The shelter's walls moaned when the wind blew, like the building itself was haunted by the memories of the people it once protected.
Jaden stirred beneath a dusty blanket, eyes adjusting to the dim glow of embers from last night's fire. Aya was curled up beside Rowan, breathing softly. Silas, of course, was nowhere to be seen.
He sat up, joints cracking, and pulled his jacket tighter against the morning chill. Just as he stood, the door banged open.
"Good morning, trauma survivors!" Silas sing songed, a grocery basket on one hip and a suspiciously smug grin on his face. "I bring gifts from the divine dollar store."
Jaden blinked. "Where did you even find that?"
"I bartered with a raccoon. His name was Greg. We respect Greg."
"You're unbelievable."
"Thanks, I try."
Aya sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Is that… cookies?"
"Boom." Silas tossed a small package her way. She caught it clumsily, eyes lighting up.
Jaden watched her tear it open and begin munching. "You sure that's safe?"
"It's pre-apocalypse processed sugar," Silas said solemnly. "If cockroaches can survive it, so can she."
Jaden allowed himself a faint smile. Then his gaze drifted toward the dark hallway beyond the common room. "We still don't know what's down there."
Silas nodded, serious now. "That's today's quest, actually. The basement was reinforced as an emergency evac center. Could be supplies, or survivors, or…" he wiggled his fingers, "goblins."
"I thought goblins weren't real."
"Neither were angels until I landed on your face like a majestic sack of glitter."
Fair point.
Aya looked between them. "Are we going now?"
Jaden nodded slowly. "Yeah. But you're staying here, okay?"
She frowned, already hugging her toy bunny.
Silas knelt beside her. "Operation Goblin Sweep is adults only, kiddo. But I'm giving you the most important job: guarding the cookie stash."
Her eyes narrowed, grave. "I accept."
---
The basement door groaned like it hadn't been opened in years. A layer of dust coated the stairwell, disturbed only by Silas's boots and Jaden's cautious steps. The light flickered, powered by whatever residual generator juice was left.
"I don't like how quiet it is," Jaden whispered.
"Classic horror setup," Silas agreed. "All we're missing is creepy violin music and a guy named Chad making bad decisions."
"You mean you?"
"Excuse me. I make excellent bad decisions."
The stairs ended at a heavy metal door. Silas pressed his palm to it. The glow from his fingers was dimmer this time, more reluctant.
"System interference," he muttered. "Something's suppressing divine access down here."
"Translation?"
"I have no idea what's behind this door."
"Great."
Jaden reached out and pulled the lever.
The door hissed open.
Inside was a large room, walls reinforced with concrete, fluorescent lights flickering overhead. Rows of cots lined the far side, though most were overturned or slashed. Scorch marks painted the walls.
And at the center was a massive cocoon of blackened crystal, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
Silas stopped in his tracks. "Oh."
"Oh?" Jaden echoed.
"That's… not great."
"What is it?"
"A Manifest. A being formed when a human succumbs to despair under the System's influence. They're not always hostile, but this one…"
The crystal cracked.
"…definitely is."
The cocoon shattered with a shriek that drilled into Jaden's spine. A humanoid shape rose from the shards tall, skeletal, with tattered wings of obsidian glass. Its eyes glowed blue, hollow and hungry.
> [WARNING: SYSTEM ANOMALY DETECTED]
[BLESSED USER – THRESHOLD TRIGGERED]
[ANGEL'S GRACE: PARTIAL AWAKENING]
A sudden warmth bloomed in Jaden's chest. His vision sharpened. The rod in his hand shimmered, hardening into something more like a spear.
Silas's eyes widened. "Well. Look at you, getting upgrades mid battle. Very gamer."
"No time to celebrate," Jaden growled. "It's coming!"
The creature lunged.
Jaden moved faster than he ever had. Not superhuman but precise. Balanced. Like his body remembered how to fight. He ducked a swipe, drove the spear into the creature's chest. It howled.
Silas joined the fray, wings unfolding in a blaze of silver. He darted in and out, slashing with a blade of condensed light.
They fought in tandem awkwardly at first, then in sync.
Until the Manifest screamed again and sent out a pulse of dark energy.
Jaden was thrown against the wall. Everything rang.
The creature turned toward him.
Then Silas appeared in a flash, wings shielding Jaden as the blow landed.
Feathers flew.
Silas gasped.
Jaden screamed, grabbing his weapon and driving it upward into the creature's throat.
The light in its eyes died.
It collapsed.
Jaden dropped to his knees beside Silas. "Hey hey, stay with me."
"Is the monster dead?" Silas wheezed.
"Yeah. You idiot. You took the hit for me."
"Of course I did." Silas managed a faint smile. "You're my sponsor baby."
Jaden barked a laugh through the panic. "That's not a thing."
"Is now."
---
Later, they sat back upstairs, bandaging Silas's wounds. Aya fussed over him like a miniature nurse, even as he dramatically moaned about "nearly ascending from hotness overload."
Jaden watched them, quiet.
He felt it again that flicker of warmth.
Of connection.
And for the first time since everything went to hell, he didn't feel completely alone.
Author's note:
Aya guarding the cookie stash
:(⌐■-■) I will protect with my life
Rowan:(*_*)