Almost immediately, Negan's group became silently urged forward to some undisclosed. Despite how they had gotten quite outnumbered and left with little option but to follow the crowd, Negan stayed composed towards this new situation. As his group closed together, Negan took in the begrimed aspects of the Scavengers' community. He could perceive how strange it felt and looked to the others behind him.
The surroundings seemed to fit in well with the revelation that these Scavengers lived and thrived within a junkyard. The mounds were rather large and created a sort of walled barrier with no other obvious entry point aside from the doors of a shipping container Negan's group was getting led to at this moment. As the doors had gotten pulled open, the Scavengers went first through the entrance until Negan's group followed. Negan could see for himself that the tunnel under the trash they were passing through was nothing more than an entire shipping container.
It had gotten buried underneath the garbage but was strong enough to withstand all that weight. Most of it provided easy access between the inside and outside of their domain of debris. The doors at the opposite end of the container drew open, letting more light inside and allowing Negan's group their first glimpse of the junkyard. The Scavengers began to wander around in what initially appeared to be at random.
Soon, they were taking specific places around Negan's group. They were surrounding them in two circles; an inner layer and an outer layer. The entire time, Negan didn't seem too bothered by any of this. If anything, he appeared rather amused. When Simon and Arat both glanced at him with a mix of tension and solemnity, he just gave them a nod of reassurance. As Dr. Carson carried the injured male Savior inside, he hadn't formed an opinion of all this yet. Leo, Zia, and Huck looked around with curiousness and anxiety because of the features, wielding their weapons with such haste.
"Pee-Fucking-You! Goddamn, you people must be scrubbing your shit-stained asses with some bleach and Comet living in here!" Negan hooted with mockery in his voice. "Now, where's the leader of this rat trap?"
From the crowd of Scavengers, Jadis emerged in one swoop and stopped in front of Negan. Her eyes seemed to be pale red underneath her tired eyes. Farron, who was standing directly behind Negan, shoved him forward as they all sneered.
"My, you look like total shit today, garbage queen! But introductions should matter too," Negan greeted, smiling in a way that oozed with confidence despite the Scavengers surrounding the Saviors. "I'm Negan, and you must've had a hell of a fucking problem on your people's hands than just taking out those two ugly fucks from earlier."
"Negan? You come here? With Saviors? Why?" Jadis asked as she watched Negan, who smiled approvingly.
A chuckle escapes his lips, and he glanced at the other Scavengers.
"Getting straight to the fucking point, huh? So demanding. And I can see that you people know something about me as well." Negan uttered, turning back to her. "I like that, darling. What's your name?"
The woman soon replied, "Jadis. You come. Why? Saved you, owe us now. Have anything?"
Silence caressed them with the wind as it howled softly through piles of garbage. Nobody in the group could tell if Jadis disapproved of the term endearment, even if it is a joke. Negan can see that she wasn't easy to read, which probably made a big part of her leadership. After no other reaction, Negan was in no rush to play games instead of giving a straight answer.
"Jesus, how the hell can you people live here?" Negan dawdled around with Lucille resting on his shoulder, exploring the place more thoroughly. "This place stinks like a fucking polecat! You can tell me something about that, darling."
Negan picked up a grimy rug with some unknown liquid all over it. "I don't think I even wanna fucking know what this shit is. Goddamn!" He tossed it aside.
"Time is vital. You waste. Danger wherever." Jadis pointed out, folding her arms with an annoyed look all over her face.
Negan let out another disturbing chuckle. A couple of times, the Savior ruler whipped his precious baseball bat around and then soon pauses.
"Time, eh?" He shrugged. "What's the rush, garbage lady? We only got rid of a few of those flying demon fuckers around these parts here. And we'll do so much more later afterward if we're fucking lucky. Hell, we're here to save you all from getting your-fucking-selves swelled up and snorting out demon cum over the floor. I don't want to brag, but I have the useful skill of reading people. There are chances that you people 'ain't taking them all down with just shotguns and hassling ropes. And that's why YOU need us."
When Jadis didn't answer Negan and only glimpsed her peers, Tamiel and Brion, a satisfied smile crossed Negan's lips.
"Well, answer me this cause I am genuinely curious," he beamed. "What made you think: Hey! The dead are walking on the face of this Earth now, and the world's fucked up its ass! I think I'll live in this godforsaken pigsty?"
"Misconception," Tamiel answered in a soft but defiant voice, causing Negan and Jadis to glance at her.
"Excuse me?" Negan's attention was on the woman as she gave no trouble to him with how she handled herself.
"Pigs, clean."
Negan's tongue glided across his teeth. "Oh, yeah-?"
"There is work. Sculpts. Art. You waste daytime." Jadis interrupted, grinding her teeth. "Your business. I demand."
A louder howl of wind rushed around them once Negan's face begins to soften. To everyone's surprise, a laugh escaped him, and Lucille returned onto his shoulder, hanging with no hostility.
"Man, you are fierce!" Negan hooted, watching Jadis's eyes shoot down at his bat and back to him with a shaken breath. "But you also know your place just like your people do. And I like that too. I can see it in your already-fucked-up eyes of how right I am about you."
The Savior leader smirked, stepping towards her as Jadis said nothing, only leveling out her back and holding herself stiffly, keeping herself together.
"I have a proposition for you," Negan muttered with a small smile. "And I know you're gonna like it."
Jadis blinked, her breath hissed softly through her nose while her brow furrowed, tilting her head.
"Well? Aren't you going to say something about it?"
"Curious," she responded.
"Curious, eh?" Negan repeated, his smile widening into a grin as he stepped even closer to Jadis, causing her frown to wrinkle.
