TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

Tom stared into the flickering flames of the cookfires, feeling the heat on his face, but unable to enjoy the warmth. The [Cooks] bustled around him holding clay bowls and plates, chopping and stirring, stone knives thudding against worn wooden tree stumps—which they used as cutting boards. Delicious scents of roasting meat and bubbling stew wafted through the air, but his stomach remained a tight knot.

He hadn't come here to eat.

He'd been searching for Heather.

He was relieved to find out she was alive. She looked busy, though. Instead of asking for her notes on food buffs and their ingredients, he'd sunk down by the fire and gotten lost in the simmer of his own angry thoughts.

Bo's words rang in his ears, grating on him. "You keep hitting the brakes!"

At the time, hot anger and burning shame had crashed over Tom. Scolded by his best friend in front of his family . . . To make it all worse, everyone agreed with Bo. They all thought he was holding them back. That stung worse than a hundred Headless spear traps.

Tom was terrified for his family. There was no getting past it.

But now, an irritating voice in the back of his mind whispered that Bo was right. He was making them weaker. Slowing their progress. Being an anchor and dragging them down.

His eyes still burned and watered from that damned Wolf Spider hair, but today—finally—he could see through squinted, raw eyelids. Being essentially blind for the past few days had left him nothing to concentrate on but the throbbing pain, and echoes of the argument.

With a resigned sigh, Tom leaned back and accepted the hard truth. Bo was right. They all were. Kate had very gently told him that his over-protectiveness—though it came from a good place—wasn't helping. It was hurting them. If they were going to survive this new reality, he had to learn to trust his family's strength, and let them fight by his side as a team. No more hitting the brakes. It was time to hit the gas.

Tom blinked his stinging eyes and looked around, really seeing the bustling camp kitchen for the first time. [Cooks] darted around, stirring bubbling pots. Many had fresh tear tracks glistening on their cheeks as they worked. Several sported purple-green bruises or jagged cuts: painful, but too minor to justify magical healing. Many of these people had lost someone important to them.

Here he was, sulking over an argument, while these everyday heroes soldiered on through their own pain and grief, toiling to keep them all fed and alive.

God, I'm being a baby.

Shame joined the cocktail of emotions swirling in his gut.

No more excuses.

His newly unlocked Level 5 [Tank's Sacrifice] spell would help his peace of mind.

Plus, tucked away in the family [Crappy Shack], was the blueprint for a [Standard Bronze Tower Shield]: his reward for clearing the Headless Dungeon. Once Charlie got a proper forge running and they tracked down a reliable source of tin for the bronze . . . that shield would be Tom's first—no wait, second—priority.

His mind made up. Tom rolled his shoulders, feeling the satisfying pop of tendons pulling taut. No more breaks, no more being a baby, it was time to start being the tank his family needed. He would stand in front, and he would trust his family behind him. With [Tank's Sacrifice] active, of course.

Tom stood to talk to Heather, when he felt a tug on his jacket. He turned around and looked down at Piper.

"Lord Thomas, Lord Bo and Justiciar Bridget need you at the Town Hall right now!"

*****

Tom muttered apologies as he pushed through the crowd gathering around Raintree's Town Hall. He kept his gaze fixed forward. One hand firmly gripped Loo's, while the other helped to make a path. He had to get his family inside and figure out what the hell was going on.

"Excuse us," Tom said over and over, shouldering past people. The news of an outsider—a living person from beyond the original Raintree—had spread like wildfire.

A woman clutched at Tom's arm. "Is it true? Someone actually made it here from outside? Is it over?"

Tom met her gaze briefly, before gently extracting himself from her grip. "I'll let you know as soon as we know anything," he said, trying to sound reassuring, even as his own gut sloshed around.

With a few more repetitions of 'excuse us' and 'coming through', Tom and Loo managed to reach the large wooden entrance of the Town Hall. Chloe, Amber, and Kate were right behind them.

