Chapter 7 Rogue-like
Rogue-like
Levi bolted upright, a desperate gasp tearing from his lungs. Sunlight filtered through the meadow grass, momentarily blinding him. He blinked, disoriented as the crushing weight of recognition settled in his chest. His stomach lurched.
Again. I’m back again.
His fingers flew to his throat, desperately searching for the wound that killed him, fumbling and scratching at his skin.
Nothing but smooth, unmarked flesh greeted his touch, but the phantom sensation of steel piercing tissue lingered.
His hand shook so badly he had to press it flat against the ground to steady it.
It felt so real. It WAS real.
His breathing accelerated, shallow and rapid. Levi’s chest constricted as panic clawed its way through his body. The edges of his vision darkened. His fingers curled into the dirt beneath him. The air felt too thin.
I can’t—I can’t breathe—
Levi forced himself to close his eyes, focusing on the sensation of the ground beneath him. The dirt under his fingernails. Wind against his cheek. Anything to anchor himself.
Inhale. Four seconds. Hold. Four seconds. Exhale. Four seconds.
The breathing exercise his therapist taught him after Ethan’s death. He repeated it until the crushing pressure in his chest eased.
This is a game. Games have rules. Rules can be exploited.
He opened his eyes, forcing himself to analyze his surroundings with clinical detachment. The meadow looked similar, but not identical. A bird trilled from a nearby branch—different from the one he heard last time. The clouds overhead formed different patterns, more cirrus than cumulus.
Subtle differences. The system was generating variations, not just replaying the same scenario.
“Every run teaches you something new.”
The thought came unbidden, in Ethan’s voice. How many nights had Levi watched his brother play those roguelike games?
“Die, learn, repeat,” Levi whispered, his brother’s gaming mantra. His voice cracked on the word “die.”
Ethan would approach this methodically. First run: understand the environment. Second run: test NPC reactions. Third run: look for exploits in the system.
What did I learn? Levi cataloged the facts: The killer was stronger than him. Direct confrontation failed. The NPCs couldn’t be convinced they were in danger. The gun was unreliable in Jasper’s hands.
A distant voice called his name—Jasper, right on schedule. Levi’s pulse spiked, sweat beading across his forehead despite the cool air.
This time will be different. This time I won’t freeze up.
“There you are, man!” Jasper called, waving enthusiastically.
Levi noted a blue flannel shirt tied around Jasper’s waist—different from in the previous loop. His beanie was navy instead of forest green. The AI was remixing details while maintaining core personalities.
Levi forced his lips into a smile, wiping his palms against his jeans before standing on wobbly legs. “S-sorry, got distracted by the view.” He gestured vaguely at the surrounding landscape, wincing at the tremor in his voice.
“Pretty epic, right?” Jasper grinned, eyes bloodshot as ever. “We found you just in time. Tyler was about to send out a search party.”
Behind Jasper stood Owen, adjusting his glasses nervously, and Tyler, whose muscular frame cast a long shadow across the meadow. No Elliot this time.
“You shouldn’t wander off alone,” Owen said, fidgeting with his inhaler. “Have you noticed the strange weather patterns here? The barometric pressure readings are inconsistent with the forecast.”
“I’ll be more careful,” Levi replied, testing a new response. He cleared his throat when his voice came out too high. “Maybe we should establish a buddy system?”
Tyler laughed, slapping Levi’s shoulder. The unexpected contact made Levi flinch. “Look at you, suddenly Mr. Safety. Yesterday, you were the one who wanted to explore that ravine alone.”
Yesterday? Levi hadn’t experienced that. The NPCs weren’t just repeating lines—they had constructed an alternate shared history. The system was building a more complex narrative around his presence. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
“Just thinking practically,” Levi shrugged, trying to appear casual while his heart hammered. “This place feels... unpredictable.”
“That’s what makes it an adventure,” Jasper said, offering Levi a granola bar.
Levi reached for it, but his fingers fumbled the exchange. The granola bar tumbled to the ground. “Sorry,” he mumbled, cheeks burning as he stooped to retrieve it, nearly losing his balance in the process.
As they approached camp, Levi immediately noted the differences.
The tents formed a semicircle facing the fire pit rather than the triangle from before.
Elliot sat beside his hiking backpack, organizing numerous external pouches with labeled contents.
Zoe’s gear was more extensive this time—a proper first aid kit hung from her tent flap, along with what looked like bear spray.
Maddie barely glanced up from her phone when they arrived, fingers tapping rapidly on the screen.