Jadis's eyes explored him curiously, trying to figure things out and understand his body language. Negan's voice had gotten even softer, but it wasn't a whisper. No matter what he wanted to say, it was as though Negan didn't care who heard him. Or he needed that, maybe. It could have made him feel strong. Jadis cleared her throat, and her eyes darted to each of her community's faces. Overall, Jadis couldn't help but notice some of the Slayer's finger handwriting that endured on the soiled ground inches away. And when Negan eventually noticed Jadis staring at something nearby, his eyes silently followed her trail and spotted the hidden message.
"Uh, sir? What the hell are-?" Simon tried to say.
But Negan, who remained focused on the finger-drawn message, raised a hand to interrupt his second-in-command, "Shut it, Simon. I'm thinking of something."
As Simon stopped talking, with everybody else inspecting what Negan was up to, crouching down to read something unfamiliar to the group of Saviors.
"We keep half, and you keep half? If you cheat, you will be sorry?" Negan quoted carefully with a chuckle, standing back up straight with his baseball bat pointing at the message. "Seems like you garbage people have been playing in the dirt for so long. But out of regard, have you been making deals with other pinheads around here?"
Jadis swallowed, nodding her head slowly while her fearful eyes wouldn't look away at the written message. Now, this was becoming a bit more bizarre in Negan's case. His eyebrow raised at the sight of Jadis's trembling look over some stupid letters written on the ground. He would dedicate a significant amount of resources to scare the absolute shit out of anyone in a group over an entire day. He can achieve this by manipulating forces, leaving them sniveling and sunken on their knees. But it appears that Jadis was afraid of something private to him, and Negan was always ready enough to find out for his benefit.
"Jadis," Negan smirked, pointing at her with his bat as he leisurely continues. "I have something very different in mind for you to tell me about, so please speak when you're spoken to, okay? Because to me, you look like you're becoming shaken down to your panties and pissing yourself right in front of me. And it just might be about something that could concern me if I don't fucking know about it. So tell me, has anyone else besides us been snooping around right under my nose? Possibly somebody that is a so-called badass of a juggernaut soldier that goes without a single fucking word? I'm all ears, darling."
Jadis swallowed again, returning the looks as she raised an eyebrow with a stutter, "A scary man. Help made a deal. More guns to fight. Made by Rick."
Soon, Negan laughed while shaking his head with lips curled into a smile, "My my, what a dark turn this has taken. Rick's been hiding something from me that is fucking interesting? Jesus, how long does it take for one unspeakable, dirty, and apathetic man like Hayden to come and try and kill me already? How many fuckers with teddy bear soft fists needed to beat Hayden's fucking face into the state like a squeezed can? Of all times to doubt me, now is not the time for that. I have planned every detail on what to do with Rick or Hayden until the time comes right. Especially for this Marine guy."
Jadis looked on with lack of certainty, "Hayden?"
Negan exhaled through his nose with amusement, "That's right, Jadis. Now, here's a better deal than the pitiful one that Rick's shrimp-sized dick can manage. How's about you forget about Rick's deal on fighting against us and perhaps work for me instead? I need people. And you ARE a bunch of people that I should have on my staff. You probably need people as well, yes? Hell, I might give you all rare tons of good shit to show how much of a reasonable guy I can be, unlike Limp Dick Rick. But we're also going to be needing a few medical supplies from you for whoever the doc's got himself handling with right now. I was already running my ass off from a giant-dick demon too. The decision seems pretty obvious from what I can say about you, but you'll have to keep this away from Rick knowing. What do you say?"
Jadis soon puts this information into thought before watching her people for a moment. She watched as some of them ate from a can of the very little food they had left, thanks to the Saviors.
Jadis looked back at Negan, scanning him. "Wait here," she replied.
Jadis turned around to discuss this secret arrangement with Tamiel and Brion as leading members of the Scavengers. Negan smiled, but this time it was tight. Simon and Arat, the other Savior members, and even Dr. Carson seemed shaken by Negan's deal with Jadis. Negan's eyes flickered to Simon, and the right-hand man nodded even as his face put on a calming facade. Possibly sensing Jadis's eyes on him, Negan looked back and winked at her as he presented a smile. He didn't seem too bothered by whatever heated conversation that had gotten played out between Leo, Zia, and Huck, and they didn't seem too bothered by the fact that the leading members of the Scavengers had reappeared like harbingers of doom. Negan became just focused on being content with the good things that had gone right for them today.
Jadis took a breath, and her nostrils flared. "Need more people." she insisted.
"Need food. Cans. People are a resource." Tamiel announced.
"Demons kill, feed, pointless-no work." Brion mirrored, lowering his eyelids, and looked at Negan with mule-like stubbornness. "No work. No resource."
Negan hesitated, staring almost into each soul of the leading members of the Scavengers.
Finally, he gave in. "You'll get five."
"Not enough. Twenty."
Simon whistled and shook his head. "Now you're starting to make me a little bit mad," he stated. "I am about at the point where we might just have to...!"
"Simon," Negan emitted with an ambiguous threatening tone to get the right-hand man to stop talking.
"Twenty!" Jadis said louder.
People shot looks towards them both as Negan launched himself forward and thrust his face right in hers. Jadis's breath caught in her throat, and her body began to shake.
Negan began to smile again as he uttered, "Seven."
"Not enough," Tamiel protested.
"Need more," Brion chimed in as well.
Jadis locked her teeth tight, and by now, she had gone against Negan well beyond the point of intimidation. She understood that, and so she was at a point where her fate would no doubt change the further she pushed. If Negan had tried to harm or kill her, it would have already happened. Negan nodded his head and glanced at her.
