Looking out of the window, Noel was lost in thought. Outside, strange creatures still roamed the streets, their distorted forms moving among the bloodied corpses of neighbors he had known for years. The sight felt unreal, like a nightmare he couldn't wake from.
He let out a slow, tired sigh and glanced over his shoulder.
His father lay on the floor, staring blankly at nothing. Hugh's suit, once neatly pressed, ready for another ordinary day of work, was torn apart, claw marks raking through the fabric. Dark stains of his own blood soaked into it. His usually tied hair was a mess now, strands falling into his eyes and over his ears.
Sighing again, Noel turned away from the window and walked toward him.
"Dad…" he called softly, testing the word, trying to start a conversation. They hadn't spoken at all since the creatures were killed.
Hugh didn't respond.
Noel hesitated, then gently shook his father's shoulder. "Dad, you have to snap out…"
"…Noel…" Hugh muttered weakly. "What… am I… going to do… now?"
He finally lifted his head. His eyes were filled with tears, yet empty of light.
"Without… Veronica?"
Seeing his father like that, broken, hollow, Noel's resolve shattered. The strength he had been forcing himself to hold onto slipped away. Tears streamed down his face as he dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead against Hugh's thigh. His shoulders shook as sobs tore free, soaking into the torn fabric of his father's pants.
Hugh looked down at his son.
One hand gripped the floor. The other clutched at Hugh's shirt as Noel cried uncontrollably.
Only then did Hugh fully realize something he had been too lost to see.
This pain wasn't his alone.
He was mourning a wife.
Noel was mourning a mother.
Different losses, yet equally devastating.
Slowly, Hugh raised his hand and placed it on Noel's head, gently stroking his hair. "Noel… Noel…" he murmured.
"What has this world turned into?" Hugh wondered silently.
As his hand moved, a soft white light seeped from his palm. The minor wounds on Noel's body closed little by little, though his sobbing didn't stop.
"Dad…?" Noel asked, his voice cracked and weak. "What are we going to do?"
For a long moment, Hugh said nothing.
Then, quietly, he answered.
"Bury your mother…"
"…Yeah," Noel whispered, yet still sobbing weakly. He understood.
Hugh stood and walked toward the window overlooking their backyard. It was empty, no people, no movement.
From somewhere nearby, distant screams echoed.
Ignoring them, Hugh stepped outside. His legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. Without hesitation, he began digging into the soil with his bare hands, slowly, painfully, each motion heavy with grief.
Noel watched him for a moment, then turned and went into the kitchen. He grabbed a large salad-mixer spoon and returned.
He gently stopped his father's hands, pressing the spoon into the dirt instead. Noel began digging himself.
They worked in silence.
After a long while, the hole was deep enough, for a wife, and for a mother.
Noel looked down at Veronica's still body. He was about to lift her when Hugh stepped forward, carefully picking her up himself.
Noel followed without a word.
Hugh placed Veronica into the grave with reverence, staring down at her unmoving form. She looked cold. Unreachable.
Without looking up, he spoke. "Let us pray for your mother."
Noel knelt beside him and clasped his hands.
But who was he praying to?
And what would it even change?
After a few quiet moments, they stood and began filling the grave with dirt.
As they worked, Hugh broke the silence. "Can you tell me more about those creatures?"
The mention of them sent a surge of anger through Noel.
Hugh noticed immediately. "Stop," he said firmly. "Your anger won't help us. Think rationally."
Noel took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "From the words… I learned their name. Low Aurelnih. Or something like that."
Hugh listened quietly.
"I got ten Axis Essence from one of them," Noel continued, glancing at his status. "Twenty in total. I'm at twenty percent of level one now."
"I see," Hugh replied. "That answers my question."
He shoveled more dirt into the grave.
"Let's finish this," he said softly. "Then we'll talk more."
Thirty minutes later, they had finished burying Veronica. Now, they sat side by side on the couch, the television playing quietly in front of them.
The world was in chaos.
