The walk to Pioneer Hall was too quiet. Not the

  quiet of a sleepy Sunday morning, but more like the smothering,

  unnatural silence that pressed against the ears and left the

  imagination to fill in the gaps. The six of them stayed close

  together, scavenged bags slung over their shoulders. Gravel crunched under

  their shoes, birds wheeled overhead, but otherwise, the world seemed

  to be holding its breath.

  Alyx led, every step measured, eyes scanning.

  Willow floated just over her shoulder, a faint sphere of pale light

  only she could see.

  {“You’re holding your breath again.”}

  Alyx exhaled sharply. “No, I’m not.”

  {“Mmh. Denial, a classic symptom of a human

  convinced they’re not about to hyperventilate. Humans get twitchy when you expect

  predators. In your case, you’re about to hyperventilate before the

  predators even arrive.”}

  Alyx pressed her lips into a line but didn’t

  argue. She shot the wisp a look. Willow’s globe bobbed in a fashion that Alyx could only think of as smugly.

  They were halfway along the tree-lined walkway, in between the Commons and their destination, when Willow pulsed brighter, and it stopped bobbing as if on alert. A sense of foreboding, as things seemed to fall

  even more silent.

  {“Alert. Energy fluctuation, fifteen meters,

  Right side, near the benches.”} Willow said in a low voice.

  Alyx asked quietly. “Fluctuation?” as she tensed up, and the group all stopped.

  "What's going on?" Mariana asked outloud in a slightly higher-pitched tone.

  {“Manifestation. Most likely an Aberration of some sort.”} Willow stated.

  “What’s an aberration?” Alyx hissed with a

  bit of exhaustion tinged in her voice.

  {“This seems to be a Manifested soul. Imagine what’s left when a

  person’s body is gone, but their essence refuses to leave. Memories,

  fears, hunger—twisted together and given shape. Some wander. Some

  stalk. Most will attack on sight.”}

  “So they are aggressive." Alyx gathered.

  {“Extremely. Hey, you catch on fast.”}

  Something moved in the shadows beneath the

  benches, a low scrape of claw on stone.

  “Uh, guys?” Brent whispered. “That… is not

  a raccoon.”

  From the dark, a shape pulled itself into view.

  Roughly large rodent in size, like an apossum, but twisted and wrong, its body blurred and

  stuttered as if struggling to hold form, a haze of black smoke where

  fur should be, it looked like a cross of an ape and dog, with too

  many eyes that glowed faintly from its shifting face. The thing gave

  a sound between a growl and a scream when it noticed the group. With a twist of its head, it ran at the group.

  “Scatter!” Alyx barked, shoving Breyanna

  behind her. Most of the group scrambled aside as the aberration slammed its

  palms onto the path, claws gouging into stone. Mariana screamed and didn't move. The aberration focused on her and charged.

  Alyx’s instincts were to run, but her martial arts training kicked in, and she dropped into a low center that promoted a balanced footing. Alyx sidestepped as the manifested ape-dog drove past her and leaped to attack Mariana. As her target had just left the ground. Alyx pivoted as she struck out with a sharp side kick into its shifting flank. Her foot met a 'resistance', but the impact

  was like striking a non-Newtonian fluid; solid-like, as long as there is momentum or force applied. The aberration staggered,

  then reformed, eyes blazing brighter. It seemed like her kick only served to piss it off.

  “Physical hits work—sort of!” Alyx called out, her pulse hammered.

  The aberration hissed, claws flashing. It slashed

  at Brent, who barely evaded the swipe as he cried out, "Oh, SHIT!"

  “Okay, what do we do?” Breyanna cried.

  "Umm," Alyx hesitated, then time seemed to slow.

  {“Alyx, you’ve got options; here is a standard

  entry-level charm that you have access to. But you will have to spend some of your KP to purchase it. Do you want me to get it for you?} Willow said. Alyx yelled out loud to answer them both, "Whatever it takes!"

  Willow continued, {"Good. Now you will need to channel it. Direct it. Cycle your mana; you really

  should always be cycling your mana. Good. Now, while focusing, push your

  mana down into your hand. Funneling it, forcefully push the mana down into the

  tip of your fingers. You have to do all of these things with intent, or they won't work. Point and thrust with at least two fingers at the target and say

  “Arcane Touch.” }

  A window flickered in Alyx’s vision

  [Arcane Arrow Unlocked.]

