"Telepathic Link?" Felicia whispered, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar words on the glowing screen. "What does that do?"
Curiosity gnawed at her, and without thinking, she mentally selected the talent.
[Telepathic Link]
[Description:
The Telepathic Link talent allows the user to form a mental connection with any living creature within a 10-meter radius. When activated, the minds of both the user and the target become intertwined, functioning as one mind in two bodies. This connection transcends verbal communication, granting an intimate exchange of thoughts, emotions, and instincts.
Effects:
Shared Senses:
Both the user and the linked target experience the world through each other's senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, allowing them to react to threats and opportunities with heightened awareness.
The user can process information from both perspectives simultaneously, effectively doubling their field of perception.
Emotional states are shared, meaning pain, fear, or focus can influence both parties equally.
Stat Enhancement:
While linked, the user and target experience a 10% increase in all stats, enhancing physical and mental capabilities beyond their natural limits.
This boost allows for greater strength, agility, and endurance, as well as sharper cognitive functions and faster reaction times.
Limitations:
Range: The link is limited to 10 meters. Moving beyond this distance will weaken the connection and eventually sever it.
Duration: Maintaining the link for extended periods strains the user's mental endurance, potentially leading to fatigue or disorientation.
Risk of Overload: Intense emotions or physical trauma experienced by either party may overwhelm the user's mind, leading to confusion or temporary incapacitation.
Consent: While weaker minds can be linked without resistance, stronger-willed individuals or intelligent creatures may resist the connection.]
---
"What the... What the hell?" Felicia hissed under her breath, making sure her voice didn't carry beyond the janitor closet.
Her eyes darted nervously to the glowing screen. "Why would I want to connect my mind to random people?" she muttered, furrowing her brows.
Then, a thought crossed her mind, and a mischievous grin crept onto her face. "Wait... maybe if I connect my mind to Nora..."
She snorted, barely holding back a chuckle.
Eventually, the growls grew faint before fading into silence. Felicia held her breath, straining her ears for any sound that might indicate a zombie was still nearby.
Certain that no zombies were nearby, Felicia carefully opened the closet door.
Slowly, she stepped into the hallway, gripping a mop stick in her hands. She had broken off the mop head earlier, leaving the jagged end as sharp as possible.
Without hesitation, she headed straight for the stairwell. Thanks to her earlier encounter, the door was already wide open, and she slipped through without a second thought.
Unfortunately for her, she was on the fourth floor, which meant she had eight flights of stairs to descend, each one a gamble, hoping she wouldn't run into any zombies.
Moving as quietly as possible, Felicia carefully made her way down.
She managed to descend four flights before spotting her first obstacle.
It was the janitor. He stood hunched over, shuffling aimlessly as he repeatedly walked into the wall, oblivious to anything else around him. No matter how many times he hit it, he simply kept moving forward, trapped in a mindless loop.
Crouched at the top of the stairs, Felicia watched the zombie carefully. "Damn, it's Mr. Barney," she muttered under her breath.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. "Calm down, girl. Let's see if this works."
Focusing on the janitor, she reached out with her mind, attempting to activate her Telepathic Link.
A red screen flickered to life before her eyes.
[No target nearby]
Felicia frowned. "Huh?"
Felicia stared at the red screen, blinking in confusion. "No target nearby?" she whispered. She glanced at Mr. Barney again, watching the way he mindlessly bumped into the wall.
"Well, he's right there," she muttered, furrowing her brows. She reached out mentally once more, focusing harder this time, but the same message appeared.
[No target nearby]
Felicia sighed, gripping the mop stick tighter. "Guess zombies don't count as 'living,' huh?" she mumbled. She wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse.
Peering down the stairwell, she checked for any other movement. Seeing none, she took a deep breath and began descending the stairs as quietly as possible. Each step creaked under her weight, and she winced, pausing briefly to make sure Mr. Barney hadn't noticed.
The janitor remained oblivious, still shuffling against the wall.
