TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

Finn was pulled from sleep by a gentle prod.

"Morning buddy," his Dad said. "Wake up and get ready. We're going to have a quick family chat."

Finn slowly unwound himself from the blanket and picked up his leg braces. They were already showing heavy signs of wear and tear, with cracks scattered throughout the material. His father frowned.

Soon I won't be able to walk.

Finn fumbled with the straps, while his Dad moved silently around the campfire and awoke the rest of their group.

Once everyone was up, they silently made their way down the hill in the soft morning light.

"Sorry to wake you so early," Bo said, keeping his voice low. "I wanted to go over everyone's Level 3 abilities with some privacy, and just check in with everyone."

Tom cracked his neck and back. "My [Fighter] ability is [Taunt], which redirects the monster's attention to me instead of someone else. My [Sponge] ability is called [Gains], which allows me to transform health and mana into materials I've previously absorbed. I have access to Iron at 90 percent. I spent all day yesterday working on Rubber, which I now have at 100 percent. I also have a small amount of Carbon Fiber from the baseball bats, but it's only at 1%, and it will take an extremely long time to accumulate enough to be useful."

That's so cool.

"In terms of how I'm holding up . . . I'm doing all right. Better every day. But we are officially out of boar. We're going to need an immediate plan."

"We'll figure that out soon," said Bo. "What about you, Kate?"

"My Druid spell is [Shout of Intimidation]. If I'm a bear, which I won't be, it's [Roar of Intimidation]. The spell weakens any enemies nearby. My other new ability is [Feral Slam], which can be used outside of bear form, thank God."

I'd love to be a bear. I'd be one right now.

Chloe spoke next, her voice barely audible. "My spells are . . . very dark. They all are." She kept her gaze on the ground. "My Psychic spell is [Epilepsy], which is crowd control through seizures, and it inflicts a small amount of damage over time. The other one is [Tachycardia]. Targets that I have feared now take damage to their heart."

I really don't get what she's so upset about.

"It's just shitty names, honey," said Kate. She pulled her daughter into a hug. "It does not mean anything about who you are. Your spells are no more evil than a [Fireball]."

Loo's smile was bright. "That's very true, Chloe! Your spells are no more evil than my . . . jellies!" She raised her hands in a cheer.

"Huh?" Finn said. Judging by everyone's faces, he wasn't the only one confused.

Loo began her 'quick' explanation.

"I'm starting to understand my class better. Sooo, basically, I create mana flows using [Mana Spring], that provides us with extra mana. We all know that, but within those flows, I can also create an ecosystem where different conjured creatures can grow and accomplish various purposes. However, I have to do it in a specific order, because each conjuration feeds off the previous one. The [Summon Blue Mana Plankton] is first, and it gives us even more mana and mana regeneration stacking on top of the mana from the [Mana Spring]. Frankly, that seems OP. Then, when there are enough Mana Plankton in the flow, I can [Summon Silver Mana Zooplankton] which feeds on it and increases ability power. Which I think means our spells are stronger. After a short period of time, unconsumed Phytoplankton and Zooplankton will eventually grow and bloom, causing a surge in those specific buffs. And now, I have [Summon Mana Jellyfish]! They eat the Zooplankton and act as a damaging creature, floating around the mana flow and stinging bad guys! If they bloom, I guess they do extra damage? I dunno yet, guess we'll see! My other spell on the [Mana Inundationist] side is called [Mana Catalyst]. It applies a buff to all my conjured mana flows, and accelerates the ecological development through some mystical means. Doesn't mean much to you guys, but to me it's super helpful because I feel like it takes forever to get to the bloom stage." Loo was a little out of breath.

Everyone else had blank faces.

"Plankton and mana bugs," said Amber, deadpan. "That's . . . super cool." She hip-bumped her little sister. "My new [Rogue] attack is called [Slash], which I can use three times before it has to recharge." Amber performed a mock version of the moves as she spoke. "So, [Shiv], [Stab], [Slash], [Slash], [Slash], easy enough." She stopped at the look on her father's face. "And then there's my [Flair] spell, [Show Off]. It's . . . well, it taunts the creature onto me, and if I successfully dodge its attack then my next two attacks will do double damage. If I add some flair to it, there's a chance for triple damage—"

"No way, Amber," said Tom firmly. He folded his arms. "I forbid it. You are not going to risk your life just for a little extra damage, and you certainly won't be 'showing off' while doing it."

"Dad, if I use [Dodge] first, there's no way I'll get hit! If it's something huge like the Troll then—"

Tom's eyes flashed.