"Ten." He paused for thought. "And sacks of nuts, fruits, and vegetables."
Catching sight of Jadis's lips turning into a smirk, Negan opened his mouth again. "But now, you are in my debt. You have to do what I want."
Jadis's confidence slipped as she scanned him again, more cautiously this time. In her gaze, her eyes narrowed at him, her mouth pursed. Jadis curled her fists but did not break.
"Deal."
The Slayer's eyes had gotten pressed shut after being tethered away from Rick's group within Oceanside. He felt like getting pushed into another location without any consent from VEGA or anything else for that matter. And before he'd even know it, a bright flash of light blossomed into the Slayer like halogen bulbs that might kindle an office. He had to hold both his hands outward because it hurt to see such light.
But when the Slayer opens his eyes again, the white was gone. He was now falling from the portal in midair and smashed the ground with his feet, perfectly landed. The impact alone caused a shattering tremble. The Slayer mentally groaned, raising his hand to where it feels like pain might already be blooming.
"How the hell are you here just now?!" Rosita's voice bellowed out, surprised at how the Slayer reappeared from nowhere.
Soon, his eyes narrowed to the surrounding damaged area, eavesdropping on Rosita and Sasha's jolted attention onto him. The Slayer could see that Rosita's tear-stained expression was agitated by what's happening right now. He also spotted Sasha, who he had never met before, while she wordlessly stared at him for the time being. Then the Slayer heard the Barons of Hell, three of them to be exact, planning to ambush Dwight, who wielded the Crucible Blade.
VEGA: {It seems that we've gotten unknowingly tethered into another unknown location, but somehow we're still living in this dimension of Earth. Aside from that, there is a trinity of Barons trudging within the domain here.}
The Crucible Blade can only become expected to be unleashed by a Night Sentinel of royal blood, but things are different in the Slayer's situation. The blond Savior looked over his shoulder and found the Slayer zooming his way over. He snatches the Crucible Blade out of Dwight's trembling hands as he stepped back in shock. The Slayer wielded the Crucible Blade, sparking sinister red energy as its pale aura flickered in his hand.
"Holy shit," Dwight uttered, watching the Slayer glare onward at the three Barons of Hell.
Each of the high-ranking monsters suddenly stepped back out of slight hesitation that the Slayer of all demons has just arrived on the scene. Hayden remained seated while busy mechanically regenerating his loose arm back to its joint through circuitry. His concentration both maintaining his body and checking on how the Slayer will defeat the Barons of Hell. One of the Barons snarled with only one handless arm, desperately lunging forward to throw a fist at the one who has abolished their Mars invasion. But flicking with both arms, the Slayer jumped and flourished the Crucible Blade in a trio of slashes.
The first Baron's legs, torso, and head had gotten sliced off like it was no big deal to the Slayer. The conflict between everyone else and the demons abruptly changed after the Slayer made his first move. Dwight's eyes widened at the way the Slayer took down one of the Barons of Hell, with both Rosita and Sasha expressing the same awed look on their faces.
"H-H-How did he do t-that?" Sasha asked as sweat was going down her cheeks.
Rosita's expression instantly changed from anger to utmost shock. Rosita couldn't help but recognize the Slayer when the Crucible manifested the woman with such horrifying imagery. As one of the bruiser brothers became chopped down, the two other Barons quickly rushed at the Slayer, but he once again regained his stance and pounced onward. From the corner of Dwight's eyes, he whirled around, yelling his warning to the preoccupied Slayer, but it was too late.
One Baron's lowered fist instantly plowed into the Slayer as he got sent flying through the vehicles to collide with a sickly-looking van. The Slayer grunted furiously, pushing himself out from the wreckage, and charged forward to fight the Barons of Hell that both advanced on Dwight. The Slayer grabbed the Crucible Blade from where it had gotten discarded, and with one quick slash, he cuts through the other Baron's leg.
Blood erupted everywhere, covering the Slayer, but he had accomplished what he had wanted to. The wounded Baron whirled around, somehow managing to maintain its balance, and raced towards the Slayer. The Slayer rebounded back with a slice from the Crucible Blade that chopped the Baron's arm off, piercing back and forth through the Baron's stomach until tearing the behemoth in halves.
The last Baron seemed slightly taken back by the Slayer. However, the stupid creature lowered its head and lunged towards him. The Slayer swung the Crucible Blade with such force that he bisects the Baron's body diagonally. After three more strikes, the upper body becomes severed and falls off as the last Baron dies.
Once the Slayer became finished with the fallen bruiser brothers, his wrathful eyes glared straight towards the blond Savior that stepped away to avoid him. However, the Slayer zoomed himself much closer to Dwight as his trembling eyes stared up at how towering the Unchained Predator stood displayed.
"H-Hey, wait! Y-You're the Slayer, r-right? Listen, I..." Dwight gulped timorously, eyes darting back and forth to where Hayden had begun to stand up.
Once the Slayer's eyes moved over to spot Samuel Hayden himself in the makeshift cloak, his memories burned with resentment from within.
Hayden soon drawled in his mechanical voice, "Ah, I knew our paths would cross again, but I certainly didn't expect for it to be so soon-!"
The Slayer suddenly drew his gauss cannon almost before the cyborg had concluded his sentence. Hayden had to cross his arms and brace himself for just a second before the projectile blasted him back a few steps. His shields stayed out while the temperature of his generators surged, fending off the massive blast. It hadn't taken him down, but there were two different marks where Hayde had gotten dragged by his feet.
The Slayer then ran and lunged right on top of Hayden, who got taken by the neck, and his right arm jerked upward. Before the Slayer could do anything, Dwight rushed in, beginning to pry the armored man off from Hayden. Rage and fury filled the Slayer once his attention comes to the blond Savior and grabs him by the collar harshly, unhesitant to kill anyone that stands in his way.
