Jack's legs ached by the time the glowing arrow on his wrist finally stopped moving. Every step had been a gauntlet — shattered glass, overturned cars, wailing sirens, monsters darting through alleys. He hadn't seen the rooftop figure again. The girl clung to his hoodie, silent except for her shaky breaths.
The arrow blinked once, then projected a faint holographic circle on the cracked pavement.
> [Safe Zone: Active]
Jack stared at the empty street. "Here? This is it?"
> [Coordinates confirmed.]
He turned in a slow circle. Burned-out storefronts, a toppled bus stop, streetlights flickering like dying fireflies. Not exactly safe.
"Eve, you better not be messing with me—"
A chime cut him off. The pavement inside the circle rippled, like liquid metal. Symbols glowed along its edges — runes he didn't recognize, sharp and geometric. A pillar of light shot upward, then expanded like a bubble.
The world outside went gray, sound muting as if cotton had stuffed his ears. Inside the bubble, the air felt warmer. Cleaner. The girl gasped, looking around.
Jack blinked. "What the hell…"
> [System Shelter: Active. Neutral Zone established.]
"You could've led with 'magic dome,'" he muttered.
The bubble widened to reveal a massive underground chamber — like an inverted tower — descending below the street. Metal platforms, holographic panels, and glowing veins of light ran along the walls. People milled about on the lowest level — dozens of them. Some in torn clothes, some glowing faintly like he had, others pale with shock.
Jack's breath caught. "There are others…"
The girl whispered, "We're not alone…"
A staircase of light formed down into the chamber. Jack took her hand and started descending. Each step hummed underfoot.
People turned to look as he entered the shelter. Their eyes flicked to the glowing numbers on his wrist, then to the bat in his hand. Some had swords, some had rifles, some just empty fists.
A man in a leather jacket stepped forward. His jaw was square, hair buzzed, arms covered in tattoos that glowed faintly.
"You're new," he said. His voice carried the kind of calm that came from either confidence or madness. "First day?"
Jack blinked. "First hour."
The man's mouth twitched into a half-smile. "Lucky you made it here. Not everyone does."
Jack shifted his grip on the bat. "And you are?"
"Malik," the man said. "I guess you could call me a… guide. Not official. Nobody's official. But I've been here since the first ripple hit."
Jack's eyes narrowed. "What is this place?"
Malik spread his arms. "Shelter. Courtesy of the System. Keeps the monsters out—most of them, anyway. Gives us somewhere to breathe."
Jack glanced at the shimmering dome overhead. "And the countdown?"
Malik's smile faded. "Phase One lasts two days. After that…" He shrugged. "Nobody knows."
The girl peeked from behind Jack. Malik crouched, softening his tone. "Hey, kid. You okay?"
She nodded mutely.
Malik straightened. "You're not the only one with a kid. There's a corner over there for non-combatants. Might be safer."
Jack hesitated. "And you? You're… like me?"
Malik's tattoos flared briefly, forming moving symbols. "Call it awakened. System gave me some tricks. Not enough to leave yet."
Jack opened his mouth, but Eve's voice cut in.
> [User caution advised.]
He twitched. "Why?"
> [System Shelters are stable but not absolute. Threats possible.]
He exhaled. "Great. Even the safe zone isn't safe."
Malik raised an eyebrow. "Your voice talking to you too?"
Jack blinked. "You hear yours?"
"Not anymore." Malik's smile didn't reach his eyes. "It shut up after day one. Now I just get text."
Jack glanced at his wrist. Eve was silent.
Malik clapped his shoulder. "Relax. Get some water. There's food. We'll talk later."
Jack led the girl to a quieter corner. People huddled in groups, some crying, some whispering about monsters and cracks. A big holographic map floated in the center, showing parts of the city marked red, yellow, or green. Jack's stomach tightened — his neighborhood was bright red.
The girl curled up on a bench, clutching her teddy bear. Jack sat beside her, rubbing his face.
"What's your name?" he asked softly.
"Lila," she whispered.
"Lila…" He managed a smile. "I'm Jack."
She didn't look up.
He sighed, leaning back. "This is insane…"
> [Statement verified.]
He scowled at the air. "You're supposed to be helpful."
> [Helping. Survival rate increased 14% by reaching Shelter.]
"Oh wow. Thanks."
> [Sarcasm detected.]
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just… tell me something useful. Anything. What's with that floating city? The warship thing."
For a second, silence. Then:
> [Designation: Mech-City "Elyndor." Origin Unknown. Power Level: S-Rank. Current Status: Observing.]
His stomach sank. "Observing?"
> [Affirmative.]
He looked up at the dome. He could almost feel eyes on him, like something out there knew exactly where he was.
"Why me, Eve?"
> [User compatibility: 98%.]
"You've said that already."
> [No further data.]
He let out a shaky laugh. "You're a terrible partner."
Something flickered in the link between them again. Like static. Then:
> [Noted.]
His smile faded. "Did you just—was that—"
A loud clang echoed through the chamber, cutting him off. People stiffened. A ripple of unease swept the shelter.
Malik strode toward the sound. "What now…"
Another clang. This time louder. The holographic map glitched. The dome overhead flickered like a bad signal.
Jack stood, heart pounding. "Eve…"
> [Warning: Integrity Breach detected.]
His blood ran cold. "Something's coming in here?"
> [Affirmative.]
All around, people grabbed weapons. Malik barked, "Positions! You know the drill!"
Lila whimpered. Jack knelt. "Stay down, okay? Don't move."
She nodded, eyes wide.
The far wall of the chamber bulged inward like a balloon. Cracks spread across its surface, glowing purple. Jack gripped his bat. Blue light flickered over his arms.
> [Combat Imminent.]
The wall exploded inward. Dust and light filled the chamber. When it cleared, something stood there.
It wasn't like the creatures he'd fought. This one was humanoid. Tall. Armor gleaming like liquid silver. Eyes like molten gold. Its face was almost human — but not. Too symmetrical. Too smooth. Its hands ended in elegant claws.
The entire room went silent.
It stepped forward, movements graceful, curious. It tilted its head at the people. Then at Jack.
Eve's voice was almost a whisper.
> [Designation: Humanoid Unknown. Power Level: ???. Threat Level: Unclassified.]
Jack's grip tightened. "What is that…"
The humanoid spoke — not in words, but a cascade of sounds that resonated in his bones. Yet somehow, he understood.
"Candidate," it said. "We've been watching."
Jack's heart hammered. "What…"
It raised one clawed hand. Symbols spiraled in the air, glowing. Jack's wrist burned. His countdown flickered.
> [Hidden Quest Activated: The Whisper of Elyndor.]
> [Objective: Survive Contact.]
He swallowed hard. "You've got to be kidding me…"
The humanoid's golden eyes locked on his. Its voice was soft, almost gentle.
"You are not ready."
And then it moved.
Faster than thought.