Arya's POV
I exhaled sharply and brought up my system interface. I didn't have time to explain how I could access it — there were more pressing matters. My fingers moved quickly, navigating the shop menu until I found what I needed.
[System Token - 1500 Points]
My jaw clenched at the cost, but hesitation would only get us killed. I pressed 'Confirm.' A bright flash appeared in front of me as the system materialized the token — a sleek, metallic disc no bigger than my palm.
Nicole's eyes widened. "Wait, what —? How did you —?"
"No time to explain." I snatched the token and grabbed the one she had retrieved earlier from her hand. Without waiting for more questions, I pressed both tokens against the indentation.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then, a soft beep echoed in the hallway.
The door unlocked with a mechanical hiss before slowly swinging open. We braced ourselves, expecting something — anything — to lunge at us from the shadows. Instead, we were met with rows upon rows of monitors, each displaying a different section of the mall. The glow from the screens cast eerie blue hues across the dark room, illuminating a sea of tangled wires and control panels. There's a game console beside it and a red button behind.
"Holy shit," Nicole whispered, stepping inside first. "This is… way more advanced than I expected."
Ambrose followed, his sharp eyes scanning the screens. "This isn't just a security room. This is an entire surveillance hub."
I moved to the nearest console, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. The monitors flickered, showing real-time footage of every floor. Most of them were static-filled or dark, but a few displayed movement — our teammates still engaged in their deadly game of survival. The Shadeborns were fast, relentless, their shadowy forms twisting unnaturally as they pursued Clark's group.
"There!" Nicole pointed at one of the monitors. "They're cornered near the main atrium!"
I sat on the chair while Nicole and Ambrose are standing beside me.
Ambrose leaned in, his brows furrowing. "If we can figure out how to manipulate the security systems, maybe we can turn the tide."
The Shadeborns were visible on multiple screens — one Zack's group, the other hunting Clark and Jake.
Ambrose's gaze locked onto the creatures' movements. It looks like his analyzing their patterns, their reactions, their weaknesses.
Then he said something.
"Their reflections are distorted, unnatural, lagging behind their movements," he said, his brows furrowed.
"Look, the furniture store is behind Clark and Jake, and the shadeborns are not moving towards them because there are a lot of mirrors in there," he added.
I gasped and we exchange glances as if we understood what each other was thinking.
"They react slower to their own reflections," we said at the same time.
Nicole looked at us. "What?" she leaned in the screen then shifted her gaze to us, waiting for an answer.
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I grabbed the walkie-talkie and pressed the button.
"Guys, we're in!" I said. "Listen carefully. We found a weakness."
Zack's POV
Out on the field, I heard Arya's voice crackle through the walkie-talkie.
"They slow down when they see themselves. Use anything reflective — mirrors, glass, even polished metal. It might buy you time!"
A shattered display case sat a few feet away. Glass shards littered the ground.
Perfect.
"Ellie, Mark — over here!" I shouted.
We grabbed as many mirror-like shards as we could, holding them up toward the charging Shadeborn.
The effect was instant.
The creature froze mid-step, its twisted form flickering as if caught in a glitch. Its distorted reflection lagged behind, warping unnaturally.
It recoiled.
Mark was the first to react. He threw a large shard directly in front of it. The Shadeborn shrieked as if burned, stumbling back.
A weakness.
A real, exploitable weakness.
My mind raced as I connected the dots. The Shadeborns reacted violently to their reflections — an anomaly we could use to our advantage. But the mirror shards alone wouldn't be enough. We needed something stronger, something that could turn the tide decisively.
My gaze snapped back to the furniture store counter. The giant magnifying glass sat there, its curved surface gleaming under the flickering mall lights. Then, another memory surged forward — an experiment from grade school. A simple trick involving a magnifying glass, sunlight, and a piece of paper. Heat concentration. Fire.
My eyes darted toward the electronics store across the hall. Before all hell had broken loose, I noticed a display featuring a 5W laser.
That's it.
I whirled around to Mark and Ellie. "We need to get the Shadeborns into the furniture store. I have an idea."
Ellie, still gripping a reflective metal stand, shot me a wary glance. "What kind of idea?"
"One that'll burn them to ashes."
Mark didn't ask questions. He just nodded. "Tell us what to do."
I quickly relayed the plan, keeping my voice low. "We lure them here, use the mirrors to stall them, and then I'll set up something with the laser. If I'm right, we can use concentrated light to burn them."
Ellie blinked. "Like… how kids use a magnifying glass to burn paper?"
"Exactly."
Mark cursed under his breath, but there was a hint of approval in his voice. "Risky as hell. But we don't have better options."
Ellie tightened her grip on her metal stand. "Then let's make it work."
Without hesitation, I bolted towards the electronic store. "Cover me!" I shouted. The Shadeborn were still hesitating at their own reflections, but they wouldn't stay frozen forever.
Ellie flung another mirror shard at the nearest creature, forcing it to stumble backward. Mark took the opportunity to grab a polished metal tray from a nearby café, angling it to reflect the dim light toward their enemies.
I vaulted over the electronics counter, frantically scanning the shelves. Then — there! The laser sat in its case, a sleek, high-powered device meant for cutting through thick materials. I yanked it free and grabbed a power pack.
"Got it!" I yelled, running back toward the furniture store. "I need time to set this up!"
"Make it quick!" Ellie shouted, throwing another reflective object at the Shadeborn that dared to move.
I set the magnifying glass on the countertop, adjusting its angle. I switched on the laser, the red beam piercing through the glass and focusing into a single concentrated point.
Now for the test.
I grabbed a piece of torn fabric from a nearby chair and held it under the beam. Within seconds, the fabric darkened, curled, then ignited with a small flame.
It worked.
My heart is pounding so hard. If this could burn fabric, it could burn the Shadeborns.
"Get them here!" I yelled.