Persuading Silas to move required a mixture of threats and promises. The boy was paralysed by the enormity of the situation, his mind unable to reconcile the sudden appearance of game mechanics with the reality of monster-infested streets.
"I am an Architect," the explanation was offered while he struggled to lift a replacement bag of cement. "You, judging by the sparkles, are a Void Caller. That makes you a glass cannon."
"A what?" he squeaked, nearly dropping the bag on his foot.
"A weapon with no armour. You shoot things. I make sure nothing touches you while you do it."
The walk to the Ravenna was tense. Every shadow seemed to harbour danger. Silas flinched at the sound of a falling trash can, his purple magic flickering erratically. He was a danger to himself, a nuclear bomb with a faulty timer, but he was also the only person with enough raw firepower to defend a perimeter this early in the game.
The apartment building loomed ahead, its glass doors shattered and its lobby smeared with ominous red stains. It looked less like a fortress and more like a tomb, but good bones were hard to find.
"Clear the lobby," the instruction was given as the cart was parked. "If it moves and isn't me, blast it."