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Chapter 59

First mission (2)

IAM's knees bent slightly as he lined up his next shot. His breathing was even. His hands—steady. From his perch above the field, he had a clear view of the eight spawnlings below, still caught in Jason's field.

Jason's Path method pulsed from his arm-shield like thin, vibrating air, locking the spawnlings in place as if they'd been pinned by invisible threads.

His perch gave him vision—he could see nearly everything. Kepa and Liora rushed forward with deadly coordination, blades sweeping, feet moving in clean formations. Their methods were effective: Liora pinned. Kepa struck. Jason kept the flanks clear and took no unnecessary risks.

IAM didn't waste the chance.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The first bullet cracked through a spawnling's chest cavity. A clean hit—it twitched once, then vanished into nothing.

Bang! Bang!

The second bullet clipped another's leg, knocking it to the ground but not killing it.

Bang! Bang!

Two more. One missed, the other caught the side of a bony torso—damage, but still not fatal.

"Can't hold them much longer," Jason warned, sweat beading across his forehead.

IAM squeezed off one last shot—Bang!—before Jason's hand dropped and the shimmering field around the spawnlings collapsed.

The moment it did, chaos returned.

The spawnlings twitched once, then scattered, leaping and skittering in different directions with terrifying speed.

Jason cursed and re-centered his shield, but didn't re-engage the Path method —he needed to conserve mana for unexpected situations. Kepa and Liora were already sprinting, flanking the weakest of the wounded ones, blades raised.

IAM tried to slow his breathing as he tracked the spawnlings' unpredictable scuttling. Their clicking now sounded closer—erratic, crawling across the back of his neck.

He raised the gun again. The creature he'd crippled earlier was dragging itself sideways, still mobile. He took aim.

Bang!

The shot went wide. His aim had been slightly off—just enough to miss the center mass. The spawnling recoiled and changed direction.

Bang!

This one hit. The creature jerked and flailed—but it didn't vanish. Still alive.

IAM gritted his teeth and fired again—Bang!—finally watching it crumple and dissolve into nothing.

Below, Kepa was breathing hard.

His swings were no longer sharp and precise—they were wide and fueled by momentum. His Path method was still active; the veins along his arms were bulging, and his eyes glowed faintly. But he'd pushed himself early, too hard. He had used far too much mana in a short period of time.

Another spawnling darted toward him, untouched so far.

Kepa grunted and turned, lifting his sword—but he was a second too slow. The spawnling's leg clipped his side, drawing blood and sending him stumbling backward with a choked growl. He caught himself with the blade, jamming it into the dirt, and swore.

Liora was there before the spawnling could follow up. Her spear flashed forward in a spinning arc, precise and punishing. The blade struck one of the spawnling's holes with the perfect angle—crack!—and it vanished.

She didn't say anything, but she cast a look at Kepa that was more order than concern: Get your breath back. Don't collapse yet.

Elsewhere, Mirin and Taye were not doing much better.

The two archer girls had tried to stick together, but the spawnlings didn't move in ways that allowed for comfort zones. Taye's last arrow had glanced off another spawnling's bone plate, doing little more than redirecting its path—straight toward her.

She yelped and ducked, drawing another arrow with trembling fingers.

Mirin fired again—thwip!—but her shot was rushed. It missed the spawnling entirely.

Jason stepped in.

He moved across the field like a wall with feet—shield raised, bracing into the creature's path. With a sharp motion, he slammed it sideways, the shield glowing faintly. The spawnling recoiled—and Liora followed again, spear stabbing upward with mechanical grace.

These two were like well-oiled machines.

He took the moment to scan for another opening.

And that's when the mistake happened.

A spawnling had climbed from a low angle on the opposite side of the rock IAM perched on. It had waited—clever, patient. The others were dying, but this one was unhurt. And it hadn't been seen.

It launched itself over the ridge and landed behind him in one horrible click-click-thud.

His eyes snapped to it just in time to see its chest open—its horrible pit widening like a wound—and a wet snap, and pale smoke shot forward like a sigh.

Hsssss...

The poison fog hit him in the face before he could duck.

Something invaded.

Like a hand slipping into his skull.

His vision dimmed at the edges.

His grip slackened.

Then the thoughts came.

"Why was it you?"

"We died because of you."

His jaw tightened. He tried to raise his gun, but his arms felt sluggish.

" We screamed for help. You ran."

The spawnling moved closer, the clicking from its limbs rattling through his skull like teeth tapping bone.

IAM dropped to a crouch.

He couldn't breathe.

The voices felt like hot oil being poured on his head.

"Now....join us."

"Join us ."

"Join us ".

"Join us. IAM. "

"Join. "

"IAM. "

"IAM! "

"IAM!!! "

"JOIN ME!!!! "

His finger slipped from the trigger.

Across the field—

Thwip!

An arrow whistled through the air and slammed into the spawnling's side, knocking it back—but not killing it. It staggered, hissing, one of its holes still gaping , vapor still pouring out.

Mirin's bow was still raised, but she was already reaching for another arrow, her fingers fumbling.

She shouted, "Taye—NOW!"

Taye was already in position. Her eyes were wild with panic but she didn't hesitate.

Thwip!

The second arrow hit higher, just above the center.

The spawnling jerked once.

Gone.

The vapor ceased instantly.

The twins had combined efforts.

IAM gasped. The fog lifted from his mind like a shroud being yanked off. His thoughts cleared. His breath returned.

He blinked rapidly, the real world bleeding back in.

"...Thank you," he whispered.

Neither Mirin nor Taye responded. But they didn't need to.

Below, the rest of the team was still fighting—and losing control.

Kepa had managed to kill one more, but his movements had slowed, his attacks growing more erratic.

Below, Jason deflected a final lunge from a wounded spawnling and raised his shield again.

Jason's shield flickered with each block.

Mirin's next arrow missed completely.

IAM looked down, forced his arms to steady.

This isn't over.

He raised his gun and took another shot—Bang!—crippling one spawnling dragging itself toward Kepa.

Jason bashed another back with the edge of his shield, buying just enough time for Liora to drive her spear into its core. It vanished.

Taye followed up with another arrow—this one hitting, but only glancing off a rib.

IAM fired again—Bang!—the last uninjured spawnling finally dropped.

And then—

Silence.

No more clicking.

Just panting. Scattered footsteps. The hum of tension still coiled in their chests.

The battlefield was still.

Not a single trace of the creatures remained. No bodies. No blood.

Just exhaustion.

Everyone stood or knelt where they were. No one cheered.

IAM lowered his gun, arms trembling slightly. His back was damp with sweat.

They had survived.

And in the Deadline… sometimes that was enough.