News reports flashed across the screen, cities in flames, streets overrun by monstrous creatures. These beings had appeared everywhere, without warning, attacking and killing indiscriminately. Reporters spoke in rushed voices, some barely able to keep themselves composed.
"Noel," Hugh said suddenly, drawing his son's attention away from the screen. "What Concept did you choose?"
Noel looked toward his father. "I put three Concept Essence into Speed. You probably noticed how fast I was."
Hugh raised an eyebrow. "Why not all five?"
"Well," Noel replied, "it would've been reckless. I don't even know what putting all of them into one Concept would do."
"I see," Hugh said, letting out a small, humorless chuckle. "Seems I was the reckless one. I put all five into Heal."
"So that's why all my wounds closed?" Noel asked, curiosity flickering through his exhaustion.
"Yes," Hugh replied. "It's a skill called [Mend Wound]. It lets me close wounds easily, but that's all it does." His gaze drifted upward, settling on the ceiling.
Noel understood what he meant.
After a moment, another thought crossed Noel's mind. "Dad… how did they even get inside?"
Hugh exhaled slowly. "When I was about to leave for work, the smaller one was standing at the doorstep. It ran away the moment I opened the door."
He paused before continuing.
"Then the bigger one came. It broke the door and let them both in." His voice faltered. "…Veronica was closer to the entrance. I didn't react fast enough."
The room grew heavy with silence.
Suddenly, Hugh struck himself across the face.
"We can't dwell on it," he said sharply. "We have to survive. For ourselves, and for your mother. We will survive."
Noel nodded. He felt the same resolve. "I think our best move now is to level up," he said. "In every game I've ever played, leveling up is always the priority."
"You mean killing those Aurelnih?" Hugh asked, his eyes hardening.
"Yes," Noel answered without hesitation.
Hugh stood. "Then let's level up."
"Uh…" Noel hesitated, then spoke carefully. "You don't really have the strength to fight them."
Hugh stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Right…" He remembered.
"Let me allocate my remaining Concept Essence first," Noel said, trying to lighten the mood. "Then we'll figure something out."
Hugh nodded.
Noel turned his attention inward, bringing up his status.
Name: Noel Valor [23]
Level: 1 [20%]
Axis: [+2 Physique per level]
| Physique [10]
| Mind [10]
| Spirit [10]
Class: Strider [Standard]
Concepts: [2 CE]
| Speed [3 CE]
Skills:
| Dash
| Agile Body
'Can I allocate more Concept Essence?' Noel asked.
[Yes]
[Allocate into Speed]
"No," Noel muttered. He didn't want to invest further into Speed just yet.
'Can I get more Concept Essence? How do I get more?'
[Yes]
[Through leveling]
Not very helpful, but expected.
'Can I allocate Concept Essence into another Concept'
[Yes]
'Then what should I choose?' Noel asked, hoping for guidance.
[The decision must be made by the User.]
He sighed. 'Figures.'
He began thinking seriously.
'What works well with Speed?
A weapon? No, too much trouble.
Healing? Dad already has that.
It needs power. Something that enhances speed… and adds another effect.'
Hugh watched as Noel began mumbling to himself and shook his head.
Suddenly, Noel's eyes lit up.
"Lightning," he said aloud. "It's powerful. It's fast. And it should have effects like shock, maybe even blinding."
He didn't hesitate.
"Lightning. Allocate two Concept Essence."
[Allocation accepted]
| Lightning [2 CE]
[Class altering beginning]
[Class altered]
| Spark Strider [+2 Physique, +1 Mind per level]
[Skills acquired]
| Charge
[Skills altered]
| Dash → Electric Dash
A thin arc of electricity flickered across Noel's irises before fading. The inky-black words of his status sparked faintly now, small flashes of lightning dancing across the text.
Instinctively, Noel raised his hand.
A thin bolt of electricity jumped from his index finger to his thumb, crackling softly in the air.
He stared at it for a moment, then let the energy fade.
Turning to his father, Noel grinned.
"Now," he said, "we go kill those fucking atrocities."