The Walking DOOM Chapter 1: New World, a Doom + Walking Dead Crossover fanfic

"Against all the evil that Hell can conjure, all the wickedness that mankind can produce; we will send unto them, only YOU. Rip and tear until it is DONE."

...

All there was in this empty plane of existence is darkness. No matter how hard he tried, the Slayer's eyes remain forcibly sealed tight with no acknowledgment or any sudden nerve in his body to pry them open. Thankfully given enough in the situation, the Slayer was still able to think for this time being. Even though if this is what thinking feels like, but then how long has it been?

"How long has it been since I got here?" he wondered, repeatedly tasting the intensity of his emotions going all over the place.

The Slayer couldn't learn precisely how everything had occurred before coming to wherever he is at right now. For some reason, though, it feels like it's been forever.

"Maybe it has been, so who knows?" The Slayer thought, feeling puzzled at the sort.

The Slayer's vision has yet to respond, wondering how everything has faired without him. Then again, it was no matter that the world will keep on corrupting. And here he was, floating in a void of pitch-blackness that's somehow making his mind calm. Unusually so, considering that the Hell Walker himself has finally come to terms with this whole ordeal as he lets it claim him entirely.

"But if that's the case, then how am I still claiming these thoughts? Then I must not be dead, perhaps?" The Slayer keeps questioning, almost receiving a burnout in what's left from his brain.

Before the Slayer could think anymore, the burning sensation within his head began its highest breaking point. He didn't know what this feeling meant like he can't put his finger on it. Unsure of what's going on, the Slayer gave up trying to make sense of it and let it happen, hoping it will pass soon.

[TETHERING IN PROGRESS...JUMPING NOW.]

Just as the Slayer's confusion could become more unusual, his whole body felt like it was becoming hauled away at extreme speeds until assaulted by a brilliant light. He felt his limbs all fall free as if the Slayer didn't remember how to use them properly, followed by a loud grunt and gritted teeth to shield his eyes.

The next thing he knew, the Slayer suddenly impacts somewhere prickly, almost like it was just grass. The pain that the Slayer felt after falling on their own accord is indefinable. It's almost like every bone in his body is taming all at once for the first time.

It took a while as the Slayer's eyes adjust to the golden shine, recognized as daylight. The sun remained busy standing way beyond and proud above the skies. It kept most of the forest's landscape warm but not unbearably hot. White clouds were drifting by lazily across his vision, making the Slayer's head shift with so much obscurity.

The Slayer's head was throbbing like never, and he brought one of his appendages to soothe it, feeling the fingers gently touch his helmet's visor. At an instant, the man's eyes shot open wide, furrowing his eyebrows and frowned.

"Something isn't right around here. All of this isn't Hell. No fires, no utter wreckage, not even those demons around ruining everything! Just basically surrounded by trees and bushes?" The Slayer mulled over, shaking his head violently at what he's perceiving.

He decided to blink again, trying to make sure this wasn't a dream or illusion, but it was the same blue sky. The Unchained Predator stirred to the sound of birds chirping, insects buzzing, and many others he had not heard in a very long time. His bloodshot eyes stared back in wonder at the blue skies and fluffy white clouds, with an odd look on his face. He twitches a little involuntarily, which shifts his vision.

The Slayer was at a loss, his vision becoming a bit blurry, and he'd thought he could see a meadow nearby. For what felt like an eternity of solitude, his heart skipped a beat. Men like him weren't supposed to be scared, but he was confused. There was fear, that's for sure, but there was something more buried beneath this place, deep behind the surface.

"I'm on Earth?"

Yet again, the Slayer shook his head rapidly the logical side started roping him back to reality. "No, it can't be."

Mentally composing myself, the Slayer shooed away any silly thoughts about living a good life. He recoiled as his vision came into focus before sitting up from the grass and began to pick himself off the ground.

"I'm still wearing my Praetor Suit, so I still have my guns in the digital inventory. Luckily, I have the ones powered by Argent Energy already recharging in the process, especially the stray amounts of energy I took from killing that spider-demon that had previously turned into ammunition, thanks to the suit's abilities." The Slayer began to check off his equipment, starting with his trusty Super Shotgun.

"From my past experiences, this double-barreled monstrosity could shred through even bigger demons apart with only a couple of shells. I was still here, living and breathing just as I've always been. Though, my memory became a bit foggy right after I woke up in this strange place."

The Slayer propped it open and took out two empty shells he hadn't had time to throw out. He tossed them somewhere else before slamming in a fresh pair of cartridges.

Then, the Slayer slid the Super Shotgun onto his hip and then took out the Heavy Assault Rifle. After racking the bolt, he fed a round into its chamber, then checked the tactical scope and the micro missiles.

After switching through several of his weapons, the Slayer then settled back onto the Super Shotgun. "Thankfully, when I finally remembered defeating that Spider-Demon thing, not even sure what to call it, but I did felt like I was getting pulled away from the rest of Hell. The next thing I knew, I was floating in midair, and he showed up. Of all the things I hated more than those fucking demonic creatures. Sure, it makes sense that I got every godforsaken creature afraid of me and bringing Hell to its knees. It was all thanks to that son of a bitch, Hayden."

"They promised me so much..."

Olivia Pierce's whimpering words echoed in the Slayer's mind. She expected that she eventually get all the quick rewards; become the boss of her drawbacks, and have everyone do what she speaks.

This woman had brought Hell to Earth, tolling the deaths of countless innocent men and women.

All because of that growing starvation of hers for the demons and their abundance of energy. And if she was expecting any sense of sympathy from the marine for her mistakes, then she is even more deranged than he first imagined of her.

