Grind to Glory

Noah awoke the next morning to the sound of distant rumbling. At first, he thought it was thunder, but as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he realized it was coming from beneath the base.

"Alice?" he called out, stumbling into the main hall.

She was already there, standing by the entrance to the underground levels, strapping a dagger to her belt. Her expression was grim, her usual smirk replaced by a razor-sharp focus.

"Gear up," she said without looking at him. "We've got a situation."

"What kind of situation?" Noah asked, his heart pounding.

"Something triggered one of the lower perimeter wards," Alice said, pulling on a reinforced jacket. "It's probably a minor Aberration breach, but we can't take any chances."

"Aberrations? Down here?"

Alice nodded. "They're not common this close to the city, but when you start poking at their territory—" She gestured vaguely toward the Grindstone in his pocket. "—they poke back."

Noah swallowed hard. "So, what's the plan?"

"You're coming with me," Alice said.

His eyes widened. "Wait, what? I'm not ready for this! I just started training yesterday!"

"Perfect timing, then," she said dryly. "You'll learn faster under pressure."

Noah opened his mouth to protest, but the look in Alice's eyes shut him up.

The stairwell leading to the lower levels was dimly lit, the air growing colder with every step. Alice moved ahead with the confidence of someone who'd done this a hundred times, while Noah trailed behind, gripping the rusty crowbar she'd handed him like it was a lifeline.

"What's down here, exactly?" Noah asked, his voice echoing off the concrete walls.

"Storage, mostly," Alice replied. "But there's also an access point to the old sewer tunnels. That's probably where the breach happened."

"Great," Noah muttered. "Because nothing bad ever happens in a sewer."

They reached the bottom of the stairs, where a heavy metal door stood ajar. Beyond it was a long, narrow corridor lined with flickering lights. The rumbling Noah had heard earlier was louder now, interspersed with faint, guttural growls.

Alice motioned for him to stay quiet as they crept forward.

The corridor opened into a wide chamber filled with old crates and broken machinery. In the center of the room, a jagged hole had been torn into the floor, exposing a dark void below.

And standing at the edge of the hole was an Aberration.

It was smaller than the one Noah had fought before, but no less horrifying. Its twisted body was covered in sinewy, pulsating veins, and its elongated arms ended in razor-sharp claws. Its head twitched unnaturally as it sniffed the air, emitting low, guttural clicks.

Alice held up a hand, signaling Noah to stop. She pulled her dagger and took a slow step forward.

"Stay back," she whispered. "I'll handle this."

But before she could take another step, the Aberration's head snapped toward them. Its glowing, empty eyes locked onto Noah, and it let out a deafening screech.

"Crap," Alice muttered.

The creature lunged, faster than Noah expected. Alice moved to intercept, her dagger flashing through the air, but the Aberration ducked under her strike and barreled toward Noah.

"Move!" Alice shouted.

Noah barely had time to react. He stumbled backward, raising the crowbar instinctively as the creature swiped at him. The claws missed his face by inches, but the force of the swing sent him sprawling to the ground.

"Get up!" Alice yelled, driving her dagger into the Aberration's side. The creature screeched in pain, spinning around to slash at her.

Noah scrambled to his feet, his hands shaking. The Grindstone pulsed in his pocket, and a notification appeared in his vision:

Combat Quest: Assist in neutralizing the Aberration.

Reward: Combat Skill Upgrade.

"Oh, come on!" he shouted, but there was no time to hesitate.

The Aberration lunged at Alice again, its claws raking across her jacket. She dodged to the side, but her movements were slowing—she was skilled, but the creature's relentless attacks were wearing her down.

Noah clenched his jaw. "Alright, you freak," he muttered, gripping the crowbar tightly. "Let's do this."

He charged forward, swinging the crowbar with all his strength. The metal struck the Aberration's back with a sickening crunch, sending it stumbling forward.

Alice seized the opportunity, driving her dagger into the creature's neck. The Aberration let out one final, ear-piercing screech before collapsing to the ground, its body twitching violently before going still.

Noah stood there, panting, his hands still gripping the crowbar. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst.

[Quest Complete: Combat Skill Upgrade applied.]

A wave of energy surged through him, clearing his mind and steadying his breath.

Alice pulled her dagger free and wiped it on her sleeve. "Not bad," she said, looking at him with something resembling approval. "You didn't freeze up."

"Barely," Noah muttered, lowering the crowbar. "What the hell was that thing doing here?"

Alice's expression darkened. "That's what we're going to find out."

She crouched by the hole in the floor, peering into the darkness below. "Whatever it was, it came from down there. And if there's one, there might be more."

Noah felt a chill run down his spine. "You're not seriously thinking about going down there, are you?"

Alice stood up, slipping her dagger back into its sheath. "Not yet. We need to regroup and prepare. But this isn't over."

As they made their way back to the surface, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that the fight had been a warning—a glimpse of something far more dangerous lurking in the shadows.

End of Chapter 10.