Meagan and Stew came around me, one on each side, and beat one to death. The last seemed torn on who to attack. I was already in motion by the time it decided on Stew. ‡ [Two-Handed Blow] Unlocked ‡ ‡ Congratulations! Improvised Weapon is now level 2, +1 Skill Point ‡ ‡ You have defeated Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrel +31XP ‡

‡ [Two-Handed Blow] - Sometimes we need two hands full of fingers to let others know how we feel, Every 5 Stamina used increases Strength by 5% for purposes of this attack. ‡ It was now much flatter. I felt wiped out though, I must have used all my Stamina on that attack. "I'm feeling kind of lonely over here. Can we get together guys?"

Before I could turn towards Mike Sam called out. "Don't turn your backs on them. Just back up slowly."

I saw them then. Three on the fence in front of me. Scanning the fence line I saw more, at least a dozen on this side. As well as one that was the right shape, just twice as large as the rest.

As we backed up I activated [Analyze]. Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrels everywhere. Directly in-front of me was the large one. A Lvl(3) Shatterling. It was not only higher level and bigger but it had red on it like blood running from it's mouth down its chest. I felt like it was the one that I saw eating a guys throat out earlier but I had nothing to base that on. Except the way it made my testicles shrink right up inside when I saw it.

Once we were back to back Sam called out to us again. "Slowly. This way, then back inside."

I started hyperventilating, but I didn't let that stop me.

"Wait guys. That big one, it's different."

"What are you talking about? Of course it is. It's like twice the size of the rest." Stew was clearly uninterested in anything but getting out of here.

"Lvl 3 Shatterling. What about it?" I thought I could see Meagan giving me questioning looks out of the corner of my eye.

I started talking quickly. "It's been what three and a half maybe four hours since this started? As far as we could tell they all came through at level one, but that? It's level three. What level will it be in an hour, or two, or even tomorrow. We need to take care of these things. Right now." There was a silence. Ten seconds that felt like forever.

"OK." Mikes voice was even.

"I'm with you." Meagan sounded determined.

"It's been fun playing with you guys but it's time for me to head in now." Stew was Stew.

"I'll tell Sam and then we all go on the signal." I ignored Stew, either he would stand with us or he would retreat. This was something that needed to be done no matter what.

"Sam. Can you take the big one?"

"There's too many. You kids need to get back here."

"Sam. They're getting restless. We have to do this, now. Can you or do it or are we on our own?"

"All right." I firmed my grip on my crowbar.

It started with the sharp crack of Sam firing his .22, the Shatterling fell backwards off the fence. The rest rushed towards us in a wave.

Sam kept firing, I saw two tumble to a halt during his first five shots. By then I decided they were close enough. I stepped forward and used a more moderate [Two-Handed Blow]. I wished I could track my Stamina, it would make this stuff much easier.

‡ You have defeated Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrel +31XP ‡

A Stamina bar appeared as I leaned back readying myself for a [Stomp]. I was really getting frustrated with this interface. It was responsive but I would have liked something a bit more thought out from the beginning.

I Stomped at one trying to take advantage of my position. I didn't think my attack would kill it since I was so far out of position from the Two-Handed Blow, but I had a plan. I pressed down and ground my foot. ‡ [Crush] Unlocked ‡ ‡ You have defeated Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrel +31XP ‡

‡ [Crush] - For when they aren't quite flat enough, For 5 Stamina/sec inflict 50% of attack per sec. ‡ I felt like I had an idea for a tactic now so I started stomping and moving. The movement seemed to attract them at the same time it made it hard for them to latch on. A regular stomp didn't do much but it did end up killing a few that had made it through a previous [Stomp]. The few that got on me I managed to flick off with my crowbar before they did more than one or two points damage. One did get on my back where I couldn't reach it, Meagan used her hockey stick to deal with it. In the middle of this I got pleasant surprise. ‡ Congratulations! You gained a level. ‡ ‡ +3 Attribute point(s) gained! ‡ I also gained three levels in [Stomp] and one in [Crush]. While I did get a few notifications with 31XP, the new usual, for defeating a Shattered Squirrel I saw far more with less.

‡ You have defeated Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrel +15XP ‡ ‡ You have defeated Lvl(1) Shattered Squirrel +21XP ‡ Looks like everyone had started following my example, just hit them and keep moving. In the end we were sharing most of the experience.

I had settled into a rhythm of stomp stomp [Stomp], stomp stomp [Stomp], stomp [Stomp] [Crush]. I took a chance and looked around. Only about a dozen squirrels remained with about twice that laying around squashed or shot. Stew looked like he was about to fall over from exhaustion, he seemed to be using [Stomp] after [Stomp] without pause. I don't know how he did it but he was clearly paying. Mike wasn't much better, he tried to pace himself but hadn't quite found his own timing. Meagan almost looked like she was dancing, She would turn and step on one with her heel only to turn and turn again.

I may have been distracted by her but I was glad of it. The Shatterling must have been listening to Sam. When I heard him call out for the second time that he was reloading, the creature took its chance and launched itself off the top of the fence while he was focused on thumbing rounds into the magazine.

I opened my mouth to warn Meagan but I knew it wouldn't be enough. As I yelled her name I jumped forward and tried to grab the Shatterling. Almost like it had planned for it that damn thing twisted in the air and as soon as I grabbed it, it had started chewing on a finger.

‡ You have received a deep wound -24HP. ‡

I held on as hard as I could through the pain, a vague thought of slamming it on the sharp end of my crow bar. Then the notifications started.

‡ You are slowly bleeding, -1HP every 30 seconds. ‡ ‡ Caution! Your opponent is still growing in Shadow. ‡ I was caught, kill the thing or stop the bleeding. My mind just kept on in a loop, kill the thing or stop the bleeding, kill the thing or stop the bleeding. I just held on. Maybe someone would help me, I thought I saw a tendon where it was gnawing on me. Fifteen seconds after the first notification I got another. ‡ You are bleeding, -1HP every 15 seconds ‡ ‡ Your opponent is still growing in Shadow, you have been Infected. ‡ ‡ You are Infected by Shadow, -1HP every 15 seconds. ‡ Starting at my hand and quickly spreading, I felt lava burning through my veins. DAVID SMITH - LONER

ATTRIBUTES Dave Loner HP(Regen) 23/56 (2.4/15Min) Str 7 Int 9 Per 7 XP Human Level 3 MP(Regen) 35 (2/Min) Dex 6 Wis 5 Cha 3 162 18 Job --- Stam(Regen) 31 (2.96/Sec) Vit 7 Res 4 Lck 3 14 Skill Points +3 Unspent Attribute Points, Bleeding, Infected by Shadow