The growl outside Jane's workshop sent a shiver down Jax's spine. Red eyes glinted through the cracks of the window, their glow piercing the dim light like daggers. He tightened his grip on the wrench, feeling its weight as a small comfort against the frantic pounding of his heart. The air grew thick with the foul stench of rot seeping under the door.
"Threat detected," the Construct's voice buzzed coldly in his mind. "Energy reserves: 7%. Flee or fight?"
"Flee," Jax managed to whisper. Fighting was off the table—his body cried for rest, and the Construct was nearly drained. He glanced at Jane, frozen with her stun gauntlet humming faintly, her eyes darting between the door and window as she weighed their options.
"Jane," he hissed. "We need to move."
She nodded, snapping into action. "Back door. Now!" She slung her backpack over her shoulder and sprinted toward a rusty hatch in the corner. Jax followed, dragging heavy legs but pushing forward. The growls escalated, accompanied by the scraping of claws on wood. Whatever was out there was closing in.
Jane yanked open the hatch, revealing a narrow, fog-shrouded alley. "Go!" she urged, shoving him ahead. The cold air hit Jax like a slap. Jane slammed the hatch behind them, but a crash echoed from the workshop—wood splintering, glass shattering.
"They're in," Jax gasped, his breath hitching. He tightened his grip on the wrench, scanning the alley for movement. Shadows shifted at the far end—definitely not human. More undead. "We're surrounded."
Jane cursed quietly, her gauntlet sparking to life. "Not yet. Follow me." She darted through a maze of crates and broken barrels, her boots splashing in puddles. Jax ran after her, ignoring the ache in his chest. The Construct chimed in mockingly.
"Energy reserves: 8%. Recovery in progress."
"Perfect timing," Jax mumbled, ducking under a low beam. The alley twisted into a labyrinth of crumbling walls and rusty pipes, resembling a forgotten graveyard. The snarls behind them grew closer, urgent.
Jane skidded to a halt, pointing at a ladder bolted to the wall. "Up! The roof is our best chance." She started climbing, her backpack clanging behind her. Jax hesitated, glancing back. Three undead wolves rounded the corner, jaws dripping black ooze. Panic surged. They were running out of time.
He scrambled up the ladder, the wrench slipping from his sweat-slick palm. It clattered to the ground, and the wolves' heads snapped toward the noise. "Sorry!" Jax shouted to Jane, who was already on the roof.
"Get moving, you idiot!" she shouted, leaning over the edge. Her gauntlet unleashed a burst of blue light, hitting the lead wolf and staggering it, but it didn't back down, claws scratching the wall beneath.
Jax pulled himself onto the roof, gasping for breath. Below him, the slums spread out—a patchwork of shanties and flickering lanterns; in the distance, the spires of the Arcane Alliance glowed, taunting him with safety. They were on their own.
Jane seized his arm, dragging him to a plank connecting the two roofs. "Let's go. We can lose them in the market."
Jax nodded but felt lightheaded, his knees trembling. The Construct warned him again: "Energy reserves: 9%. Overexertion risks collapse." Gritting his teeth, he fought to keep moving. Collapse was not an option.
They crossed the plank, the wood creaking underfoot as the wolves reached the roof behind them, their claws scraping tiles. Jax glanced back, heart racing. "They won't stop!"
Jane leaped to the next roof, landing heavily. Jax followed, nearly slipping on loose shingles. The market was close—he could hear voices and smell roasting meat. If they could just slip into the crowd...
A howl rang out, too close. Jax turned, blood running cold. One wolf had leaped across, its rotting frame crashing onto the roof. Jane shot her gauntlet again, but the spark fizzled, barely singeing the creature.
"Out of power," she said, backing away. "Any bright ideas, magic boy?"
Jax's mind raced. The Construct was his only hope, but at 9% energy, he risked passing out again. Yet standing still meant certain death. "Cover me," he said, raising his hands.
Jane tossed a smoke bomb from her pack. A gray fog billowed, concealing them from the wolf. "Make it quick!"
