The next few days blurred together. We spent most of the time grinding mobs, rushing to help other groups under attack, and fighting off Temple fighters.

  We’d fallen into a rhythm: head out with one team, grind mobs for XP and loot, then respond to a Temple attack if we got the call. If we were fast enough, we could turn the tide. But there were times we didn’t make it in time, and we’d arrive to find bodies littering the battlefield. Mobs, Rebels, Temple fighters, and our own people, all mixed together in a bloody mess.

  Eric and his team of Technomancers, all teenagers like him, spent their days trying to break through the Temple’s firewall and trace the source of their power. But progress was slow. Too many dead ends. Once, the results pointed to me as the source of their upgrades. That didn’t make any sense.

  By day four, we’d fought in countless battles. In one of them, I nearly shot an arrow into a black panther rampaging through the chaos. It took me a moment to realize it was one of ours. He was a Druid class called a Manimal. After shifting back into his human form, he laughed it off, saying he could turn into a panther, a hawk, and a snake at his current level. He hoped to unlock more animal forms as he leveled up. I didn’t have the heart to tell him those were probably the only ones he'd ever get. That “show” had only lasted a season for a reason.

  That moment opened my eyes to the variety of classes out there. Most people took variations of the fighter class, but we fought alongside, and against, individuals with some unique abilities. Assassins who only fought at night, Weathermancers who summoned hailstones the size of my fist, and bizarre Bard classes. Those were the weirdest, and they usually didn’t last long unless we kept them safe while they recited poetry or played instruments to buff us and debuff the enemy.

  I heard rumors about a K-pop girl band who formed a shield for their allies while dancing and singing. Shawn was disappointed when we arrived late, after the fight was over though he did go up to them to chat for a bit.

  It wasn’t just about loot though. These fights helped us level up and grow. We battled in parks, shopping malls, and once, we had to clear a residential block floor by floor of twisted demon-like creatures, like a twisted version of Doom.

  We leveled up fast, earning loot ranging from potions to scrolls to new equipment. Most of it was lower-level stuff we could’ve easily bought, but we did find some unique items we hadn’t had time to fully investigate.

  But the death toll was high. Every fight cost lives. We didn’t come out clean. There were always casualties. I kept checking in with Eva, asking how much longer it would take to locate the Temple’s power source, but her answers were always vague, filled with technobabble. I realized she was deflecting.

  On day five, we decided to take the morning off to recover. Other teams rotated in shifts, but we’d taken it on ourselves to provide backup to every team out there, and it had taken its toll.

  The gazebo we’d slept in a few nights ago had become our default base. Whenever we returned, everyone mostly left us alone, sensing that we needed the downtime. But I knew it wouldn’t be long before our help was no longer needed. They were all power-leveling fast, and soon, we’d be nothing more than an afterthought.

  Something else started to bother me. The more we went out and helped, the more people seemed to fear us. It wasn’t obvious, but I saw it in their eyes after every fight. They’d thank us, of course, but there was something cold in the way they looked at us.

  Despite their rapid leveling, we were still far ahead. Our arrival usually meant a quick end to the fight. And with that, whispers began to spread. I overheard people calling us the Four Horsemen. They meant it as a title, but I heard the undertones: death and destruction, our names linked to bloodshed, even among those we saved.

  I didn’t care about the rumors. Neither did Shawn. But I could see how it bothered Jess and Siva. Jess was pissed. She didn’t like the implication that we were anything but helpers, people who wanted to protect others. Siva, though, seemed more disappointed than angry.

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  On top of that, the news that his sister wasn’t in the west or dead weighed him down further. He had withdrawn into himself, becoming quieter and more distant. It was as if he was starting to accept that maybe, just maybe, his search would end in failure.

  I sat on the cot, a new addition to our growing pile of looted gear, and took a long look at my team. Shawn was dead to the world, as usual. I’d learned that he could sleep through anything. Siva and Jess were on their own cots, sifting through their loot with practiced hands, items appearing and disappearing as they studied them.

