Before either man could react, Vell swung the pipe, catching Krev on the side of the head. The man dropped like a stone, the box cutter falling from his hand.
Dren released Maya's wrists and scrambled backward, reaching for something at his belt—a knife.
But Vell was faster.
He kicked Dren hard in the chest, sending him sprawling across the floor.
Vell stood over him, the pipe raised for another strike. His eyes were cold, his breathing heavy. Blood had seeped through the bandage on his leg, but he seemed not to notice the pain.
"Wait!" Dren held up his hands. "We did not know she was with someone. We were just—"
"Shut up," he said, his voice deadly quiet. "I heard everything."
Maya got to her feet, her legs shaking. "Vell..."
He did not look at her, his eyes fixed on Dren.
"Are you hurt?"
"No," she said. "Not really."
Dren tried to inch away, but Vell pressed the end of the pipe against his throat, stopping him.
"Please," he begged. "We will leave. You will never see us again."
Vell's grip tightened on the pipe. Maya could see the struggle in his face, the desire to bring the metal down on Dren's head, to make him pay for what he and his friend had tried to do.
"Vell," she said again, softer this time. "Your leg is bleeding."
For a moment, she thought he had not heard her. Then slowly, his eyes moved from Dren to her face. Something in his expression changed, the cold fury giving way to concern.
"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes."
He looked back at Dren, who lay trembling on the floor. "If I ever see either of you again, I will kill you. Do you understand?"
He nodded frantically. "Yes. Yes, I swear."
Vell stepped back, lowering the pipe slightly. "Get out. Take your friend and go."
Dren scrambled to his feet and grabbed Krev under the arms, dragging him toward the door. Krev was beginning to stir, groaning softly.
"Faster," Vell ordered, following them to make sure they left.
Once they were outside, Dren half-carried, half-dragged his friend down the street, disappearing into the darkness.
Vell closed the broken door as best he could and pushed a shelf in front of it. Then he turned to Maya, the anger in his face replaced by worry.
"Let me see," he said, gently touching her cheek where Krev had hit her.
She winced slightly. "It's nothing."
"It's not nothing." His voice was tight with controlled rage. "I should have killed them both."
"No," she said firmly. "That is not who you are."
"You do not know what I am capable of," he said quietly.
"I do," she insisted. "You are the person who saved me. Not just tonight, but years ago. You are the person who gave me a home when no one else would."
His expression softened slightly. "I heard you fighting. You were brave."
"I was scared," she admitted.
"Being brave does not mean you are not scared," he said. "It means you fight anyway."
A yellow window appeared in front of her.
[Skill Unlocked: Courage Level 1]
[Description: Increased resistance to fear and intimidation]
She stared at the notification in surprise, then looked back at Vell.
"I got a skill."
Despite everything, he managed a small smile. "Oh, what kind this time?"
"Courage," she said, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. "Level one."
"You earned it," he said. Then his face grew serious again. "But do not ever do that again. Wake me next time, no matter what."
"I wanted to let you rest," she explained. "You were hurt protecting me. I thought I could handle it."
"We protect each other," he said firmly. "That is how we survive."
She nodded, understanding now what she had not before. It was not about being strong enough to face things alone. It was about being strong enough to stand together.
"Your leg," she said, noticing the blood that had soaked through his bandage. "You tore it open again."
He glanced down as if just remembering his injury. "It is fine."
"No, it's not," she insisted. "Sit down. Let me fix it."
For once, he did not argue. He limped back to the break room and sat on the couch while she gathered fresh bandages from their supplies.
As she carefully removed the old bandage and cleaned the wound, another notification appeared.
[Skill Enhanced: Basic First Aid Level 2]
[Description: Improved knowledge of wound treatment and care]
She worked in silence, focusing on the task. When she finished, she looked up to find Vell watching her with an expression she could not quite read.
"What?" she asked.
"You have changed," he said. "Since all this started."
"Is that bad?"
He shook his head. "No. You are stronger now. More confident."
"I had a good teacher," she said.
He smiled slightly, then winced as he shifted his leg. "We should leave in the morning. Those men might come back with others."
She nodded. "Where will we go?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "But we will figure it out together."
She sat beside him on the couch, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving her shaky and tired.
"Try to sleep," he said. "I will keep watch this time."
"Are you sure? You need rest too."
"I have rested enough," he said. "Besides, I do not think I could sleep now anyway."
She understood. The memory of those men, of what they had tried to do, would not fade quickly for either of them.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For coming when you did."
He reached out and squeezed her hand briefly. "Always."
As she closed her eyes, she knew it was true. Whatever happened, whatever dangers this new world held, they would face them together.
Not because she was weak and needed protection, but because they were stronger that way.
A final notification appeared before sleep claimed her.
[Quest Completed: Survive the Encounter]
[Experience Gained: 200]
[Current Level: 2 (150/300)]
[Rank Updated: 9,124]
The numbers meant little to her. What mattered was that they had survived. And tomorrow, they would continue to survive, together.