Low.
The name echoed in his mind like a curse. The rebel leader who had been a thorn in the side of the Council for years. The woman who had orchestrated the fall of three fortified cities and left a trail of chaos in her wake. Hawk had studied her movements for weeks, tracking her from one hideout to the next. She was clever, elusive, and dangerous. But tonight, she had made a mistake. She was alone.
The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting a pale glow on the clearing ahead. Low stood in the center, her back to him, her fiery red hair catching the light like embers. She was tending to a small fire, her bow and quiver resting against a nearby log. Hawk's lips curled into a smirk. She was vulnerable, exposed. This would be quick.
He moved silently, each step calculated to avoid the dry twigs and leaves scattered across the forest floor. The thrill of the hunt surged through his veins, sharpening his focus. He was close now, so close he could hear her soft humming—a haunting melody that sent an unbidden shiver down his spine.
Hawk drew his dagger, its blade glinting faintly in the moonlight. He took one final step, raised the weapon high, and prepared to strike.
But before he could bring the blade down, the ground beneath him trembled.
A low rumble grew into a deafening roar as the earth shook violently. Hawk stumbled, his dagger slipping from his grasp and plunging into the dirt. Trees swayed like drunken giants, their branches snapping and crashing to the ground. The fire Low had been tending scattered, embers flying into the night. She spun around, her green eyes wide with alarm, locking onto Hawk.
"You," she hissed, reaching for her bow.
Hawk lunged for his dagger, but another violent tremor threw him off balance. He hit the ground hard, the air knocked from his lungs. Above them, the sky seemed to ripple, as if reality itself was bending. A blinding flash of light erupted from the horizon, bathing the forest in an eerie glow.
Then came the voice.
System Initialization: Apocalypse Protocol Activated. Welcome, Players.
Hawk froze, his mind struggling to process the words. The voice was cold, mechanical, and impossibly loud, echoing in his head as if it had bypassed his ears entirely. He glanced at Low, who looked just as stunned.
Link Established: Players 001 and 002. Curse of Duality Activated. Death of One Equals Death of Both.
"What the hell?" Low whispered, her bow slipping from her grasp.
Hawk's vision blurred, and a series of glowing symbols appeared before his eyes. They hovered in the air like holograms, displaying information he couldn't begin to comprehend:
Name: Hawk Level: 1 Abilities: Locked Status: Linked to Player 002
He blinked, and the symbols vanished. The tremors subsided, leaving an eerie silence in their wake. Hawk pushed himself to his feet, his hand instinctively reaching for his dagger. Low was already standing, her bow back in hand, an arrow notched and aimed directly at his chest.
"Start talking," she demanded. "What did you do?"
"Me?" Hawk spat, brushing dirt from his cloak. "I didn't do anything. One second I was about to kill you, and the next… whatever this is happened."
Her eyes narrowed. "Convenient."
"Put the bow down, Low. If you shoot me, you'll only end up killing yourself."
She hesitated, her grip tightening on the bowstring. "Why should I believe you?"
Hawk gestured to the sky. "Did you not hear the voice? 'Curse of Duality' or whatever it said. We're linked now. If I die, you die. Simple as that."
Low's gaze flicked to the ground, her mind clearly racing. After a tense moment, she lowered the bow but didn't release the arrow. "Fine. But if you try anything, I won't hesitate to test your theory."
Hawk retrieved his dagger and slid it back into its sheath. "Noted."
The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken questions. Hawk studied Low, noting the way her shoulders were tense, her eyes darting to the shadows as if expecting another attack. She was scared, though she hid it well. He supposed he couldn't blame her. He felt it too—a gnawing unease that something far bigger than either of them had just begun.
"What do you think it means?" Low asked finally, her voice quieter now.
Hawk shook his head. "No idea. But I'm guessing it's not good."
As if on cue, another notification appeared before their eyes:
First Task: Survive the Night. Reward: Unlock Basic Abilities. Failure: Termination.
Low read the message aloud, her voice laced with disbelief. "'Termination'? Are they serious?"
Hawk frowned. "I don't think this is a joke."
A distant howl pierced the night, followed by another, closer this time. Low's grip on her bow tightened. "What was that?"
"Nothing good," Hawk muttered, drawing his dagger. "Looks like we're about to find out what 'survive the night' really means."
The howls grew louder, joined by the sound of snapping branches and heavy footsteps. Shapes began to emerge from the shadows, their glowing red eyes cutting through the darkness. They were humanoid, but twisted and grotesque, their skin gray and mottled, their limbs unnaturally long.
Low cursed under her breath. "What are those things?"
"Does it matter?" Hawk said, stepping into a defensive stance. "Just don't let them kill you. Or me."
The creatures charged, their guttural growls filling the air. Hawk moved instinctively, his dagger flashing as he slashed at the nearest one. The blade bit into its flesh, black ichor spilling from the wound, but the creature didn't slow. It swung a clawed hand at him, and he barely dodged in time.
Low loosed an arrow, striking another creature in the chest. It staggered but kept coming, its glowing eyes fixed on her. She fired again, this time hitting its head. The creature collapsed, twitching before going still.
"Aim for the head!" she shouted.
"Noted!" Hawk called back, ducking under another swipe and driving his dagger into the creature's skull. It let out a strangled cry before falling limp.
The battle was chaotic, each of them fighting to stay alive. For every creature they killed, another seemed to take its place. Hawk's muscles burned, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Low was faring no better, her quiver nearly empty, her movements slowing.
"We can't keep this up," she panted, retreating to his side.
"Got any bright ideas?" Hawk asked, slashing at another attacker.
Low's eyes darted around the clearing, landing on a narrow path leading deeper into the forest. "There. We can bottleneck them."
Hawk nodded. "Go. I'll cover you."
She hesitated for a fraction of a second before sprinting toward the path. Hawk followed, his dagger flashing as he fended off the creatures. They reached the narrow trail and turned to face their pursuers. With the limited space, the creatures could only come at them one at a time.
It wasn't easy, but they managed to hold their ground. One by one, the creatures fell, until the forest was silent once more. Hawk leaned against a tree, his chest heaving. Low dropped to her knees, her bow resting across her lap.
A new notification appeared:
Task Complete. Basic Abilities Unlocked.
Hawk felt a strange warmth spread through his body, followed by a surge of energy. He glanced at Low, who looked just as bewildered.
"What just happened?" she asked.
Hawk opened his status screen, his eyes scanning the new information:
Abilities Unlocked: Shadow Step (Short-range teleportation)
Low's gaze flicked to him. "Well?"
He smirked. "Looks like things just got interesting."