The rain had stopped by the time Mira and Eli reached the small diner two blocks from the bus stop. The place was old, retro—neon signs flickering above the chipped tiles—but it smelled of warmth and coffee, and that was enough.
Mira sat in the booth across from Eli, cradling a steaming mug. Her suitcase was at her side, her fingers nervously tapping against the ceramic cup.
"You sure it's okay we're here?" she asked.
"I know the owner," Eli lied.
He didn't. But the waitress had barely looked twice at them. He figured they had time.
More than anything, he needed to think.
The system hadn't spoken again, but that eerie glow of numbers hovered at the edge of his vision.
21:57:33
One life influenced. Two more to go. But what then?
Would it stop?
Would it demand more?
He wasn't sure what scared him more—the idea that this was a one-time test, or that it was just the beginning.
"You've done this before," Mira said suddenly, her voice soft but sure.
Eli blinked. "What?"
"This... listening. Helping. Like you've been where I am now."
He looked at her for a long moment.
"No. But I know what it feels like to be alone."
They sat in silence, punctuated by the clink of cutlery and the low hum of conversation around them. Mira's eyes never left him. And though she didn't say it, he could feel it—she trusted him. Already. And it scared him, because he wasn't sure if he could protect her.
> Emotion Absorbed: Hope
+1 to Chaos Core
System Sync: Strengthening
Suddenly, a chill pricked his spine.
He turned.
Outside the diner, just across the street, the two figures from before stood still beneath a flickering streetlight. One of them raised a hand—and a shimmer pulsed across the air like a ripple through water.
Eli stood sharply.
"You okay?" Mira asked.
"Stay here," he said, already moving toward the door.
He stepped into the street, soaked in neon and night, eyes fixed on the two strangers. As he approached, he saw them clearly: both wore long black coats, their faces partially hidden by the raised collars. But their eyes glowed—one gold, one violet.
"You're not hallucinations," Eli said quietly.
"No," the golden-eyed man replied. "And neither are you."
Eli's jaw clenched. "Who are you?"
"The same as you. Chosen by systems. Marked."
The violet-eyed one stepped forward. Her voice was calm, cold. "You've felt it, haven't you? The change. The hunger. The shift in your soul."
"I don't want whatever you're offering," Eli replied.
Golden-Eyes smiled. "That's the thing. You don't get to want it. It's already begun."
> New Objective Triggered: Survive System Encounter – Class S
Warning: Opposing System Detected – Chaos Variant
Survival Probability: 32%
A searing pain tore through Eli's arm as the rune on his palm blazed, burning like fire. He dropped to one knee, gasping.
Behind him, Mira had followed.
"Eli!"
"Stay back!" he barked.
The two figures didn't move. They watched.
Evaluating.
And then, just as suddenly, they turned and walked away. The golden-eyed one looked over his shoulder.
"We'll be watching, Eli Marrow. You're not the only one playing this game. And the others... they won't be as patient."
With that, they vanished into the mist.
Mira rushed to his side. "What just happened?!"
He stared at the spot where they had stood, jaw tight, heart racing.
"I think," he whispered, "we just got our first warning."