  [Talent – Arcane Arrow:

  3 Mana (per projectile

  - per cast)

  Fires a small Mana projectile about 2.5 cm out of the

  caster's pointed fingertips.

  Cost 10 KP

  Purchase Talent? (Yes/No)]

  Alyx said “Yes” without actually reading it, more as a reflex to close the window, rather than actually reading the notification. Energy surged up into her

  chest, pulling from the Dantian at her core. She raised her hand

  instinctively, first two fingers with the others curled up into her

  fist. Alyx thrust the gesture at the aberration. A dart of shimmering light gathered her fingertips; she pointed with a thrust attack and said, "Arcane Touch." On contact, the energy left her practiced pinpoint attack and entered the Aberration. Alyx saw the blue-grayish light rippling through the aberration's haunch. The creature shrieked, its form unraveling for a

  moment before knitting itself back together, weakened but still

  snarling. Glancing at her Mana bar, Alyx guesstimated about a 3rd of

  the bar was gone with just one cast of the charm.

  {This nifty trick does your ((Dantian level + Hero

  Level) DV damage), not much to start, but grows with your strength as

  you advance. Good! cast it again, before the aberration has a chance to stabilize. They feed on ambient

  mana. If they gather enough, they can rebuild. Maybe even…

  return.”}

  Alyx thought, as she hurling another bolt.

  {“Educated guess. Do you really want to find out

  if I’m right?”}

  The second touch hit. The aberration convulsed,

  body flickering wildly, but kept its eyes locked onto her, and she could feel the absolute malaise rolling off the aberration as it growled and made to lunge at her. James darted in with a wild swing of a branch

  he apparently found. He hit the aberration, but it didn't seem to do any damage, just like her kick, but it did buy Alyx space and time for a third cast.

  Her chest burned with strain, mana flowing out in

  a rush. She gestured and yelled out, "Arcane Touch," for a third time.

  The third attack rippled through the thing’s

  head; it crumpled to the ground without a sound. She dropped her hands, chest heaving. For a moment, the group

  just stared at her for being the girl who could throw glowing spears

  of light.

  “Holy…” Brent swallowed. “That was real.”

  “Yeah,” Breyanna whispered. “Too real.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Alyx steadied herself, trying to ignore the faint

  ache in her core where mana had poured out. Willow hovered close.

  {“Not bad for your first dance. But don’t get

  cocky. That was one aberration. There are more. Always more.”}

  Alyx nodded grimly, eyes on the path ahead where

  Pioneer Hall loomed. “Then we’d better get ready. This… this is

  what the world is now.”

  The Aberration’s twisted form shuddered, its

  body breaking apart like shattered glass suspended in water. Shards

  of black mist bled away into the air, leaving behind a faintly

  glowing orb and several motes of light hovering just above the

  ground. The group froze, staring.

  “Uh… what just happened?” Breyanna asked,

  eyes wide.

  “That—” James hesitated, then frowned,

  “—that looks like… loot.”

  “Loot?” Breyanna repeated, confused.

  “Yeah,” James said, rubbing the back of his

  neck. “Like, in video games. You kill the monster, and it drops items.

  The glowy bits are basically rewards.”

  Breyanna blinked. “Wait, are you saying this

  whole—whatever this is—works like a game?”

  Before anyone could respond, a series of windows

  exploded into Alyx’s vision.

  [System Notification:

  Level 1 Aberration

  Defeated!

  XP Awarded: 4

  KP Awarded: 1]

  {“Ding-dong, monster’s dead. System says:

  Aberration defeated! Nicely done, Alyx. Don’t be shy,”} Willow

  chimed in, voice floating warmly near Alyx’s ear. {“You were the

  only one to land a real hit. The System recognizes contribution. That

  loot’s yours.”}

  “Willow, please automatically minimize those

  types of notifications,” Alyx requested.

  {“The best we can do is stop the popups; they

  will still display in the communications part of the HUD.”}

  “Sounds good, thank you.” Alyx acknowledged.