Hayden used her like a puppet. He had stolen her work, not with mere gratitude, or even paid her for a job well done. Olivia expected that it would be different with the demons, but it was quite the opposite. They proved to be even worse than Hayden could ever be. She had realized how strongly she messed up, and yet there's no turning back from it soon.

Right now, the eyes of the Spider Mastermind were full of fear because it recognized its opponent. Every enemy has given the marine various names throughout the eons.

The Hell Walker.

The Unchained Predator.

The Scourge of Hell.

Many more would soon follow, but there was one name. One that many demons know him by horror itself. An unstoppable force that had ravaged Hell and its champions. The name that shall never be mentioned. Written in the tablets across all of Hell. Bringing terror into the hearts of demons upon hearing his name.

The Doom Slayer.

In that moment of realization, the Slayer glared at the Spider Mastermind that struggled to get up. The creature had a massive over-sized brain with a face and arms, supported by four-clawed mechanical legs.

The Slayer dealt with lasers and psychokinesis throughout this battle. He was also cursing the UAC for what felt like the trillionth time for supplying the demons high-tech weaponry in the first place.

Looking to observe what has become of Olivia Pierce, who was nothing more but a striver for godly powers, only to be sacrificed by the fallen. Maybe a fitting end for this bitch who held no concern towards humanity was worth it.

The more the Slayer heard its screeches and cries, the angrier he became. He stepped forward to stomp on its lower jaw, yanking the upper jaw to open the mouth wide. The Slayer put away his Gauss Cannon, only to grab out another armament before sticking it deep within the Spider-Demon's mouth. And the weapon he'd chosen was the BFG-9000.

Its barrel was massive at best, with a series of green glow along the side, illuminating radiation from the chamber. The Spider-Demon's eyes widened when seeing through the dark visor of the Slayer's helmet, showing a fierce, ghastly grin from ear to ear. The BFG-9000 charged up wildly as the energy discharged in the gaping maw of the Spider Mastermind, digging a hole into its brain.

The Slayer got launched back a couple of feet by the blaster after pulling the trigger. He looked back at the beast to see that it has a giant hole through its head. The Spider Mastermind was now dead, just like all the other beasts that tried to face me.

The battle was over.

Hell's portal is closed, but the demons are far from defeated when its dark realm still lingers on. The Spider Mastermind's rotting corpse had drained all its Argent Energy, absorbing it into the Praetor Suit. The Slayer stood there for a few seconds, thinking about what to do now. But the Slayer gets brought to his knees by a sudden surge of blue energy, sparking within his suit until a brilliant light blinded him.

Right after the Slayer had then felt the jolt of electricity spread all over his body, he got brought back from Hell. The Hell Walker stood floating on a metal platform as he heard heavy footsteps approaching him. Once his focus sharpened, he immediately recognized the shadowy figure in front of him, glaring harshly at the one accountable for this disaster.

"You've won. It's over. You stopped the invasion and closed the portal." a voice said in a dry robotic tone, drawing closer.

"No, we haven't. I was cleaning up YOUR mess, and now, you're going to create a worldwide catastrophe, Hayden." The Slayer growled within his mind.

There he was, a ten-foot-tall, lean-looking, shiny gray cyborg, empowered by an abundance of Argent Energy. Its singular eye was a glowing blue line streaking down its face, speaking to the Slayer. He showed himself to be Dr. Samuel Hayden, Chairman of the UAC, who commanded the Argent Energy research projects at the UAC Mars Base.

Samuel Hayden held his arms out, looming over the Slayer. "But it's come at a price. Argent, VEGA, this entire operation."

"Oh, sure, don't bother considering the massacre of all the other people on this base! I never once liked Hayden, not one bit. The android thinks he is compelling enough to have his idiotic plan under the nose of Hell and command everything around. Even though if it was a rather pathetic attempt at intimidation." The Slayer scowled, disregarding Hayden.

He loomed over the Slayer menacingly before turning away, "You see, I've watched you work. Come to understand your motivation."

The Slayer stared impassively back at him. "Well, it's not like you have cameras all over the place, and especially that creepy hologram guy."

Hayden started to pace in front of the Slayer as he watched him move, "You think the only way is to kill them all, leave nothing behind, and you may be right."

Samuel stared back menacingly, even when he's ignoring the Slayer's burnt glare. "But we can't just shut it all down! Without Argent Energy, it will be worse. I don't expect you to agree." Samuel Hayden's metallic voice rumbled after he explained his plans, shaking his head.

As he said all that, The Slayer was now beyond pissed. "The legions of Hell are nothing but mass-murdering, hegemonic bastards who only seek to wipe out the human race and use women as breeding slaves. Does Hayden believe that an energy crisis is much worse than those monsters slaughtering the innocence of Earth, raping every woman, enslaving all children, devouring babies out of their cribs!?"

Samuel Hayden reached out his hand, in which the Crucible was violently ripped from the Slayer's belt and into his waiting palm. The towering cyborg wrapped his metallic fingers around the weapon's grip.

"But with this, we can continue our work." He said, gesturing to the Crucible and then looking back at the Slayer.

The Slayer exploded out of rage as he lurched for the cyborg. He was inches away from seizing the doctor by the neck until a pair of Argent pylons came online, firing energy tethers that entangled his arms to keep him in place. "There's no telling what aversions will occur to humanity if this guy starts playing with the Wraiths like they are toys."

Samuel Hayden seemed to notice but stood motionless. Not even a flinch.

