TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

Amber's eyes snapped open. She sat up and tossed her blanket aside.

Today is gonna be HUGE.

As the dawn's light crept through the trees, the rest of the group stirred around her. Their sleepy movements were accompanied by the sound of fabric rustling and plastic tearing as they ate a meager breakfast from the bottom of their backpacks.

Amber quietly searched hers, and her fingers found her last granola bar. As she chewed it, memories of previous battles played through her mind. The rush from dodging claws and fangs still twitched through her muscles. Every encounter felt like a game of tag, and each narrow escape made her feel more alive. She did not dare say it out loud, but she secretly hoped they would run into more monsters today.

We have Finn. If someone gets hurt, they won't stay hurt.

She flexed her arm where the Pygmy had torn into her bicep on that first night. Of course, the monsters were terrifying, and there had been some scary close calls—like when her Dad almost broke his back. But Finn had healed them.

She wasn't naive; she understood the danger that came with fighting. In fact, she wasn't allowed to forget it with her father constantly reminding her. But with every level she gained, and every new ability she obtained, Amber yearned for more. The thrill was addictive.

So far, her family and the Robinsons were the only people on the hill at Level 3, and she wanted to stay ahead of the pack.

No one else sees the apocalypse for what it is; a competition.

Art and Sophia—the two [Hunters]—arrived at the campfire and greeted everyone. They shook hands with their parents. Art was tall and dark-skinned, with locs trailing over his shoulders. Sophia was shorter with cropped red hair.

Sophia pointed a freckled arm toward the south. "The fields near the south ridge used to be full of small game, but it's probably not safe anymore. I've seen tons of Headless tracks in that direction."

"Well, I believe Bo was hoping to head toward the lake today anyways, which is west," Art said.

Bo nodded. "We have a lot of mouths to feed, and our [Fisherman] should be here soon. I'm hoping we can set small game traps on the way to the lake, catch a few fish, and head back."

A distant piggish roar echoed from deep in the woods.

Oh, baby!

Bo's expression became tense. "Headless or not, we need food."

Amber inwardly did the happy dance, the pulse of adventure racing through her blood. She was ready, always ready, for the next challenge the monsters would throw at them.

"Besides Roger, we're expecting Jeannie and Charlie to join us. They're going to be on the lookout for minerals and stone, which I hope we'll be able to eventually harvest and use. Let's be ready to leave as soon as they arrive."

Amber's stomach still growled, but she was used to ignoring the hunger pangs by now. She put on her Leather Tunic and Gloves, and grabbed her Daggers. She carefully examined each blade, though she wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for. It just seemed like the right thing to do. She spun the Daggers a few times in her hands, and slid them securely in their sheaths; a little trick she had been practicing the last few days.

Amber stood up and waited, tapping her foot while everyone else got dressed and packed.

"Be careful out there today, Amber." Her father's voice was gruff as he tested the weight of his Flail. "Safety first. No showing off. You can't win a game if you're dead."

"I know, Dad." Amber stopped herself from rolling her eyes; she didn't want to risk him changing his mind about letting her come along. She settled for glaring at him instead.

The monsters were getting stronger. Yes, they might get killed. But if they didn't take risks and push themselves, then wouldn't they ultimately die anyway? They had to be even stronger if they hoped to survive.

"Ah, there he is," Bo announced.

A plump White man made his way down the hill; he had fishing gear over one shoulder, and a sturdy walking stick in his hand. Roger joined the group, wheezing lightly.

Jeannie and Charles arrived in the same moment.

"Everyone ready to go? Good," Bo said. He looked upward. "The sky's been looking worse since yesterday. No time to waste."

The group of fourteen made their way down the hill and approached the western edge of the woods.

There was a shout behind them; Blake jogged down the hill, a backpack bouncing on his back.

"I want to come," Blake announced.

Amber let out a frustrated groan; yet another delay to her adventure.

Bo groaned as well, though his sounded more murderous than anything.

"We already have enough people." Bo's voice was blunt. "Adding you would only add to my worries."

"I still want to see for myself, and I intend to go. I'll follow you if I have to."

Bo rubbed his temples. "What is your class if we get attacked? Can you fight? Will you actually help this time?"

"Yes, I can fight, and I will help if it comes to that. And I would prefer to keep my abilities private."

"What is your role, then?" Bo asked dryly.

Blake hesitated. "Crowd control."

Bo shook his head. "Fine. But I am not responsible if you get hurt."

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They walked the treeline until they came upon a small break in the foliage. Sophia referred to it as a 'game trail', but it was the thinnest of dirt trails. She led the group in through that point.

The forest greeted them with familiar sounds of rustling leaves and distant birdcalls. The sun filtered through the canopy, reminding Amber of a beautiful winter picture.

But beneath it all was the thrumming vibration of danger.

Amber tried to stamp down her excitement, but she couldn't help but feel exhilarated by it all.

Sophia led the way. Occasionally, her hand signaled them to stop so she could inspect signs of game—animal droppings, scuffed earth, or broken twigs.

