Novels by NARU

The creature’s arm descended like a falling mountain. Lukas braced for the impact, his muscles locking, but a blur of motion slammed into his side. Serena shoved him hard, sending him skidding across the concrete floor just as the limb pulverized the spot where he had been standing. The floor cracked, sending shards of stone flying like shrapnel. Lukas rolled, his side screaming in protest, and pushed himself up onto his knees."Get up!" Serena shrieked, her voice thin and desperate. She was already sprinting toward the far end of the catwalk, her boots clattering against the rusted metal.Lukas forced his legs to move. He was sluggish, his heartbeat a slow, heavy thrum in his ears. The creature turned, its massive head twitching as it tracked his movement. It did not roar. It simply stalked toward him, its claws clicking against the floor. Every step the beast took caused the warehouse to tremble."Go to the vent!" Lukas shouted, though the words felt heavy in his throat.He scanned

The metal screamed again as the warehouse door groaned inward. A massive dent appeared in the center of the iron shutter, shaped exactly like a heavy shoulder. Lukas grabbed a rusted pipe from the floor and wedged it into the barricade, his teeth gritted. The wood and metal stack shuddered under the sheer weight of the creatures outside."They are not going to stop," Serena said, her voice shaking as she backed away from the entrance. She clutched a heavy flashlight with both hands. "There are too many of them, Lukas. We have to find another way out."Lukas scanned the dark interior of the warehouse. He saw the rafters, high above, and the long, dark shadows of the ventilation shafts. "There is a ladder in the back corner. We have to climb. If we stay on the ground floor, we are just waiting to be cornered."A loud crack echoed through the room. The iron shutter finally yielded. The barricade of crates and pallets exploded outward as a wave of pale, spindly creatures poured into the r

"Don't move, Lukas," a voice hissed.The blade bit into the skin of his neck. Lukas froze. He did not need to turn around to recognize the silhouette cast against the moonlight. It was Zaint, the brute from Vell’s inner circle. Zaint had survived the electrical surge back at the storage room, and he looked worse for the wear. His clothes were scorched, and a nasty burn ran along the side of his face.Serena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She froze in place, her eyes locked on the jagged knife pressed against Lukas’s throat.Lukas slowly tilted his head, feeling the sharp edge prick his skin. He shifted his weight, testing his balance. "You followed us," he muttered, his voice barely audible.Zaint let out a wet, raspy laugh. "Vell said you were a rat. He told me to track the smell of blood. You left a trail a child could follow, hero."Lukas closed his eyes for a split second, searching his System interface. His health was at twelve percent. His stamina was depleted. He had not

The armored figure tore through the haze of smoke like a wrecking ball. It ignored the guards writhing on the electrified floor, its gaze fixed solely on Lukas. The monster was seven feet of plated iron and malice, its glowing eyes pulsing with an unnatural rhythm that made Lukas’s heart skip a beat. It swung a massive, jagged cleaver that whistled through the air, cleaving a concrete pillar in two as if it were soft clay.Lukas threw himself beneath the swing. He felt the wind of the blade ruffle his hair. He rolled across the floor, his shoulder slamming into a crate of ammunition. He didn't look back. He scrambled to his feet, his lungs searing as he searched for an opening."Sofia!" Lukas shouted, knowing she was likely already in the vents, but hoping to draw the monster's attention. "Get out of here!"The monster didn't care about Sofia. It turned its massive frame, its boots crunching on the shattered tiles, and prepared to charge again. Lukas looked toward the door. Vell was p

Lukas didn't answer. He gripped the iron railing until his knuckles turned bloodless. Vell stood at the base of the stairs, his posture relaxed, his hand lingering near the heavy pistol at his side. Two of his men flanked him, their eyes scanning the stairwell for any sign of movement. Lukas knew he couldn't fight them head on. Not with his current stats. He needed a different angle."You like to talk a lot for someone who hides behind meat shields," Lukas said, his voice echoing in the concrete shaft.Vell laughed, a harsh sound that made the air feel thin. "Heroes always talk about morality until the ground starts shaking. Look outside, kid. The world is ending. Being a hero is just a slow way to reach the grave."Lukas looked up toward the ceiling. He could hear the faint, rhythmic skittering of the shadow creatures in the ventilation ducts above the third floor. If he pulled the right support, the structural integrity of the landing would buckle. He didn't need to kill Vell today.

Vell’s hand rested on the leather holster at his hip. His fingers drummed a slow, rhythmic beat against the fabric. The man looked at the pile of crates, then at the glowing orb Lukas had just claimed, and finally at the bloodied mess of the Guardian. His eyes held a predatory calm that sent a chill down Lukas’s spine. Behind Vell stood three men, all of them armed with heavy iron pipes and makeshift knives."You heard the man, Vell," Lukas said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline screaming through his nerves. He slowly stood up, placing himself between Vell and Serena. "We found this. It is ours."Vell chuckled, a low and raspy sound that echoed against the concrete walls. He stepped over the carcass of the Guardian, his boots crunching on broken glass. "Ours? That is a funny word for a scavenger to use. In this new world, things do not belong to the people who find them. They belong to the people who can keep them."Serena shifted behind Lukas. Her hand gripped a sharp piece of