When Elliot looked up from his gear organization, however, his eyes lingered on Levi with unmistakable interest. He smiled—not the polite acknowledgment from before, but something warmer, more inviting.
Levi scanned the campsite, mentally cataloging everything while trying to keep his breathing steady. The layout provided more escape routes than before. The trees were thinner to the east. Zoe’s tent contained survival gear. Jasper’s backpack likely held his gun.
I need that satellite phone, Jasper’s gun, and Zoe’s bear spray.
This time, he’d be ready when the stranger appeared. His stomach twisted at the memory of those features, that childlike disappointment when Levi tried to reach—
No. Focus on now.
“I can help with staking the tents,” Levi volunteered, his voice cracking. He moved toward the pile of equipment, tripping over a root and nearly sprawling face-first into the dirt. Tyler snickered behind him.
Pull it together, Levi.
He grabbed the heaviest pack first, testing its weight. His arms quivered under the load. Perfect excuse to check everyone’s gear.
As Levi hammered tent stakes, his eyes tracked each camper’s movements.
Twice the mallet slipped from his sweaty grip.
Once he missed the stake, the metal head striking a rock with a sound that made him jump.
Zoe organized her cooking supplies, methodically arranging everything within arm’s reach.
Tyler flexed unnecessarily while hoisting food bags into trees.
Maddie lounged against a log, still scrolling through her phone.
Elliot, however, kept glancing in Levi’s direction. When their eyes met, he offered that same warm smile.
“Firewood time,” Tyler announced, tossing a full-sized axe that Elliot caught with unexpected dexterity. “Elliot, show Levi how it’s done.”
Levi nodded, positioning himself near Elliot. “Lead the way.” He wiped his palms against his jeans again, trying to dry the nervous sweat.
In the woods, Elliot’s practiced swings split logs with minimal effort. His designer hiking pants stretched across his thighs as he worked, and Levi caught him stealing glances in his direction.
“Your turn,” Elliot handed over the axe, fingers lingering against Levi’s. The weight of the tool surprised Levi, and he nearly dropped it, the blade swinging dangerously close to his foot.
“Whoa there,” Elliot steadied Levi’s arm, stepping closer than strictly necessary. “Careful with that.”
“S-sorry,” Levi mumbled, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. “Not used to these.”
“Plant your feet wider,” Elliot instructed, moving behind Levi. His hands settled on Levi’s hips, ostensibly to guide his stance, but the touch was more intimate than instructional.
Great. Hell really wants to have this dating sim subplot.
Levi fumbled with his grip, the axe handle slippery in his palms. When he swung, the blade seemed to bounce off the wood, the impact sending shock waves up his arms that made him stumble backward into Elliot’s chest.
“Easy,” Elliot laughed, steadying him. “You’re trying too hard. Let the weight of the axe do the work.”
His hands guided Levi through another swing, standing close enough that Levi could smell his cologne. The proximity made Levi’s hands shake worse, but he forced himself to focus on the real objective.
“You’re a quick learner,” Elliot said, voice lower than necessary. “I bet you’re good with your hands once you get the hang of something.”
Jesus, he’s really laying it on thick. “Um, t-thanks,” Levi stuttered, genuinely flustered despite understanding it was just programming.
When Elliot bent to gather kindling, Levi circled toward their packs, keeping Elliot in his peripheral vision. He knelt, pretending to tighten his shoelace while quickly rifling through Elliot’s side pockets. His fingers shook so badly he had to pause and take a deep breath.
Steady. This is the most important part.
The satellite phone nestled in an inner compartment, protected by a waterproof casing. As Levi’s fingers closed around it and a small metal compass, a twig snapped somewhere behind him. He jerked, nearly toppling sideways, his pulse leaping into his throat.
Just a squirrel, darting up a nearby tree.
Jesus Christ, get it together.
But the phone and compass were in his hands now. He slipped it into his own pocket, the weight reassuring against his thigh.
Back at camp, Levi helped prepare dinner, sitting between Zoe and Jasper. The stolen phone felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket. Twice he knocked over his water bottle. Once he spilled beans onto the ground, earning an eye roll from Maddie.
Smooth, Levi. Nothing says ‘action hero’ like losing a fight with dinner.
Elliot, however, seemed charmed by his clumsiness. “Here, let me help,” he said, sliding closer to help Levi clean up the spilled beans. Their shoulders pressed together, and Elliot’s hand covered Levi’s for a moment longer than necessary.