Workers who had just finished hanging a newly created door stepped aside. Tom hauled it open with a grunt, and held it as his family quickly filed into the relative quiet of the building. As the door thudded shut behind them and muffled the noise of the crowd, Bo hopped up from where he'd been sitting on a pew. He strode over to them.

"Is there really someone from outside the subdivision?" Kate asked, before Bo could say anything.

"Sounds like it. He only said a few words before we started pumping him full of warm food and water. Guy could barely walk."

Tom followed Bo's gaze to the far end of the room, where Hana, Finn, and Tess were hovering near another pew. Slumped on it was a White man Tom had never seen before. Even at a distance, he could tell the stranger had been through hell.

He was young, but strain and starvation had settled heavily on his features. His matted hair was pulled into a scraggly bun. His long tangled beard and filthy shredded clothes hung off his skeletal frame. The guy had a serious 'Forest Gump runs across America' vibe. He was hunched over a clay bowl, shoveling a spoonful of steaming broth into his mouth. Two other empty bowls sat beside him. The stench of dirt and sweat rolling off him was enough to overpower even their own odors; they had at least been able to wash in the stream.

"Holy crap, he looks rough," Amber breathed.

Chloe stepped up beside Tom. "He'd be the first person we've found from outside the original Raintree."

Tom shook his head slowly. "He might be. He sure isn't from Foundation."

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"Let's pop in the office real quick," Bo said. "It's time-dilated, so let's get everyone caught up." He motioned everyone to join him.

As the office door shut behind them with a soft click, Bo turned to face the two families. He leaned back against the [Crappy Desk] and crossed his arms. "I figured we should talk this through in private."

"So, what do we actually know?" Kate asked. "How did this guy even get here?"

Bo sighed, and rubbed a hand through his beard. "One of the scout patrols picked him up just east of town, not more than a twenty-minute walk away. Said his name is Dusty, and that he's from Fairview."

Fairview was a small subdivision which bordered original Raintree. The whole area was mainly made up of apartment buildings, which housed students from the local community colleges. None of the previous refugees had come from that far out.

"Fairview," Hana murmured. "That was a whole lot of people in a small area. Did he come alone?"

Bo nodded. "Yeah, he was alone. Said he's been on the run since this all began. The scouts got him here, we fed him, and that's about all we know so far."

Tom stood, and squared his shoulders. "Well, let's go talk to Dusty."

"Wait, real quick," Tess said, holding up a hand before Bo could open the office door. "Just in case this Dusty guy brings bad news . . . I think we should all get on the same page with each others' new abilities." She glanced around the room. "I'd feel better knowing what we're working with going into this. I know it's not my place, but I just think we should be prepared for . . . anything."

Bo shrugged, and stepped back from the door. "Tess, it is your place, and it's a good idea. It's time-dilated in here anyway."

Bo flopped into the [Crappy Desk Chair] with a loud creak. "I'll go first. As always, I am not a fan of my spells and I find them lacking. First up, under [Bard], I've got [Stage Presence]." Bo added mock jazz hands. "The more I make an ass of myself to get attention, the bigger the power boost for my song."

"Honey, the [Bard] buffs are no joke, and we're lucky to have them," Hana said.

"I don't see it. Anyway, my other spell is similar: [Thematic Fit], under [Soundtrack]. If I nail the situation with my song choice, then there is a stacking buff, it ramps up for the chorus. You're up, Finn."

"Okay, so, as we all know, I still haven't figured out the plant material. But if I ever do get it figured out, then I'll have the [Druid] spell [Nature's Shield], for which I use my plant material to grow a shield. I also have [Somnum Nox], which is a vine that releases a pollen which causes a lethargy debuff."

"Sounds awesome, Finn," said Loo. "We'll figure it out, and I can't wait to see it." Loo continued without being called on. "For [Conjurer] I have [Summon Mana Coral]. It grows a defensive coral barrier and provides protection, which I think is AWESOME."

