Crystal Hunt

9:03 PM. Abandoned Shop, Surry Hills, Sydney.

Wind was strong outside. On the sky, the edges of the moon were starting to turn black again.

Ethan wiped his knife with cloth. Lily was sleeping on his back, under 2 blankets.

"3 hours." Selena said, looking out the window. "Then Night 2 starts."

She had 4 black crystals in her hand. From the last fight.

`[SYSTEM]`

`[CURRENT CRYSTALS: ETHAN 0 / SELENA 4]`

`[TARGET: 18 MORE FOR LVL 5]`

Ethan nodded. "So what's the plan?"

Selena opened the map. Spread it on the floor. "There are 3 places in Sydney where Infected gather the most at night."

She circled 3 spots with her finger.

"1. Central Station. 6-8 there.

2. Chinatown Market. 4-5 there.

3. Darling Harbour. 10+ there, and Cult might be there too."

Ethan thought. "Let's start with Central. Lower risk. More crystals."

Selena nodded. "Okay. And remember..."

She looked into Ethan's eyes. "When the moon goes completely black, my hunger goes up 3x. Even with the Bond. If I act weird..."

"I'll stop you." Ethan took her hand. "We're partners, right?"

Selena gave a small smile. "Partners."

`[DING!]`

`[QUEST: NIGHT 2 CRYSTAL HUNT]`

`[OBJECTIVE: COLLECT 18 BLACK CRYSTALS]`

`[TIME LIMIT: UNTIL DAWN]`

`[REWARD: 1000 EXP + MYSTERY BOX]`

10:45 PM. Central Station.

Darkness. Broken lights. Torn posters everywhere.

"I smell it." Selena wrinkled her nose. "6 of them. Inside."

Ethan took a Blade Dance stance. "I go in. You cover from behind."

They went inside.

6 infected in the station. All sitting on train benches... waiting. Like for someone.

Ethan attacked the first one.

_SHUNK_

`[+15 EXP] [BLACK CRYSTAL +1]`

Second. Third.

Selena cut down 2 at once with her katana.

`[+15 EXP] [BLACK CRYSTAL +2]`

The fight was over in 2 minutes.

6 bodies. 6 crystals.

Selena picked them all up. Her hands were shaking. The moon was 50% black now.

"Quick." She crushed 3 crystals immediately. "The hunger..."

Ethan grabbed her shoulder. Through the Bond he felt it. The hunger was still under control.

`[SELENA LVL 8 → LVL 9]`

`[NEW SKILL: BLOOD SENSE - Detect Infected within 100m]`

"Let's go." Selena breathed out. "Next: Chinatown."

11:40 PM. Chinatown Market.

It was worse here. Shops broken. Blood everywhere.

`[BLOOD SENSE ACTIVE]`

Selena closed her eyes. "4 of them. On the roof."

Ethan and Selena climbed up.

4 infected. 2 were eating. 2 were on guard.

Ethan signaled. "Together."

Attack.

Ethan: Blade Dance. Took down 2.

`[+15 EXP] [CRYSTAL +2]`

Selena: Used Blood Shield. Blocked one infected's attack and took its head off.

`[+15 EXP] [CRYSTAL +1]`

The last one ran. Selena threw her katana. Hit it in the back.

`[+15 EXP] [CRYSTAL +1]`

Total: 4 crystals.

Selena kept 2 for herself. Gave 2 to Ethan.

"Absorb." She said.

Ethan did.

`[ETHAN LVL 3 → LVL 4]`

`[BLADE DANCE → LVL 2]`

12:30 AM. The moon was 80% black.

Infected were running faster on the streets. Screams carried far.

"Last location." Selena said. "Darling Harbour. 10 there. But..."

She paused. "The Cult might be there too. My Blood Sense is picking up something weird."

Ethan gripped his knife. "Then we go. We need 8 more crystals."

Selena nodded. "Let's go."

---

1:15 AM. Darling Harbour.

The water was black. All the ferries were burned. And in the center... a big tent. With the Black Moon symbol on it.

10 infected outside the tent. And 4 cult members. Guarding.

Ethan looked through binoculars. "There's light inside the tent. And sound... chanting."

Selena's jaw tightened. "A ritual. They're doing something with the crystals."

`[DING!]`

`[SIDE QUEST: DISRUPT THE RITUAL]`

`[REWARD: 800 EXP + RARE ITEM]`

"Plan?" Ethan asked.

Selena thought. "We pull the 10 away. Then get inside. But first..."

She pulled out 2 crystals. "You absorb these. You need to be Level 5 for this."

Ethan nodded. Crushed 2 crystals.

`[ETHAN LVL 4 → LVL 5]`

`[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: THUNDER STEP - 3x Speed Burst for 5 seconds]`

"Perfect." Ethan clenched his fist. Electricity in his body.

1:40 AM. Attack.

Ethan used Thunder Step. _WHOOSH_

3 infected heads gone in 3 seconds.

`[+15x3 EXP] [CRYSTAL +3]`

Selena came from behind. Blood Shield + Katana. 2 more down.

