The First Spark
1149 Words
The wind screamed in Xin’s ears as Mei’s floating bike zoomed through the ruined streets. Behind them, the rock monster—a giant beast of stone and sparking electricity—let out a roar that shattered the windows of nearby shops.
"He’s gaining on us!" Xin yelled, looking over his shoulder. Each time the monster stepped, the ground cracked. "What do I do?"
"You've got the Engine in your chest, Window Boy! Give it some gas!" Mei shouted back, steering the bike through a narrow alleyway.
"Warning," the voice in Xin’s head spoke again. "Host heartbeat is too high. Level 1 energy is unstable. To reach Level 2, you must synchronize with the threat."
"Synchronize? You want me to be friends with that thing?" Xin asked.
"No. You must absorb its impact to unlock the 'Kinetic Burst' path."
Xin looked at the monster. It was lifting a massive chunk of a fallen bus, ready to throw it at them. "Mei, stop the bike!"
"Are you crazy? We’re finally making distance!"
"Just do it! I have an idea, and if it doesn't work, well... at least you have a cool bike!"
Mei slammed on the brakes, the bike sliding sideways in a cloud of dust. Xin jumped off before it even stopped. He stood in the middle of the road, his legs shaking. He felt small. The monster towered over him, its body made of jagged granite and pulsing yellow lightning.
The beast threw the bus.
"Xin, move!" Mei screamed.
Xin didn't move. He planted his feet. He focused all his thoughts on the silver mark on his chest. Don't let me die. Don't let me die.
The bus slammed into him. But instead of crushing him into a pancake, a shimmering silver dome flickered into existence. The bus hit the shield and stopped dead in mid-air, held by a ripple of gravity.
[Absorption: 40%... 70%... 100%]
[Energy Overflow Detected. Upgrading Host...]
[Level 2 Unlocked: The Rebounder.]
The silver mark on Xin’s chest expanded. The light turned from a soft glow into a brilliant, electric blue. He felt a rush of power so strong it made his hair stand on end. He felt like he could jump over the moon.
"My turn," Xin whispered.
He pushed his hands forward. The energy he had absorbed from the bus's impact didn't just disappear—it shot back out. A wave of blue force hit the rock monster like a physical wall. The beast’s stone chest shattered into dust, and the lightning inside it fizzled out. The monster collapsed into a pile of ordinary rocks.
Xin fell to his knees, gasping for air. His arms felt like they were on fire.
Mei ran over, her heavy wrench still in hand. She stared at the pile of rocks, then at Xin. "Okay... that was actually pretty impressive for a guy who usually just uses a squeegee."
"I think... I'm going to throw up," Xin panted.
"Save it for later," Mei said, her face suddenly turning pale. She pointed toward the city center.
The golden fortress in the sky was no longer just floating. It had lowered a massive, glowing spire that touched the roof of the tallest building—the same building Xin had fallen from. The air around the spire was turning purple, and people were being lifted off the streets by strange beams of light.
"They're harvesting," Mei whispered, her voice trembling for the first time. "They aren't just looking for the Engine. They’re taking people back to Earth-6."
Xin looked at the silver mark on his arm. It was pulsing slowly now, like a heartbeat. He thought of Old Chen. He hadn't seen Chen since the fall. Was he being pulled up into that ship?
The realization hit him hard. He wasn't just a survivor anymore. He was the reason these monsters were here. If he hadn't been on that scaffolding, maybe the meteor would have just hit an empty park.
"It's my fault," Xin said, his voice low.
Mei grabbed his shoulder. Her hand was greasy and rough, but her grip was firm. "Listen to me, Xin. You didn't ask for that rock to hit you. But you're the only one who can stop them. Look at your hand."
Xin looked. Small blue sparks were still dancing between his fingers.
"You just took down a Level 1 Sentinel," Mei said. "My grandpa’s notes say the Engine grows by fighting. If you get to Level 5, you might be able to shut down that spire. But we need help. We need the Resistance."
"Where are they?"
"In the old subway tunnels. But to get there, we have to cross the 'Gray Zone'—the part of the city the Elementals have already terraformed."
Xin looked toward the downtown area. It didn't look like his city anymore. Giant, crystalline trees were growing out of the asphalt, and the air was filled with a thick, glowing fog. The world was being rewritten right in front of his eyes.
"Then let's go," Xin said, standing up. He felt a new weight on his shoulders—not the weight of the debris, but the weight of every life in Jiangnan. "I need to get stronger. Fast."
They hopped back on the bike and sped toward the fog. As they entered the Gray Zone, the temperature dropped. The buildings were covered in a weird, silver moss that seemed to be breathing.
"Stay quiet," Mei cautioned. "The 'Sound-Eaters' hunt in the fog."
Just as she said it, a long, thin shadow darted across the road. It looked like a spider made of glass, its legs clicking on the pavement.
"Host Caution," the voice in Xin’s head warned. "New Enemy Type detected: Stealth Class. Level 2 energy may not be enough for a direct hit."
"Great," Xin muttered. "Any suggestions?"
"Unlock Level 3: 'Thermal Vision.' Requirement: Defeat an enemy without using your eyes."
Xin froze. "You want me to do what?"
Suddenly, the bike was jerked sideways. An invisible force had grabbed the back wheel. Mei screamed as they were dragged into a dark, moss-covered parking garage.
The bike flipped, throwing them onto the cold concrete. In the darkness, Xin could hear something crawling on the ceiling—something fast, something invisible, and something very hungry.
"Xin! I can't see it!" Mei cried out, swinging her wrench at the shadows.
Xin stood in the dark, his heart racing. He closed his eyes. He remembered what the voice said. He had to stop looking with his eyes and start feeling the Engine.
Click. Click. Click.
The Sound-Eater was right above his head
- Writer
