With his narrowed eyes on the road, Negan kept a straight face without any of his signature grins as he drove in the moving van. Alongside Arat, who remained attached to the passenger seat, kept her handgun in her fingers while looking out the window. Something inside of Arat's gut was telling her that something was seriously about to go wrong soon, especially after what Hayden had pulled when he showed the demonic Crucible to the other Saviors.
"Arat."
The dark-skinned woman nearly jumped when Negan said her name as he gave her a side glance, "I want to know what the hell you saw earlier from that fucking sword of that dipshit, Hayden. I may not have known what other fucking shit he has to hide from me, but I know damn well that you looked like you were going to piss yourself a gallon if I say so myself."
All that Negan had received was silence from Arat, nothing came from her mouth except for a slight whimper. His irritation only grew when he noticed that Arat was disobeying his order.
"Arat, you are one of my top badass Lieutenants, and never in my life have I ever seen you scared to shit that you'd want to blow your brains out 'cause of it. Because whatever Hayden's truly got inside that thick fucking brain of his, I want to know what you saw-"
"THERE WAS-!" Arat stopped herself to breathe, soon giving herself up to explain, "There were screams and blood everywhere, sir! Buildings got destroyed along with numerous communities and the people were scattered into pieces."
Upon listening to Arat's dreadful explanation, Negan stared blankly ahead while driving on the road for what seemed like an hour. However, the thoughts inside of his head continued to try and derive what was going on here. Hayden had been keeping something valuable from the entire group and nobody even bothered to notice anything about him?
Shaking his head, Negan eyed Arat for a second. "Holy fucking shit, Arat. I'd tell you what, that's some downright psychotic shit you saw. What about anything after?"
From the look on Arat's terrified face, she nearly shuddered before answering Negan's question. "Those monsters were torturing...women and children were...were getting..."
"Don't." Someone could bludgeon a man to death with the weight of Negan's tone.
Seeing Negan's face now, Arat could tell how pissed off he looked as she recalled Negan's anger earlier today with Hayden. But when it comes to one of his rules, similar to only killing one person from a disobedient group, rape became a subject Negan so utterly detested. Arat knew for herself that she didn't have to continue explaining that part any longer.
Pleads.
Screams.
Moans.
Negan could almost hear it all flourish inside of his mind. These were the sounds that echoed throughout what Arat testified. Those demons, as they did every day, would go through their routines. Raping human women and children, selling their slaves, and occasionally selling actual goods. Too much thought about it made Negan feel like he wanted to vomit or something.
"I'm telling you, Arat, I've had it with this wannabe keeper of humankind. I don't know why he didn't say anything about this shit before! Does he think storytelling's going to make everything all goody-two-shoes for him? Hayden might as well walk off a fucking cliff after I'm through with his tinman ass! If he thinks I was letting him go before, you wait. Maybe I'll let him get surrounded by a bunch of dead twats who won't have to listen to his FUCKING bullshit!" Negan seethed in anger like he was almost about to shout. "These thick-headed demon fuckwads think they can go and do whatever the fuck they want while I'm still alive!? They've got another fucking thing coming for them!"
"There was still more to it, sir," Arat stated as her face contorts into a confused frown. "It felt very sudden, and there was this guy in enormous armor or something. He was nothing like those soldiers from the Kingdom, but he took on every single one of those demons by himself. And he was winning!"
Negan's expression soon drops dead from what Arat had just affirmed. He let out an uncharacteristic huff as he smiled in his voice, "You've got to be fucking kidding me! That's impossible for one right there. And two, every time it's always got to be this Marine guy everywhere I go, dammit! Seriously, if I hear another word or thing about this guy, I'll strangle the shit outta-!"
Just then, a piercing screech came from the top of the moving van until a grotesque-looking demon was soaring ahead of them in midair. It had a split lower jaw and a slender, rawboned frame that grafted large metal blades onto its hands. Furthermore, it has a hunchback frame and well-built legs. The stand-out feature of this creature is its wings, allowing maneuvers within range for a brief period. Much scarier than ever, the winged monster had two or three more following the first one after.
These demons were called Gargoyles.
"Oh, fucking hell! Now there are ones with big-ass WINGS!" Negan cursed out loud.
Two of the Gargoyles flipped back around to directly fly right back at the moving van, causing Negan to rotate the steering wheel to the left to heavily avoid each demon. From the corner of the rearview mirror, Negan caught a glimpse of the fewer Gargoyles that passed by two other trucks followed behind. One of the Savior vehicles had two members sniping at the winged creatures as they flew in different directions. Negan and Arat then felt a frightening impact that came from the roof of the moving van.
"There's one on top! Arat, take it out, and try not to fuck yourself while I'm driving this bloody parade!" Negan ordered as his eyes focused solely on the road.
Arat nods in response, her eyes staying glued to her window side, and begins to roll it down carefully with her pistol in hand. She had to keep in mind how agile and fast these demons were just early today back when Hayden and Dwight were still here. After the car window rolled down, Arat gradually pops out half of herself as she aimed outward at whatever remained occupied on the roof.
"Oh, shit..." Arat's eyes widened before she found blood leaking on the top to drip onto her.
Suddenly, she heard a loud screech of rage escaping from a Gargoyle's mouth as it was hurling a dead Savior's corpse down at Arat. Making her gasp, she pulled herself back inside the front passenger seat, yet instead, Arat popped right back out to shoot a couple of bullets at the Gargoyle as it bounced over to the top body of the moving van.
Meanwhile, with the other Saviors from the second big truck, there were currently being played on by two other Gargoyles until one of them dove down upon one man. Streaks of blood sprayed out on the first male Savior while the Gargoyle pounces onto another pair of men, chucking one of them out on the road and ripping through the flesh and bones of the other. The male Savior screamed his lungs out in horror as he fires his assault rifle everywhere in an attempt to kill the Gargoyle, despite accidentally killing one or two Savior members.