"I guess we should sort out the [Battle Map] icons in case I need you to seal off a Dungeon tunnel or something." Tess said.

"I'm so excited to try it! I also have [Mana Tributary], which enables my summoned mana to pull in natural mana to join with it. Plus, if I ever cast [Mana Spring] and [Mana Brook] at the same time, they can merge and become even stronger. How about you, Tess?"

"My [Fighter] ability is straightforward, and follows in line with my other spells. It's called [Parry]. For a short period, it boosts my ability to deflect all incoming attacks. Then, under [Tactician], I have [Focused Fire]. I can mark a single target on the [Battle Map] to take extra damage. I think it will help with bosses and big monsters. What about you, Mom?"

"My [Witch] spell is [Miasma], which forms a protective cloud around our party with the chance to inflict [Sickness] and [Infection] on enemies. Then, under [Hag], I have [Osteology], which provides extra insight on bones. It's been extremely useful. Kate, what about you?"

"My [Druid] class gives me [Packmother's Comfort], which is a passive aura spell that offers pain relief and slowly fights off illness and poisons."

"I can sense it," Tom said. "I thought it was just the adrenaline from the new guy's arrival, but my pain level is going down."

"I also have [Taunt] now, in my [Mother Protector] specialization," Kate said.

Tom frowned.

"Tom, what did you get?" Kate asked.

Tom looked at her for a moment. "I hate that you have [Taunt]."

Kate raised her eyebrows.

Tom paused. "But . . . if my [Taunt] is down, it'll probably end up being useful."

He paused again, and looked at the ground. He couldn't articulate why, but he didn't want to tell them about his new ability. "My [Fighter] ability is called [Tank's Sacrifice]. I can link myself to party members to absorb their damage." He almost left out the part about double damage, but that could lead to a disaster. "The damage I take is double the amount the target would have received, so be ready to heal me. Then my [Sponge] ability is [Organ Modification], though I still need to locate the right component for it. All right, Amber. Let's hear yours."

"My [Rogue] spell is [Slaughter]. It deals high damage, but it's pretty gruesome, and it eliminates a creature in a way that demoralizes those around it. Then under [Flair], I have [Thrill]. The more dangerous the situation, the more my damage scales."

Tom blinked. "Well, not a fan of that one either. Chloe?"

Chloe cleared her throat. "My [Psychic] spell is [Stroke]. When an enemy's health is low enough, I can activate the ability and do a burst of high damage. Then I received [Phobology] under my [Tormentor] specialization. It's the study of fear, and it greatly increases the effectiveness of several of my spells."

"Okay, that's everyone," said Tess. "Thanks again."

"Okay, are we ready to talk to Dusty?" Bo asked.

With unanimous nods, the group headed out.

They had only been gone for a few minutes of real-world time. The dirty stranger was pacing the Town Hall when Tom and the others emerged. As soon as he caught sight of their group, Dusty rushed over, nearly tripping on his own worn boots. His eyes were feverishly bright in their sunken sockets as he grabbed each person's hand—including the kids'—and pumped it up and down.

"Thank you, thank you so much for the food," he gushed, his words tumbling out in a breathless rush. "I can't believe you have buildings! And food. It's been so long since I've had a warm meal."

Tom gently extracted his hand from Dusty's grip. "Easy there, pal. We're happy to help. Sounds like you've been through a lot."

Dusty ran a trembling hand through his matted hair. He huffed out a thin laugh. "It's a never-ending nightmare out there." He shook his head. "I haven't felt safe in . . . weeks?"

Kate stepped forward. "Out there . . . where, exactly? Where are you running from?"

The ragged man stilled, a shadow falling over his gaunt face. He seemed to deflate; the manic energy drained away, leaving only bone-deep exhaustion behind.

"Fairview," he said softly. "I lived in the Sunset Apartments."

