Tension hung around the room like a stale fart. Neither of them knew what to say to each other after Frank dropped that bombshell.
Ana didn't know what was going on, but she knew she didn't like it. Just as she was about to say something to break the silence, the door swung open again.
Two figures walked in, a man and a woman. The woman had short blonde hair and sharp green eyes that constantly scanned her surroundings. Beside her stood a heavily scarred man with bulging muscles and a warm, easy smile.
"Commander Arlo! We heard about the incident. Is everyone alright?" the woman asked dutifully.
"They're safe for the moment," Arlo replied, looking towards Frank and Ana. "But I'm still figuring out the details of what exactly happened."
Frank shifted in his seat, not exactly sure what to make of the woman currently staring him down. "Who are you?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"I'm Elara, and this is Max," she said, pointing toward the man beside her. "Let me cut to the chase, weird things are happening outside, and we're trying to gather a team to deal with them. We heard about your spider slaying, our squads haven't had much luck with those."
"You mean any luck?" Max chimed in, grinning. Earning an annoyed expression from Elara.
Frank's eyebrow twitched; it looked like he was going to have to repeat himself. "And why would I want to join you? I just want to keep my daughter safe."
Max shrugged, completely relaxed. "Totally get that. But trying to survive this mess alone isn't a smart move, and you know that. We've got skills, and clearly you have some skills. Sounds like a match made in heaven."
Elara leaned closer, "He's right you know, we're pretty strong, and as luck would have it, we're forming a group that has a couple openings. You fought a powerful monster, that's impressive, but how many could you handle alone? We could be useful to one another, why decline?"
"It's a risk," Frank countered, locking eyes with her. "If you're so dependable, wouldn't it be better to leave our protection in your capable hands from a safe distance?"
Max nodded thoughtfully. "It's a valid point, but think of it this way: by joining us, you could save lives; yours, your daughter's, and many others'. We're looking at the big picture; trying to save humanity, not just ourselves."
Elara looked to Ana with a warm smile. "And think about it, sweetie! Wouldn't it be great to help other kids in a world where monsters are around? Your daddy could be a superhero!"
Ana's eyes widened, her imagination clearly stimulated. "Daddy, we should help! We can save people! Just like in my books!"
"Ana..." Frank began, but he faltered.
He knew he was being selfish. It was no different from his plan for the spider: Let somebody else die to save Ana. Could he really keep justifying that rationale?
Before he could continue, the door opened again, revealing a young man with dark hair and brown eyes. He hesitated when he saw an unexpected face, clutching his tattered backpack closer, before announcing himself. "Uh, hi," he stammered, looking around nervously. "I heard you guys were putting together a team. I, uh, brought some stuff; food, tools, whatever you need."
Max waved to him to invite him in. "Come on in, man. We don't bite. Uh, you don't bite either, right?"
The young man, clearly nervous, confirmed, "No, I haven't turned."
He stepped inside and introduced himself as Leo. "I've been scavenging for supplies since this whole mess started, well, actually, I kinda started a few years ago, it's a long story. I may have been expecting a world ending event. My first guess was nukes though." He explained
"I'm not much of a fighter, never have been, but I'm pretty good at getting around places safely. Keeps me alive"
Elara's smile widened, clearly spotting a seemingly easier target. "That could be useful, Leo. We could use someone like you. Navigating rooftops and tight spaces would help us stay safe out there"
Leo backed away, trying to escape the situation, "I, uh—well, I don't know..."
"You'd fit right in, and between you and me, I'd really like eyes in the sky to let me know what's coming," Max added, crossing his arms and grinning. "I tried my best, but I'm pretty well stuck on the ground."
Elara stepped closer, her voice insistent. "Leo, we need someone like you. You already have the skills to survive on your own; imagine what you could do with a team! Wouldn't you feel safer with somebody watching your back?" Her words were smooth, and Leo was eating up every word.
"Ah, uh, well, that does sound nice..." Leo conceded, his face a bright red.
Frank watched them suspiciously. He didn't like the way Elara spoke. It was too deliberate, and more than that, she seemed like she know exactly what Leo needed to hear to get her way.
'Scary...' he thought.
Elara turned back to Frank, returning to her original target "Anyways, Frank, we're going to make it through this nightmare. But we need your help. Innocent people need your help."
Max piled on once again "Listen, Frank, you may not have a lot of experience, but you do have important experience. We can help each other, just let us show you what we can do. At the very least you could answer some questions for us."
Frank shifted his weight, as much as he didn't like it. He knew he couldn't avoid a fight forever, even if he didn't join them on missions. But he couldn't think of a reason not to cooperate.
"The best I can offer is joining you in training, but I will be expecting tutelage as payment," he finally relented, "I'm not signing up for any excursions though."
Elara exchanged glances with Max, an unspoken understanding passing between them. "That's fair," she said, nodding. "You get usable skills, and we get more insight on how to take these spiders down."
"I warn you though, you might be disappointed" Frank cautioned "Either way, I can share what happened,"
He recounted his encounter with the spider, choosing his words carefully to omit information about "Oathkeeper". Ana listened intently, remembering how cool her father look as he faced down that monster.
As the conversation concluded, a ping from the system caught his attention.
[Choose bonus reward:
Sixth Sense (Innate): Allows user to always know when they are in danger.
Spider's Agility (Innate): +5 to AGI stat, allows user to freely move on any surface.
Spider's Web (Innate): Allows the user to create a spider's web. The strength of the web and the amount that can be stored increase with the user's level. Webs slowly restore over time.]
'Ah right, that...'
Frank looked over his options. They all were incredibly useful in different ways.
He would have taken all three if he could, but since he couldn't, he quickly eliminated "Spider's Web". There was no chance he would risk Ana getting stuck in something like that.
That left him with two options.
His AGI was painfully lacking, and with "Oathkeeper" active, selecting "Spider's Agility" would nearly triple it. The boost to his maneuverability would be nothing short of insane.
But still, the skill "Sixth Sense" tugged at the back of his mind. It could be critical to know about unseen threats before they claimed his life.
Frank wasn't naive. He knew whichever he picked, he couldn't wait until after training to pick a skill. That would cost him valuable combat experience.
Seeing that he was short on time, he made his decision.
[Reward selected!
Gained innate skill: Sixth Sense!]
If he had had this skill before, he could have just left before the spider had ever gotten anywhere near him. It would have saved him so much strife. So it was a natural choice.
Thinking back to the approaching training, he couldn't help but get a little excited. This would be his first time formally learning to fight.
Sure, he wasn't sure whether or not he could trust them, but as military personnel they were definitely trained in combat. If he could grow strong enough, even if they didn't have good intentions, he would be able to protect Ana in this messed up world.
With his resolve set, Frank looked over at Ana, whose gaze was now sparkling with pure admiration. She had seen her father keep his promise, and despite her fear, she now truly believed he would keep her safe.
She believed he was going to be her hero.
---