The other Gargoyle disappeared and reappeared above the frantic Savior, lunging both of its metal-bladed feet down and crushing him into a gory mess. While the first Gargoyle swung its bladed arms sideways, slashing guts out and decapitating another few Savior members, the second one springs right onto the truck's hood with a crazed squeal at the two Saviors driving the vehicle. The winged demon used its bladed arm to scrape through the hinged cover over the engine until smoke starts billowing out. Afterward, the two Gargoyles sprung themselves off each side to let the truck explode in a fire with the unlucky Saviors going along too.
Hidden from the inside of the moving van, Simon continued shaking as he could only hear an explosive blast and the dying agony of his men outside. Not far off, Dr. Carson had settled down to the injured Savior's eye level to try and treat him, keeping a mini flashlight in case. His wounds had been tended. And yet even as the man had his injuries wrapped with heavy bandages and cuts soothed with stinging antiseptic, he made almost no noise at all. As for the rest of everyone, there was only a drowning silence as they sat and waited, huddled around like lost sheep, whereas Simon remained separated from each of them.
"FUCK!" Simon growled to himself, hitting his fist against the side.
He used a portable large flashlight to spread whiteness across the space taken by a few other people. Simon simply glared at Leo, Huck, and Zia as some of them were apart from each other.
"I don't know what the fuck these things are, but so help me to all that's worth it if Dwight and Hayden left us here...!"
"Simon, calm the fuck down!" Huck tried to implore the second-in-command Savior, but it didn't do much to her disappointment.
"Don't tell me to shut the fuck up! Those are MY men out there that just got blown to bits by those monsters! We can't let these things kill us like this!" Simon argued at Huck, all while Leo came beside her.
"Look, do not fucking blow it. We're going to get back to Sanctuary and get everyone on board!" Leo encouraged Simon this time, watching him put a hand on his stressful face.
"There's more of them, guys! We're already fucked!" Zia was exasperated while her arms were crossed, looking at Huck with sadness. "I'm sorry, Huck, I am! I couldn't save Nelson when that fucking idiot was already surrounded by them. He was-!"
"Don't FUCKING talk to me right now!" Huck said in a frustrated tone before looking away, sighing. "We can...we can just...!"
"Just what? Die out there along with the rest of the dead fucks? Not going to happen!" Simon glared at Huck with fire in his eyes as she gave him a surprised look.
"No, no, no! Sir, I didn't mean it that way! We're already stressed out from running away and leaving Hayden and Dwight behind, so we gotta-!"
*HISS*
"What the fuck was that!?" Zia shouted in surprise, where Dr. Carson stayed fixing up the injured Savior who tried to speak.
"T-This is something we can't win." He said in a low, emotionless tone.
"Try not to talk about it, sir." Dr. Carson advised as he did his very best to keep the recent sufferer calm.
Simon snapped his head around to face the injured man, utterly pissed off. "You mind repeating that?"
Dr. Carson tried to halt the high-ranking Savior, "Please, Simon-!"
But the injured man continued, "Whatever these things are or where they've all come from, how are any of us able to take on many with different shapes and sizes than we are? N-None of you guys couldn't take on that big one back there. We were too helpless to even-!"
The male Savior couldn't get his next sentence out as Simon hollered a quick chuckle, coming over to kneel in front of him with a pat on the shoulder. "Okay, man! Less joking and more on figuring out how to exterminate each of these monstrous bloodsuckers down to the ground. Listen, we're in a precarious position here. We gotta' do something about that!"
Dr. Carson responded with an annoyed face, "And what exactly do you propose to do about it?"
Simon ignored Dr. Carson and looked at the other Saviors present, "We'll make it through this, everyone! None of those things are going to barge into the Sanctuary like it's no big deal. Our plan, Negan's plan, will be to put the fear of God in these freaks of nature. So that finally once, and for all, we will expunge them! We will redact them! Them coming here is a mistake that we shall now erase!"
As Simon smirked to himself at what he just said, the rest of the Savior members looked at each other with uncertainty. Dr. Carson could only make a wry face for what Simon delivered in his sophisticated yet psychotic nature at heart. Aside from that, he still pondered over the fact that maybe Hilltop could have spotted more of these monsters somehow. But what could be done now? Instead, Dr. Carson watched, helpless, as he grips on his lap harder, allowing its firmness to calm his already ruined nerves. He knew that it wouldn't do much.
Back up front with Negan, Arat narrowed her eyes out the car window for the Gargoyle, her shock steadily turning into annoyance and anger.
"I don't see the creature, Negan! But I don't think most of them are gone! Plus, two of those things already blew up one of our trucks!" Arat said a bit more harshly than intended, but she couldn't find it within herself to care.
"Well shit goes for them I guess!" Negan sighed angrily. "We still got to take these fuckers down somehow before they get to any of us! Besides, I think we still got one of the big trucks left behind us."
"What do we do about that, Negan?" Arat asked.
The man bellowed a laugh, "Fucking Christ, Arat. How the fuck should I know? I'm the one steering the fucking wheel away from those demon bastards that are trying to kill us."
Arat lightly facepalmed a spot on her brow and gave Negan an annoyed glare, "So the problem is that we can't do anything about it?"
"Yet! Don't be such a fucking fusspot, Arat." Negan quips back, glancing around to see another roadway coming ahead. "Cause we might just found our next pit-stop! So let's not fucking waste time on this shit here!"
Arat's eyes looked onward as Negan turned the moving van slightly to the right to gain entrance in another road, spotting an overgrown urban parking lot. Negan soon drives the large vehicle nearby a clear space until he halts, checking to see if any of the Gargoyles are around.
Arat shifted uncomfortably, not knowing how else to accept Negan's unpredictable behavior, "What are we stopping for, sir? They'll take us out if we-!"
"If we lead these fucks back to the Sanctuary? Ha, fuck no, would we let that happen!" Negan denied with a grin on his face, speaking to his walkie-talkie. "Simon, get your guns out and ready to take down two or three flying-looking gnats to their fucking graves. You know what to do."
[Copy that, Negan!]