Jax closed his eyes, focusing on the hum of the Construct. "Elemental," he breathed, envisioning fire. Nothing. His chest felt tight; his energy was too low. "Come on," he growled, trying again. A flicker of orange sparked in his palm before dying.
"Energy insufficient for Elemental. Alternative: Shadow. Confirm?"
"Shadow?" Jax hesitated, uneasy. Shadow felt wrong—cold and slippery, as if it would consume him. But the wolf was inching closer, and Jane's smoke was dissipating. "Fine. Shadow."
A chilling surge coursed through him; his hands glowed an inky black. He thrust them forward, unleashing a wave of darkness that enveloped the wolf. It froze, its red eyes dimming before collapsing, twitching as if life had been drained from it.
Jax swayed, vision blurring. "Energy reserves: 3%. Critical."
Jane caught him, her face a mix of awe and concern. "Holy crap, Jax. You did it!"
"Barely," he panted, leaning against her. The other wolves remained a threat, their howls echoing through the air. "We're not safe yet."
She nodded, pulling him toward the market. They slid down a slanted roof into a narrow street packed with stalls. Merchants hawked their wares, selling bread and scrap while Freefolk bartered under flickering lights. Jax and Jane pressed through the crowd, blending in.
"Keep your head down," Jane instructed. "We need a safe place to hide."
Jax nodded weakly, feeling as if his legs could give out any second. The Construct's hum was fading fast. He couldn't fight again—not now. They ducked into an alley behind a fish stall, the odor masking their scent. Jane crouched down to check her gauntlet. "I need to recharge this. You okay?"
"No," Jax admitted, collapsing against the wall. His chest burned, and a throb radiated from where the wolf had grazed him. "This Construct... it's breaking me."
Jane's expression softened. "You're alive, and that's what counts. We'll find a way."
He wanted to trust her, but doubt gnawed at his insides. The Construct might give him power, but it came with a cost—Necromancers, undead, and a system that didn't care if he shattered. "What if I can't handle it? What if I'm just... weak?"
Jane grabbed his shoulder, her grip steady. "You're not weak, Jax. You just took down a zombie wolf with magic you learned yesterday. That's impressive."
He managed a faint smile. "You're too kind sometimes."
"Shut up." She smirked but then her eyes flicked toward the alley entrance. "We're not safe yet. Those things are still out there, and if Necromancers are involved..."
Jax's stomach twisted. The memories of the Necromancer's words—"Something my master wants"—haunted him. "They know about the Construct," he said. "They're coming for me."
"Then we stay ahead of them." Jane stood, offering her hand. "Let's find that journal you mentioned. We need to figure out what this thing really is. Deal?"
"Deal." Jax took her hand and pulled himself up. He ached all over, but Jane's determination drove him forward. They had to keep moving.
A scream echoed through the market, freezing them in place. The crowd scattered, revealing a cloaked figure with red runes glowing on his gloves. The same Necromancer from the lab, his scar gleaming as he raised a hand. The ground trembled, bones bursting through to assemble a skeletal beast—half wolf, half nightmare.
"Thorne!" the Necromancer shouted, his voice slicing through the chaos. "You can't hide!"
Jax felt time freeze, heart pounding. The crowd was gone, leaving him and Jane vulnerable. Jane's gauntlet was out of commission, and his energy reserves were empty. They were out of options.
"Emergency protocol recharged," the Construct announced. "Activate? Warning: High risk to host."
Jax looked at Jane, her face pale but resolute. The skeletal beast charged forward, claws tearing through the street. He had no choice.
"Activate," he whispered.
Light erupted from his chest, blinding and searing. Pain exploded through him, worse than anything he had experienced. He screamed, and the world faded into white.
When the light waned, the Necromancer was staggering, the skeletal beast crumbling to dust. But Jax was on his knees, blood trickling from his nose. Jane caught him as he fell, her voice distant.
"Jax! Stay with me!"
Darkness closed in around him, just before he caught sight of the Necromancer's cold, knowing grin. "We'll meet again, boy."
Then, nothing.