WorldFall: Echoes of Extinction

The Cost of Rebellion

It was stupid and Neemo knew it, but Elias might not be dead yet. He followed behind a broad shouldered scavenger, hoping to use the person as a shield.

Amidst the chaotic revolt, he slipped to Elias' side. Relief flickered across his face when he saw Elias was still breathing. The bullet had gone through his chest. Each shallow breath came with a wet, broken sound, and blood pooled beneath him. 

“Nee.” Elias called out, his voice low like when they were 10 and working in the mines.

He dropped to his knees and pressed his hand against the wound, trying to stop the blood loss. “Water. You shou-.” The words hung between his teeth; water doesn't restore blood.

Elias looked up at the sky, “My mom and Alessia?”

“They are safe, they are in the shack behind.” He lied. They could have fallen with the first wave or after that. But he couldn't bring himself to tell his dying best friend that his mother and the lady he loved might be dead.

Elias nodded faintly. His eyes remained open, but the breathing stopped.

“Elias.” He tugged the body slightly, then harder.

“Elias!” And for the first time in years, Neemo Evandesh wept.

He raised his teary eyes at the now battlefield. “Accept.” He muttered.

 The System's demand that he kill someone should have frightened him. Instead, grief and rage drowned out his hesitation. Besides, he had a debt to repay.

His scrawny legs dug into the dirt and he burst towards the nearest soldier. He weaved through the small crowd that was battling a lone soldier, his muscles tensed and pulled as he swung the clay gourd at a soldier's head.

The soldier staggered, blood running from the wound. The scavengers descended on him before he could recover, beating him down with fists and makeshift weapons.

[+10 Exp (Kill Assist)]

The words danced before his eyes, but his bloodshot eyes were already scanning the battlefield.

A few feet away from him, a teenager his age had a soldier's gun in his hands, but for seconds he only fumbled with it.

“Hey. Hand it over if you won't use it.” He shouted, the words sounding like an order.

The teenager turned his soot-covered face to him, then continued fumbling with it.

Neemo's jaw clenched, his hand tightened around the branch. He moved close to the teenager,

And he whacked the branch against the teenager's hands.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

He continued whacking till the teenager dropped the gun. He hastily picked it up. When his hands touched the cold metal, they shook and he also started fumbling with it.

_Just like you saw them do._ He raised the gun, finger on the trigger. Then…

*Bang*

The recoil bounced his arm back. The bullet dashed forward, wheezing past the soldier by quite a few feet.

It was off target, but a depressed and angry soul with a gun was on the battlefield.

*Bang. Bang. Bang*

His adrenaline spiked and he shot like a madman while aiming for the soldiers while he prayed not to kill a fellow scavenger.

[+10 Exp (Kill Assist)]

[+25 Exp (Kill)]

_The Magical rod is damaged._

He hit the gun against his palm and retried, but no bullet came out. With the gun out of bullets, his clarity slowly returned as he surveyed the battlefield.

_Three vehicles. The first one had five soldiers, so presumably there is a total of fifteen soldiers. Six are dead, three have fled into the vehicles, five are battling, but where is the last one._

Suddenly, the hair on his neck stood. Instincts honed from years in the Radlands kicked in and he sidestepped, but it was too late.

“Bastard! Drop the gun.” An injured soldier punched his stomach.

Neemo grunted as he clutched his stomach. Before he could react, another punch hit his face. Pain shot through him as his teeth gnashed against each other, sending a metallic taste of blood down his throat.

Neemo's eyes constricted in fear as he saw a flurry of punches descending on him. He raised his hands to block the force, but it kept pummeling him.

“Activate Second Wind.” He screamed as he tried to pull away from the soldier.

For a split second, his body froze. Then it felt like a surge of unfamiliar energy was sucked into him and his whole body synced with his heartbeat. It felt like he could feel every part of his body, the feeling from his waist below was too surreal.

He tilted, a punch missed him by millimeters.

Other punches still struck him, but the frequency had now reduced. His legs shifted at a calculated pace that amazed him.

Veins popped on the soldier's temple when he saw that Neemo had pulled away.

Borrowing the momentum from his shifting stance, Neemo leaned forward and threw a punch from an awkward angle.

*Bam*

He returned the treatment, his fist connected to the soldier's jaw. Only there was no sound of teeth smashing against teeth, he didn't possess the strength to deal such damage.

The soldier smiled evilly as he grabbed the hand before he could retract it. "Die, bastard." He pulled a knife from a strap.

The knife spinning reflected in Neemo's eyes as it arched downward.

"Activate Glitch." He screamed internally as sweat drenched him.

Unlike with [Second Wind], he felt nothing, and the knife was only inches from his eyes. He tugged and pulled, but the soldier held him tight. As it fell close, his eyes shut tight and he tried to focus on his head.

A feeling like a gush of wind blasted through his head. He opened his eyes to see the knife had phased through his head to the other side.

The soldier stared at him, "What was that?"

Neemo pulled away, his heart hammering against his chest. He levelled his head against the surprised soldier. "Surprised? I've fought Radiated Beasts in the Radlands. You think your knife can kill me? I am Neemo, the Thousands Beasts Slayer." He bluffed, his tiny hands forming fists as he took a battle stance.

The soldier didn't utter a word, instead he scanned his memories. The slash was a sure hit, but he had closed his eyes at the expected blood spurt. Could it be possible the boy had evaded the attack in that split second?

Just then, a boom exploded, catching the attention of everyone on the battlefield.

Albert was pinned against one of the trucks, his body battered from the fight. Nearby, the Lieutenant's arms glowed with an eerie blue light.

The officer seized Albert by the throat and lifted him off the ground before driving a fist into his stomach.

The impact silenced the battlefield.

The smug expression wiped off Neemo's face.

The Lieutenant was a System User!