Putting the radio device away and switching to his handgun, Negan glances over to Arat, "Let's sneak on each side until we'll get everyone else from the back. Am I clear?"
Arat soon nodded, both tensed and ready to terminate the trio of Gargoyles. Instantly, both Negan and Arat opened their car doors and sprung out as cautiously as they could. Checking around, Negan kept his handgun raised for any sneak attacks from those winged demons. After what seemed an eternity, but was only a few seconds, Arat walked forward on the other side with her pistol checking each side and above her head. Taking a quick look, Arat spotted the last Savior truck that remained unharmed and sighed in relief.
*HISS*
Arat's eyes were no longer focused as her pupils shrunk, and they had become alarmed and tense. Once she began turning around, facing one of the Gargoyles that was snaking down behind her, Arat shifted back sharply under its devilish stare and opened fire onto the winged demon. The Gargoyle, however, refused to squander before shooting across and swiped at Arat, who luckily ducked away from the metal blade attack. While getting ahead of herself, Arat scoots aside to open the back of the moving van.
"SHIT!"
Negan's voice cried out of habit as he got hurled like a ragdoll across the ground where the other Gargoyle from previously reappeared. Arat's scared eyes scrolled at the Savior leader, and from somewhere within him, he found the strength to even take a step back to his feet.
"Heh, you think you've won?" Negan spoke through his gleaming teeth. "You're all nothing. You might as well go fuck yourselves back into the pig shit today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Because you'll get fucked sideways until you fucking bleed all over."
Pointing Lucille forward, Negan's teeth gritted as a change in his tone was barely an inch, but it was there, and it caused Arat's mind to freeze in shock that she needed to get Simon and the rest out.
"I'll get out of this ugly shit, no prob'! I always have and always do." Negan forced a smile to his lips. "It's just you and me, you sorry ass fuckers. You all are so going to get torn the fuck open until I am done. Cause I am bigger, I am worse, and I got a lovely bat named Lucille, who's come to join the 'you're fucked' party."
Negan's gripped his barbed-wire baseball bat with one hand to appeal either one of the Gargoyles to come forth, which had gotten the first winged demon to charge at him. As Negan circled, stepping back with a determined smile on his face, it was evident, even from Arat's perspective, that Negan wasn't going to give up like that.
He dodged a slice and began tearing through the Gargoyle's boney face with the sharp tips of his baseball bat. It was forced to step back, and then again, and again, and yet again. Negan pushed forward faster and with more fury than the demons had prepared to unleash on this world.
Suddenly, one of the Gargoyles flew behind Negan until it took him by the jacket and up into the air, causing him to growl louder than ever. Down below, Arat was way too busy releasing and rotating the latch before the rear door rose open, granting Simon permission to jump out and shoot at the Gargoyles.
"Where's Negan?" Simon shouted to Arat, who only pointed up in the sky where he soon spotted his leader tangling with a swerving Gargoyle.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Simon's annoyance increased as he aims his gun towards Negan and the Gargoyle.
But Arat soon interrupts, "Wait a minute, you'll shoot Negan too!"
Leo and Huck then hopped down to the ground that's covered with grass, whereas Dr. Carson stayed to keep the injured Savior from panicking. As Zia could only stare at whatever was around her, she needed to leave before anything else comes after her as well. She picked herself up with her handgun to run off, ignoring Dr. Carson's voice of reasoning behind it.
With a cleared extent in the distance, Zia climbed down and sped her way that's not infested with demons or crazy robot doctors. However, she soon hesitated at the sight of two Gargoyles noticing her. They rushed through like they became a part of nature itself, their mouths horrifically emitting out a battle cry. Before Zia held up her handgun in a fragile state, she didn't expect something else to happen next.
*BANG*
The Gargoyle on the right directly got shot in the side of its face, gushing blood as it cried out agony. Soon, another few rounds of gunshots appeared and sunk into the Gargoyle that had Negan, where they slowly began to crash down against one abandoned mover truck's body nearby. Negan slipped away and impacted onto the ground full of grime, having him spit out soil afterward.
The last Gargoyle snarled at whoever exterminated a few of its demonic comrades, flying straight over to where the gun sounds originated. The rest of the Saviors heard a feminine shout, and a moment later, a rope was around the Gargoyle's neck. It wasn't tight, but it was enough to cause it to stop. As the Gargoyle turned to face a few dark-clothed Scavengers popping out of nowhere, one of them had taken a rope from their belts and lassoed the winged demon.
"Well, this is surprising...!" Simon uttered, thinking of how to bring these outsiders down if things start to get hostile.
The Gargoyle could only hiss out of anger as its attempts of retreating became a ceaseless struggle, going up against a couple of Scavengers striving to drag it down.
But before any of the Savior members thought about helping these strangers, everyone's eyes came to a complete shock after Negan reappeared and swung Lucille as hard as he could. The impact causes the Gargoyle to desist its violent efforts as soon as Negan exerts himself for this next part.
As the winged demon gasps for breath, the Savior leader hammers down with his baseball bat. Strike after strike, blood spewing from the Gargoyle's head until Negan soon halts to take a breather and is greeted with his characteristic sinister smile.
"Now that's over with..." Negan leaned back a bit, turning to face the Scavengers that soon became an overcrowded company and much more. "...how's about you peepers take me to where your leader is now! Cause Negan has just hit the scene!"
The Whiplash slithered and slunk placidly to bypass each bullet that the Oceanside women were opening fire upon the snake-like demon. The Whiplash's face twisted as it rushed through several Oceanside sentries to its right and left, who dodged the Whiplash with no expression other than malice.
"EVERYONE, KEEP AWAY FROM THIS THING!" Beatrice yelled, aiming her shotgun and firing at the Whiplash.
And with another hiss, the Whiplash tries to swing an energy chain-blade to any human nearby but remained reluctant, seeing how most of the survivors were keeping their distance. Then, from out of nowhere, Rick comes springing in, grappling the Whiplash's backside, with his hatchet gashing into the flesh and cybernetics.