  Sure enough, as Alyx stepped closer, the motes

  drifted toward her, ignoring the others. Both solidified into two

  objects at her feet: one was a slim crystal shard, its surface

  faintly shimmering with inner light, and the other was a smaller gray

  twinged crystal with a blueish-gray center. Alyx picked up the items

  and received an identification prompt

  [Unknown Items Acquired]

  “Unknown Item?” Alyx repeated the prompt.

  {Oh my bad … sorry, here let me identify those

  for you.} Willow started as she was just hovering there by Alyx's

  side. Willow brightened a couple of hundred lumens

  [Minor Mana Shard]

  Type: Consumable /

  Currency

  Rarity: Common

  Effect: +10 Mana when consumed or

  converted into Essence.Value: 5 kp equivalent.

  Willow brightened a second time.

  [Ability Crystal (Fragment): Arcane

  Missile]

  Status: Locked

  Requirement: Ethereal 2+, Focus

  3+

  Rarity: Common

  Effect: +10 Mana when consumed or converted

  into Essence.

  Value: 1 Minor Mana Shard or 10 silver coins.

  Activation: Break to absorb.

  Alyx reached down, fingertips brushing the

  crystal. A jolt of warmth raced up her arm, resonating with her

  Dantian.

  “Oh wow…” Alyx whispered.

  Mariana tilted her head. “Okay, now I really

  don’t get it. Why did it only go to her?”

  James answered before Alyx could. “Because she’s

  the only one who fought effectively. In any game, loot goes to the

  player who does the work. Makes sense.”

  Breyanna crossed her arms, not entirely convinced.

  “Still feels weird. Like, what if someone dies and can’t get

  their loot, or doesn't want it?”

  {“It stays there until someone claims it; duh.”} Willow said

  matter-of-factly, her voice chiming, but only Alyx could hear.

  Alyx questioned Willow with a thought.

  {"Intent, probably, you were the closest and had the thought to pick them up?" "Don’t overthink

  it. The important part is: you fought, you won, and now you grow

  stronger. That’s how this new world works.”}

  Alyx paraphrased what Willow said to everyone else

  and noticed 'that makes sense' expressions among the group.

  Alyx tucked the shards into her makeshift pack,

  heart still pounding. This was no longer just about survival. There

  were rules. There were rewards. And there was power, waiting to be

  claimed. Alyx snorted softly but hiked up her makeshift

  backpack. Without a word, she pressed forward, the others falling

  into step behind her.

  The Hall came into view, its familiar brick walls

  both comforting and unsettling against the scarlet sky. They hurried,

  eager to get inside before another shadow crawled from the broken

  world. As they reached the steps to the dorm’s main doors, muffled

  commotion came from inside. Alyx dug into her pocket for her access

  card.

  “Wh-who goes there?!” A shaky voice called

  from behind the door, trying—and failing—to sound authoritative.

  Alyx swiped her card without answering. The lock

  clicked, and as she pushed the door open, the voice faltered again:

  “Oh... uh ...stop! …is that you, Alyx?!”

  “Michael?” Breyanna asked, surprise in her

  tone.

  “Brie? Thank God—it’s you. And James? Oh

  man, you don’t know how good it is to see you. And… new people?

  Wait, where’s Jordyn?”

  “She’s fine,” James said shortly. "I'm here, Michael," Jordyn said while she gave James a smack on the shoulder.

  Alyx’s eyes fell to the mop handle in Michael’s

  hands. (Humm, He was holding it like a spear but with all the resolve

  of wet paper.)

  [Talent: Assess Unlocked]

  Talent - Assess: 3 Mana per cast

  Assess allows the user to easily read the surface details of the subject.

  Cost 10 KP

  Purchase Talent? (Yes/No)

  (What the hell is? Uh, Yes?) Alyx thought. Another strange pull tugged at her core near the place where her dream called the Dantian. But this time, the 'energizing' sensation flowed up to her eyes. A window suddenly appeared beside her: Alyx blinked.