Amber stopped talking. She looked away from Tom, her fists tight.

Hana cleared her throat. "On my [Hag] side, I have access to the [Bone Prosthesis] spell. It's repulsive, and it's already starting to stink." Hana hesitated. "But . . . it does come in handy, and supposedly it will help me from getting sick when casting spells. On the [Witch] side I now have [Infection]. It's another damage over time spell that also has a stacking debuff that weakens the target over time."

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I'd happily take any one of those classes.

Tess stepped forward and spoke with confidence.

She's just like Dad.

"I have a new [Fighter] ability called [Riposte], which combines defensive movement and damage, and is similar to my [Counter strike]. My [Tactician] ability is [Morale Insight], giving me indicators on my [Battle Map] that show hesitation, fatigue, and maybe even surrender. This should help me make better decisions on when we can attack aggressively, and when to capitalize on weaknesses. Stuff like that."

Bo gave his daughter a nod. "My [Bard] ability is called [Dedication]." His voice was a monotone. "It allows me to dedicate a song to one person, enhancing my song buff for them while taking it away from everyone else. As for my [Soundtrack] ability, it's called [Entrainment]. I can persuade other party members to join in on the song, which increases the overall buff."

Bo paced back and forth. "Chloe and Hana, I know you both have concerns about your spells being dark, or evil, or whatever, but I would give anything to have either of your classes. My class is a fucking joke." Bo pointed at Chloe. "You cause such [Fear] in a monster as to cause literal heart damage." He pointed at himself. "I hope to inspire my friends to sing and dance. It's beyond embarrassing, if I'm being honest."

Everyone was silent.

Bo stopped pacing. He sighed, and turned to Finn. "What about you, buddy?"

Finn pulled up his list of abilities and checked the two new spells he had learned at Level 3. "My [Druid] spell is called [Branch Bash]. Apparently, I can transform my arm into a branch that vines pull back with magical tension, and snaps forward for damage. It requires [Plant Material], which I still have none of, meaning it's useless. Under my [Botanomorph] specialization, there's a new spell called [Ficus Pumila], or the Creeping Fig. It seems to be a form of crowd control, in which my vines can bind and restrain a target for a short period of time. But, like everything else, it needs [Plant Material], which, again, I don't have. For now, all I can use is my [Floral Surge] spell for healing. All other spells require [Plant Material] and are useless. As to how I'm doing; my braces are starting to break apart, and I doubt I'm going to get to the doctor's office anytime soon for more CP injections, so I look forward to cramps and not being able to walk." Finn paused for breath. "I need to be able to . . . I just need these spells to work! I've tried absorbing logs, and eating grass and dirt like an idiot, and nothing works. It just makes perfect sense that the whole world would go through an apocalypse with super powers, and I would be the one to end up with a busted class." Finn's voice trembled. "I'm worthless."

His mother embraced him.

Finn wiped his tears on her coat, trying to hide them from the others.

His father knelt beside him. "Buddy. I promise that once we find a way to provide food and warmth for everyone, I'll sit with you and we'll work through all of this together. And please know, no one here thinks you're worthless. You've helped heal so many people; some of them would not be alive without you."

Finn was aware of this; multiple people had mentioned it to him. While he took great satisfaction in using his abilities to heal others, he wanted to be more than just a member of the clean-up crew. He did not want people to worry about him and his wellbeing; instead, he wanted to be someone they could rely on and trust. He wanted to prove he was capable.

Finn was trying to figure out how to convey these thoughts, when he was interrupted by cries from the woods.

"HELP!"

"Incoming!" yelled one of the sentries.

The people around them streamed up the hill.

One of the men slowed, but didn't stop. "There are more people coming, chased by monsters!" He ran past them.

The families rushed halfway up the hill.

"Here!" Tess shouted, her eyes glazed over. "Tom, go deeper into the monster line. Give us more space. Amber, Kate, and I will hold back until Chloe and Hana have fully applied their spells, and then we'll engage. Dad, if it's a lot of monsters, we're going to need all the help we can get. Pick a song, and fully commit. Finn, hold back. Keep us alive." Tess's hands were moving through the air.

An arrow lit up beside Finn. He groaned, and made his way to the designated spot, which was conveniently situated in the back—away from all the action.

Bo yelled out orders for people to defend themselves.

Some of those on the hill began to form a rough defensive line.

Dozens of people burst out of the treeline; shouting, covered in grime, and running toward the hill.

A grayish glow radiated from Tom's body. Liquid metal oozed out of his skin, engulfing his entire body—except for his head. Tom transformed into a knight of old, straight out of a fantasy game. He strode down the hill toward his designated spot, holding his Wooden Shield ready.

