“-42 Hit points. Ouch that hurt. You passed out.”

  Livia came back at her spawn temple, her eyebrows drawn together.

  Did David attack her? He was behind her, she was attacked from the side, but there was nothing there, and David did not warn her.

  She trusts David, should she not?

  Putting one of her black cigarillos in her mouth Livia started looking for a lighter. Didn’t she put one into the storage slots of her pants?

  She could swear…

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  Livia put the smoke away and sat down, she was annoyed but would have it later.

  This was important, was always important.

  Breathing into her nose, out her mouth, she closed her eyes, feeling the calm filling her, slowly, breath for breath. It filled the space behind her forehead, down towards the mouth, filling her chest, down to the stomach, slowly into her legs and arms.

  Her name was Livia Rodriguez, she used to be a call center worker. She had stayed in for 13 days after the end of the world. Now was Day… She thought for a second – 322. It should be day 322.

  She had decided that this was real, there were system messages, aliens had made earth their newest toy. And she was alive.

  She had collected almost 20 spell crystals and David was her friend. It was alright, this was real, the new real at least.

  “Tranquility level up. You have meditated 125hours and reached Level 7. There is still no known boon to this skill, but you seem determined, so go on enjoy yourself.”