"I am not the villain in this story. I do what I do because there is no choice," he stated firmly, shaking his head.

[RE-ROUTING TETHER COORDINATES... COMPLETE.]

The UAC Facility Voice said from above, as Dr. Samuel Hayden seeming to sigh. The Hell Walker raised an eyebrow at the implication. He looked at the doctor with rage, knowing where he would want to send the marine.

Hell.

"Our time is up." The doctor continued, looking at the Slayer's restrained form. "I can't kill you, but I won't have you standing in our way." Snapping his arm that held the Crucible, the artifact's top-end opened to project a large, red blade of energy covered in hellion text with a pickaxe-like tip.

"Until we see each other again," Hayden said as he walked away from the Slayer, his words etched into the man's mind.

The Slayer struggled, desperately wanting to get out. It proved useless as he felt another surge of electricity flow through his body, and then his whole world finally went black.

Rage and fury consumed the Slayer. The black void has been as it was when the Slayer first woke up back on that UAC Mars Base. All so still like the thickest part of space. The mere sound that he was able to make out was his heavy breathing. It grew from still but deadly to aggressively violent, and the sound of his fists clutching until he heard them crackle. The Slayer's gut feels like he's been boiling nonstop. His mind is crashing through so many directions from this newfound discovery. The memory of the Crucible in Hayden's hand felt like it was burning his thoughts.

There were so many situations that filled in the Slayer's head. "The jackass had installed a retraining chip inside my Praetor Suit. There was nothing I can do while filled with rage over that junk pile of scrap. I wish I wanted to tear his gears apart and watch the sparks go flying. Hayden had used me, all to quickly dispose of Olivia Pierce and the rest of the demons who got in the way. All to stop the demonic invasion of his world, taking the Crucible from me. And use it to continue his operations of exploiting Hell's resources. Isn't it foolish enough to believe anyone can have free reign over Hell at all? Such use could only end in evil."

Hayden had ignored the signs before him, greed and human frailty filling him with the desire for power. Hayden had taken the Crucible, then flings the Slayer like he's some pawn.

The world had warped around the Slayer, and he'd prepared himself for the inevitable. "For the pulsing rivers of blood and dead, empty skies that I'd known for so long, for the endless war to engage again, countless demons falling at my feet until I find a way back to Hayden. But somehow or someway, it hadn't happened."

The world had stabilized around the Slayer, the shift over, and he had looked around. There was no death, putrid, or rotted existence, meeting his eyes. Not even archaic runes of evil influence and corruption.

Instead, he saw a deer.

Grayish fur with a red touch on the head. A strip of black along its back, crested with dirt like the wilderness range. It is trudging through the area with its head hung and its eyes miserable, its legs tired yet elegant. The Slayer narrowed his eyes, glaring down at the deer in the distance. Its alarmed eyes locked with his as the Slayer paused. He didn't know what to think about it anymore. His muscles continued twitching as they stared one another down.

The Slayer took a few steps forward before I realized it hopped away in another location. His feet couldn't move just as the creature had disappeared in the distance. "How is there even life still on Earth? How was this possible? There's no possible way humanity would regress, just like that? Of course, in any case, this wasn't my Earth."

*BING*

An alert on the Head-Up Layout notified the Slayer about an incoming signal. The sender only showed as "Unknown" with static reception. With a few buzzes and clicks later, a well-known voice began to converse.

VEGA: {Greetings again, Slayer. Thank you for obtaining a backup chip of myself entirely. It took me a length of time from when you gained the data chip to integrate my systems within your Praetor Suit.}

A symbol of VEGA emerged in the visor. A hollow blue circle cut into three, with a dot in the middle. The Slayer became relieved that he decided not to close VEGA completely, but he only comes on when necessary. He still had a back-up copy of VEGA on that data storage chip. Hopefully, VEGA should know anything about where they are at right now.

VEGA: {Only 94% of my capabilities had to remain disabled for me to access online. While I am considerably limited, I will still be able to assist you in your future endeavors.}

"Thanks, VEGA. That's nice of you and all, but how did we get here?" The Slayer mulled around the forest.

VEGA: {I was able to activate the tether system to travel to the nearest dimension. You had become previously trapped in an area referred to as the dimensional gap. I couldn't guarantee we would be landing anywhere familiar.}

"So that's where Hayden had sent me? That jackass!" The Slayer quivered his fists with a hint of fury.

VEGA: {From all I could gather, Dr. Hayden did not set a physical destination for you. It was the exact place he meant to send you so that his plans wouldn't foil with you trapped forever.}

"I'm guessing from what he told me about seeing each other again, and it sounds likely that he'll want me once more. Reckless enough, though, I'd still be trapped later. Still, what about the demons? Will they still follow us to this world?" The Slayer raised an eyebrow with interest.

VEGA: {Given the fact that the legions of Hell still possess the means to cross through dimensions unscathed, there is a possibility. I am now detecting a presence coming from a remote town. I will mark its location on your HUD.}

Weapon held tightly in hand, eyes naturally scanning for any possible incoming threat, the Slayer marched through the open pathway followed by VEGA's instructions. By now, he became used to getting threatened by everything now and then. In any case necessary, if there became anything that moved, they will receive a full round of bullets into their lower abdomen.

"Or possibly a round of bullets to its face, maybe?" It was already daytime, but the light from the sun got blocked by the trees. The Slayer kept looking left and right as he walked onward.

