TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

Tom materialized in the Soul Chamber. Magical fog swirled around his feet. Massive stone obelisks rose from glimmering tide pools, their surfaces etched with arcane runes.

"Hello everyone." Caretaker Balance's melodic female voice echoed around them. "Congratulations on achieving Level 5. It is a pleasure to see you all again."

Tom paused to savor the sensation of inhabiting an unbroken un-blinded body. He had forgotten what it felt like to be pain-free.

"I hate to be a poor host, but you know the rules. Even with the maximum one hour available, it never feels long enough." Balance gazed serenely at them. "Does anyone have any questions? Remember to choose your spells wisely." She glanced at Loo. "It will be several levels before you receive new offerings."

Loo turned to Tom. She bit her lip, but then looked straight into his eyes. "Dad, your picks so far have been totally defensive. We talked about this last time, and you ignored us." Loo's usually gentle eyes were fierce. "You need to pick something else. Please. We're tired of seeing you hurt. You need balance. Add some damage or something to round things out."

What the hell is it with everyone telling me what to do.

Tom was pissed. Where did Bo get off, telling him how to tank? And—worse—everyone seemed to agree with him.

As much as it stung, he wasn't going to take it out on Loo.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, honey. I'll look into it."

Loo scowled, and looked away. "Yeah right, Dad. You're gonna pick full tank mode as usual. You're just saying what you think I want to hear."

Her words were almost a physical blow. He struggled to respond.

"I don't totally disagree with Dad's defensive build," said Chloe.

Tom glanced at her, surprised.

"I've never been one for 'balanced' builds in games. It's the crit building fire mage who wins, or the warrior who stacks strength. And my role here is crowd control and backup damage, so it's difficult for me to achieve balance. Balanced characters don't win games. But . . . I hate to see you hurting, Dad." She glanced at Balance. "I don't know what the right choice is."

Tom stared at his feet.

He was grateful to Chloe. Still, this wasn't a game, and Loo had a point. His pain was getting worse. He was sustaining new injuries faster than the old ones faded.

This isn't sustainable.

He mentally shook himself.

But this isn't about me. It's about protecting them.

Loo's voice cut through Tom's thoughts. "So, uh, Balance? We get two more spells at this level, right? What comes at Level 6?"

The Caretaker fixed Loo with her steady, golden stare.

"Sorry," Loo mumbled. "Forget I asked."

Nearby, Kate knelt beside a tidepool and gazed into the glowing water. "I'm going to find something to help with Tom's pain. There's got to be a spell or something that can ease his suffering. Lord knows, he won't pick something himself."

Tom shook his head. "No, don't waste a pick on me. You need to focus on keeping yourself safe. I'll manage."

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Kate looked at him. He couldn't tell whether it was anger or fear turning her blue eyes to ice. "It's not a waste! You're barely holding it together."

"But—"

"I can see it—"

"I said no!" Tom's yell reverberated through them.

He squirmed under his family's silence. He didn't dare look at Balance.

But he was not going to back down. If he'd sought 'balance' then one of the larger blows he'd tanked would have killed him. And the monsters were only becoming more powerful.

"The pain is temporary." His voice was calm. "We need every advantage to keep us alive."

The tension stretched between them: a cord ready to snap.

Finally, Kate broke the quiet. "Then you need to look for something—anything—that isn't pure defense." She found his eyes. "Please."

Tom held her gaze for a long moment. He gave a stiff nod. "I'll see what I can find. No promises. You pick something to make sure you're safe."

Kate snorted. "No promises, I might pick up [Taunt] as well."

God dammit.

"Hey wait, quick question. Shouldn't [Taunt] count as an enemy debuff instead of a defensive buff like all his other spells?" Chloe asked Balance.

Balance's eye flashed with golden pulses for several moments until she said "Agreed. Mr. Damascus I have modified your [Taunt] ability classification. Thank your daughter for her insight, you have now achieved a small step to a more balanced build."

"Well that was easy" Chloe said looking back and forth between her father and Balance.

Balance shrugged and said "You are aware of time dilation by this point, you cant begin to imagine mine. It was a correct statement and an oversight on our part. I suggest you begin your ability contemplations."

Everyone dispersed to select their last abilities for the near future.

