Nova Force Book 1

ROME

Night had fallen, casting a shadow over the camp, and I lay motionless in the small, dimly lit room of the hut. My thoughts churned like a storm, the looming monstrosities we would face tomorrow gnawing at my confidence. Were we truly prepared? That man had warned us of tens of thousands of MosVamps, yet we had only faced a fraction—a few hundred, at most. What could have wiped out the rest? The thought alone twisted a knot of dread in my stomach. If a mere few hundred had nearly overwhelmed us, what awaited us now?

Unable to sleep, I stepped outside to where a small celebration was taking place. I reached for my necklace, a beautiful piece radiating a golden hue, engraved with the words "reste éveillé dans cette simulation," which meant "to stay awake in this simulation" in English. It had been my motto for a few years, believing in the importance of always being aware of my surroundings and not falling into the trap of this life we live..

I was lost in thought when a voice cut through the air like a knife. "Nice chain you got there, kid," said Lisa, the post-apocalyptic singer whose songs could soften even the hardest of hearts. Her presence was calming yet filled with the weariness of someone who had seen too much. "Didn't mean to startle you. You were zoned out, staring at your pretty chain."

Normally, I would keep my guard up, especially around someone I barely knew. But there was something different about Lisa—something that made me want to confide in her. "It's just... the pressure, you know? Leading the team, trying to stay ahead of these MosVamps, not knowing what's out there. I'm terrified I'll make a mistake that gets someone killed." I let the words spill out before I could stop them, a release of the tension that had been building up for days.

Lisa offered wise words, "Kid, life's very tricky. If you had all the answers and could see tomorrow, that would be cheating, right?"

I chuckled and agreed, "Well, I guess you're right."

She reminded me that faith isn't about knowing the future; it's about trusting in who holds the future. She assured me that I, along with everyone else, held the future in our hands. Encouraging me to trust in God and myself, she reassured me that everything would be fine if we worked together.

"Now that will be $10,000 for my services." She said, laughing. 

Feeling uplifted by our laughter and her heartfelt advice, I cherished this newfound-connection with Lisa. I won't forget her. 

A gentle voice interrupted our conversation—it was Analu, offering her best wishes for tomorrow's endeavor. I reciprocated her well-wishes, acknowledging that we would all need luck for what lay ahead.

With her suggestion to get some rest, we bid each other goodnight. As I settled back into the room, I felt a renewed sense of determination, bolstered by Lisa's words and Analu's support. Tomorrow would be a challenge, but we would face it with hope and unity.

The dawn broke, heavy with anticipation, as we prepared to set out. I sought out Kero, who had displayed unimaginable power last night. "You okay after what happened?"

Kero flexed his hand, his expression grim. "None of the MosVamps got me, but that power... it was too much. My hand's broken."

"So there is a downside to using that kind of strength," I thought grimly.

Our group assembled, a motley crew armed to the teeth: Celestia, Kero, John, Sarah, Analu, Maria, Bobbo, Aiden, his friends, and Mr. Swayden. We had two emergency potions left, and Analu and Maria's healing magic gave us some reassurance. But the tension was palpable as we trudged forward under the blazing sun, the weight of our mission heavy on our shoulders.

The sun's heat was scorching as we ventured on our mission, passing through the breathtaking scenery of towering trees with colorful leaves, resembling a magnificent rainbow forest. In our previous rush, we hadn't taken the time to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings fully. 

However, the lack of any signs of life, be it monsters or animals, left me feeling uneasy.

"This place is dead," I muttered, breaking the silence. "What's going on, Mr. Swayden? You guys hunt in this area, right?"

"You're quite observant and, Yeah," he replied, his voice tense. "And we usually find plenty. Something's not right."

John and Celestia expressed their agreement, but I knew the issue ran deeper. Whatever had killed the MosVamps was likely responsible for the absence of other creatures as well. 

Our journey took a sudden turn when Bobbo, the burly man from the pub, called our attention to four remains of spiked dogs.

"What are these??" Exclaimed Derek as they all examined the skeletal remains.

"These are spiked dog remains, our weapons are made from the spikes of these creatures. The spiked are as sturdy as steel." Kero explained.

Sarah and John warned us about the danger these spiked dogs posed in larger numbers, despite our strength.

"If 15 of them attacked right now, I'm sure a few of us would die." Kero explained.

"Luckily, we've never seen more than 5 at a time." Said Celestia. 

"Rome's the only one who took one out by himself, but that was a lucky case, and he also got hurt. So they aren't a joke." Said Kero.

The rest of the group looked at me with surprise as they heard this, especially Aiden and his friends.

"Wow, so the real problem here now is whatever killed these three monsters." Said Mr. Swayden.

As we continued on our guard, Analu discovered a white cord-like substance that seemed sticky. 

"What the heck, this thing feels so nasty." She said.

"Yea, what is this, it feels like slimy and sticky and silky." Said Maria.

Touching it unintentionally triggered something, and suddenly, I realized what had killed the monsters—we were now in the domain of spiders.

The eerie sound that followed confirmed my suspicion. "Are you all ready? Because I think we'll be fighting spiders," I warned the group, bracing ourselves for the imminent danger.

Mr. Swayden calmly replied, "Yes, I figured."

With heightened vigilance, we prepared to face this new threat, determined to survive whatever awaited us in this perilous domain.

"OH my God, I'm afraid of spiders!!" screamed Maria.

"Just stay in formation and fight for your life.'' I said to her.

A few yards ahead, a swarm of spiders, each about 2/3 the size of a giant rat, charged towards us with alarming speed. I immediately drew my machete and began striking down as many as I could, while the others unleashed a barrage of elemental attacks—fire, water, earth, and even wind—to fend off the relentless creatures. Our combined efforts were proving effective, but the spiders kept coming in relentless waves.

Analu, quick on her feet, suggested, "Let's form a circle with our backs to each other. Don't let any of them get behind us."Kero added, "Aiden, position yourself and shoot any that come your way." Though visibly fearful, Aiden obeyed, standing ready to defend our backs.

The thought of having him watching my back didn't sit right with me, but I had no choice. 

There was a momentary distraction when one of Aiden's friends panicked and attempted to flee. Before anyone could react, the spiders quickly surrounded and overpowered him. His anguished screams pierced through the forest, sending shivers down our spines. We had no choice but to flee for now.

Kero and the other fire users swiftly created a large blaze by burning some wood and trees, providing a temporary barrier as we made our escape. As we ran, my heart pounded in my chest, my eyes darting to check how close the spiders were behind us.

Suddenly, I noticed Aiden fallen on the ground. Instinctively, I sprinted back, slashing and stabbing three spiders that were about to attack him. He got up, tears streaming down his face, and ran away, his expression a mix of fear and gratitude.

"Duck!" Analu shouted, and I immediately followed her command. A spider hurtled over my head, colliding with a tree and bursting into pieces. Analu's timely intervention saved me. "I guess I owe you one," I said gratefully.

"You can repay me when we're safe," she replied with a wry smile. Meanwhile, John and the others sent attacks to deter the spiders closing in on us.

"Come on, let's go!" Mr. Swayden urged us, and we continued our frantic escape. The fear was palpable, and none of us dared to speak as the screeching sound of a spider that filled the air. Suddenly, the creatures stopped their pursuit, and we were left frozen with terror.

"What the heck was that? Why isn't anyone saying anything?" Maria screamed in a state of shock. At that moment, we all shared her sentiments, for we knew that such an eerie silence meant something much bigger and stronger lay ahead. 

The world had changed, and we were about to encounter something far beyond our imagination, something formidable and dangerous that could tip the scales of our survival.