I found that this world was a tad different compared to the UAC facilities and the bowels of Hell. All around the Hell Walker were trees in the middle of a vast wilderness that seemed to stretch out in every direction. "This place didn't look familiar at all to me. Sure, it seemed like any Earth wherever, but it still wasn't my Earth. It wasn't what I was expecting, of course. When Hayden had reset the coordinates for the teleporter, I half expected to be back in Hell. Far enough away so that I couldn't ruin whatever stupid research the cybernetic doctor had in mind."

The Slayer's visor remained polarizing to protect his eyes while each armored boot sank into the dirt trails beneath him. He paused, looking more doubtful than ever, but then resumed wandering until the Slayer arrived on the asphalt road.

Somewhere in the depth of his mind, the Slayer had a sense of familiarity came over him while seeing it. The Slayer's head turned right, listening to the cluttered crickets flickering sounds of chirps. There weren't any vehicles around, but he didn't mind walking. Hopefully, there is a town nearby through this long walk.

The HUD's sensors picked up movements somewhere. Down the hill was a town. The Slayer felt slightly relieved to see something instead of the never-ending road. "There are still things I don't know about this new world, and more likely, if there were any other humans here instead of me."

The marine walked down the hill and into the town. Tensely, the Slayer gritted his teeth as he walked through whatever place this was. He could only assume it was some form of a ghost town. But it was way too quiet. A glimpse from all around may appear utterly normal. But on the inside, it could only be described as death and pestilence. There was not one single sound aside from the rackets of the Slayer's trudging.

The Slayer continued walking, but so far, he hasn't seen one human on sight. The first thing catching the Slayer's eyes was a sign that said "Donald's Phone Shop" in faded writing. The Slayer made his way to see that the shop was all messy and full of grime. The place looked as if it had not gotten used in ages.

As the Slayer explores around the shop, there were pieces of glass on the floor and smashed furniture. Eventually, he observed a few blood trails on the wooden floors, causing his eyes to tighten with a hint of skepticism.

"If this world has something to be afraid of, then it's probably my job to end it once and for all." Rising the Super Shotgun to its aim, the Slayer went out the back into the storage room.

The Slayer squinted his eyes, trying to see in the darkroom. "Not a single sound whatsoever."

Starting to feel uneasy, the Slayer drew his Super Shotgun and shifted around each side. He hears the sound of glass cracking under his boots as the marine slowly walks further inside the room. There was an exit sign above the door across the room. The Slayer placed his hand, expecting to find a door handle. However, there wasn't one.

The Slayer places his hand on the door, and the door immediately opens. He took a step back and held his Super Shotgun out. There was nothing there. The Slayer stepped outside and looked around, feeling the vibe of fear and horror all over the place.

"Yeah, something is wrong with this place here-" But then, he suddenly felt something caught onto his leg, quickly looking down to see what it was.

The Slayer saw what looked like a woman, but her eyes remain sunk in; skin deteriorating while showing off some bones, and her teeth were dark yellow. It almost looked like one of the Possessed UAC Workers.

"RAAAAUUUUGHHHH!"

The woman's hand kept wrapped around the Slayer's ankle, and she showed no signs of letting go. The Slayer's lips curled into an angry snarl before he gifted her a powerful kick to the face, smashing her face before it went limp. There were sounds that the Slayer wished he had not heard. Rage built up inside him as he clutched at the dust beneath the ground, a handful of it in his fist as the marine crushed it fiercely.

VEGA: {It would appear that the undead exists here in this world. I will detect any more within this small town's portion.}

"Whoever or whatever did all this, they will pay for what they've done. It doesn't matter where these monsters go or hide in faraway locations. I will not rest until every last one of them perishes." The Slayer turned away, heading back into the central space within the ruined shop.

"From what I know about zombies, they are clumsy and remained easy to take down. They'll become incredibly limited by their territory as all their weight come to focus on their feet, and above all else, they are slow-" Then the Slayer suddenly pauses at the strange sounds.

Moaning.

Agony.

Ghoulish.

VEGA: {There are several or more of the undead making their way to where you are, Slayer.}

Outside the shop were numbers of people, but they didn't look like normal humans. They looked like something out of a horror movie.

*CRASH*

One of the windows shattered, and the herd starts charging through inside. "RAAAUUGHHH!"

Some start tripping over each other, some ended up on the floor, and some start going towards the Slayer. "These mindless drones."

Former shells of people rushing only served to bring the marine back to the world or dimension he had left behind. The Slayer's face was visible through the visor on the front of his helmet. A scowl ran down from his cheeks, and he bore an expression of contemptuous hatred. They may have been effective in contrast to humans. But to men like the Slayer, to say they were a threat would be laughable.

He aimed his Super Shotgun and began blasting his way through. Two zombies rushed at the Slayer until he shot the first one to cause the second one to stop, acting scared for some reason as it got brutally punched in the face to death. The Slayer moved through the ruins of this shop, slaughtering anything that walked with brutality unmatched.

The Slayer then watched three undead freaks charged, barraging to attack him with force. Among a scowl that he bore to show sheer exasperation, the Slayer effortlessly caught onto all three and struck each of them away, toppling over several of their kind. The Slayer moved out of the shop, and more zombies followed him.

Numerous walked forward towards him as he wildly destroyed each one with the Heavy Assault Rifle at point-blank range. The Slayer grunted and grabbed the last one by the throat. When dropping the dead creature mid-air, his fist swung towards it in a punch that shook the ground along with blood splatters.

The Slayer stormed forward to throw off various copies of the zombies until launching himself with a battle roar, blasting and shooting more with his Super Shotgun. He easily withstood more charging assaults trying to push him down. One zombie advances at him and the Slayer utterly lets it slam into his shoulder and kicked it away onto the ground.