Sophia motioned Art forward. They whispered together as they led the group through the woods, pointing up and down each trail, or indicating an animal track or broken branch.

There were Headless tracks too. Sophia pointed out the deep clawed impressions in the icy mud.

We're getting close!

For the first hour, Amber practically skipped with excitement, her hands constantly hovering near her Daggers as she scanned the dense woods around them.

Four hours into their journey, the most dangerous thing they had encountered was a slippery log on the trail. Amber's enthusiasm had faded, and had been replaced with a growling stomach and a big fat dud of a trip.

They hiked up an incline that seemed like it would never end. With each step she took, Amber huffed at the burn in her legs. Each step seemed steeper than the last. Behind her, Roger let out loud grunts and wheezes, struggling to keep up.

How can the Headless not be hearing this?!

Amber finally crested the hill. Her breath caught in her throat.

A vast landscape spread out before her, framed by rolling forested hills that seemed to stretch on endlessly. In the distance, a glimmering lake sparkled beneath the rays of sunlight sneaking through the gathering clouds. Amber had never seen that shade of azure blue in any body of water before. It certainly wasn't the old green lake of her Raintree subdivision. This was more like one of the great lakes. It seemed to stretch on forever to the south, but she could make out where it met its end on the north side, with waves crashing into a towering snow-streaked mountain that loomed against the horizon.

Amber could not believe her eyes. Beside the Ozarks, Missouri had no mountains; it was mostly gently rolling plains. Yet here she stood, looking at two separate magnificent peaks. The one by the lake was large and imposing, while an even larger mountain reached toward the clouds further north. Thick forests clung to its sides.

The air was fresh and clean; freed from decades of pollution. Amber had not realized how dirty and contaminated the air used to be.

Amber's eyes were drawn to the thousands of white birds soaring overhead; which was weird, since most birds in the area flew south for the winter. Their graceful wings beat against the sky, creating a symphony of movement and cawing sounds..

Amber turned southward. Streams meandered through the landscape, connecting to the lake. One of them flowed southeast, back toward their campsite.

"The mana is so beautiful," Loo said, pointing to the mountain by the lake. "I know you guys can't see it, but beautiful mana flows are streaming down the mountainsides, and into the fields and lake. It's like a lava flow." She was almost in tears.

It was several minutes before anyone was able to speak.

"See much help out there, Blake?" Bo asked.

Amber snorted.

"This was just one direction of many," Blake responded.

Sophia pointed past the mountain, and up into the air. "Do you all see that?" She stepped forward.

Amber squinted and shielded her eyes from the sun. "The bird?" A flying shape banked in the sky, and headed in their direction.

Sophia raised her empty hands to her eyes, as though she was holding a pair of binoculars. A second later, her hands glowed cyan, and a ghostly pair of binoculars appeared.

"That's not a bird!" Sophia shouted. "Quick, back into the woods!"

The group crashed back into the treeline. Bo tried to pull Finn along, but caused him to trip and tumble into the snow. Bo picked him up and dragged him through the woods.

After a few minutes of weaving between the trees, they stopped to catch their breath. Dodging the branches and thorns had been easy for Amber, but it wasn't that way for everyone. Roger pulled in great gasps of air, and deep cuts bled across his arms and face.

Something massive screeched and swooped over the treetops, rattling the canopy leaves and branches with its powerful wings. Snow shook loose and rained down on their heads. Amber's hair whipped around in the wind as the creature passed.

The monster made a few lazy circles over the area. Then it flew away, its calls fading into the distance

"What the hell was that?" Her Mom shouted. Her [Regeneration Aura] icon glowed, and those who had come off worst in their woodland sprint stepped into its healing light.

"I think it was a dinosaur." Sophia spoke slowly, as though not quite believing her own words. "It looked like one of those huge flying dinosaurs."

"A pterosaur?" said Loo.

Sophia snapped her fingers. "That's the one, kid."

"We should stick to the woods," Bo said. "Did anyone else see the streams to the south? Let's head in that direction. Maybe we can find some fish to catch. And animals need water, so there may be good spots to set traps."

Amber was relieved that most of the walk now was downhill.

After another hour of trekking, they finally arrived at a large stream. The [Hunters] took several minutes to survey the area, then gave Bo a thumbs-up.

Roger gazed into the stream's murky depths. "Hey, Bo, I'm going to toss in a line here."

"Just be careful not to get too close to the edge. We don't know what could be in there."

Roger nodded, and plopped onto a nearby fallen stump. He tied his fishing line to the end of his walking stick. His movements quickened as though he was on fast forward; his time dilation effect was kicking in.

Sophia set off to scout for signs of large wildlife, while Art set traps.

Amber blew out a breath. She tapped a stick against the log she was sitting on.

Charlie and Jeannie poked around a small rocky outcropping while the rest of their group sat by the stream, lost in their own thoughts.

The stream turned out to be loaded with fish; Roger pulled in catch after catch, while everyone else smiled and cheered. Amber's stomach grumbled as she watched him pull in each fish. She salivated at the sight of so much food, but she couldn't get over her disappointment at how boring the day was.

