Sewers Of Melbourne

6:30 AM - Melbourne Central. The city was dead silent.

Following the Shard's red light, they reached an old church. The ritual chanting was coming from inside.

Ethan pushed the heavy door. Lily held his hand tight.

Inside —

Ash filled the air. Broken glass everywhere. And above in the sky... black clouds. In the center, a perfect black circle. Like the moon was stuck there.

Ethan held Lily's hand. Bag on his back. Inside: water, bread, first aid, and the Captain's sewer map.

In front of him stood Selena. Her eyes were still faintly red from last night's bloodlust. Black Moon Shard in her hand. It was vibrating like crazy, pointing straight at the ground.

"Down here." Selena said. "Sewer. 200 meters straight. Then left."

Ethan opened the map. The Captain had marked it with red pen: `RITUAL SITE`

`[DING!]`

`[QUEST: INFILTRATE THE SEWERS]`

`[OBJECTIVE: REACH CULT RITUAL SITE]`

`[WARNING: HIGH COMMAND PRESENT. INFECTED DENSITY: EXTREME]`

`[TIME: 59 HOURS REMAINING]`

`[REWARD: 2000 EXP + ALLY UNLOCK]`

Lily tugged Ethan's shirt. "Bro, it stinks."

Ethan nodded. "We’ll have to bear it, Lil."

Selena lifted a manhole cover. From the darkness came the smell of filth and the sound of dripping water.

She jumped down first. "I’ll take point. Ethan, you’re in the middle. Lily, behind."

The three of them descended.

---

*SEWER - LEVEL 1*

Darkness. Only the faint glow from Selena’s katana and the red light of the Black Moon Shard.

Water up to their ankles. Every step made a _splash splash_ sound.

Ethan took a Blade Dance stance. "Sense anything?"

Selena closed her eyes. `[BLOOD SENSE LVL 2 ACTIVE]`

"Four. Ahead. 30 meters. 2 Infected, 2 Cult guards."

A voice echoed. "Anyone there?"

Flashlight beam.

Two Cult guards. Black clothes. Pipes and pistols in hand. And behind them, 2 Infected chained up.

"Intruders!" one guard shouted.

The fight started.

Ethan used Thunder Step. _WHOOSH_

In one second, both guards' throats were slit.

`[+25 EXP] [+25 EXP]`

Selena swung her katana. The heads of the 2 Infected came off.

`[+20 EXP] [+20 EXP]`

`[BLACK CRYSTAL +4]`

Selena crushed 2 crystals in her palm. "Hunger’s under control."

Ethan took a key from a guard’s pocket. "Gate ahead is locked."

He opened it. Voices from inside.

"...the High Command wants the Bonded pair alive. The Priest was weak. We will do better..."

Ethan and Selena looked at each other.

"The High Command." Selena said quietly. "The Cult’s 3 strongest. The Priest was nothing."

Lily whispered in fear, "Bro let’s get out of here."

"We are." Ethan picked her up.

---

*SEWER - LEVEL 2*

Deeper down. Water up to their knees. Black Moon symbols on the walls. And splatters of blood.

`[BLOOD SENSE]`

Selena stopped. "Twelve ahead. Big hall."

In the center of the hall was a raised platform. 50+ black crystals on it. And around it, 20 Cult members.

Sitting on chairs in the middle were 3 people.

First: A tall woman. White hair. Eyes completely red. A whip in her hand.

Second: A fat man. Bald head. Crystals embedded in his body.

Third: A guy. 25 years old. Normal face. But two black wings sprouted from his back. Infected wings.

"The High Command." Selena said. "Whip Woman, Crystal Man, Winged Boy."

Whip Woman opened her eyes. Stared straight at Ethan. "So you came?"

Her voice echoed through the hall.

Ethan stepped forward, hiding Lily behind him. "We’re here to stop the ritual."

Crystal Man laughed. The ground shook. "Stop it? 59 hours left. The Second Black Moon will come. The whole world will be Infected."

Winged Boy flew up and hung from the ceiling. "And first, you two. The Bonded pair. The High Command needs you."

`[DING!]`

`[SIDE QUEST: SURVIVE HIGH COMMAND ENCOUNTER]`

`[REWARD: 1000 EXP]`

Whip Woman cracked her whip. _CRACK_

The wall shattered.

