The dawn came grey and uneasy, light spilling through the gaps of the unfinished hall. The air smelled of dust, smoke, and cold stone — a fragile peace after the night of monsters.
Riverside Sanctuary wasn't yet a fortress, but after Tina's barrier burned half the horde to ash, it had become something more.
A haven.
Dozens of survivors packed the main hall — some seated on scavenged benches, others standing in the shadows, wrapped in blankets that still smelled of fear and fire. Their eyes were hollow but alive. They'd seen death, and somehow, they'd outlasted it.
At the center, a table of splintered planks held a crudely drawn map of the city and its outer zones. Ethan leaned over it, silver threads glinting faintly beneath his skin. Marcus stood at his shoulder, arms folded, a silent mountain. Ravi adjusted his cracked glasses and flipped through his notebook.
Today wasn't about survival.
It was about building.
---
The Roll Call
Ravi's voice broke the silence.
"We now number sixty-eight — not counting beasts. If we're going to last, we need structure. We need to know who can fight, who can build, and who can think."
He scanned the pages. "We have ten Titan Bloods, four Speed paths, two nurses, one mechanic, one carpenter, two foragers, a cook, three children showing minor awakening symptoms, and…" His eyes flicked up. "...three Beast Masters."
Whispers ran through the benches.
"Keith. Ellie. And one more."
He nodded toward the doorway, where a young girl stood hesitantly beside Ellie — dark hair tangled, cheeks smudged with soot. She couldn't have been older than thirteen.
"Aria," Ethan said softly. "One of the children rescued last night."
Aria looked down at her hands, voice small. "The screen called me Beast Master, but… I don't have any beasts."
Keith studied her with quiet understanding. "You will. Every bond starts empty. It's the call that matters, not the beasts themselves."
Aria nodded, clutching her worn knife a little tighter. She didn't look brave, but she stood her ground — and in this world, that was enough.
---
Tina's Revelation
Ravi turned another page, his tone shifting.
"There's one more thing. Someone triggered a System event last night."
Every head turned toward Tina.
She sat near the wall, pale but alert, her hands folded in her lap. The faint shimmer of essence still clung to her skin — a residual glow from the barrier that had saved them all.
Ravi tapped the lens on his cracked glasses. Lines of golden text filled the air, projected in shimmering light.
---
[Tina – Level 15 | Path: Sanctum Keeper (Evolution I)]
Title: Saint of the Sanctuary
HP: 420 / 520 Essence: 12 / 210
Strength: 24 Speed: 19 Endurance: 41
Willpower: 58 Intelligence: 32
Abilities
Sanctuary Field (Tier II): Projects a 20-meter purifying barrier that burns corruption (up to 40 % per tick) and grants +25 % healing to allies inside.
Essence Anchor: Allies recover 25 % faster within the field; drains 2 EP per second to sustain.
Radiant Recovery: Converts 30 % of incoming damage into healing for allies.
Divine Threshold (Passive): While the barrier stands, allies take –40 % physical damage.
Title Bonus — Saint of the Sanctuary:
Recognized by the System as a bastion against corruption.
+10 % Willpower +5 % Essence regeneration +5 m Barrier Radius within purified zones.
---
The hall fell silent.
Even the air seemed to hum with the weight of it.
Ravi blinked hard. "You… earned a Title. The System recognized you for what you did last night. That's the first recorded instance of moral acknowledgment."
Marcus gave a low whistle. "Saint, huh? Guess that explains why the beasts lit up like torches when they hit your wall."
Tina's smile was faint but real. "I didn't ask to be a saint. I just refused to run."
Ellie's voice was quiet. "The System saw it anyway."
Keith's gaze lingered on Tina. "Titles mean more than numbers. They change how the world sees you."
Ethan exhaled. "And how it sees us."
Ravi scribbled furiously. "Willpower near sixty… essence recovery scaling in sanctified zones… Tina, you've turned this entire safe zone into a healing node. That barrier doesn't just defend — it sustains."
Marcus smirked. "Then I guess we know who's keeping the lights on."
Tina shook her head. "You're the ones keeping the walls up. I just make sure the dead don't get in."
A quiet ripple of laughter ran through the crowd — nervous, relieved, alive.
---
The Orders
Ethan straightened, his tone shifting to command.
"We're splitting into three task forces. Marcus, you lead the heavy-hitters — bridge patrol. Cull mutants, but let the rookies take the killing blows. Darren, your team focuses on control and precision. Ravi, you go with him — your analysis keeps people alive."
Ravi nodded, already marking notes. "Confirmed. Spear Saint and Savant synergy should double reaction time."
"Keith," Ethan said next, "you and I take Aria. We'll find beasts she can bond with before the next mutation cycle. Clean bonds only. No corruption."
Keith gave a single, sharp nod. "Understood."
Aria's throat bobbed. "If I fail?"
Ethan's gaze softened. "Then you'll try again. Nobody's born a master. You earn it."
---
The Push
The meeting broke. Armor straps tightened, blades were checked, essence stones divided. Fear was still there — always would be — but now it had direction.
Marcus's squad moved first, a wall of muscle and noise. Darren's team followed with quieter precision, Ravi muttering predictions under his breath.
Ethan lingered only long enough to rest a hand on Tina's shoulder. "If anything happens, hold that barrier."
Her eyes met his. "I always do."
He smiled faintly, then turned toward the gate where Keith waited, Aria at his side, nerves taut.
Beyond the wall, the city waited — crawling with twisted beasts and echoes of what used to be human.
As the gates creaked open and sunlight spilled through, the System's faint hum whispered across Ethan's vision:
> [Beast Adaptation Phase – Active]
The world was changing again.
And this time, they were ready to meet it.