But those seconds soon faltered by the time Hayden's other hand seized the Slayer's neckline and sent an electrocuting shock that caused him to yelp, tingling uncontrollably as the cyborg stood up with the Slayer in his grasp. Dwight's fearful eyes saw how ruthless Hayden was as he stood back and noticed the two female survivors witnessing this in surprise. The robotic man then telekinetically grabbed hold of the Crucible once again as the Slayer's eyes pierced down at Hayden, who begins to shake his head.
"You left me no choice but to fight back at you, Slayer. So don't make me do that again this time." Hayden spoke in a calm yet venomously cold tone, letting the Slayer drop back to his struggling feet.
While Hayden recovered, Dwight immediately questioned the Slayer in shock, all while both Rosita and Sasha bombarded him with his apparent surprise. Rosita had out her pistol from the bag she now had on her back, keeping Dwight back from doing anything else.
"Woah-Woah-Woah! What the hell are you doing!?" Dwight's voice belted out with castigatory venom.
"Save it, asshole!" Rosita shouted at the blond Savior, eyes approaching the Slayer next with Sasha having her silencer rifle aimed. "Hey, gran chico, are you all right?"
The Slayer gritted his teeth as he whipped out his combat shotgun and aimed at Hayden once more, ignoring Rosita and Sasha that began to react to this act. They each pointed their firearms at both Dwight and Hayden simultaneously, keeping the two of them to a standstill.
"Okay, I don't know why you had to shock him somehow, but you better start answering our questions right now! The same goes for you, Dwight!" Sasha shouted at Hayden while her silencer rifle lingered towards Dwight, who held his hands up.
Sasha's eyes glanced at the Slayer while aiming her silencer rifle, "Rosita. Is this the man you've told me about earlier? The one who doesn't talk?"
Rosita rolled her eyes back to Sasha, gesturing to the Mecha-Zombie and Baron corpses. "Yeah, but it doesn't explain why he's even here! Or what these strange freaks are doing here in the first place?"
"Because Hayden here used a tether device to bring him to his exact location, otherwise we would be dead while you two vixens would've gotten ransacked by those Barons to be their fucking sex toys!" Dwight shot back observantly, if not dismissive of the demonic corpses surrounding the group.
Rosita glared daggers at Dwight, "Shut the hell up, you son of a bitch! You don't know shit-!"
But Dwight gave the woman a firm glare, "Oh, I saw it alright. You're not the only one who had to see shit like that. Building getting destroyed, so many people eaten alive and chased down into torture, women and little girls getting raped every single fucking minute. And then the Slayer came and stopped it all, and that's what might be going to happen here soon. Hayden has the information that we need to get rid of this shit once and for all."
Just thinking about it all made each survivor want to puke their lunch out.
In the slurred mass of chiding language that had gotten spewed, everyone's voices nearly drowned. The Slayer didn't care what that blonde man had to say about Hayden for all that it was worth, nor did he believe anything for what he said in the CEO's defense. It became intended as an attack on the bastard who became too deceptive and malicious towards the Slayer. Right now, the Slayer has no other intention to destroy this asshole yet.
"Save your ammunition for the demons, everyone," Hayden's voice remained neutral and callous, closing the space between himself and the Slayer. "I can understand how upset you are with me, Slayer. But there is no need for such savagery. As for this little mishap that's become brought upon you all, we'll call it a minor setback for now. Imps are coming in this direction and-"
"Hold on!" Rosita interrupted, with her voice becoming frigid as she looks up at Hayden. "So me losing my mind just minutes ago, having our only means of transportation to get trashed in one sitting is a minor setback?!"
"I understand this attack may have had some disastrous impacts, but believe me, ma'am, it will only get worse from here on out." Hayden gazes down at Rosita with a chilling voice, sensing the effects of his tactlessness in Rosita's voice.
Though Hayden wasn't one to fear anyone, he still realized that cooperation was what he needed most right now, not confrontation. Before Hayden could recommence, several different kinds of Imps appeared out of nowhere from the trees, hidden behind larger vehicles, and some climbing from above the gas station's rooftop.
"What the hell are those things now?!" Rosita shouted, sounding upset as the demonic creatures licked their lips at the sight of two beautiful women.
Sasha aimed her silencer rifle around at each demon, "We're going to have to fight our way out of here!"
"There are too many of these things," Dwight sighed angrily, gesturing towards Hayden. "Got any bright ideas?"
Hayden merely crossed his arms with a huff, "It seems that the Slayer is starting without all of you, so step back, everyone."
"What are you talking about-?" Sasha tried to ask the robotic man, only for her to trail off and witness what the Slayer begins to do now.
The Slayer gave a glance and noticed an Imp lunging down after Rosita, only for him to grab the demon by the leg, making it cry in terror. Rosita suddenly jolts away at how the Slayer moved so fast like that before she could have seen the Imp's attack. Mostly everyone watched as the Slayer smashes the demon once, causing an arm to rip off as the body gets dragged back.
"What the fuck...?!" Rosita cussed as she seemed pretty shocked for a moment. Then the Slayer shatters the Imp down again, causing the other arm to fall off. He drags the corpse across the ground. The Slayer then crashes the Imp one final time, completely dismembering the demon, with only one of its legs remaining in his hand.
"W-What is he?" Sasha said, murmuring so that nobody else could hear.
The Slayer looks at the limb before throwing it with the rest of the remains. The look on the Slayer's face within his helmet was raw, and it shocked Rosita to her core as he didn't look more menacing before until right now. Sasha's mouth just hung open while everyone else's mind raced to wonder what else could the Slayer do next.