  I sighed and turned my attention to my own stash.

  Gold, mostly. That was no surprise. But it didn’t take long to notice something else: the potions were thinning out. Health and Mana potions, once overflowing, now dwindled with every loot drop. It wasn’t unexpected. We had officially moved past the 'tutorial' phase, and the real grind had begun.

  I set the gold aside and started going through the rest of it.

  The first item I pulled out was a short silver chain. On one end was a keychain loop, and on the other, a small carabiner. At first, I thought the system had gifted me some kind of fashion accessory, but when I read the description, I grinned.

  [Chain of Truth, Level 2: When activated, this chain elongates to the desired length as defined by the user. Can be used as a rope for climbing or binding. Anyone in contact with this chain, while activated, can only speak the truth. Duration: Item Level x Dexterity minutes.]

  I blinked at it, processing the information. This was… Wonder Woman’s lasso, disguised as a fashionable accessory. Or maybe one of those items they gave kids so they didn’t lose their wallets.

  I chuckled. Hooking the carabiner to my belt loop, I tucked the other end into my pocket. I couldn’t help it; I’d added to my aging rocker look with the Mr. Big concert tee and now this.

  Next, I pulled out a metal briefcase labeled ‘Disguise Kit.’ I placed it on the cot and opened it, expecting something simple. But no, it was a 3D printer right out of the movies. I wasn't for creating weapons or tools, but for printing faces. I stared at it in confusion. Why would this even be necessary? There had to be spells or enchantments that could do this faster. Heck, I’d been glamoured into a gazelle once while running through the zoo.

  I sighed and closed the briefcase, stowing it away. Not something I’d deal with right now.

  I kept going, retrieving a stack of regular arrows and a few martial weapons like swords and polearms. Standard loot. Still useful, though. These would go into the central hall where anyone proficient could grab them. It was our contribution to the war effort.

  Finally, I pulled out the last item. A silver necklace with a small oval pendant. I paused, feeling an odd pull as I read the description.

  [Mind Lock: Protects the wearer against mind control spells and abilities. Levels with usage.]

  That was it. Simple, but crucial. I remembered when Prema had dragged me into my past with just a touch, leaving me a helpless mess. This necklace wouldn’t protect me from her directly, but the mere fact that such an item existed meant that mind control spells were real. They were out there.

  I slipped the necklace over my head, the cool metal settling against my skin. And then… I felt it. A subtle, unintended effect. The fog in my mind lifted. The disquiet that had been gnawing at me for days seemed to fade, and for a moment, everything felt clearer.

  I didn’t know what to make of it. But I knew one thing: the pressure, the constant tension, had been wearing on all of us. PTSD wasn’t something you could ignore after fighting daily to survive.

  I hesitated before removing the necklace. Immediately, the fog began to creep back in, dulling my senses and clouding my thoughts. I took a deep breath, shaking it off.

  I walked over to Siva, who was bent over a pair of sword sheaths, inspecting them.

  “These sheaths are solid,” he said, explaining that they allowed him to wear both his twin swords on his belt. Every time he sheathed them, they received a sharpened buff. His swords were getting deadlier, even without extra spells.

  I watched him in silence before pulling the necklace out of my pocket. Without a word, I handed it to him.

  He studied it for a moment, then glanced up at me. “You sure about this? This is an expensive piece of gear.”

  I nodded and, without hesitation, placed the necklace around his neck. The motion felt almost ceremonial, like anointing him. He lowered his head in acceptance.

  The moment the chain settled, something in his demeanor shifted. His eyes closed for a brief second, and when they opened again, I saw the difference. There was clarity there. Purpose. He was more grounded than before.

  I smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to grab some coffee. But before I could sit down, my HUD exploded with new chat messages.

  Shawn sprang up from his cot, rubbing his eyes and muttering about forgetting to mute the chat.

  Siva and Jess were already moving.

  I grabbed Shawn by the arm. “Let’s go. The Temple’s attacking again.”

  This time, though, they weren’t attacking in small skirmishes.

  They were coming at us en masse.