Looking back and forth, TJ saw dozens of dead Participant bodies surrounded by hundreds of monster bodies. The mountain lions had broken the back line, and as soon as the Disciples' support slowed, the casualties on the walls had exploded. Before he could truly take in the devastation, though, Tessie jumped off the walls and into a sobbing mess in his arms. TJ took special care to keep his Spear pointed far away from anyone, and as soon as he was sure everyone was clear, he dropped the weapon.
"I–I–I–I–I thought you were–were–were–dead or—"
TJ patted her back. "I'm glad you got back here. You ok? How about Molly?"
Tessie just nodded, sniffling and rubbing her face on TJ's chest. Molly popped up nearby, tears streaking her face as she met his gaze. TJ nodded and the other Teenager scurried off somewhere he couldn't see.
He forced himself to focus on the girl in his arms, not to look at the carnage that surrounded them or the System notifications that demanded his attention. Instead, he comforted the sobbing child until she stilled. TJ waited for her to pull back, but then he realized the way she was softly breathing. Tessie was so exhausted that, as she fell from the high of anxiety and adrenaline, she fell asleep holding onto his shirt. With a sigh, TJ picked her up in a princess carry and walked fully into the remains of the fort.
Every wall had fallen. The strong beginning they'd held onto had fallen, and as the Zealots needed to keep themselves back from the walls, more and more monsters must have taken the fort. Every dead Participant was soaked in their own blood mixed with that of dozens of monsters. The light rain fought to clean the carnage, but there was too much, and the water ran pink no matter where he looked.
Everywhere, TJ saw the scene of valiant last stands, of people sprawled to protect another, of stories he knew nothing about. Natlie's body lay crumpled on the ground, a pair of pukwudgies dead with arrows in their heads on top of her. Peter's had a spear buried in his single eye, but based on how his face was still twisted in fury, that hadn't killed him immediately and instead it was the Gila Monstrosity with its skull crushed and jaw locked around his left arm. Others whose names he knew and stories he forgot had died here. David, Jake, and Ricky's corpses were held out in front of something. There was no body behind them, so whoever they fought to protect had survived.
The last new corpse TJ found was Jeff's. The stubborn man's body was twisted in agony and black veins covered his face. Tufts of Raven Mocker feathers remained in his hands as a testament to his final struggle against the Elites that fought to steal his mind and will away. A rictus of a smile covered his face, and in his mouth was the head of the Raven Mocker he'd slain with his bare hands. TJ pulled the disintegrating limb free and closed Jeff's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Jeff. Good job holding on how you did." TJ whispered.
"It was for me." Laura's voice trembled. "Everything was targeting the Disciples. It was coming for me and he took it down first. I tried to heal him…" She couldn't continue.
"How–" TJ's voice caught looking at the carnage that surrounded him. He collected himself and asked again, "How many Disciples survived?"
"Four." Laura whispered. "Me, Michelle, Rebekkah, and Angelo. The eleven others all died in the ambush."
"Fuuuuuu–" TJ breathed the curse more than he said it. He was too damned tired to mourn as he wanted to.
"You ok, kid?" Stanton asked as he jogged up to TJ. He looked at his resources and shrugged.
"I'm just about tapped out. I should probably check these System messages and decide what to do from there." The whole group of survivors straggled over to TJ and, before he jumped into the notifications, he looked for the friendliest faces he knew.
Seth, Farid, and Sarah walked forward mostly of their own power. Molly stepped close and held out her arms to take Tessie, who TJ happily passed over. The exhausted teens slumped to the ground, leaning against the thrashed remains of the store's wall. Zig and Angelo walked together, and TJ couldn't tell who supported whom. Connor walked with a heavy limp, but Lailani and two other men stood behind him. Michelle and Rebekkah stood as surprising contrasts to their Classes, obviously having fought as warriors instead of mere healers.
Altogether, a mere 36 Participants yet drew breath. 200 entered the Tutorial, 92 the siege, and now 35 people stood and sat in front of TJ. The foul, militaristic part of his Bloodline cheers, saying that these were the strongest, the most worthy. To purge himself of that, TJ looked to where he knew he'd see Granny Penny.
She still lay on her belly, her back scored with inch deep wounds from the cowardly mountain lion. Her head lay on the ground, and though TJ tried to bully his Bloodline with the sight, instead, he turned his stomach. Before he could distract himself with information from the System, his gorge rose and his body revolted. Turning, TJ vomited a pathetic, thick yellow bile. It stung his throat, nose, and eyes as again he retched. A third, and then a fourth time. The smell of carnage all around him threatened to make him do so again, but TJ gathered himself and wiped his mouth.
Nobody judged him, and finally, he pulled up the System's notifications.
Due to Participants' of Tutorial 107.48.891 success, you have been granted an additional one hour to the thirty minute rest period before the commencement of the battle against the Boss of the Tutorial. Time remaining: 1:23:53
There were also his levels gained, and once he looked, TJ glanced through his Status and divided up his Free Points to make as many even numbers as possible. Maybe he could have been wiser about it, but he didn't care. Every Attribute would matter even if they weren't exactly where he might want them in a week, and he didn't want to think right now.