The Slayer notices two Imps climbing their way over to attack him, causing the marine to sprint forward and plunge one of his hands into an Imp's stomach, crushing its innards before punching the corpse to the ground. The other Imp tries to slash at the Slayer's armor, who avoids before delivering an uppercut, knocking the Imp in the air effortlessly, allowing it to crash through a broken car.
The Slayer soon gets out his combat shotgun and blasts a few shells at a couple of Imps, leaving several demons ripped and torn to shreds. Excluding Hayden, everyone else was witnessing the sheer brutality the Slayer had bestowed upon each demonic creature. Another Imp dashes slightly faster and launches a fireball at the Slayer, causing him to evade the attack to grab the Imp by the face and smash it on the ground. Spraying blood all over the spot, the Slayer then flings the demon corpse across the parking lot and crashed into the front of a small car's window.
Rosita and Sasha looked on as they watched the Slayer fight desperately against whatever these things were. Something about the way these Imps moved in, about the way they screeched and swung and shot, shook their minds to each core, and permitted only attention to themselves. From the demons' first appearance in flashing, blood-red light to their dying breaths, it looked like the only thing on each of their minds was death. The thought that anything so terrible could exist initially froze the two women in fear and forbade them to speak.
Yet something was emerging from that fear. It was fear for their friends back at Alexandria and Hilltop. Each thought ignited what was once fear into newly germinating courage. With the silencer rifle still in her hands, Sasha began to make her way around and sniped down two to three different Imps that attempted to fight the Slayer. Taking note of Sasha aiding the Slayer like what Daryl and Michonne did back at Oceanside, he groaned in reluctance and hoped that none of them were getting themselves killed.
Except for Hayden, of course.
Rosita aimed her pistol and shot down three more Imps that came closer, tripping one of the demons nearby, and sunk a dagger through its skull. Meanwhile, Dwight hastily waved his pistol while shooting two more Imps coming his way, whereas Hayden kept his distance as best as he could with the Crucible Blade in his hand. While others fought, mostly the cyborg had only got to hack through one Imp at a time. The Slayer's HUD gave him a notification as VEGA emerged on his visor.
VEGA: {From my estimations, I have located a Gore Nest towards your left side that has become occupied with Hell-Soldiers. You'll have to make your way through the forest until you spot their demonic presence.}
With a single nod to VEGA's statement, the Slayer zipped his way past the begrimed vehicles and demonic corpses to mark around in a large forest area. Sasha soon notices the Slayer entering the woods and decides to give chase to wherever he was going. Trying to catch up to the Slayer, Rosita and Dwight, along with Hayden, advanced towards where the Slayer headed.
Sasha, who was far behind from where the Slayer remained ahead, watched how he viciously struck any walker aside to find a Gore Nest upfront. As the Gore Nest settled in the middle of the clear space, Blasters took notice of the Slayer shooting his super shotgun that took out one of their own.
They begin to commence firing back at the Slayer while one Shielder made its way to block any attack coming. Sasha aimed and shot after two Blasters, killing only one while the other discharged plasma orbs, causing Sasha to take cover behind a tree. The Slayer whipped out a rocket launcher and blasted the Shielder off the ground, checking out to see Sasha struggling against a Blaster before seeing Dwight arrive with his blue holographic shield whipped out to survive against the Blaster.
Following after, Rosita had her pistol aiming and shooting two times in the face before Sasha comes out and snipes the monster down. The Slayer had no time to lose as he jerked one hand to plunge through the Gore Nest and rip its heart straight out, receiving a loud, high-pitch screech afterward. Just as that became done, the Gore Nest soon erupted like a water balloon filled with blood and guts, with two Imps and a Prowler appearing in a red flash of light.
The Prowler charged the Slayer first and tossed purple fireballs at him, teleporting somewhere else to hunt the others. One of the Imps pounced for the Slayer, taking him down to the ground. Rosita noticed that the Slayer thrashed against an Imp as he didn't get fazed, kicking the demon in the opposite direction. The Imp crashed into one of the trees and began to hurl fireballs until it received a headshot by Rosita, who then went after the other Imp that pounced towards her.
The Slayer mentally cursed at the woman for getting herself in more trouble and rev the engine on the chainsaw. He moves the blaring chainsaw and impales through the Imp's backside, proceeding to lift the Imp with the said chainsaw to cut through the demon. When the Imp got sliced through, in the process of spraying demon blood onto Rosita, the Imp corpse's upper half splits in half.
"Seriously?! I had it there!" Rosita barked with anger, gritting her teeth at the Slayer, who bluntly ignored her and booted the demon corpse down. "Hey, I am not done talking with you! I don't know who or what you are. But I still want answers from you after what you just did back there earlier. So don't play dumb with me!"
The Slayer immediately silenced the woman with a frustrated glare, making Rosita startled by that as she didn't know how to handle it. His scowl lingered in the space between the Slayer and Rosita, making her realize that it didn't need to be said but knew what he was implying. The Slayer sighed mentally, knowing that punishing the woman wasn't worth it, as he signaled Rosita to accompany him.
"Ugh, okay, okay! I'll leave it alone for now, but you're still going to have to explain this to me after we talk to that robot. Even though you're not going to tell me much, obviously," Rosita skirted the Slayer's gaze with a rustle, shaking her head. "Look, I may not trust you at all, but we have to get Sasha before those things come after-!"
She was unaware that the Shielder from before fired plasma orbs to get her attention. The Slayer swiftly yanked the woman into his arm as they evade each discharge the Shielder produced. Rosita felt a blush form after being scooped up by the Slayer himself and saw him unleash a few point-blank combat shotgun blasts to stagger the Shielder out of its energy shield. "I'll take it from here, big guy," Rosita told the Slayer as he watched her move quickly.
