Tower System

Chapter 4: Allies in the Dark

1 day later

Dinl crouched near the shattered entrance of the Toronto Eaton Centre, his sharp gaze scanning the dimly lit interior. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the groans of zombies echoing faintly from the upper levels. Tightening his grip on the knife in his hand, he adjusted the straps of his bag, the tripwires inside jingling softly.

He'd scouted the area earlier. The mall wasn't just teeming with the undead—it was also where the larger threats, the giant zombies, congregated. Dinl needed those points. Every kill brought him closer to dominating this preliminary stage and earning the advantages he needed for the Tower.

His focus snapped to movement near the food court. A group of zombies stumbled across the tile, their decayed limbs jerking unnaturally. Dinl prepared to move, but the sound of hurried footsteps behind him made him freeze.

He turned sharply, knife raised, to see two figures emerging cautiously from the shadows. The first was a stocky man in his forties, gripping a bat with white knuckles. The second was a younger woman with sharp eyes and a crowbar resting on her shoulder. Both looked equally wary as they spotted him.

"Whoa, easy!" the man said, raising his free hand in a gesture of peace. "We're not here to fight."

Dinl didn't lower his knife. "What do you want?"

"We're looking for somewhere safe," the woman said bluntly, her eyes narrowing as she assessed him. "The streets are a death trap. The mall looked...manageable."

Dinl's gaze flicked between them, weighing his options. He didn't trust anyone, but the mall was crawling with threats, and having a distraction—intentional or not—could work to his advantage.

"Fine," he said coldly, lowering his weapon but keeping his distance. "But don't get in my way."

The man exhaled in relief and extended his hand. "I'm Jake. This is Sarah."

Dinl ignored the gesture. "Dinl."

Sarah glanced at him, her expression skeptical. "You're alone?"

Dinl's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "I work better that way."

Before either could respond, another figure appeared from the stairwell to their right. This one moved with deliberate calm, his dark eyes scanning the group. It was Zeke, his weapon already drawn.

"You all just decided to have a meeting here?" Zeke said, his tone light but edged with suspicion. He nodded toward Dinl. "Figured I'd run into you again."

Dinl raised an eyebrow. "And you followed me?"

"No," Zeke said simply, looking at Jake and Sarah. "I just got lucky. Who are they?"

Jake opened his mouth, but Sarah cut him off. "Just survivors trying to get by. We don't have time for introductions, though—there are zombies everywhere."

"She's not wrong," Zeke said. "We need to move before the noise draws more of them."

The group moved cautiously through the mall, their footsteps muffled against the cracked tiles. Dinl led the way, his eyes darting between the dim storefronts and the shadows ahead. The second floor was where the giant zombies were most active—he was sure of it.

"Why's it so quiet down here?" Jake whispered, gripping his bat tightly.

"It's not," Dinl replied. "They're up there." He pointed toward the escalator, where faint groans echoed from above. "If you want to live, don't waste time asking questions."

Jake swallowed nervously but nodded. Sarah, on the other hand, kept her crowbar raised, her gaze sharp. "What's your plan?"

Dinl crouched near the base of the escalator and began pulling tripwires from his bag. "We set a trap. Zeke and I will go upstairs and draw the giants down here. You two hold this position and keep any smaller zombies off the trap."

Jake paled. "Giants? As in giant zombies?"

"You've never seen one?" Zeke asked, smirking slightly. "They're big, fast, and dangerous. Lucky for us, they're also stupid."

"Lucky isn't the word I'd use," Jake muttered.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Sarah asked, crossing her arms as she watched Dinl tie the tripwires to the escalator's metal rails.

"It'll work," Dinl said curtly, his fingers moving with practiced efficiency. "As long as you do your part."

"And what happens if it doesn't?" Sarah pressed, her tone challenging.

"Then you die," Dinl said bluntly, meeting her gaze. "Simple as that."

Sarah's jaw tightened, but she didn't argue. Jake, however, gave her a worried look. "We don't have a choice, do we?"

"No," Dinl said, standing and dusting off his hands. "You don't."

Dinl and Zeke ascended the escalator cautiously, their weapons at the ready. The second floor was a maze of overturned shelves and shattered glass. Shadows loomed in the corners, and the groans of the undead grew louder with every step.

"There," Dinl whispered, nodding toward the far end of the floor. A hulking figure moved near a broken fountain, its massive frame towering over the smaller zombies around it. The giant zombie dragged its deformed limbs with unnerving speed, its empty eyes scanning for prey.

"How many do you think there are?" Zeke asked quietly.

"Two, maybe three," Dinl replied. "We only need one to fall into the trap."

"Great," Zeke muttered. "I'll take the lead."

Before Dinl could respond, Zeke raised his voice, shouting toward the giant. "Hey! Over here, you Disgusting corpse!"

The giant's head snapped toward them, and with a guttural roar, it charged. Smaller zombies scattered as the massive creature barreled forward, its footsteps shaking the ground.

"Run," Dinl ordered, already sprinting back toward the escalator.

The giant pursued them, its grotesque form smashing through obstacles in its path. Dinl leapt over the tripwire at the base of the escalator and turned sharply, watching as Zeke did the same a moment later. The giant wasn't so lucky. Its massive frame hit the tripwire, sending it toppling forward with a thunderous crash.

Jake and Sarah immediately sprang into action, intercepting a group of smaller zombies that had followed the giant. Jake's swings were clumsy but effective, while Sarah's strikes were precise and brutal, her crowbar cracking skulls with ease.

Dinl darted forward and drove his knife into the back of the giant's neck, twisting it with all his strength. The creature let out a final, guttural groan before collapsing.

System Notification:

"First kill of a giant zombie: 1,000 points."

"Level up!"

Dinl didn't waste time celebrating. He knelt by the corpse and pried a glowing crystal orb from its chest. The faint light reflected in Zeke's curious gaze.

"What's that?" Zeke asked.

"A crystal," Dinl replied. "Boosts your stats. Temporarily."

"And the catch?" Sarah asked, stepping closer. She was sharp, Dinl had to admit.

"It's dangerous," he said simply, slipping the orb into his bag. "That's all you need to know."

When the last of the zombies were cleared, the group regrouped near the escalator. Jake leaned heavily on his bat, his face pale. "We survived. That's...something."

"For now," Dinl said, his tone cold. He glanced at the darkened second floor. "There are more giants up there. If we're going to make it through this stage, we need to keep moving."

Sarah frowned. "You're planning to take on more of those things?"

"Yes," Dinl said. "Unless you'd rather wait for them to find us first."

Dinl took a glance at his new companions. Temporary, he reminded himself. Trust was a luxury he couldn't afford.

No one argued. Together, they prepared to move deeper into the mall, the shadows closing in around them.