Mike followed Tom and positioned himself further down the hill, covering an area further to Finn's left. Brad, Richard, Terry, and Jill joined him.

A swarm of Headless Pygmies erupted from the trees and charged toward the fleeing people.

Tom faced them head-on, his bulky Iron armor protecting him from their clawing and biting attacks. He strode through the swarm of tiny creatures like an Iron giant, his armor reflecting the sunlight as he brought his Flail down upon them.

Whoa.

Finn's father placed one leg on a stump and summoned an ethereal guitar. The translucent strings shimmered with magic as he gracefully strummed the chords. An icon flared: [Playing: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor]. The opening riff seemed to electrify the battlefield.

Tess gestured toward Amber and Kate. "Hold! Wait for my signal!"

Damage indicators appeared above the line of Pygmies as Chloe's and his Mom's spells took effect.

After each Pygmy in their vicinity had been hit with the damaging spells, Tess gave the signal; all three lunged into action, taking down each Pygmy in front of them.

Bo belted Eye of the Tiger out across the battlefield as the people and monsters clashed. The magical glow surrounding Bo's guitar grew brighter, casting a radiant light that pulsed with the music. His voice grew louder and more confidant.

Tom pushed forward through the waves of snapping and snarling Pygmies, shrugging off any damage.

Amber gracefully dodged and rolled amid the chaos, her Daggers gleaming as she slashed through the monsters. Beside her, Kate and Tess worked together to chop down everything in their path.

Loo stood in the middle of the group, holding a yoga pose while blue and silver light swirled around her.

Hana and Chloe were already casting spells on the next wave of Pygmies.

Finn watched his team work together seamlessly and efficiently. He wanted to feel proud to be a part of it all, but his [Floral Surge]—his single working spell—hadn't been required once.

They don't even need me anymore.

They were down to the last [Level 1 Headless Pygmy: Dungeon Born], which faced-off against Tom.

Amber activated the [Show Off] ability.

The Pygmy whipped around and lashed out at Amber, who easily dodged it; it rushed past her like a charging bull. Amber gave a gymnastics salute, as if she was receiving a medal. Her eyes unfocused for a heartbeat.

"Triple Damage!"

Amber held a gleaming Dagger in a backhand position. She sliced down and through the Pygmy, severing its spine. It crumpled.

"Tess, are we clear? Are they all dead?" Tom huffed.

"Clear."

"Amber!" Tom yelled. "God dammit, I just got done telling you not to do that because it's too dangerous!"

"I had my [Dodge] ready just in case, and it was only a Level 1, Dad! I wanted to test it out. We might need it!"

"It's too risky! This isn't a game, Amber!"

"Everything about this is a game!" she screamed, pointing at the dead monsters.

"And how many games have you ever won without ever dying once?"

Amber blinked. "What game have you ever won by not leveling?" She stormed away.

Yikes.

Several hours later, Finn was sitting in Loo's [Mana Spring], recharging and preparing for his next healing session with the new arrivals at their campsite. He flexed his hands in his new Leather Gloves, which enhanced his healing abilities. Most of the families' loot had been in the form of Coins, but Finn had lucked out and received another valuable piece of gear.

Thank goodness my healing somehow still earns me loot drops.

During the recharge time, he listened to Loo brainstorm ideas on how to obtain [Plant Material]; Finn had already tried each and every one of her ideas with no luck. He gripped his hair as Loo rambled on.

"Have you tried burying your feet in the dirt, as if your toes were roots? Maybe absorbing nutrients from the soil will help you create [Plant Material]." She changed to a different yoga pose, which triggered [Summon Blue Mana Plankton].

"Uh . . . maybe."

I guess it wouldn't be the most bizarre thing I've tried.

As the day wore on, Finn struggled to shake off his grumpy mood.

His Dad rushed back and forth between the latest [Profession Booth], the new [Lumber Zone], and the campfires. He spoke to various people, and organized different tasks. That Brad dude trailed after him, bouncing around, talking, and rapping. Finn knew that look on his father's face; more importantly, he knew that pulsing vein. He winced, amazed that Brad was oblivious to the danger he was in.

With more survivors on the hill, they were burning through firewood at a rapid pace; it seemed like there were always new people arriving. Finn had overheard Bridget's estimate that there were now at least three hundred people camping on the hill, or in the clearing below it. Most of the new individuals were even more battered and injured than those from previous days.

His father headed toward Finn.

"Come find me after the last person is healed. We're going to have a subdivision meeting."