Rosita sprung to her feet, sinking her dagger deeply in the demonic enemy's skull. Breathing with a bit of relief, Rosita's eyes turned over to her shoulder to observe the Slayer as he rummages for the Prowler. The woman then remembered from earlier that Dwight adorned a blue holographic shield. Rosita snatched the piece of metallic equipment attached to the monster's left forearm and sets it on, thrusting out a big, translucent blue energy shield.
"Woah...!" was all Rosita could utter until she and the Slayer heard the Prowler attacking the others.
Hayden had only stalked around to get a better advantage upon the Prowler as it flogged against Dwight's energy shield. The blond Savior then ducked once the Prowler launched itself into the air. The Prowler performed a striking kick, only when Dwight had to avoid the demon's attack. He tripped and landed with a loud thud, gasping a bit to see the Prowler hurling purple fireballs at Dwight.
Still hidden behind the tree, Sasha inspected the Prowler fighting Dwight, unsure whether she should help him or not. Then she realized that Rosita was still out in the area somewhere before coming out to snipe at the Prowler, causing the creature to evade a few while earning bullet wounds. The Prowler teleported in a flash, reappearing behind Sasha, and grabbed the woman by the hair and neck. Shocked as she was, Sasha flailed around to slash at the Prowler with her knife, causing the creature to kick her into a tree.
Just when help had arrived, Rosita came out from the trees and bushes to shoot at the Prowler, using the energy shield that she had to protect her from harm. Opposed by this, the Prowler pounces his way after Rosita in full speed, attempting to smash into her, except that the Slayer's fist collided with its face and got tossed over Rosita's head. Staggering a bit after landing on both feet, the Prowler winced for only a second until the Crucible Blade pierced out from its torso, killing it instantly.
Hayden slides the demonic corpse aside onto the ground and sees the Slayer scowling at him, watching as Hayden walk over to the Slayer. He saw that the Slayer was picking Sasha back up by the hand, and Hayden's shadow caused both of them to look at the cyborg.
"I might as well cut to the chase since patience isn't one of your virtues. The last time we met, I took the Crucible from you. I'm sorry that I did what I did. It had to become done following your success in stopping Hell's invasion of Mars and eliminating Olivia Pierce. Of course, I believe that won't matter to you despite whatever I say." Dr. Hayden chuckled almost mockingly, gesturing the Crucible in front of the Slayer. As Sasha raised an eyebrow at the two of them, the Slayer only furrowed his brow in displeasure as he carried his combat shotgun.
"You can believe whatever you want about me, Slayer. But I meant what I said about staying committed to helping you against Hell's armies. That is why I took the Crucible from you. Because you and I both know it. And despite your struggles in closing the portal on Mars, Hell's corruption will likely spread throughout the UAC back on our Earth, and they will invade this one too." Hayden resumed his talk in a cold tone.
Hayden's words may irritate the Slayer to admit it, but he knew that Hayden was correct. Only an idiot would believe the second the Slayer blew the brains out of the Spider-Demon, it would all be over. Hell would never stop consuming every world, just like how the Slayer would never cease destroying their satanic divisions. But that doesn't disguise the truth that Hayden caused it all in the first place. "Okay, you mind telling us just what the hell you two are going on about?" Rosita asked, crossing her arms with a frown.
Hayden didn't even bother to look at Rosita or Sasha for a second but then complies a glimpse at them. "I suppose I should apologize for all this. I did not think my efforts would have such far-reaching results. My name is Dr. Samuel Hayden, former Chairman of the Union Aerospace Corporation. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Sasha didn't try to conceal her confusion as she asked, "Your efforts? Just what do you mean-?"
"I'll explain our situation momentarily. For now, we have to leave the area and make our way towards Alexandria." Hayden stated, deactivating the Crucible Blade to its original form.
"Right, we don't want any more demons trailing on us right now." Dwight nodded, but Rosita was still confused.
"Wait a minute! We want to know why you helped us with those freaks?! Aren't you both working alongside the Saviors?! And why would we want to take you both there?!" Rosita's eyes widened, quickly looked at Hayden.
"You also said you are responsible for these creatures attacking us, right?" Sasha added, gripping her silencer rifle.
"Not directly, but as I said, we don't have much time. I presume one of you ladies can lead Dwight and me to where your leader is, by the name of Rick Grimes?" Hayden replied, causing the Slayer to aim his combat shotgun at the cyborg.
VEGA: {You never did learn humility in your own goals, did you, Dr. Hayden?}
"...VEGA?" Hayden asked, honestly in shock of hearing the polite and helpful AI again.
VEGA: {That is correct, Dr. Hayden. I certainly am up to speed now within the Slayer's Praetor Suit.}
Behind the visor, the Slayer's lips quivered to a near smirk, but so little caused him joy. Dwight, including Sasha and Rosita, became surprised by VEGA's unexpected emergence where no one had a clue what to say about this. His voice sounded cold but with a tone of refinement.
"Okay, who exactly are you?" Sasha asked, unsure of what's going on.
VEGA: {Greetings, I am VEGA. The sentient intelligence unit currently residing within the Praetor Suit. The actual man behind the visor remains addressed as the Doom Slayer. And I'm hoping we can work together to make something better for humanity in this dimension.}
Rosita blinked incredulously, "Are you kidding me?! You've been keeping this from Rick and everyone else back in Alexandria, and you pick NOW to show why you kept your distance from us? Why?"