Two more rush forward in attack, but the Slayer ran at them with a grunt, clotheslining them both onto the ground. He continued running and kicked the same one a second ago into the air, and then blasted the freak into the sky and away with the Rocket Launcher, sounding afar in an explosion of blood and guts.

Sprinting forward, the Slayer slammed a fist into another head of one of the monsters near him, pulping its skull and brain. Blood was flying everywhere. Bodies left behind him; all had become smushed like getting the same treatment as a Halloween pumpkin. The sounds of thunderous punching and ammunition echoed throughout the area.

Shockwaves of each fist and gunshot destroyed vast swathes of zombies second by second. Chunks of mangled bodies flew in every direction. The small ocean of enemies seemed endless; they got laid out as far as the eye could see. A quick spin to knock them off their feet. A few swift haymakers, making space to let the Slayer catch his bearings.

VEGA: {Several more of the herd's presence is still intact, Slayer.}

The Slayer rolled his eyes with annoyance at what he's currently fighting right now. There were two zombies out of nowhere to crush him between them. The creatures fell before his fists, just like all the rest. The Unchained Predator's eyes frantically gaped around the swarm of zombies. He hopped from foe to foe, hardly ever touching the sea of corpses that had become the ground. Each of his punches and weapons caused explosions of blood to geyser from their bodies. Dimly, the Slayer was aware that he had been fighting for minutes, but he didn't feel tired.

The Slayer rushed across the town as his eyes had shifted from a calm blue sea to intense waters in an instant. The eyes of a battle-hardened killer. Something that a regular human could not have. The Slayer was already destroying these monsters along with their inside. And truthfully, he knew that if he left any more of these zombies roaming, the Slayer wouldn't have hesitated in the slightest with killing the unlucky corpses.

The growling got louder as the herd was drawing in, attempting to trap me. The Slayer couldn't help but smile angrily at this pitiful method of theirs. They couldn't even be able to penetrate through his armor, and his weaponry can just straight-up destroy these pathetic meat sacks. Bodies had gotten thrown into the air.

Many were paralyzed or mutilated by how the Slayer moved. He was way out of their fighting league. He showed no mercy, not even to the larger kinds of zombies. That's when the Slayer seized a zombie by the neck, bringing it up with a cruel smile before piledriving its head first to the ground with a heavy splat of blood and guts.

The Slayer's eyes snapped back at the walker in front of him. He picked up the now permanently deceased corpse and threw it at another group of the zombies, knocking them over and buying himself a few seconds. He reached down and pulled the limp zombie up and swung it around, smashing a few more zombies away. A few chunks of guts and limbs fell out through the zombie, but he didn't pay much attention as the Slayer starts shooting with his Pistol.

Not only that it is most effective against weaker targets, but it's got limitless ammo too. The Slayer ran forward to meet more of the zombies, swapping out the Pistol for the Super Shotgun again. The two corpses are in the front while they brought up their claws and teeth. He ducked under the first zombie and put one shell into its face. The second shell is fired point-blank at the second zombie's face. Reloading, the Slayer stopped and fired at the next creature.

Plodding over the corpses, with several leftovers, each raising an arm to claw at him crushed by his boot, repulsive aroma washes over the breeze as the Slayer reloaded and snap the Super Shotgun barrels shut with an upward flick of his wrist. A zombie catches the Slayer's opposite wrist, drawing his attention before pulling it into the air with ease and let it taste two barrels of buckshot at point-blank range.

Skilfully sliding two more shells into the Super Shotgun, the Slayer snap the weapon shut again and turns the next zombie's face into mincemeat, all the while scrambling backward around the whole town. The blood and gore are slick under his boots and gauntlets, and the mad scramble is a slow go, made slower by the constant pause to reload.

"But it's worth it." Every roar of old faithful turns another one or two zombies into essence. Essentially, these zombies could get re-incarnated somewhere else, and the Slayer knows he's just feeding an endless cycle of death and rebirth. "At least those fuckers are coming back with a clear message. You don't fuck with the Doom Slayer."

The next zombie did not see that it is going straight towards the Slayer, where he merely held out his left arm and clotheslined it before grabbing the corpse and slamming it to the ground. The zombie, unable to do anything, growled as the Slayer lifted his left foot before bringing it down and crushing its head. Another zombie reached over next, striking out at him with its nails. The Slayer responded by breaking its left arm and crushing its skull.

Next came two more zombies, both with their teeth out and growling before the Slayer whipped out his Chainsaw, bringing it down on the first. The Chainsaw tore through, carving its body in half from shoulder to hip. The second snarled in hunger and charged forward as well, but the Slayer utterly batted its head off before cutting the zombie right down the center.

The Slayer charged again, slamming his fist into another zombie as its head had shot off the body from the force of the punch, killing it instantly. He then grabbed another one and slammed it into the ground, causing a crater to appear. Then, the Slayer grabbed two more of them together as he crushed them together, causing the bodies to smash into a bloody mess.

Next, he dashes, kicking one so hard it slammed into a small shop, crashing right through the wall. The Slayer's eyes glowed a fearsome blood red as he delighted in the slaughter. The Slayer threw a look over his shoulder, checking to see if he'd miss any more of those zombies.

VEGA: {The herd's presence is still intact, Slayer. I have updated your HUD on their location, stating that there is an increased possible chance there could be fifty or ninety more above.}

The Slayer moved through the remaining zombies, Chainsaw still in hand. He sliced and cut down the last of this group as the marine made his way around. He ran back into the storage room, kicking the door open to the back, and looked both ways. The Slayer moved through the remaining zombies, Chainsaw still in hand.