He began to pace again, but slower now, his movements listless and dejected. "When the earthquake hit, and the monsters started pouring out . . . it was chaos. We were attacked by these small . . . " Dusty held his hand down by his waist. "[Fire Gremlin] creatures. They swarmed over our apartment complex. People were running and screaming, fires breaking out everywhere. It only took a few hours, and what was left of our building started to sink into the ground. I barely made it out alive."

Dusty shuddered. "After that . . . it's all kind of a blur. Just . . . constant running. Hiding. Scavenging whatever food and supplies I could find."

"Fuck," Bo breathed.

Tom could only nod in agreement. He'd known the apocalypse hadn't spared the rest of the world . . . but hearing it confirmed meant no help was ever coming.

"What about the authorities?" Tom asked. "The police? I know their guns are gone but . . . is there anyone out there trying to maintain order, or help survivors?"

"No. There's nothing like that." Dusty hesitated for a moment. "Does this sentence make sense to you? I am a Level 4 [Bard], specialization is [Long Distance Messenger]." Dusty looked at them carefully.

"Yes, we understand what classes are, and that people have abilities now," Hana said. She stepped forward, and indicated her bone arm.

He stared at it for a moment, but he didn't flinch.

"Before all this, I was a runner for college," said Dusty. "I ended up with a class that's all about long distance running to deliver messages. That's been my mission, I guess you could say, since all this started. One of my abilities allows me to get a vague sense of groups of people. I've been running since the start of this, helping people connect and link up with each other. My current message is pretty much 'there are survivors thataway'."

"Have you encountered many other survivors?" Kate asked.

"Oh yeah, I've been directing people since the start. They're all linking up into one large nomadic population that's slowly moving west. I've been moving ahead of the main wave, trying to link up scattered groups and point them toward each other. Safety in numbers, and all that. That's why I was headed here, to send you toward them . . . but now, having found you here with buildings . . . "

"How many people are in the main group, would you say?" Bo asked.

Dusty scrubbed a hand over his face. "Last I saw, there were probably 6000 people total, give or take a few hundred. All pushing west, trying to outrun the monsters."

"Six thousand," Tom echoed, feeling vaguely sick. "And, outrunning monsters?"

Dusty's gaze turned distant. "The first week and a half, we were all running through the Dungeon blocks near Fairview. You know what Dungeon blocks are?"

Tom nodded.

"We ran through those for the first week. Monsters were always on our heels. Every night, people were taken. We kept pushing west. That's when we hit blocks of Deep Woods."

"Deep Woods? What's that?" Chloe asked.

"The more time you spend in a Deep Woods block, the stronger the monsters become. They have these things called Waves—"

"Ah, like the dungeons," Tess said

"You've been in a Dungeon?" Dusty blurted.

"Two," Amber said, smiling and holding up two fingers.

"That's how we've been able to build," Bo said, as he pointed at the Town Hall around them. "We defeated the Dungeon of this Dungeon block and became owners of the land. Now, we can build."

"This is amazing. This is exactly what I needed. A place to send all these people!"

Bo held up his hand. "Uh . . . hold on a second there, Dusty. We can barely feed and house the people we have, and we have around 500 people. You're saying there are six thousand? Possibly even more than that?"

"I also don't want to burst your bubble, but it's not all that safe here," Tess said. "We lost fifty-three people last night."

Dusty looked at Bo and Tess. He had a strange expression on his face. "Do you lose that many every night?"

"Oh, no," said Tess. "Those are the first casualties in a few weeks, but still that doesn't—"

"Most days, I can find as many as a few dozen stray people," said Dusty, his eyes locked on Tess. "Then, during the nights, we lose at least dozen or more to the creatures." He turned to Bo. "Please don't turn these people away. I've covered a lot of ground, and from what I've seen, this is the best option so far."

Bo covered his face with his hands. His fingertips dug into his temples. "When will they be here?"