VEGA: {I was monitoring whether or not the legions of Hell would invade this Earth, and regardless of how hostile you and Alexandria were, it appears that the Slayer doesn't bother himself about you all. I advised him to progress along with Rick Grimes and Michonne, knowing that they would need his help whenever the demons would reach your Earth. Your assassination plan to eliminate Negan will have to wait for now.}
The Slayer frowned upon Rosita and Sasha's plan to kill Negan, although he too was willing to kill the madman when the time became right. Why do these women think they can solve the Negan problem as a two-person army while the group continues amassing forces? They won't even stand a chance without the Slayer, and now with Hell involved on this Earth, the feeling is somewhat mutual.
Rosita and Sasha exchanged looks just as the cap-wearing woman folded her gloved hands and turned to Dwight and Hayden.
"What can you tell us about the Sanctuary?" Rosita asked.
Dwight paused, glancing at the two women uncertainly. "What do you want to know?"
Again, Rosita and Sasha shifted to their nervous expressions as Rosita continued, "Where does he sleep? Negan. Where can he be found at the most vulnerable?"
"I'm afraid your little suicide mission will not pan out as of now, considering that the legions of Hell will either ambush and kill you or claim both of you ladies as their company's whores. Whatever you are planning, it will not work-!" Hayden replies, but Rosita cuts him off while dismissing him with a wave of her pistol.
"Look, nobody is doing anything about this. It started with Negan, and it can end with him. We need to kill him, and then it will all fall apart. We have the element of surprise on our side. Sasha is a good shot, and I..." Rosita trailed off as she looks away for a moment before continuing. "I just can't just sit here and wait for Rick to do something."
"You know he's right, Rosita," Dwight shook his head, glaring at Rosita and Sasha. "Listen, I want Negan dead just as much as you all do, but you two would've gotten yourselves fucked by those Barons of Hell if Hayden and I hadn't stepped in to help. We gotta' stake ourselves out of here now and head over to Alexandria to tell Rick our plan."
"What plan?" Sasha asked.
"That shall become revealed at a later time. So I would like to have a little chat with Rick first and foremost, along with his band of onlookers, to make it less complicated. And you, Slayer, have saved VEGA?" Hayden shifted his head to face the Slayer. "Even after I told you...?"
VEGA: {Dr. Hayden, in case you haven't noticed, but the Slayer is not particularly adept at following orders. Set aside for now, the demonic presence in this location has become diminished, and the Gore Nest is included. I've also run a radar scanner to pick up some of Hell's legions that are now invading a small community within Virginia's area. I will pinpoint its exact location for the Slayer to go in pursuit of saving the people.}
"W-Wait a minute, did you say that it was somewhere in Virginia's area that's about a few miles from here?" Sasha began asking the AI, who seemed to answer back.
VEGA: {Correct, Sasha.}
"THAT'S THE HILLTOP!" Sasha yelled, horrified by how she left everyone else, including Maggie, unsupervised. "I have to get back to Maggie! Right now!"
VEGA: {The Slayer will advance his way towards the Hilltop Colony and rescue Maggie alongside the rest of the community.}
"VEGA is right, Sasha. The Slayer can handle any damages that the legions of Hell have caused within the Hilltop Colony. He'll have to push his way onward to guarantee everyone's survival while they're still alive. Whether or not you may follow the Slayer if you please, he wouldn't want you to get in his way or possibly ambushed by the demons." Hayden stared at Sasha, who he then gave both Rosita and Dwight another glimpse next. "In the meantime, either of you will have to lead Dwight and me back to where Alexandria resides. Bring us there, and we'll explain our little arrangement with your leader, Rick Grimes."
Rosita seemed a bit skeptical of Hayden just before she felt the Slayer yank her over to him by the arm, creating anger and confusion in her eyes. Before Rosita had the chance to preach the Slayer, he then cuts her off by putting a finger to her lips and shushed her. She looked at the Slayer with wariness as he pulled out his notepad and wrote on it for her the read.
DO NOT LET HAYDEN OUT OF YOUR SIGHT
IF HE TRIES ANYTHING
IF HE BULLSHITS YOU
OR RICK
DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE
HE WILL BE TOUGH TO KILL
I TRUST YOU IN THIS
The Slayer puts his notepad away to let Rosita think this through. Rosita honestly felt a bit surprised by how the Slayer sets forth his sense of trust in her. Beforehand, she and the Slayer had never been on good terms with one another since his arrival. They may have had only a few one on ones, but Rosita had shown her stressful side to him. The Slayer knew that Rosita is a capable, rough, and compelling member of Rick's group. She could be sharp and uncompromising but was always fundamentally portrayed as a human being like the others.
After reflecting on her thoughts, Rosita then proceeds to nod as she utters, "Okay."
Just as everyone watched where the Slayer begins to stride off to where Hilltop would remain, but before the Slayer would resume, his eyes scrolled over to Hayden while silent as usual. The robotic man knew what the Slayer was going to demand from him and pulled out the demonic artifact from a compartment in his chest.
"Ah yes, of course. I believe this is yours-!"
Hayden became interrupted once the Slayer's hand shot up at the Crucible, just in time for Hayden's hand to yank the artifact out of his reach. He bowed a little to meet the Slayer eye to eye. "As in, I believe it is yours for the moment. You'll only be taking the Crucible temporarily until I require it once again. Whatever its future holds will become decided between the two of us in the meantime. Soon, you'll need to reclaim what was rightfully yours by the time you find a way back onto Argent D'Nur, where I've hidden your Fortress somewhere within Exultia."
Hayden continues while the Slayer kept a slight gaze onto the Crucible, as well as the cyborg. "The command space station continued to become thought lost when the Deag Priests betrayed you until this moment arrived. VEGA will upload additional information you might need and coordinates once you find a way there somehow. Despite how I didn't send you there in the first place, you had already left the dimensional gap before I could do anything, so do what you can to find a way back. Do you understand, Slayer?"