Tom stood beside his secluded magical pool. Gray boulders jutted from the misty ground, their surfaces worn smooth by countless eons. He settled onto a flat rock near the water's edge, and let the gentle lapping of the light-infused ripples soothe him.

He took a few deep breaths.

He needed to get started on picking his spells. However, every time he tried to concentrate, his busy mind circled back to Bo yelling at him.

Is it true? Am I getting in the way?

He hated to admit it, but Bo's ten helicopter analogy had made a lot of sense.

Tom's shimmering reflection was distorted by dancing magical motes. The weight of their situation pressed down on him like a boulder, threatening to crush him. How could he balance protecting his family with the need to push forward and grow stronger? He wasn't intentionally holding them back, but he had a deep rooted fear that he couldn't seem to rationalize. It was impossible to watch his wife and teenage daughters dive into life-threatening situations.

And I'm supposed to get on board with that? No fucking way!

An unbidden thought crawled forward from the back of his mind. For three weeks, he had been secretly hoping for someone else to show up and save them. His main concern had been to keep them all safe NOW—until the situation ended. He had not considered what it would take to keep them safe long-term.

He had been short-sighted. The realization settled over him like a wet, suffocating blanket.

He stood, and began to pace along the water's edge, his boots crunching on the pebbled shore.

With a determined huff, Tom strode up to his looming obelisk. "Show me [Sponge] abilities first this time. Please order it like last time."

The dark surface shimmered, and a list of options appeared in glowing script. Tom frowned as he scanned them. Last time, he had chosen [Muscle Modification], and now another of Balance's recommendations was at the top: [Organ Modification]. The description said it would work in the same way as his other modification abilities, allowing him to absorb substances to strengthen his internal organs.

Tom winced as he recalled the searing pain in his lungs after the battle with the Headless Boss. It was an easy choice.

"I choose [Organ Modification]. Please show me [Fighter] abilities now."

The list was replaced by an endless scroll of [Fighter] abilities.

He needed something . . . a way to protect his family even when he couldn't be by their side.

"If I can't keep my family from being so . . . " He squashed the word 'reckless'. "Proactive about leveling, I need something that will keep them safe."

Tom turned to Caretaker Balance. "Is there any spell that would allow me to take the damage intended for a party member? Like, if Amber had been bitten by the Web Slinger, a spell I could activate and I receive the damage instead?"

Balance regarded him thoughtfully. Her golden eyes flashed, and she transformed into her male alter-ego.

"There are a few such abilities," said Balance delicately. "I can display them for you. But I urge you to consider the consequences carefully."

The stone shimmered and shifted, and the list of abilities rearranged itself according to his request.

"[Tank's Vow]," he murmured, reading aloud. "A powerful shield, but at a high cost to mana reserves. And with such a long cooldown between uses, I'd be forced to choose who to protect, and who to leave vulnerable."

He shook his head, and moved down the options. It was more of the same: potent abilities with high mana requirements. If he used any of the spells then he wouldn't be able to keep his armor active. He needed something reliable, with low mana-use, and a short cooldown. Something that would allow him to be there for his family whenever they needed him.

He knew he was probably asking for too much in a spell but then, near the bottom of the list, a name caught his eye.

[Tank's Sacrifice: Sacrifice your own health to generate a protective barrier around an ally, absorbing incoming damage for a short duration. The cost to your HP is calculated as 2x the damage prevented. More information available upon request.]

The low mana and cooldown were both great.

"Sounds like a winner."

He looked up at Balance, his decision made. "I choose [Tank's Sacrifice]."

The Caretaker regarded him silently for a long moment. "You understand the implications? The toll this will take on your body?"

Tom nodded, his jaw set. "I do. And I accept them. Besides, I just got a small 'balance' update with the [Taunt] modification. So that's good right? My pain is a small price to pay for my family's safety."

Kate is gonna be pissed.

He would pay for it the next time they returned here. But that, too, was a small price to pay.

If he was supposed to 'accept' everyone running around risking their lives . . . well, then, this was how he would deal with it.

Tom turned from his stone.

Bo was across the room at his own pool. He nodded at Tom.

Bo was more brother than friend. Brothers always had each other's backs. Even if they fought sometimes.

Tom nodded back, and stepped into his glowing tidal pool.