Adams had been walking for twenty minutes when he heard the gunfire.
He paused, and listened.
Three shots, then another five in quick succession.
The sound was coming from the street ahead.
Adams gripped the metal rod he pulled from the creature’s corpse and approached the sound.
The next intersection had six police officers cornering a creature.
It was smaller than the one Adams killed, but faster.
It weaved between the overturned cars as the officers fired.
"Stay away from the civilians!"
One officer shouted as he fired.
Adams recognized him; Daniel Okoro, a Police Sergeant, and his neighbor.
Adams had seen him buy bread from the roadside huts as he patrolled the nearby streets.
Daniel fired again.
The creature ducked, and another officer screamed as it appeared in front of him.
Daniel tackled him onto the ground.
"Down!"
The creature struck, sending the officer flying.
Daniel raised his gun, but the creature was already on him.
Adams did not think.
He charged, his metal rod colliding with the creature’s skull.
It turned, and Daniel stared at him.
"Who the hell are you?"
Adams did not answer.
The creature pounced at him, but he sidestepped the attack.
Daniel fired into its side.
It stumbled back, and Adams drove the rod forward.
The other officers joined in the fray, and after a few moments, the creature fell to the ground.
«[Hostile entity defeated.]
[Experience gained.]»
Adams looked at their joined forces.
"You all get those messages?"
Daniel lowered his gun.
"What messages?"
Adams pointed at the sky.
"You know, from the System."
Daniel looked at him up and down.
"You can see it?"
"Can’t you?"
Daniel frowned.
"No."
Adams was about to respond when another voice answered.
"I can."
A young woman stepped out from behind a ruined car.
She was around twenty, Adams guessed, wearing a dust-stained university hoodie.
A thin cut decorated her forehead.
Adams did not know her, but her eyes locked onto the fallen creature.
"You killed that thing?"
"Mostly," Adams replied.
"You hit it with a metal rod."
"Yes."
"That’s insane."
Adams shrugged.
"I’ve had a strange night."
Her lips twitched.
Almost a smile.
Then suddenly, a message appeared in front of anyone who could see it.
It hovered there, the words glowing.
«[Global Awakening, Phase One has begun.]
[All compatible humans may now awaken.]
[Please select your Class.]»
The girl immediately reached out for it, but Adams stopped her.
"Wait."
She turned to him, eyes narrowing.
"Why?"
"We don’t exactly know what happens when we choose one."
Her frowned deepened.
"You don’t have a class?"
"No."
"Then why are you Level 2?"
Adams opened his mouth to respond, but the girl spoke again.
"My name is Mira," She introduced, looking past Adams at the officers.
"Mira Adeyemi"
Daniel gave a curt nod.
"Mira was one of the civilians we rescued from the building complex."
Adams gave a short nod as well.
"Adams."
Mira gave a small smile.
"Nice to meet you, Adams."
Another explosion interrupted the conversation.
People in the street looked toward the city as another creature appeared on the horizon.
Two more followed after it.
Daniel cursed.
"We should get moving."
"Moving where?" one officer asked.
"The stadium," Daniel replied, pointing east.
"The military is gathering civilians there."
Adams immediately thought of Elena.
"Is there any communication?"
"No," Daniel replied.
"Radio signals are all scrambled."
Adams looked down at his phone, which gave no signal.
His heart seemed to stop as panic surged through him.
Elena could be anywhere.
Alive or dead, injured or safe.
"We’re going to the stadium," Adams said
Daniel looked at him.
"You’re coming?"
"I need to find someone."
"So do half the city."
They began their trek, and Adams walked beside the girl, Mira.
"You really don’t have a class?"
"No," Adams replied.
"That’s strange."
"So I’ve been told."
Mira smiled.
"I chose Mage."
Suddenly, a bright blue light surrounded her hand.
A tiny, dancing flame hovered over her palm.
Adams’ eyes widened in surprise.
"That’s useful," He remarked.
"Hopefully."
She clenched her fist, putting out the flame.
"What’s yours?"
"I don’t have one."
"I mean your ability."
Adams stared at her.
He recalled the battle they just fought, and the strange occurrence when he was struck.
"I can see things."
"Like what?"
Adams looked at her.
For a moment, a strange information overlay appeared above her.
«[Name: Mira Adeyemi]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 1]
[Class: Mage]
[Mana: 43/43]
[Potential: C+]»
He blinked, and it vanished.
Mira looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing," Adams replied, not telling her the truth.
His ability had activated again.
Strange, he had not consciously thought of seeing her information.
He narrowed his eyes, looking at Daniel.
«[Name: Daniel Okoro]
[Level: 3]
[Class: Guardian]
[Potential: B]»
He looked away, surprised.
That was new.
Another message appeared in front of him.
«[Unique skill unlocked.]
[Archon’s Eye.]»
Adams stopped walking as he stared at it.
"What?"
Mira turned to him.
"Did you say something?"
"No."
The message was still there.
«[Archon’s Eye...]
[Rank: ...]
[Description: ...Perceive information concealed from ordinary senses...]»
Adams stared at the text.
So that was what was happening.
It suddenly occurred to him that his battle senses were not improving.
They had not clicked in when he was fighting.
Rather, he had been able to see things that should have been invisible to him.
A scream echoed in the distance, and Daniel raised his gun.
"Everyone, take cover!"
Three creatures burst from an alley, and the officers opened fire.
The woman or rather, Mira, raised her hand.
"Move!"
A fireball shot from her palm, connecting with one of the creatures and sending it flying.
Adams charged at the second, swinging his rod.
It blocked his attack, sending a gash across his chest.
He stumbled back, blood seeping from the wound.
Mira cried out his name, but he ignored her.
Through the pain, he saw the creature as if he was looking at its true form.
It was easy to see now, thanks to whatever strange ability he had.
Right below its jaw, a mass of energy pulsed.
It was a weakness.
Adams ran forward, and the creature opened its maw, clearly preparing to strike him down.
He drove his rod upward, impaling it in the mass.
The creature fell to the ground, and another message appeared.
«[Level up!]»
A warm feeling surged through Adams’ body, and his wounds closed.
Mira gaped at him.
"You just leveled up."
"Apparently," He muttered.
"What are you?"
Adams looked at her.
"I don’t know."
This time it was not a lie.
For once, it was the truth.
The System suddenly appeared in front of him again.
«[Level 3]
[Available Attribute Points: 10]»
Then it flickered.
«[Soul: ERROR]»
Adams frowned.
Again.
The same error had occurred the last time he used his ability.
It would appear, that this too, was not an ability.
«[Attempting deeper analysis...]»
The System froze, and then suddenly changed its message.
«[Analysis failed.]»
It took a moment before another message appeared.
This one, was only visible to Adams.
«[Warning.]»
He felt his skin crawl as he stared at the text.
«[Do not allow the System to complete the analysis.]»
Adams narrowed his eyes.
He did not touch the message, nor did he touch anything else.
For once, the System was warning him.
Not telling him what to do, but warning him not to do something he had no idea he was about to do.
He closed the window and looked ahead.
Through the darkness, he could see the lights of the stadium.
Thousands upon thousands of people had gathered there, and military vehicles encircled the gates.
Adams felt relief flood through him, but it was short lived.
He scanned the crowd, searching for one person.
But there was no one.
His phone suddenly buzzed in his hand, making him freeze.
He looked at the screen, and a message appeared.
It was from Elena.
"Adams, don’t come to the stadium."
Another one followed.
"They’re not protecting us."
Then the phone went dark.
Adams looked at the screen in horror.
Something was very wrong.
And for the first time, he wondered if the creatures were truly the greatest threat to humanity.