He sliced and cut down the last of this group as the marine made his way around. He ran back into the storage room, kicking the door open to the back, and looked both ways. The Slayer went down the alleyway, leading him back into the center. Across the town was more of them. There must have been hundreds in this place.

VEGA: {The exit from up the hill is blocked, Slayer. Back to my estimation from before, there are fifty or more than a hundred zombies within the town.}

The Slayer couldn't tell from VEGA's calculation. He was speechless by this massive crowd coming towards him, where he turned and paused. They were coming down the hill as well. The Slayer became surrounded by more and more afterward. He looked around, checking to find a way out. Everywhere the marine looked, he kept seeing those things. It was valid for humans because the zombies were slow, and it would at least give anyone time to escape.

But the Slayer didn't run away.

He turned to see them charging at him, ready to consume him. Things felt different and better.

"Now, this was a real challenge."

The Slayer lifted the Super Shotgun, checking the chamber as he then ratcheted the forestock back. The hoard charged him as the Slayer prepared to fight off the undead with everything he got. All that peace and contentment within him from before had quickly disappeared, making him realized that no matter where the Slayer goes, there always has to be a Hell somewhere.

A grayish van was driving down a road, revealing two survivors on each seat. The one in the driving seat was a man. His name was Rick Grimes; he had short hair with some curls and a greyish beard. The woman next to him was named Michonne; she had long dreadlocks and a band wrapped around her head. With a katana that was next to her, she was a woman not to messed around.

Presently, the car ride was a silent one at this time of day for both of them. Not to mention what has happened. They narrowly succeeded in their mission at a carnival area behind an abandoned school filled with supplies and swarming with gun-equipped walkers.

Both of them had to escape from several difficulties with the undead. The two had gathered guns from the school grounds and collected most of the box-filled with canned goods, food, water, and other supplies they found from inside the school. If there weren't enough room, they'd just always come back for more. But for now, they needed to get home.

Right now, Michonne had her head leaning against the window of the van's door. She still had the deeply saddened expression on her face after what nearly happened back at the carnival field. She stared blankly ahead as Rick, while driving the van, glanced over to her more than once with a concerned look on his face. He recalled back when each one was collecting all the firearms and ammo from the recently killed corpses. They used the towed carts in the carnival area.

Rick had seen from afar while Michonne gathered the guns, she had crouched down to pick up a few weapons until she suddenly acted like she was crying. It was the one thing she hadn't done for a while. Michonne still couldn't shake off that fear that had become felt before, only replaying the thoughts of losing her son so horribly and a week after Glenn and Abraham died.

Rick felt sorry for his lover, becoming anxious about her when she just sat in silence during their trip home. Irked with her melancholy, Rick put his foot upon the van's brake pedal and then pulls over in the middle of the road. Turning the key as the engine stopped, he brought his focus back to Michonne with a sigh.

"I could've gone a couple more days," Rick said, slowly and gently, as he looked at Michonne. "I would've liked that."

But Michonne still didn't look back at him.

No reply.

Just silence.

Rick could only look down and brought his hand to his head, rubbing at his eye. He decided to take a different approach.

"I haven't been sleeping. I've kept thinking about what we lost, thinking about my friends." Rick stated, adding a faint tone as the bad memories from the past days, especially when all of this nightmarish mess with the Saviors started. "Glenn saved me right at the start. But I couldn't save him."

Tears began to well in the man's eyes as he tried fighting back the urge to cry. Rick was looking forward to the road, but he eventually could see Michonne had turned from the window to the man she loved.

Without looking back to Michonne, Rick continued with a sigh. "I keep thinking of him all of the time. He was a great man; brave, smart, and always as help and support. Back in Atlanta, when I had gotten surrounded by the walkers into the tank, he was the one who chose to save me."

Rick felt his heart become heavy and remorseful when he remembered the night they had gotten themselves ambushed by a large group of the Saviors. When Abraham, and right after him, Glenn, were brutally mauled to death by Negan, Rick became forced to watch such a brutal act helplessly.

"It's normal. I know that." Rick sighed, looking at her again. "Being stuck at that moment. It's not easy to accept someone close to go away just like that, and it's never easy to live. We went through something. We got a good catch. But this..."

Rick pointed with his thumb all they had suffered from the carnival area. "...Even all of this doesn't cure what I feel about Glenn's lost."

Michonne reached out and placed her hand comfortingly to Rick's right cheek as she looked at him into his eyes. "Rick, I'm sorry," she whispered.

Rick looked back at his lover's eyes. Gently taking her wrist in his hand, he brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss upon her skin. He just held her hand against his chest as Rick then let out a deep breath before he looked back at Michonne and kept speaking.

"After everything to Denise, Abraham, Glenn, Spencer, and Olivia, we're gonna fight them. That's what happens next," Rick asserted slowly, knowing well that their preparations to fight against the Saviors may cost them. "And we're gonna lose people, maybe a lot of them, even each other."

From hearing that comment, Michonne turned away from Rick and tried to fight against her upcoming tears. She didn't want to hear that after believing she'd lost him back at the carnival.

"But even then, it'll be worth it," Rick said as he looked at her.

Michonne felt mental anguish inside of her heart as she shook her head, lips quivering slightly of losing the battle against her tears. She unwillingly remembered as she had seen with her very own eyes when Rick had fallen from that Ferris wheel to the ground and straight to the path of the incoming walker herd.