`[+15x2 EXP] [CRYSTAL +2]`

The remaining 5 and 4 cult members ran inside.

"Inside!" Ethan yelled.

Inside the tent:

In the center, a big stone. 30+ black crystals on it. And in the middle, a man. Black robe. Face covered.

"The High Priest." Selena whispered.

The High Priest raised his hand. "Welcome, Bonded Pair. We were waiting."

Behind him: 4 cult members. And 3 Infected chained up.

"What are you doing?" Ethan yelled.

The Priest laughed. "Summoning the Second Black Moon. The first was just a test. The next... will turn the whole world Infected."

He gestured to the crystals. "The lives of the people you killed are in these crystals. We're bringing them back. As Infected."

Selena raised her katana. "Not happening."

Fight started.

Cult: 4

Infected: 3

Priest: ???

Ethan used Thunder Step and dropped 2 cult members first.

`[+20x2 EXP] [CRYSTAL +2]`

Selena used Blood Shield to hold off 2 Infected. Cut them down with her katana.

`[+15x2 EXP] [CRYSTAL +2]`

1 cult member and 1 Infected left.

The Priest waved his hand. A black wave came from the stone.

_BOOM_

Ethan and Selena were both thrown back.

Ethan's shoulder was wounded. Blood on Selena's mouth.

"Shit..." Selena said. "He's... he's Infected too. Very high level."

The Priest stepped forward. "Give me the girl. Bonded Infected are very rare. We need her."

Ethan stood up. Blood dripping from his wound. "Touch her and die."

The Priest laughed. And attacked.

Black wave.

Ethan used Thunder Step. Dodged. Countered with a knife to the Priest's arm.

The Priest screamed.

Selena saw the opening. Broke through Blood Shield. Katana straight into the Priest's heart.

_SHUNK_

The Priest looked at her wide-eyed. "You..."

He fell.

`[BOSS DEFEATED: HIGH PRIEST LVL 12]`

`[+500 EXP] [RARE ITEM: BLACK MOON SHARD] [CRYSTAL +15]`

Silence.

Ethan caught his breath. "Is it over?"

Selena looked at the stone. The crystals were still glowing.

She picked up 15. Her hands were shaking. The moon was 95% black.

"The hunger..." Selena said. "So much..."

She crushed 8 crystals at once.

`[SELENA LVL 9 → LVL 11]`

`[NEW SKILL: BLOOD DOMINION - Control weak Infected for 10 sec]`

Even after that her eyes were still red.

Ethan held her face. "Selena. Look at me. I'm here."

Selena looked at Ethan. Red eyes. Then slowly normal.

"Control..." she breathed. "I did it."

Ethan hugged her. "Good job."

2:30 AM. Back at the safehouse.

Total crystals: 6 + 4 + 5 + 15 = 30

Ethan absorbed 10. Selena absorbed 10.

`[ETHAN LVL 5 → LVL 7]`

`[SELENA LVL 11 → LVL 13]`

Both were much stronger now.

Lily woke up. "Bro? Are you okay?"

Ethan picked her up. "Yeah Lil. We won."

Selena stood by the window. Holding the Black Moon Shard. Black. With red light inside.

`[ITEM: BLACK MOON SHARD]`

`[EFFECT: Shows location of next Black Moon ritual site]`

Selena looked at the Shard. "Melbourne."

She turned to Ethan. "The next ritual is in Melbourne. In 3 days."

Ethan nodded. "Then we go to Melbourne."

Selena nodded. "But first rest. 2 hours. Then we leave."

They both sat on the bed. Tired. Wounded. But alive.

Through the Bond Ethan felt it. Selena was proud. And scared. The next ritual would be bigger.

"Partner?" Ethan asked.

"Partner." Selena took his hand.

Outside it was 4 AM. The moon started turning normal.

Night 2 was over.

`[QUEST COMPLETED: NIGHT 2 CRYSTAL HUNT]`

`[REWARD: 1000 EXP + MYSTERY BOX]`

`[MYSTERY BOX OPENED: 10 RARE CRYSTALS + 3 TRAIN TICKETS TO MELBOURNE]`

`[NEW QUEST: REACH MELBOURNE BEFORE NIGHT 3]`

Selena looked at the map. "We leave in the morning. By train. 12 hours."

Ethan nodded. "Sounds good."

He covered Lily with a blanket. Then looked at Selena.

Selena looked sleepy. Exhausted.

Ethan whispered, "Sleep. I'll keep watch."

Selena closed her eyes. "Thank you... Ethan."

3 hours later. 7 AM.

Clear sky. The moon was gone.

Ethan, Selena, Lily. 3 bags. Heading to the train station.

Spray-painted on a wall:

`[THE CULT WILL RISE AGAIN. MELBOURNE AWAITS.]`

`Selena looked at the Shard. "Melbourne. Ritual in 60 hours. Train is at 7:30 AM."`

`Ethan gripped his knife. "Then we leave at dawn."`