"Rick, what are you doing!?" Jesus shouted in surprise.
Struggling to cling onto the screeching Whiplash, it began to scramble and twist in every direction, knocking away Oceanside members that attempted to strike.
"He's going to get himself killed if he keeps holding onto the demon! Keep everyone back, dammit!" Natania told Beatrice and Kathy nearby, who both persisted in protecting the women and children.
Rick grunted and cried out lightly as the Whiplash snarls furiously, agony burning once the Alexandrian leader wrapped around its neck. But before Rick could have the upper hand, the Whiplash soon coasted its way and smashed him through one of the trees, making him fall off.
"RICK, GET OUT OF THERE!" Tara called out the Alexandrian leader.
While the Whiplash attempted to deliver the fatal blow, Jesus rushes into the scene and jabs one of his knives into the snake-like demon, earning a roar of pain.
"Well, shit!" Jesus cursed to himself, striving to bypass two of the Whiplash's energy chain-blades snapping towards him.
Two Imps made their move where one performed a butterfly kick at Jesus, who ducked as another Imp came running and punched at his face before Jesus caught it. Jesus jabs one of his knives through the Imp's torso and head, grabbing its arm and spinning around before flipping the demon corpse over his shoulder. The Whiplash snarled before it started swinging one of the chain-blades and launched its flying attack forward.
The chain-blade sailed over Jesus' head as he swiftly moved out of the way, and the Whiplash pulled back. The chain-blade flew back at Jesus, who slid out of the way, and the other Imp charged at him before throwing a barrage of claw swipes at him. Jesus ducked, and the Imp performed a sweeping kick that he avoided. The Imp jumps into the air and lashes its claws at Jesus' throat with two other walkers both coming from either side. He swiftly rolled and avoided backward while calmly smiling at his enemies.
Two walkers growled for a piece of Jesus' flesh and bones before he sunk a knife under one's chin and sent it on the ground. Then jabbed his knife in the other walker's forehead and sprang out of the way from the Imp's fireballs. Before Jesus could attack again, the Imp jumps into the air to deliver a kick towards Jesus as he dodges effortlessly. The Whiplash flung its chain-blade forth once again at Jesus, who ducked away, and the chain-blade flew over through the Imp's chest.
As the Imp cried out, Jesus rushes around and kicks the demon corpse at the Whiplash that casually swipes it aside. Gunshots soon fired from Cyndie's gun until the Whiplash charges over to swing one of the energy chain-blades at her, but Tara tackled her out of the way, causing them both to drop on the ground promptly. Swishing around the next energy chain-blade, the Whiplash inspected everyone as each of their lungs refused to take in any air, hearts racing uncontrollably.
Rick remains sprawled on the ground as he struggles to get back onto his feet, with all the things in everyone's reactions changing so fast they couldn't breathe. Pain throbbed from his body, but he didn't know what to respond or do next to finish this creature off for the people's lives at risk. Until at that very moment, the Slayer zoomed right past him and Jesus, making both their eyes go into an alarmed manner.
*BANG-BANG*
Two blasts came from the super shotgun as the Slayer hurled himself up in the air and then slammed a massive punch through the Whiplash's face. The blow sent the Whiplash flying across the area with a loud crash. Everyone around the area had given the Slayer surprised looks when he appeared in their rescue. There were looks of shock, of disbelief, along with several of the Oceanside women screaming out of fright for how the Slayer emerged strangely quick.
"BIG GUY!" Tara grinned in relief as Cyndie looked up with an astonished look on her face.
The Whiplash drew just a little far from where the Slayer landed, though he didn't give this snake demon the time to attack once he zig-zagged forward. However, with two single leaps, there was a duo of Hell-Knights that soared across the scene before the Slayer backed away, watching them smash into the ground, just seconds of missing him. One of them growled viciously at the Slayer, whereas he only gave no expression to shy away from them now.
Although the Slayer was ready enough to beat the living snot out of these demonic beasts, he became taken aback when a Revenant flew in and blasted two missiles at him upward until sending him back a couple of yards. The Slayer somersaulted back onto his feet with a mere huff of air and leaped across the field, separating the demons' locations, and slammed his fist into the Revenant's face. Pulling out the plasma rifle, the Slayer then attached a copper crucible to the focused lens.
Walkers had surrounded the Slayer while the Revenant only flew around the scene, observing as he rushed forward and activated a heat blast that rocketed the dead creatures off in all directions. The amount of force shown to all of the onlookers is over in the area. One of the walkers had propelled right into a community cabin.
Three of them ended up crashing hard through the constructed trees, impacting with enough force to tear through each one. Another creature blew off in another direction, rocketing at the leftover Imps face-first until each of them crashed onto the ground.
"W-What was that?" Cyndie asked.
Natania and her group witnessed what happened, and even the older woman herself became lost for words. They all kept their eyes on the Slayer, but then he zoomed once again and ended up reappearing before the duo of Hell-Knights.
The Hell-Knights charged, but the Slayer didn't stick around. His thruster boots zipped him to the side, using the power of speed to his advantage. The Revenant from before flew around the sky for a short bit, looking for the perfect angle. At last, it stopped, turned towards the Slayer, and rushed down at high velocity.
But the Revenant didn't see the Slayer catch on before it could inflict and damage. He switched out to the combat shotgun with pump-action blasts, charging up an arcing explosive round. That last one took out the Revenant upward, sending it flying away and onto the ground, dead.
A few seconds before one of the Hell-Knights tried to hammer down on him, the Slayer then rearranged with the chainsaw next to slice through the Hell-Knight's entire body in a gory fashion. After that, the Slayer grabbed and threw his chainsaw vertically at the other Hell-Knight, sinking through the torso until he lunged the monster down to the ground. Ripping straight out of the already shredded Hell-Knight, the Slayer put his chainsaw back and pulled out the super shotgun to charge the Whiplash lastly.
Back with Rick, he soon spotted Daryl and Michonne coming out of the forest with the rest of the group.
"RICK/DAD!" Carl and Miconne both yelled out as they all approached him.