  [Name: Micheal

  Race: Human,

  Level: 1,

  Age: Unknown,

  Status: Stressed]

  Alyx felt the Mana drain and looked at her bar

  Mana: 8/11

  {“Oho, congratulations! You just unlocked a new

  trick.”} Willow’s chiming tone carried more than a little

  amusement. {“That Assess Talent will be handy for getting

  surface-level info, but don’t get nosy; some things might not like

  to be scrutinized.”}

  Alyx muttered inwardly.

  Michael stammered through an explanation. “When

  most of us woke up, there were… Intruders, already here, who

  weren’t students. They were raiding rooms, taking whatever they

  wanted. I heard one of them say something about ‘Neegan being

  happy.’ Like—that guy from that zombie TV show.” He swallowed.

  “It’s all so messed up.”

  “How did they even get in?” Breyanna asked,

  frowning.

  “No idea. I didn’t see them. After they left, I was just told

  to guard the main door. Don’t let anyone I don’t know inside.

  But… you guys are fine, motioning to the others. Y'all came with

  Brie, Alyx, and James.”

  (Good, someone’s already trying to organize…)

  Alyx thought, then finished (...please don’t be Stacey.)

  “Who’s calling the shots right now?” she

  asked carefully.

  Michael’s eyes flicked away. “Some girl named... Stacey.”

  Alyx internally screamed, and her

  shoulders sagged, her whole body slumping into an exaggerated course motion. (Out of all the people… it had to be

  her.)

  {“Karen confirmed,”} Willow whispered like a

  stage aside. {“Proceed with caution, or popcorn. Honestly, either

  works.”}

  Alyx smirked despite herself, forcing a thin

  smile. “Thanks, Michael. That helps. We’ll 'check in' with her.”

  They left him behind, though Breyanna lingered

  long enough to offer an apologetic smile. Michael gave a small wave

  in return, muttering a soft “bye” that only Brie seemed to hear. Jordyn asked, "Hey sweetie, where are your glasses?"

  As they walked down the corridor, said in a low tone,

  “he used to stutter really badly. Childhood

  trauma, apparently.”

  “Oh. Well—good on him then,” Breyanna said

  awkwardly.

  Alyx slowed her steps, voice quiet. “One of the

  notifications at the start said I had hyperopia and early-stage

  glaucoma. I don’t need glasses anymore.”

  James snapped his fingers. “That’s what’s

  different! I knew something was off... I did notice...” James said, looking to his side where no one was.

  Breyanna blinked, finally noticing Alyx’s bare

  face. “Oh, yeah… You had them this morning, though,” she trailed

  off, frowning. “he used to stutter really badly. Childhood trauma, apparently. But he didn't stutter at all, did he?”

  {“System perk,”} Willow noted cheerfully.

  {“Optimize the assets, patch the flaws. Be the best you can be. Vision problems, fixed. Weak

  joints, fortified. Inefficient metabolisms, Energised … all smoothed out.”}

  Pioneer Hall’s commons came into view. Alyx’s

  mind ran hot, trying to anticipate Stacey’s angle. In high school,

  Stacey and her clique—the “Dixie Chicks,” as Alyx had dubbed

  them—were inseparable, smug, and always in Alyx’s way. That

  rivalry had dragged on into college, rekindled the moment Stacey saw

  her again.

  (None of that matters now. The slate is clean. She

  doesn’t get to own me anymore.) Alyx thought to herself.

  Steeling herself, Alyx stepped into the commons.

  To her reluctant respect, someone had already centralized operations

  on the first floor, with supplies stacked against the walls and bodies moving

  with some order.

  [‘Bing!’ – New Broad Skill Unlocked: Domain]

  A notification popped up in her face. Alyx

  groaned. “Really? Right now?” The box minimized.

  In its place, a tiny icon pulsed neatly in the corner of her HUD.

  {“I tidied it up for you,”} Willow announced

  primly. {“You’re welcome again.”}

  Alyx exhaled through her nose, almost smiling

  despite herself. “Better... but can you stop it from happening beforehand?”

  {“I can't 'stop' the messages, but I can show you how to tweak them from distracting you at the wrong moments.”} Willow countered. {"Just go to settings, and turn on auto minimize."}

  "Oh, for the love of..." Alyx stopped and exclaimed.

  "What's wrong?" Breyanna asked.

  "Willow just told me how to auto-minimize the notifications," Alyx told the group. The entire group sighed in relief.