: Protect Bond Target
Liam spotted Sarya... pinned under a mutant, her blade knocked aside.
He ran.
His sword cleaved through the creature's back, cutting it in half. Sarya gasped, rolling free.
"You're crazy," she said.
"You're welcome."
He reached down, pulled her to her feet.
She grabbed his collar.
"You want this bond?"
"Yes."
"Then don't let me die."
Liam smiled.
"Not planning to."
They stood back to back now, fighting as one. Liam struck left, Sarya fired right. Rena circled, cutting down anything that slipped through.
They fought for what felt like hours.
Bodies piled high. Blood slicked the rooftop.
Then… silence.
The last mutant fell.
Smoke drifted.
Liam stood still, sword dripping.
Rena dropped to a knee.
"We… survived."
Sarya leaned on him, her breath hot against his neck.
"You're insane."
He looked at her.
"You're mine now."
> [System Update]
Bond Secured – Sarya
Reward: Trapfield Skill
Bond Bonus: +5% Energy Recharge
Synergy Bonus: Ice + Trap Active
Time Remaining – Ice Queen Bond: 42 Hours
Sarya's fingers tightened on his arm.
"So… now we seal the bond?"
Liam nodded.
"Now."
She smirked.
"Try to keep up."
The rooftop was silent now.
Only the wind moved, carrying the stench of blood and smoke across the ruined skyline. Liam stood at the center of it all, sword lowered, blood drying on his arms and coat. The horde was gone. The trial complete.
He turned slightly, feeling Sarya's eyes on him.
She stepped closer, slow and steady, her crossbow now slung across her back. Her cloak was torn, frost still clinging to the edges from where she had broken free of Icebind earlier. Dirt streaked her face, her breath still rough from the fight.
But her gaze was sharp.
"You didn't run," she said.
Liam met her eyes.
"I told you I wouldn't."
She stopped in front of him, close. Close enough that he could feel the heat radiating off her, a sharp contrast to the cold that still clung to his skin from Icebind.
"You took control," she said.
"You let me."
She laughed, short and quiet.
"Maybe. Maybe I just wanted to see if you were strong enough."
He didn't move.
"You've seen it."
Sarya reached up, pulling a piece of broken metal from her shoulder pad and tossing it aside.
"Fine. The system wants a bond. You've earned it."
She stepped even closer.
"But if we do this, you follow through. No weakness. No hesitation."
Liam nodded once.
"I don't fail."
Sarya's hand went to his chest, flat against the pulse of power beneath his coat.
"Good."
> [System Alert]
Bond Seal Initiated – Sarya
Duration: 10 Seconds
Warning: Power Surge Imminent
New Skill Integration: Pending
Energy Sync – Active
Liam's vision pulsed. The system's energy rushed through him, not cold like Icebind, but sharp, electric. Trapfield data flooded his senses... layouts, triggering mechanics, danger zones. He could see it all. Predict it. Control it.
Sarya exhaled slowly, her hand still pressed against him.
"You're not what I expected."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Disappointed?"
Her smirk returned.
"Not yet."
Rena approached slowly from the edge of the rooftop. She had cleaned her blade, her armor scraped and dented from the fight. She watched them, silent.
Liam turned toward her.
"We're done here."
Rena nodded, but her gaze flicked to Sarya's hand still resting on his chest.
"Then let's move."
> [System Alert]
Ice Queen Bond Timer: 41 Hours Remaining
Territory Status: Mall Fortress – Stable
Next Objective: Return to Fortress – Prepare for Trial Completion
Warning: New Signal Detected – Unknown Entity Approaching
Liam looked to the east.
Smoke. Dust. Another force.
The fight was not over.
He glanced at Sarya.
"Ready for round two?"
She stepped back, drawing her crossbow.
"Lead the way, Overlord."