Rick widened his eyes in extreme relief, advancing towards them in a hug. "CARL! MICHONNE! Oh, thank god you're both alright!"
Just as Rick took a good look at Carl's beaten features, his words were heavy with an insinuation as he tended his son directly. "What... oh, Carl, what happened to you?!"
"Rick!" Michonne remained agitated as if she was in a real hurry for Carl's sake. "Carl is hurt, and we need to get him some help right now!"
Rick became startled by what Michonne told as if someone had dumped a bucket of icy cold water over him to wake up his fatherly instincts. But Rick had already known all along. He refused to believe that the Slayer had something to do with this while he fought the Whiplash. It was those demons who did this. These monsters have come out of nowhere to nearly kill his only son and expect themselves to get away with it.
"Rick? Rick!" Daryl continued, already acquainted with his friend's antipathy.
Rick's features hardened into a frigid understanding, remembering when Carl had his eye shot out during the walker invasion at Alexandria. The clouds of naivety cleared from his eyes and yet were soon replaced with clouds of vengeance.
"Dad?" Carl called out to his father, who looked at him in a soft tone.
"Keep yourselves out of harm's way. Find one of the Oceanside women who have a doctor with them." Rick whispered, his eyes turning towards the sight of fewer Imps and Revenants appearing left and right. "I'll be back."
Michonne tried to say something, "Where are you going? Rick, don't-!"
He doesn't hear the last part as the Alexandrian leader was already moving faster as a wild animal. Rick was directing himself to fight the monsters that hurt not only his partner but also his son. His face is stained with shedding tears, eyes becoming inflamed with so much rage as the demons saw him aiming his assault rifle up at them. When he reaches them, Rick shoots at the Imps first.
Several other Imps dropped first, having most of the other demonic attackers leap up at the fountain of blood spurting out. Strapping his assault rifle behind his back, Rick removed the hatchet from his utility belt as his eyes locked onto a couple of Imps snarling to lunge at him. There was no emotion other than the raging sea of anger that was starting to rear its ugly head within him. Raising his weapon, he brought down upon and into the skull of the first Imps that approached. Rick then dodged one of the fireballs that came after him before chopping, stabbing, swinging, slicing, and impaling the affronting attackers.
The man kicked and shoved a few zombies back to buy himself some room with the work and, in Rick's case, even tossed an Imp's body over his back. Rick grabbed a walker by the throat, holding it at a safe distance to use as a temporary shield against the Imps' fireballs before pushing his way along the area while hacking at the faces of other Imps and walkers. A few punches or swipes at Rick's face from the Imps caused a few angry, frustrated grunts to escape his lips as he snarled right back at the monsters trying to bite at him.
Every drop of rage, anguish, and grief that built up inside Rick funneled into the task of dispatching as many demons and walkers as he could instead of dealing with his trauma head-on. Blood splatter ricocheted from Rick's hatchet, causing himself to get splashed here and there, but he couldn't care less how it felt or looked. He needed to make a stand against the monsters. It wasn't a badge of honor sort of thing, but Rick proudly wore that blood and viscera on his clothes, in his hair, and on his skin without a second thought to it.
Some of the Imps got replaced by Revenants as one or two appeared to attempt on fighting Rick, who became left in a state of confusion. It didn't last long as Rick's confusion turned into anger. In what was likely only minutes, Daryl ran out of the group to assist Rick with Jesus, Aaron, Eric, and Gabriel in tow. As they all grouped, they put their backs to each other, facing out in combined formation. The six of them fought side by side, with Daryl shooting arrows and Jesus firing his automatic rifle as the Revenants began to get overwhelmed, falling dead at their feet.
Back with the Slayer, he soon got bored, dodging each of the Whiplash's energy chain-blades before he blasted another round of the super shotgun at it. Leaving the snake demon to stagger a bit, the Slayer quickly grabbed both of the Whiplash's arms until he popped them off one by one. A scream of agony emitted as the Slayer silenced the demon by springing up to stab both its energy chain-blade arms through the eyeballs. The Slayer then pushed both his feet down to crush the skull until brains and gore splattered.
Panting a bit to see that killing the Whiplash was done, the Slayer's attention soon gave notice to Rick's group sniping down two or four more demons until a Revenant tackled Rick. Rick impacted against a tree with the Revenant's vicious grip onto him, aiming its shoulder-mounted missile launchers at him.
As Rick grunted, he sneakily swung out his hatchet and sliced through the Revenant's head. Rick kicks the dead Revenant down before noticing another Revenant firing a pair of rockets at him, only for the Slayer to race by and seize the man in his arm.
Before the Revenant could discharge again, Jesus and Daryl were each taking a shot to protect Rick. And the Slayer, to his reluctance. The Slayer eventually halted himself for a chance to let Rick walk on his feet. The Slayer then switches out to the gauss cannon to aim at the Revenant.
Rick became startled at seeing the gauss cannon once again but did his best to stay calm and shouted, "KEEP THAT THING BUSY!"
Thanks to Jesus and Daryl providing the distraction, the Slayer zoomed in to charged high damage shot through the Revenant's torso, making it explode in gore. Now with that monster dead, the Slayer's head turned over to face Rick again, who was breathing heavily from the constant rush that he had to go through.
Hoping that there would be peace for the both of them to talk, Rick tried to speak, "Okay, now-!"
However, the peace ended as soon as a flash of red light appeared, and a Mancubus soon blasted its way through the field surrounded by a few trees.
"What the fuck?!" Rick yelled before beginning to back away from the large and formidable monster.
The Mancubus ignited both flamethrowers and discharged fireballs at the Slayer, to which he grabs Rick and just skipped to the side to dodge it. The Slayer saw the monster trying to shoot several more fireballs, but he continued to avoid them. Eventually, the Slayer tried a different tactic than simply dodging, zipping across to the side, and firing with the heavy assault rifle. The Slayer watched the Mancubus blasting its way at a spot close to him, causing his legs to push away from this behemoth's grounding impact.