Michonne learned how she had witnessed Rick at the mercy of the undead after he runs out of ammo and gets himself cornered. She had tried to get to him to help him until she saw that the entire herd had gathered to the spot where Rick was lying. They were heaving with their dead hands the fresh flesh and intestines into their mouths.

And like that, Michonne's world began to slip away. Michonne was shocked after witnessing this terrible sight, thinking Rick was killed and eaten alive by the herd. She nearly allowed the nearby swarming walkers to do the same thing to her while paralyzed by the shock. How could Michonne make it without him? He'd become her rock in the storm, the love of her life. How can one move on from that?

Essentially, the walkers began moving toward her before Rick bursts forth from a part of the carnival ride and starts taking down walkers. He had thrown Michonne her katana, having her snap back into action. After they've killed the entire herd, they hugged, not willing to let go of each other. She found out that the walkers were eating only a deer.

It stood near the wheel, which Rick had wanted to shoot down as a replacement for the one Michonne had hunted down earlier in the woods. Until it was taken from her by the Saviors, who were at the unexpected visit in Alexandria, taking almost everything they had. But such a shock and a terrible sight and belief of Rick being dead continued to haunt her.

"When I thought that you were..." Michonne began before she quickly paused due to her strife against her tears.

Michonne finally let out the afflicted outburst to emerge on her face as she lost her struggle, allowing tears to stream down her cheeks as she turned back to Rick.

"I can't lose you, Rick. Not after what happened to you back there because of the deer." Michonne tearfully stated.

"You asked me what kind of life we had just surrendered. You were right. It wasn't...it wasn't a life. It became more like living as slaves under fear and tyranny. What we did back there, what we're doing now, making a future for Judith, for Glenn and Maggie's unborn baby by fighting the fight. That's living. You showed me that." Rick said, seeing tears drip down Michonne's face as he placed his right hand on her left cheek.

Michonne remembered after the Saviors had left Alexandria with most of their property, including all their beds and firearms. It was after that Rick had declared that Negan was in power now and becoming their new lifestyle.

"You can lose me."

"No," Michonne said with a sorrowful tone as she looks away, couldn't take any thoughts of losing him.

"Yes, you can," Rick insisted, placing a hand upon her shoulder. "I can lose you. We can lose our friends, people we love. It's not about us anymore. It's about the future. And if it's me who doesn't make it, you're going to have to lead the others forward because you're the one who can."

Michonne's face remained sorrowful, but she couldn't believe that from all of the remaining friends and family Rick still had left, she was the one to shoulder Rick's responsibilities of the leadership and the power over Alexandria if he would not make it. She didn't question Rick's decision to hand over his leadership on her shoulder if the day comes.

But what about her skills in it? Among his people were many of those who managed leadership skills, those still alive, and those already dead. After the prison befell, Michonne had served as Rick's right-hand-woman, an advisor in situations and support. But taking leadership on her shoulder would be a new and strange step. Michonne became habitual to being led instead of obtaining leadership, which is why she doubted her skills.

"But how do you know?" Michonne asks, turning slightly towards him.

Rick smiled warmly at her. "Because you led me here."

After Rick had finished, Michonne forced a smile to appear on her lips as she nodded slightly but rapidly to Rick.

"At least I can try, but just don't leave me so soon," Michonne whispered as she looked at the eyes of the man she loved, smiling at him.

Rick gave her a gentle smile and eventually said, "Come here,"

He spreads his arms in intention to offer her a warm and comforting hug. Rick did not need to ask twice from Michonne as she leaned towards Rick, embracing one another. Michone knew that Rick was more than right about how many people they may lose and try to protect at all costs.

Much more in the incoming events of future war, either from the walkers or the Saviors. Almost entirely responsive, the sounds that Michonne began to hear faraway were the birds chirping, grasshoppers chirping, and distant gunshots blazing. Rick's smile disappeared as he and Michonne remained silent from what they were hearing.

"Are you hearing that?" Michonne asked, almost forgetting about her emotional trauma.

"Yeah," Rick uttered his response, starting up the van once more before looking at Michonne once more. "As much as what's already happened, there shouldn't be any Savior territory around here. Right?"

"But then who's doing that?" asked Michonne. "It could be coming from that small town we passed through yesterday ago."

"We don't have to go if you don't want to..."

"No. We need to do this. For everyone." Her eyes looked back at him just after she wiped away her tears and sniffed. "I'm okay now. Let's go check."

Rick only nodded and then drove down the road, following the noises that were coming from afar.

Taking a drag off the cigarette in her hand, Laura walked along the twig-staggered trail. She was a blonde-haired female Savior lieutenant, using her marksmanship into use for serving Negan, leader of the Saviors.

In another part of the wilderness somewhere, three other male Saviors were accompanying Laura, each carrying assault rifles in their hands. While two of the male preservers, Dean and Derek, kept their pace as ongoing and steady as possible, the third one, Mark, was only a bit far behind as he lacked at keeping up with his comrades.

At some point during the apocalypse, Mark came into contact with the Saviors, appointing himself as one of the Sanctuary's guards, as well as developing feelings for Amber.

Mark was the ex-boyfriend of Amber, one of Negan's harem of wives. Due to her mother's poor health and employment throughout the Sanctuary, Amber offered herself to become one of Negan's "wives" in a chance to provide supplies for her mother's aid.

While Amber may have sacrificed her relationship with Mark to ensure the safety of him and her mother, the two still care for each other, enough that Mark risked his life to be with her.

The unfortunate happened when the two were caught sleeping together behind Negan's back.

