Void Reaper: The Essence Apocalypse

After everything he had said—after his final remark echoed and the professor disappeared into the crowd—Adam stood still for a long moment. He could feel the adrenaline finally draining from his body, leaving behind only exhaustion and questions. Had he done the right thing? Had he crossed a line? Maybe he shouldn't have said anything at all. The thought of leaving this base crossed his mind almost automatically.

"Thank you," came a quiet voice beside him.

Layra stood next to him, not meeting his gaze. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, as if ashamed of her own actions.

"For what you said. No one else would've spoken up."

Adam only nodded, not offering any comment. Moments later, the red-haired girl and the boy in the dark sweater—faces he had seen earlier in the crowd—approached Brann.

"We can help," the boy said. "We studied medicine before... well, before everything. We're not doctors, but we know how to treat wounds."

The girl nodded. "At the very least, we can clean the injuries and check for infection."

They carefully helped Brann lower Kael to the floor, treating him like any sudden movement might make things worse. The girl immediately pulled a folded pack of bandages and scissors from her belt. Her movements were swift, but precise. The boy knelt beside her and cut open Kael's pant leg where the blood had soaked through. They spoke in low tones, slipping into medical jargon as if they were back in a hospital instead of a ruined dormitory floor.

"We'll start with cleaning," the girl murmured, reaching for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

"I'll handle the thigh laceration. Might've hit muscle, but there's no sign of necrosis," the boy replied.

Adam watched them with mild astonishment. Their professionalism was unmistakable. The girl's hands were steady, the boy efficient and focused. After finishing with Kael, they moved on to Sareth, carefully inspecting his left forearm. Then to Nira, who had a torn flank, calming her with steady, reassuring words. Brann insisted he was fine, but they cleaned the gash on his neck anyway. Even Layra, despite her stubbornness, allowed them to treat the wound on her leg.

Finally, they turned to Adam.

"We can help you, too."

Adam looked at them for a moment, then shook his head.

"I appreciate it. But I'll handle it myself."

"Really?" the boy asked, raising an eyebrow. "It doesn't look great."

The girl glanced at his forearm and winced. "At least let us clean it. Even if you know what you're doing, it's hard to treat everything by yourself."

Adam hesitated, but their expressions weren't pushy—just genuinely concerned. He sighed and nodded.

"Alright, but make it quick."

He sat back down, and they got to work immediately. The girl gently removed the makeshift bandage he had applied himself.

"Well, that's... creative," she said, lifting an eyebrow. "But a plaster and shirt strip isn't exactly durable."

The boy chuckled. "Hey, could've been worse—at least you didn't tie it off with a zip tie."

Adam felt heat rise in his face.

"I did what I could, alright."

He fell silent and let them work.

When they finished, Adam rose slowly to his feet. "Thanks," he said sincerely. The girl gave a small nod, and the boy smiled.

Adam stepped away and found a quiet corner by the wall. He set down his backpack, sat, and sank into the silence. He took a deep breath, feeling fatigue settle over his shoulders like dust. He glanced at his forearm again—now carefully cleaned and wrapped. No more bleeding, but it burned like hell.

He looked back at the pair tending to Kael and sighed softly.

"Maybe I judged them all too quickly. Maybe some of them... aren't like the rest."

Not long after, Layra and Sareth approached.

"Got a moment?" Sareth asked.

Adam nodded.

"We need to talk. About our situation."

They sat beside him, backs resting against the cold wall.

"Besides us and the students," Sareth began, "there are two other instructors here. Not like Ternwald. They came out with us earlier, but we split up in the city to cover more ground. They haven't come back yet."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Hard to believe anyone still bothers."

Layra smiled faintly. "They care. One of them is Dr. Grzywacz. Do you know him?"

Adam nodded in surprise. "Grzywacz? Economics? Had him for the basics. Good guy. Tough, but principled."

"The other's Professor Kosman. Law," Sareth added. "You might not know him, but I did—I studied law."

Adam lifted a brow. "Really? You don't look like a law student."

Sareth chuckled softly. "And you?"

"Economics."

Sareth nodded. "So I was right. If you had Grzywacz, you must've been in econ."

Adam confirmed with a slight nod. "Yeah. I studied economics."

He hesitated a moment, then added with a faint smile, "A lot of students hated him. Said he was cold, emotionless, too demanding. But I liked him. He was direct. No fluff. And he could actually teach. Not that it helps much now."

Silence fell.

"We've got maybe two days' worth of food," Layra said, scanning the room. "Assuming no one starts stealing."

Adam nodded.

"We were planning a meeting," Sareth added. "Tonight, when Grzywacz and Kosman get back. Time to figure out what's next."

Adam looked toward the hall.

"Good idea. But no point including everyone. Half of them can't even hold a stick right. Better to gather those who can fight. People who can make a difference. We need to decide where to scavenge, how to guard exits, and how to divide responsibilities."

Layra and Sareth nodded in agreement.

Layra looked at him with slight hesitation.

"You think we should invite Ternwald?"

Adam scoffed.

"No point. Not someone who still thinks he's giving orders like it's pre-apocalypse."

They nodded.

Sareth looked at Adam, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

"Actually... how did you stop that professor's punch? That wasn't the same thing you used against the rats."

Layra raised a brow, only now making the connection.

"Right. That was like... an invisible wall."

Adam shrugged with a slight smile.

"I've got this ability," he finally said. "It lets me manipulate objects, levitate them... sometimes form a kind of energy shield. But I'm still learning."

"Damn, that sounds badass," the guy said, clearly impressed. "I wish I had something like that. Mine's purely offensive—just energy blades I can throw. No defense, no support."

Adam froze. The memory of claws raking through his sleeve and cutting his skin resurfaced.

I'm an idiot. A complete idiot. I could've used the shield. Avoided those wounds.

He sighed and shook his head to himself.

Still too far behind. Still don't think clearly in fights. Not even using half of what I can do.

He looked back at the boy and said with a grin:

"One day, you'll get a defensive skill. Maybe even better than mine."

The boy laughed, a spark of hope in his eyes.

Adam turned to Layra.

"And you? Your ability is... singing?"

Layra nodded.

"Yeah. Weird, I know. But it works. My voice boosts others—literally. All allies get a 50% stat increase, and their mana usage drops by around 30%. But it only lasts 30 seconds, then I need a 10-minute cooldown."

Adam looked at her with genuine respect. "Sounds insanely useful. And unique."

But in his mind, one number stuck. Fifty percent. Stat increases of half...

Now, with his own low numbers, it was already significant. But what if someone had 200 points in one stat? Or 500?

That boost would be monstrous. Terrifyingly so.

Suddenly, Valeria's reaction made perfect sense. Layra might look like an ordinary girl, but with that kind of ability... in Adam's eyes, she became something more. A terrifying force with unimaginable potential.

Layra blushed slightly but said nothing.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed at the entrance.

Two men in worn jackets with backpacks stepped into view. Their faces were tired.

The professors had returned.