Rick gaped, but shook his head, and regained his composure as he aimed his assault rifle to shoot the monster's head. And this time, the Slayer could see Tobin, Francine, and Scott rushing over with weapons of their own in their hands to join the fight. "I didn't expect these idiots to bring their lives up as part of our support. I would have shooed them all off, but their bravery felt approving of some worth."
"Kill that fucker!" Daryl yelled.
The Mancubus, becoming aware of this, hopped a few more steps before shooting after the three survivors. The Slayer rushes across the Mancubus again to redirect its gunfire away from Rick and his group. He turned and cast out the rocket launcher and shot a couple of rockets.
"Keep it back! We can't let this thing come after the others!" Rick orders with a shout.
The Mancubus was getting pushed on either side of the area before faltering tiredly. With Jesus and Rick rushing up to climb and stab at the behemoth's head, Daryl and the Slayer went along to make sure the Mancubus gets destroyed by tearing off both piping that leads from its upper back to its arms. They each sprung off from the Mancubus until it explodes in a heap of gore with guts piling over.
As the Slayer observed Oceanside's campgrounds, numerous dead walkers and demon corpses sprawled ungainly across the grounds. The Slayer kept his patience intact. But inside, he started boiling with an inferno hot enough to make the devil envious and scared.
The Slayer's temper was shooting through the roof as his levels began plummeting. The friction in his fists began to build, ready to tear apart any demon or monster that is invading this world now. The Slayer wasn't going to stay with Rick and his people for long until he realizes that Hell's footsoldiers have arrived in this dimension. With everyone now descending their weapons a bit, the Slayer could see now that Rick's impatience on him was a bit strong as the Slayer's.
"Okay, you better tell me right FUCKING now about what's going on here!" Rick made a scowl that would make anyone in this world piss their pants. Thankfully, the Slayer wasn't those pitiful kinds of folks. "I already knew you were keeping something from us, so I'd like to know WHY!"
Thankfully, the Slayer saw Jesus positioning himself between the two of them in a stern manner. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Rick, listen, this isn't all on the big guy here. Look, we got rid of all the demons here, haven't we?"
And just like that, VEGA soon began to introduce himself to Rick.
VEGA: {Paul is correct. The demonic presence within Oceanside has become destroyed, as well as the Gore Nest. There are no demons under the Praetor Suit's HUD. All of your questions will get answered at a later time. You should check on everybody else, including your son.}
"W-Wha..?" Rick blinked in confusion before he manages to regain his faculties and glared at the Slayer once he began walking off.
Rick stalked beside the Slayer to step before him with his hand open, "Hey, wait! WAIT! I SAID WAIT, DAMMIT! What was that just now? You're telling me that you didn't budge to tell me about this until NOW?"
VEGA: {My name is VEGA, the artificial intelligence that accompanies the Doom Slayer. I understand that this situation has brought confusion, but the Slayer does not mean you all any harm.}
"VEGA's telling the truth, Rick. And we'll get our answers soon as we make a deal with Oceanside about what has happened here. Okay?" Jesus gave Rick a sympathetic look on his face, while Daryl just kept quiet about the explanation.
Just as the Slayer persistently walked past Rick, he was silent. He moved his lips as if to form a coherent sentence, but he couldn't manage to utter a sound. While VEGA's statement was not going to sit well with Rick as he glared behind the Slayer uneasily, he was now more convinced that there was more to what the Slayer was than he had first thought.
VEGA: {Please try not to push the Slayer any further than what you are doing now.}
"Wait..." Rick sighed, facepalming himself to avoid the Slayer's eye contact for a moment before glancing at him now.
The Slayer could see Rick's expression was unreadable, yet he remains prepared for the man to tell him to get lost or something. When he stood in front of the Slayer, Rick surprised him by placing a hand on his shoulder to show respect.
"Thank you, big guy," Rick said as he stepped back, giving the Slayer some space. "I don't know what you did or how you have done it, but thank you for my son's safety and more to come. Again, I wish things were a bit different from our hostilities against you, big guy, but I know now that you have a right to be a part of us. You did what you've told me on saving and protecting this group, and I'll be damned before I let someone as good as you go off on his own just because he might be a big of a danger. I can assume you had your reasons for keeping quiet about whatever you've been through, and I hope you don't mind going into any of my questions about this query once we get back."
The Slayer felt oddly touched somewhere in his heart. Sure, perhaps once or, twice he had gotten thanked somewhere back then. But Rick had sincerely thanked the Slayer, had made him feel like he had a reason to live and go on besides the fact that he was too damn stubborn to die.
The Slayer may have liked Rick's group since they weren't terrible people most of the time. But the Slayer hadn't felt a connection like this for so long since Argent D'Nur. And now, the Slayer is feeling it again. He pondered over the idea, still unsure that these people still wanted him to stay with them.
The Slayer's only gesture to Rick was a single nod in judgment that he wasn't fooling him or anything. After all, he and his group deserved that much, and then some.
VEGA: {Thank you for understanding, Rick Grimes.}
After another one of VEGA's statements, the group turned their heads to observe two Oceanside doctors treating Carl's injuries. The Slayer surveyed the women around him. They varied in age, from the fifties or sixties to children of six or seven. In the distance, the Slayer even saw a few babies and toddlers, but they stayed hidden inside the tiny houses, their doors only cracked enough to peer out. Both Enid and Michonne stayed there to keep the teenager company. Rick soon made his way over to his teenage son and knelt to talk about how proud he was of him that he stayed alive.
The Slayer nearly let himself give a small smile, appreciative that there are people here to help one another. Just then, the Slayer's face fell back to its default expression when he felt a hand tugging at one of his legs. The Slayer reacted so quickly that his hands nearly quivered with the gauss cannon that he still wielded, looking down to spot three of the little girls he saved from the demons earlier.
Since the Slayer might as well get this over with, he let one of them step forth to speak first, "Thank you for saving our community, Mr. Slayer!"