"Catch them." She ordered.

20 Cult members + 8 Infected charged.

Ethan put Lily in a corner. "Close your eyes, Lil."

"Blade Dance LVL 2!" Ethan yelled.

His knife became a storm. 5 Cult members dropped in 10 seconds.

`[+25x5 EXP] [CRYSTAL +5]`

Selena raised Blood Shield. Blocked 3 Infected attacks. Then cut down 4 with her katana.

`[+20x4 EXP] [CRYSTAL +4]`

`[SELENA LVL 14 → LVL 15]`

But the High Command hadn’t moved yet.

Whip Woman stood up. "I’m bored. I’ll play."

She threw her whip at Ethan.

Ethan used Thunder Step. Dodged. But the whip slammed into the wall.

Crystal Man slammed his hand down. Crystal spikes shot from the ground.

Ethan jumped, holding Lily.

Winged Boy swooped down. "Your blood must taste sweet."

He flapped his wings, sending a shockwave. Ethan was knocked back.

Selena stepped in front. "Stay away from him!"

She used Blood Dominion LVL 2.

4 Infected froze. Their eyes turned to hers.

"Attack them!" Selena commanded.

The 4 Infected turned and attacked their own Cult members. Chaos.

Whip Woman snarled. "How dare you!"

She lunged straight at Selena.

Selena put up Blood Shield. The whip hit. The shield shattered. Selena flew back 5 meters. Blood on her lips.

"SELENA!" Ethan roared. The bond sent a wave of pain through him.

Ethan’s eyes turned red. "YOU—"

`[RAGE MODE ACTIVATED]`

`[ETHAN LVL 7 → LVL 8]`

`[NEW SKILL: FURY BLADE - 2x Damage for 30 sec]`

Ethan charged. Fury Blade active.

He blocked 3 of Whip Woman’s attacks with his knife. Then landed a deep cut on her shoulder.

Whip Woman screamed.

Then Crystal Man raised his hand. A wall of crystal sealed the entire hall.

"Enough." He said. "That’s enough for today."

Winged Boy picked up Whip Woman. "Let’s go. We need energy for the ritual."

The 3 members of High Command vanished into the darkness.

The remaining Cult fled.

Silence.

Ethan ran to Selena. "Are you okay?"

Selena wiped the blood. "Yeah. Just... hit hard."

She looked at Ethan’s furious face. "Control it. Rage mode is dangerous."

Ethan took a breath. Calmed down. "If anything happens to you..."

"I know." Selena took his hand. Through the bond, both felt calm.

Lily ran over. "Aunty, are you okay?"

Selena patted her head. "Yes, sweetie."

---

*15 MINUTES LATER*

The hall was empty. Just bodies and crystals.

Ethan collected 9 crystals. Absorbed 5.

`[ETHAN LVL 8 → LVL 9]`

`[FURY BLADE → LVL 2]`

Selena absorbed 4.

`[SELENA LVL 15 → LVL 16]`

`[BLOOD SHIELD → LVL 2]`

Both were stronger now.

In the center, the platform. Under it, stairs. And from below... red light.

Selena took out the Shard. It was now pointing straight down and shaking.

"The ritual site." Selena said. "It’s here. 3 levels down."

Ethan checked the map. "The Captain wrote: 'Last door has 3 locks. 3 keys from the High Command.'"

He looked up. "Means the next fights are with them. One by one."

Selena nodded. "First Whip Woman. Then Crystal Man. Last, Winged Boy."

She looked at Ethan. "Ready?"

Ethan cleaned his knife. "As long as you’re with me."

Selena gave a small smile. "Partner."

Lily held both their hands. "We’re going to win, right?"

Ethan picked her up. "Yes, Lil. We will."

The three of them walked toward the stairs. Red light and chanting sounds from below.

`[QUEST UPDATE: HIGH COMMAND - PHASE 1]`

`[NEXT TARGET: WHIP WOMAN]`

`[WARNING: NIGHT 3 ACTIVE. 48 HOURS REMAINING]`

Selena raised her katana. "Let’s go. Break the first lock."

Ethan raised his knife too. "Let’s go."

The three descended into the darkness. Ahead: war. Behind: Sydney. And above... the black moon was growing stronger.