Well, besides the giant flying dinosaur. But that doesn't count.

The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a loud scream.

"Monsters!" Sophia appeared over a nearby hill, sprinting toward the group.

YES! Here We Go!

They kicked up leaves and sticks in their haste to get in position.

Liquid metal flowed over her Dad's body, forming a protective plate suit and helmet around him. He strode forward to stand at the bottom of the hill, his Wooden Shield held up and ready.

Sophia rushed past him.

Two fierce [Level 3 Goblin Wolf Rider: Dungeon Born] appeared over the hill, their massive mounts snarling and howling. As the Wolves charged down the hill after Sophia, the Goblins screeched in surprise.

Tom swung his Flail down onto the closest Wolf. Its Goblin Rider jabbed its spear at him, but his armor stopped the blow.

An icon for [Taunt] lit up on the other Rider.

The first Wolf managed to clamp its teeth onto her Dad's arm, and shook it violently. Amber fought the urge to jump into battle; she waited for Tess's signal as they had practiced.

The symbols for Hana's and Chloe's damage spells hovered above the Wolves and Goblins.

Bouncing on her toes, Amber prepared herself for her turn.

Come on, come on.

And there it was. A green path was illuminated before her, along with attack symbols above the Wolf and Goblin Rider on her Dad's left.

She maneuvered around the outskirts of the fight until she was close enough to pounce. She activated [Shiv]; red patches appeared on the Goblin's arm, indicating the muscles and tendons to attack.

Amber tore at the mounted creature's arm, rendering it useless. Its spear clattered to the ground.

Next came [Stab]; she pulled her arm back, and watched the blurry form her mana took as it flowed through her arm and blade. She plunged her Dagger into the new red area located between the Wolf's ribs. Red bubbly blood spewed from its mouth.

Amber released three consecutive [Slash] attacks that left deep bleeding cuts along the Wolf's side. It collapsed.

The Goblin on its back slumped and pitched forward; dead from Hana's and Chloe's spells.

Amber looked toward her next target, but Tess and Kate had taken down the other Wolf and Rider.

The only one injured was her Dad, who had been bitten and had a few superficial spear cuts. Finn was already healing him.

See! Everyone's fine.

Hana approached one of the Goblin bodies. With a look of disgust, she used her [Debone] spell on it. She picked up the skeletonized right arm and tied it to her belt. She threw the rotten pig arm to the ground.

Hana moved to the second Goblin's right arm and repeated the process. This time, she attached the arm to her stump. "These have to be better than a pig hoof or Pygmy claw," she mumbled. She moved and flexed the skeletal fingers. Her eyes unfocused for a moment. "[Sickness] becomes [Goblin ShiverPox], that's a weird one."

After the Goblins vanished, they left behind a recipe for crafting a farming Hoe made from bones. Hana and Amber's Mom eagerly took this. Chloe claimed a pair of Cloth Bracers that enhanced mental abilities.

"I know it's not the most appetizing choice, but I believe we should bring this wolf back to eat," said Tom "Besides the fishing, we don't have many options."

Blake turned to Bo with a disapproving look. "Is this how you plan on feeding the hill? With dog meat?"

Bo's voice was heated. "If you don't want to eat it, then don't. Damn, you bitch a lot, Blake."

"I will be letting everyone know exactly what kind of meat they're eating." Blake wrinkled his nose.

Art cleared his throat. He mentioned that his sister-in-law took a [Butcher] profession, as she was a butcher before the apocalypse.

"I'm willing to bet we get more meat and better cuts having a [Butcher] prepare it," said Tom. "Thanks, Art. I'm a little worried we won't be able to infuse the meat without a recipe, but either way, we're gonna eat this thing."

The group began their long walk back to their campsite, with Art stopping to check the traps he had set along the way. Unfortunately, they hadn't caught any game yet, but it had only been a few hours.

Now that the fight and anticipation were over, Amber was beat. She trudged along wearily, taking turns dragging the large wolf carcasses.

It was late in the evening when they finally reached their camp. Neighbors gathered around to marvel at the wolves.

Bo waved his hands and addressed them. "We found some streams, and located the lake. We laid some traps, and Roger caught us a few fish!"

A few people applauded Roger.

"We were also attacked by two Goblins Riders. No one was hurt, and we brought the wolves back to skin and eat. Between the fish and the wolf meat—assuming we can figure out recipes for them—we have enough food for several days!"

"Enjoy your dog meat," Blake barked. He shoved through the gathering and stormed off.

Some people helped Art drag the wolves away for processing.

Amber and the rest of the group settled by their campfire to rest.

Bridget arrived to report that the other scouting party had returned safely as well. They had brought back plenty of berries for everyone to share.

As she sat next to the warm fire, Amber let her mind wander into thoughts of leveling up. They were going back out into the woods again tomorrow with more [Hunters] and [Fishermen].

Please let us find tons of monsters tomorrow.