The other two children nodded appreciatively. But not much to the Slayer's expectations, he felt the two of them embrace both his legs until the Slayer seemed confused by what transpired. The same went for everybody nearby to see how strange it was for the Slayer to behave considerately to small children. It didn't end until another child dragged an awkward-looking Rachel in front of the Slayer, mumbling something about owing an apology. The Slayer soon shrugged it off, putting away his weapon, and went over to Rachel to gently pat her wavy hair. Afterward, the Slayer continues to check up on Cyndie, who helped Tara up to her feet.
"Man, Doomguy, you're such a badass." Tara offered the Slayer a full-hearted smile, to which he threw on a confused look for the new nickname she gave to him.
After making his way over, Rick nearly smirked at the name. "Doomguy?"
When the Slayer shrugged in response to what she just said, Tara explained, "Well, I don't know if I would like to call you The Doom Slayer. I mean, come on, that's metal as hell! But I also thought Doomguy would work too! It's easier to say, too. What do you think?"
Tara and Cyndie looked up at the Slayer as he gave an approving nod. "It was as good a name as any."
"I-I guess that works. Thank you for helping us get away from those monsters earlier. I don't know any way to repay you, Doomguy." Cyndie responded, although noticing her grandma's furious expression as she comes over to the Slayer.
"I don't know who you are, and as much as I want to thank you for keeping my community safe, I would quite enjoy it more if you and all YOUR people leave the premises now." Natania maintained that dubious frown, where Tara soon groans with irritation in her voice.
Rick's face soured at the older woman, "Wait a minute, Natania!"
She turned to face Rick, "No, I don't care what you have to say anymore, Rick! I want you all out. The guns belong to us. We fought them once, and look where it got us. Just leave us in peace. We've done nothing to you people."
"Natania, Doomguy here saved this place better than we could! We didn't even know how or where these demons got out here! He has done nothing wrong. We have a real chance to beat the Saviors, but we can't do it alone. We need your help." Tara tried to convince the older woman, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"Grandma, Tara's right! We should listen to them. We can't keep doing this anymore after what just happened! Those demons would've taken our own as a hostage if these people didn't come. We've hidden from everything! We could-!" Cyndie tried to speak.
But Natania swiftly grabs the pistol Cyndie wielded until aiming at the Slayer, her voice becoming shrill, "You all saw how this man, or whatever he is, destroy countless of those things without tiring out! He's dangerous! Tara brought this man here, so he's just as guilty as she is for invading our home! We were better off than fine if Tara hadn't gotten found washed up at the shore."
"Natania! Put the gun down. Let's talk about what we can all change together. I don't know what exactly happened either, but Doomguy here is going to explain all of this to us. Now please, put the gun down and listen to us." Rick obstructed, trying to coax Natania with a stiff look.
With Jesus and Aaron coming forward to try and persuade Natania not to shoot the Slayer, Daryl came just in time to steer his crossbow at the older woman. All of this quickly caused Beatrice and Kathy to aim their weapons at Daryl. The Slayer silently groaned with so much irritation for these people and their decisions.
"For fuck's sake, Natania! You all can't take on everyone by yourselves anymore! Is this what your people need?" Tara shot her a glare, pointing over at a few dead Imp corpses. "Is THIS what YOU want?! It seems clear to me that you people would rather have the Saviors laugh at all the boys and men who DIED because of THEM!"
"You don't know ANYTHING about us!" Natania threw a steady glare whenever Tara talked back at her. "I am sick of you all. First, you sneak into my community. Second, you beg me to help you. Third, I share something personal with you, and you take a giant shit on it."
"Now, with all these demons everywhere, nearly tried to kill Rachel too, you are just going to let that happen again!"
"Shut up!"
"You kill us here, and then what? Go back to having miserable lives? NO! YOU FIGHT! We have your back! And you've got ours too!"
The Slayer raised his lids, impressed at how Tara had the guts to stand up against the Oceanside leader. It soon got even more interesting as Cyndie stood next to Tara, receiving a determined smile from her.
Natania's eyes widened as if her granddaughter had just committed treason. "Cyndie, what are you doing?! We can't beat them! Not even the Saviors! They have an army-!"
"We have a Doomguy!" Tara threw back within seconds.
Cyndie crossed her arms. "Grandma, I want to go with them. Some of us do, but not all of us, and it has to be all of us."
The Slayer watches Rick grip and re-grip his gun, his finger hovering on the trigger. Something had to happen before things got out of hand. A dark-skinned woman came up. She had a white headband with frizzly dark hair and a boyish figure, and she carried a large knife on her waist.
"I'm going," she told Natania. "Even if no one else does, even if you won't. I'm going with them. Maybe this is the best chance we've ever had. Probably the best we'll ever get."
"Marisol, no!" Natania said, harshly grabbing the woman's arm.
Marisol yanked her arm away with a hiss as her eyes seemed haunted, "I still hear them in my dreams, Natania! I remember, every single second of my life, I remember what they did to my Jacob. He was just a kid, only twelve, and they killed him right in front of me. And Bryan too. After everything that the Saviors have done, I can't live like this. I have to do something. Don't you get it?"
"Me too, Natania. We've only just got lucky from these monsters. It could happen again. We're not safe here." another woman said. She was blond and dark-eyed, and she looked angry.
And like that, women started volunteering as they came forth, making it known. While Cyndie and Tara shared a triumphant look and Rick stared in relief, Natania looked livid.
VEGA: {If that is what you wish, then you may come live in Alexandria for the time being. It's become established with its solar grid, cisterns, and eco-based sewage filtration. Aaron can explain through any basics of what you should know there.}
"Yeah, Tara told me a little bit about where you people came. You have houses and running water and electricity," Cindy responded, looking at Rick. "And high walls to keep walkers out, and people. You have people. If we win," she paused and took a breath. "When we win, we come live in your community. There will be a place for us in Alexandria. A safe place."
Everybody saw Rick's lips curving up in a slight smile. "You've got a deal. There's plenty of room for you all to come," he said, holding out his hand.
