Chapter 1:
Bonds Forged in BloodThree days later, the hospital was a graveyard. Elias found his mother's bed empty, the sheets stained with violet blood—Wraith venom, he later learned, which dissolved flesh on contact. He didn't cry. He couldn't. Grief was a luxury he couldn't afford, not when Mia was trembling beside him, her sixth sense (a fledgling Ability, the system would later confirm) tingling with every Wraith nearby.They weren't alone. On the second night of their escape, they stumbled upon a group hiding in a derelict supermarket: Jax Rainer, a 32-year-old ex-Marine with a scar slicing his left cheek, his shotgun loaded and his gaze sharp as a blade; Lila Marquez, 28, a nurse who carried a medical kit stuffed with antibiotics and tourniquets, her calm demeanor a lifeline in chaos; and Leo Hale, 7, a wide-eyed boy clutching a teddy bear named Mr. Fluff, his parents torn apart by Wraiths in the first wave."Portland," Jax said, wiping blood from his shotgun's barrel. "Heard a transmission—there's a safe zone there. Walls reinforced with military-grade steel, supplies, even a team of Ability Users. It's our only shot."Elias checked his system panel. The main quest had updated: [Reach the Portland Safe Zone. Reward: Advanced Ability (Energy Manipulation) + 100 System Points.] System Points, he'd discovered, could be traded for supplies—canned food, clean water, even weapon upgrades—or used to level up Abilities. He'd saved his initial 50 points, terrified of wasting them on a rainy day.The journey was a nightmare. They traveled by night, hiding in collapsed buildings by day. Wraiths weren't the only threat—other survivors, driven mad by hunger and fear, turned on each other for a single bottle of water. On the fourth day, a gang of raiders ambushed them, their leader a brute with a Ability to manipulate fire. He burned Jax's arm before Elias could react."Get back!" Elias roared, channeling his Basic Strength. He lifted a cinder block, hurled it at the raider leader, and crushed his shoulder. The man screamed, but Elias didn't stop—he tackled him to the ground, his fists flying, until the raider went limp. When he stood, his knuckles bloodied, he stared at his hands in horror. He wasn't a fighter. He was an archivist, a son, a boy who'd once loved stargazing. But in this new world, none of that mattered.Mia knelt beside him that night, as they huddled around a tiny fire in an abandoned gas station. She didn't speak—just placed her hand on his shoulder, her warmth seeping through his dirty clothes. Jax tossed him a can of beans. "You did what you had to," the Marine said, his voice gruff but soft. "We all do." Lila bandaged his knuckles, her touch gentle. Leo crawled into his lap, Mr. Fluff pressed against Elias's chest. "You're my hero," the boy whispered.Elias's throat tightened. For the first time since his mother's disappearance, he felt a flicker of hope. These people weren't just survivors—they were family. And as the system pinged in his head, he smiled.[System Notification: Host has formed a Loyal Party. Bonus Reward: Shared Inventory. All members may access basic supplies stored in the system.]He opened the inventory, added the last of his canned food, and looked at his friends. "Tomorrow, we head for Portland. Together."