Felicia exhaled slowly and crept past him, pressing her back against the stairwell railing. Her eyes stayed locked on the zombie, her pulse pounding in her ears. Step by step, she inched her way down, careful not to draw attention.
Just as she reached the next landing, her foot brushed against a discarded soda can.
Clink.
Felicia froze.
Mr. Barney's head jerked up, his cloudy, lifeless eyes locking onto her. A low, guttural growl escaped his throat.
Felicia didn't hesitate. She bolted toward the shuffling zombie, raising her makeshift weapon in an instant.
Squelch!
The jagged end of the mop stick pierced through the zombie's neck, pinning him against the wall.
Mr. Barney let out a wet, gurgling sound, his arms twitching weakly. Blackened blood oozed from the wound, staining the already filthy uniform he wore. Felicia grimaced, pressing all her weight against the stick to keep him in place.
"Stay down," she muttered through gritted teeth, her heart pounding in her chest.
The zombie thrashed, gnashing its teeth and clawing at the air, but with the stick lodged deep in its throat, it couldn't do much more than writhe in place. Felicia could feel the resistance in her hands, the unnatural strength of whatever Mr. Barney had become.
Taking a shaky breath, she reached for a nearby fire extinguisher mounted on the wall. Gripping it tightly, she raised it high over her head and brought it down with all her strength.
CRACK!
The zombie's head caved in under the force of the blow, a sickening crunch echoing through the stairwell. Mr. Barney's body twitched one last time before going limp.
Felicia stepped back, panting, watching the lifeless form slump against the wall, the mop stick still lodged in place.
"Okay," she whispered, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. "Okay, I can do this."
[+1 Zombie killed. ]
Felicia stood over Mr. Barney's body, her hands still gripping the mop stick. Her pulse was racing, but she forced herself to focus, ignoring the rising panic in her chest.
Focus.
Felicia closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. When she opened her eyes, she stared at the screen that had appeared in front of her.
[+1 Zombie killed.]
"Just like a game?" she whispered, still trying to process everything. "Kill and level up, is that it?" She tightened her grip on the mop stick, her knuckles white. "What do I need to do before I can level up?"
Another screen popped up in front of her.
[Status]
Name: Felicia Dane
Race: Human
Tier: 1 | Level: 1
Milestone: [0/1]
Resources: HP: 10 | MP: 5
Talent: Telepathic Link
Active Skills (2/20): Connect, Transfer.
"Milestones?" she muttered, her eyes narrowing in thought. She focused on the word and a sub screen appeared.
[Milestones: 0/1 : Slay six zombies. Zombies slain: 1/6]
"Hmm. I see." She nodded sagely. "I just have to kill five more of these things. Yeah I'm cooked."
She dismissed the screen and continued down the stairwell, her steps more deliberate now.
She took a deep breath and moved forward. The hall ahead of her was empty, for now. But she couldn't help the creeping feeling that something was wrong. The quiet was too unnerving.
That's when she heard it.
A faint growl, distant but growing louder.
Her heart leaped into her throat. She pressed herself flat against the wall, trying to suppress the instinct to panic. The sound of shuffling footsteps came next, followed by another guttural growl.
Shit.
Another growl, closer now. She could hear the scraping of feet on the floor.
Felicia glanced down at her hands. The mop stick still felt sturdy in her grip, but the tension in her muscles told her that her last fight had already drained some of her energy. She needed to keep her wits about her.
"Telepathic Link…" she muttered under her breath.
The talent that had almost seemed like a joke earlier was now the only thing she had that could give her an advantage. She mentally activated it, trying to link herself with the closest living creature.
A red screen popped up.
[No target nearby]
Felicia frowned, looking around. She didn't see any living creatures, just the zombies approaching in the stairwell. The link was useless.
But this also confirmed her worst fear, there were no living beings nearby. The entire building was filled with zombies, and she was the only survivor.
[Multiple targets located]
Or not.