Status Sheet
Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV
Race: Semi-Divine Human – lvl 24
Class: Storm-Calling Neophyte lvl 24
Occupation: Savage Shaman lvl 24
Level of Divinity: Copper (I)
Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan
Health Points (HP): 1152/3570
Mana Points (MP): 793/3550
Stamina: 684/3230
Attributes
Strength: 190+5(+38)
Agility: 170(+34)
Endurance: 269(+54)
Vitality: 291+8(+58)
Toughness: 220+5(+44)
Wisdom: 200(+40)
Intelligence: 290+7(+58)
Perception: 220(+44)
Willpower: 260(+52)
Fixation: 310+3(+62)
Free Points: 0
Skill List: Hidden
Titles: Irregular
Elite Hunter (Copper (I))
Evolutionary Frontrunner
Current total maximum Divine Transformation time: 0:00/5:41:45
(End+Vit+Will+Fix)/4 Current cooldown: 1:48:32
Status Sheet
Name: TJ (Thiago Jorge) Harris IV
Race: Storm Coatl – lvl 24
Class: Storm-Calling Neophyte lvl 24
Occupation: Savage Shaman lvl 24
Level of Divinity: Copper (I)
Divine Bloodline: Kukulkan
Health Points (HP): 2304/7060
Mana Points (MP): 1586/7030
Stamina: 1368/6460
Attributes
Strength x2.5: 475+5(+95)
Agility x2: 340(+68)
Endurance x2: 538(+108)
Vitality x2: 582+8(+116)
Toughness x2.5: 550+5(+110)
Wisdom x1.5: 300(+60)
Intelligence x2: 580+7(+116)
Perception x2: 440(+88)
Willpower x1.5: 390(+78)
Fixation x2: 620+3(+124)
Free Points: 0
Skill List: Hidden
Titles: Irregular
Elite Hunter (Copper (I))
Evolutionary Frontrunner
Divine Trial Records (Copper (I)):
1 Minor, 0 Moderate, 0 Bitter, 0 Celestial
TJ fell to the ground, unwilling to keep standing. The Storm would last another hour and thirty nine minutes, as he could feel. More important than using Stormcaller to make sure that it would last longer than that, though, was getting himself back up to full resources.
"I'm exhausted. Painfully tired. I'm sure you all are too. But there's just nothing else we can do right now. I want to do funerals and memorials and who knows what else, but we can't take that time. Meditate, and hopefully the Tutorial will show us some measure of mercy when the Boss is dead. Please, recover. We don't want to have to bury any more of our friends."
He wanted to go right into Meditation after he said that, but TJ took note of Angelo as he spoke. He'd always thought of the Navajo Disciple as a man, but for the first time, TJ internalized that he was only 19. Sure, he was an adult by every standard he could think of, but this was a kid just a year out of high school. He'd even said something about being an EMT at one point. That wasn't enough to make it through this all unscathed. As TJ watched, Angelo took shaky, steadying breaths. He was about to say something when he clocked Rebekkah noticing him. The mother simply walked up to Angelo and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, lower lip shuddering. She continued to talk to him, and TJ internally thanked her for the help she was offering.
"Get some rest kid." Stanton pulled TJ from trying to help the others. "We need to have you, me, and Lailani as rested as possible."
TJ nodded and closed his eyes. Still sitting in the wet, TJ threw himself into Meditation. He wouldn't quite be able to restore his Stamina and MP to full, but he could get close. He took special care to ensure he didn't lose consciousness. If he did, he'd lose out on over 500 MP and Stamina. So, after changing his position to a more uncomfortable squat, TJ fell into Meditation, his mind filled with what the Boss would do. It was sure to be the wendigo they'd been talking about, but how would it have changed? How could he deal with it? What would its additional Skill be?
His mind wandered aimlessly, thinking of a million options, but none felt right. What Skills did a wendigo have? The frost and the ability to eat a dead thing to recover, so what could add? Something to strengthen its attacks? That would be bad if it could tear through any defences everyone had. And what level would it be? How many of those levels would be Copper levels and how many would be its base Dirt ones? And the bonus Attributes?
The worries plaguing TJ's mind whirled, and he hoped for the enlightenment that the System said could happen while Meditating. He sure needed it now. But no, an hour and twenty-three minutes later, TJ was pulled from his Meditation and stood. His joints creaked as he stood, even though there was no stiffness or discomfort from his prolonged seat. The other 35 people were ready for the final battle, each wearing their armor and carrying their weapons. TJ searched for and quickly found the Bloodied Wendigo Spear, and as soon as he found it, he saw that he'd unwittingly dropped it in a pool of blood. It was several pounds heavier than before, and the leather as well as the spear's head were dyed crimson.
Before he could worry about the changes to the weapon, TJ's vision flooded with a massive System message.
You have entered the final stage of Tutorial 107.48.891, the Boss fight. Boss: Wendigo Ritualist (Copper (I)). Boss fight will begin in 3:00
Good luck, Participants.