"Never!" Natania muttered as she aims her pistol at the Slayer's head, ready to shoot him.
Everyone's eyes went the size of bowling balls as one of the Oceanside sentries screamed, "Natania, don't-!"
*SNATCH*
The older woman felt a sharp pain in her arm. When she looked, there was her gun on the ground and her wrist in the Slayer's hand.
"Wait, Doomguy! WAIT!" Tara begged as she and Jesus tried to hold onto the Slayer to let Natania go.
"Please, stop!" Cyndie cried out.
Nearly horrified, everyone saw that after the Slayer protected the Oceanside community, he lifted their leader in the air by the hand. As the Slayer lifted Natania, he picked up the gun and inspected it.
"What are you doing?" Jesus tried to ask.
With such a poor choice of weapon to use against him, the Slayer bent the barrel and crushed the chamber with his bare hands. The Slayer decided to let gravity do the rest as the beyond repair firearm dropped to the ground.
"Doomguy, just calm down. You stopped her, so just let her go now." Rick's attempts to alleviate the Slayer weren't exactly working.
Natania had bloodshot eyes, beginning to think that she will die at the hands of the man who saved her community. The older woman knew how the Slayer dealt with monsters several times of everyone's size and knew struggling would make her time come faster.
But before she accepted her fate, she asked. "What the hell are you?"
The Slayer could scarcely remember the last time someone had asked him that. Memories began to resurface from the deep corners of his mind. The Slayer's countenance began to fade together with the mood. Expressions began fading as they heard nothing but silence from him.
And thinking about it has flooded everything back to the Slayer, repulsive trauma swelling like ten thousand volts of severe remorse. The setup from Samuel Hayden, the betrayal, and unlocking the Slayer's power. He could feel it stinging his soul and burning his vocal cords into submission.
"Big guy?" Rick's voice still carried out in a whisper. "Is everything alright?"
The Slayer had to give them an answer.
Before anything he could not answer began to erupt from his audience, the Slayer presented a small, circular device from one of the pouches on his belt. Everyone stared in wonder as a holographic display shone from its interface, and the Slayer browsed through each tab until he found what he was looking for now.
Pride or vanity did not turn the Slayer off from the UAC's description of who he was to them. But the knowledge that their clinical and inexact conclusions did not tell all the truth that the Slayer Testaments could.
A stark, grave illustration of a bone-ridden tablet emblazoned in green with an arcane symbol caught the attention of everyone and hushed their mouths. Then, as the Slayer pressed a button, they were shaken to their cores by a voice, low and dreadful and intense. The input from evident recordings did nothing to cloud it.
I̶ņ the ͟firs͘t ̛age͢,͢ in ̢t̵h̕e͞ f͞ir͜st b̸at͞t͘le͠, wh͢e̕n t̸he şhądo͠w͢s͡ fi͜r̀st ̧l̕en̨g͜thȩn̵ed҉,͟ on͢e ͢stood̶.
Any mystery as to who that one was reduced when they caught the same symbol on the Slayer's visor.
Burn͜ęd ͝by th̢e ͝e̸m͠b̧ers of̧ Arm̀a͜ge̵ddo͠n̸, his͟ ̧so͝u͡l̛ ͝bl̵istered͜ by͢ ͝thę ̨firès̛ of H̀ell a̷n҉d ̨t͢ain͡te͢d͝ beyon̢d ̛asćęns͝i̡on, hé ch̸òse͟ ̧the҉ pat͜h́ ͘o҉f ̧pe̕rpęt͠ua̵l ͏tor͘ment̨.
It avoided no details, but even for ones like Tara, the implications left no room for an assertive answer.
I͞n hiś r̛aveǹous h̡at̡r͜ed͢,͟ he foúnd ņo p͜e͏aće, ͞and̡ ̨wit͘h boili̛ng͠ ̛b̵l̛o͝od he s͠c̨ourȩd͏ ͘t͘h͡e Umbr̸a̷l͠ ͡P̵lain͡s҉ ̡seeḱin̡g͟ vengeąnce͘ ́a̵gai̡nst͟ ̛the͏ d͡aŗk ͏ļord̷s̴ ̡wḩo had ̀wr̷onģe͢d͠ hi̕m.
Natania was beginning to regret her question in some way or another.
H́é ̀wore thé cr͘ǫw͘n͡ o͏f th̵e ̨N͟ight ̕S͞enti̡nel͝ş,͘ ̛a͝nd t͞hose th̕at ͞t͡as͝t͢ed͢ ͠th͢e b̵i͢te of͟ ͞his s͢w͟órd̸ ̴nam͢ed ͡him̸... ̴ ̴ ͠ Thę ̕Doom S͡l͘ayer.
There had been nothing but stunned silence. The Slayer hated how it had brought down everyone else's face. But these people had to know something about him. Just in case anything was to happen. The Slayer could see children that were now in each of their parent's arms. Some of the Oceanside took a step back, frightened of what he would do to them.
Rick and his group stood in place from shock, whereas only a few Oceanside women passed out from the whole ordeal. Natania, who remained trapped within the Slayer's grasp, trembled out of complete fear by the time the Slayer Testament became done. She didn't even bother to squirm or break free from him while the rest of the group that guarded the Slayer looked back at him with the same strange look in their eyes.
Jesus was the first to ask the Slayer, "Is all of that true? That you're here for a reason to-?"
Jesus' next words didn't come just as the Slayer dropped Natania and stared at his hands. Everyone's confusion over the Slayer's action just now ceased once electricity started sparking from his Praetor Suit, screaming in disbelief. Rick and everyone stared in shock and horror as the electricity flashed blue all over his body, making the Slayer realize what was happening. His HUD's text said, "Tether Activation," to the point where the Slayer was suddenly engulfed into a brilliant light, leaving from their sight and someplace elsewhere.
And just like that, the Slayer was gone. There was a cold silence until Tara stuttered out of her shock from what happened.
"W-Where did he go?"
A/N: [Sorry again for the wait. Please review, and let me have your thoughts!]