Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: The Fall of Portland

Portland was burning when they arrived. The supposed "impenetrable" walls lay in rubble, Wraiths swarming the streets like locusts. Soldiers fired their guns, but bullets bounced off the creatures' rune-etched bones. Civilians screamed, running for cover, only to be cut down by Wraith claws. Elias's heart sank—this wasn't a safe zone. It was a slaughterhouse.[Main Quest Update: Defend the Remnants of Portland. Reward: Energy Manipulation (Lv.1) + 200 System Points. Failure: Death of All Party Members.]"We can't stay here," Mia said, her voice trembling. Her danger sense was screaming, a high-pitched hum in her ears. "There are too many—they're coming from the rifts in the harbor."Jax loaded his shotgun, his jaw set. "We can't run. The Wraiths track movement. If we flee, they'll hunt us until we drop. We stand our ground." Lila nodded, pulling a combat knife from her medical kit—stolen from a dead soldier, she admitted quietly. "I'll patch you up. Just don't make me use the last of the antibiotics."Elias closed his eyes, focused on the system. [Use 50 System Points to Upgrade Basic Strength to Lv.2.][Upgrade Complete. Enhanced Strength Lv.2: Host may lift up to 1,000 pounds.]Power surged through his veins, hotter and stronger than before. He opened his eyes, staring at the horde of Wraiths. "Let's end this."They charged into the fray. Jax shot Wraiths in their eye sockets—the only weak spot—his aim perfect after years in the military. Lila dodged claws, stabbing creatures in the throat, her nurse's knowledge of anatomy saving her more than once. Mia called out warnings, her voice sharp: "Left! Behind you, Elias!" Leo, surprisingly calm, stayed close to Mia, throwing small rocks to distract Wraiths long enough for Elias to strike.Elias fought like a man possessed. He lifted a overturned bus, slammed it into a cluster of Wraiths, crushing them to dust. He punched through a creature's chest, grabbed its glowing core, and squeezed until it shattered. But the Wraiths kept coming—dozens, then hundreds, pouring from the harbor rifts. His arms ached, his breath came in ragged gasps, and blood soaked his clothes—some his, most not. Just when he thought he couldn't go on, a voice cut through the chaos."Elias Voss!"He looked up. A woman stood atop a crumbling wall, her short black hair blowing in the wind, a silver sword in her hand. She wore a tattered military uniform, her left arm wrapped in a bandage etched with runes. She jumped down, slicing through Wraiths like they were mist, and landed beside him. "I'm Commander Nova Thorne. Leader of the Eclipsion Guard. We've been looking for you."Elias frowned. "Looking for me?"Nova nodded, slicing off a Wraith's head. "The System. It's not random. It chooses Hosts—people with the potential to lead. The Wraiths aren't just monsters—they're an army. And we need someone to unite humanity against them. Someone to build a new world from the ruins."[System Notification: New Ally Gained: Nova Thorne. Loyalty Level: 70/100. Quest Added: Unite the Eclipsion Guard.]Elias glanced at his friends. Jax nodded—trusting Nova's military bearing. Mia smiled, her danger sense calming. Lila gave him a thumbs-up. Leo yelled, "Go get 'em, Elias!"He turned back to Nova, his resolve hardening. "What's the plan?"Nova grinned, her eyes blazing with determination. "First, we burn these Wraiths to the ground. Then, we build an empire."