Due to his act of cuckoldry that one of Negan's wives was "cheating" on him, Mark got punished for it.

A red-hot iron was pressed against Mark's face by Negan, scarring the left side of his face until he passed out, in front of the entire Savior community. All of this caused great despair for Amber, who observes Mark's suffering as partially her fault.

Although now having to return as one of Negan's soldiers, Mark resents Negan for destroying his connection with Amber, and for the disfigurement of his face.

"Try not to fall behind, you guys. And that means you too, Mark. We still only got a few more boring routes to go around before we'll head back to the Sanctuary. Trust me on this." Laura elaborates, trekking through the clear trail alongside her company.

"Yeah, yeah, very informative of you, wise Lieutenant," Mark spoke sarcastically with a pained and frustrating expression.

"No time for slow-time, Mark." Derek said in a straightforward tone, "Let's just get this patrol over with so I can get something to eat back at the market corner."

Dean couldn't help but sigh lazily, "Laura, Negan has been keeping us busy with all this scavenging shit for extra points, but there's nothing dangerous around here to brag on about in front of a crowd of idiots."

"Tell that when Negan's up and around." Laura said, glancing back at Dean who countered with a glare, "Look, I don't like doing this shit as much as you slackers, but Negan's will be pissed if we push this out of our way of getting points."

"Yeah, good point." Derek agreed.

"Still doesn't hurt to simply say that we didn't find who knows what." Dean shrugged.

"You three aren't doing much by just letting me take the lead in this so-called parade," Laura scoffed at the three male Saviors.

"Oh sure, Mark's the only one not keeping his depressed ass up, and you pick now to tell that we're not doing much?" replied Dean, rolling his eyes over to the scarred soldier in the back.

"I have done nothing wrong at this point, Dean," Mark said, looking stern as usual.

"Yeah, join the victim club for all I care. You of all people should know what Negan would do to you after you-know-who was sleeping with you." Dean let out an annoyed groan while walking with Derek.

Mark did his best to disregard the two male Saviors about his situation, but Derek starts talking, "Come on, Mark. You and that Amber chick were over for good, and for better reasons, too. Besides, it's not like Negan's jumping to come at you again, right? Your face may have gotten ironed to crisp, but that shit was on her for what you went through."

"It's not like that, guys," Mark uttered quietly.

"Whatever you say, ex-lover-boy." Dean divulged scornfully.

Mark remained silent as the two male Saviors bickered more about how he should have just dumped Amber from the start and only do his job without consequences. Although that may be the case, Mark still couldn't help but consider reflecting when he and Amber were always by each other's side. They both still loved each other, but now, all of that love gets taken away by some asshole with a baseball bat.

Laura mentally sighed at the three idiots gossiping about who knows what and kept her focus on what is ahead of them. All around the area was the Saviors territory, and therefore, this was Negan's as well. Laura stares out another direction, observing a flock of birds fleeing a tree. She didn't have time to go bird watching. Laura had three of her teammates on patrol duty.

And boy, it sucked balls...

But as much as she didn't want to go out here and inspect nothing for almost a few days, Laura didn't want to upset Negan or Simon for that matter. Looking from behind, Laura couldn't help but scowl at Dean and Derek as if they were checking her out.

"I swear, I'm gonna' skin both your nuts off if you keep doing that," Laura said, glaring at the two morons behind her.

"Laura, I don't know what you're paranoid about," replied Derek, acting cool as usual for reasons.

"You know damn well, perverts. You guys are only behind me drooling to get your dicks wet, despite Mark becoming the only exception."

"What? Mark is way farther than we are. What harm could the scarred rookie do in this case?" Dean asked, with fake surprise. "Besides, what's going to hurt when Negan insisted on you of all people to help with patrol duties?"

"I don't know, maybe because he doesn't have tastes in jackasses like you two."

"Whatever you say, sweetcheeks." Derek shrugged playfully.

"Fuck the both of you."

"Come on, Laura." Dean drawled with a smile, "We're all just kidding around here, aren't we? Besides, if Mark gets the first glimpse at your-"

"Let's just move it or lose it, you two." Laura cuts him off, blushing a bit.

Dean and Derek chuckled as Laura just shrugged it off, coping with her loathing for having to deal with men with perverted minds and ticks. Though, Laura couldn't help but feel a tiny bit remorseful about the consequences Mark had to pay for sleeping with Amber behind Negan's back. It was still a dumb move for Mark to do, having him throw his life away for some shallow blondie.

*CRACK*

All four of them jolted upright, upholding their seriousness when they each heard the nearby trees rustle.

"The hell was that?" Dean asked.

"No fucking clue, man-!" Derek whispered before Laura shushes them.

"Keep at bay you two," said Laura. "Cover for me and I'll check it out. Mark, go scope around the scene as quiet as you can."

"Got it." Mark nods in acknowledgment as he makes his way across the bushes cautiously and surreptitiously.

Dean and Derek rush up in an attempt to ambush anyone who comes near. Laura walks across to further inspect any intruders or walkers.

Just as Laura makes her way towards where the sound came from, she could see there lied a dead walker...

...with its head smashed open.

"What the hell...?" she said to herself before looking around.

It couldn't be those wusses from Alexandria fighting back now...

...were they?

"Excuse me...?" a robotic-like voice soothed, almost sinister as well.

That became the trigger of Laura feeling somebody's presence, causing her eyes to look behind her shoulder. Her eyes widened, almost frozen to her feet when she took a good look at Dr. Samuel Hayden.

"I do not mean you any harm...but, I will, in turn, ask for your assistance, miss."