Hayden hadn't even lowered his hand before the Slayer briskly snatched it from his cold, metallic fingers. They both maintained eye contact for several seconds, not even blinking. Hayden hadn't quite caught it, but he had just made that decision in advance. The Slayer knows now that this cyborg was the Seraphim from long ago. For one thing, Hayden should have told the Slayer right away instead of becoming dramatic about everything.
As usual, the Slayer begins to walk away from Hayden in silence. When the Slayer gets to his stronghold, space exploration can become managed. The Slayer can allow VEGA to modify the Tether System of the Praetor Suit to the Fortress. That way, it can teleport through space and time anywhere the Slayer wishes to go. The Slayer will bash Hayden's metal skull for what he did soon, but for now, that's going to become set aside.
"Perhaps you despise me and likely see me as no better." Hayden could only chuckle perversely in his murmur, and the Slayer glared as he said nothing. "But my intentions were for…"
The Slayer went into the folder that contained VEGA's audio files within the Praetor Suit's recording system. He selected one of them and double-tapped to press play for everyone to listen, with Hayden, who stopped talking after ascertaining what the Slayer induced.
Samuel Hayden: {I'm willing to take full responsibility for the horrible events of the last 24 hours, but you MUST understand: our interest in THEIR world was purely for the betterment of mankind. Everything has clearly gone out of hand now, yes. But it was WORTH THE RISK. I assure you.}
For the first time he could recall, Hayden stayed quiet after listening to his own words. With that now stated, the Slayer exited the file and disengaged from VEGA's audio data. Pumping the combat shotgun's forend, the Slayer dashed off to follow VEGA's direct course that's heading towards the Hilltop Colony. Back with the others that the Slayer had just left from, Sasha knew that Maggie was the only person in the world left who she feels comforted with ever since she lost Tyreese, Bob, and Abraham.
Sasha knew Negan needed to get killed at all costs, but she would be damned to let something happen to Maggie of all people, or Enid, or Jesus, or much more people in this broken world. Both Sasha and Rosita had undergone the perceptions of these demons, as well as their terrorization of the world. Without any doubt, Sasha looks back at Rosita one more time before hurrying off to follow the Slayer's trail.
As she watched Sasha leave the trio to fend for themselves, Rosita shook her head and glances back at both Dwight and Hayden with a glare. "So what exactly are you going to ask about with Rick?"
"For both of our worlds to have an even fighting chance, you will all need weapons of Argent Energy. Despite how much you abhor Negan and the Saviors, including Dwight here, they will require such resources as well. Even YOU, or the Slayer, can't dispute that. While Dwight and I rally this Earth's forces to help plan against Hell's onslaught, the Slayer will need to exact his revenge on the Deag Priests and the Khan Maykr herself. More of your questions will get answered once we meet with Rick Grimes. I assure you while time seems to be short. Now then, Rosita, would you be so kind as to guide us to your community?" Hayden explained while Dwight was observing how Rosita kept a solemn front most of the time.
Rick and Michonne had mentioned somebody named Dr. Samuel Hayden who betrayed the Slayer. But Rosita only understood a little bit of insight from the conversations shown between the Slayer and the cyborg. The Slayer had warned her not to trust Hayden for even the slightest hint of calmness that the robotic man has presented. Sasha had already left to go catch up with the Slayer on saving the Hilltop Colony, and Rosita had no other choice but to linger and babysit both Dwight and Hayden. So, she'll have to push aside her suicide mission for later and get right on it with the two of these distrustful cronies. Rosita lifts her pistol and motions both Hayden and Dwight to begin walking as the trio soon left the demonic carnage site.
Darting from out the bushes after he exited the woods, the Slayer was currently moving his way through the deserted road. A couple of shattered trash and broken-down vehicles remained decorated all around. The Slayer could notice some blood splatters and chunks of holes painted the place. The Slayer zips across this roadway boneyard in search of the community, in search of demons. But he only gains more of their destruction towards this world.
VEGA: {After running through an analysis of Dr. Hayden's provided information, your Fortress has remained stored on a cluster of islands far to the East of Sentinel Prime called Exultia. I recommend we find a portal encompassing the demons, for it would lead you to either Hell or any other places within Argent D'Nur. I will start enacting a search for them right now.}
The Slayer grunted in response, perceiving that his Fortress is somewhere on an island in the middle of Exultia's sea. It won't matter if the Slayer has to travel by boat, for that matter, because he'll get back over to his Earth and save his people once again. But of course, the Slayer will have to preserve this dimension and be done with Rick's people too. Aside from that, the Slayer wondered how that walking sack of bolts knew about his Fortress. The only ones who knew were either dead or joined the ranks of Hell itself.
The Slayer followed VEGA's instructions, all the while thinking about the one who was following behind him from afar. Sasha continued sprinting away from the forest area and spotted the Slayer as he kept navigating by himself nonstop. She took off after the Slayer as fast as she could so that she kept up with him.
"I told you to slow down, big guy!" Sasha gasped for air, trying to recuperate herself from any risk of walking into demons around the area. "Jesus, how can you run so fast? Are you like a machine or something?"
The Slayer sighed mentally, choosing to ignore any more of Sasha's questions to follow his conscience as Sasha kept stalking him to no end. She reminds the Slayer of when he first saved his Earth from the demonic invasion after crash-landing towards the planet, which only fuels the desire to find and end the demons in this dimension. With both of them inspecting the area for nearby walkers or demons, the Slayer kept his eyes out for if there were ones that could sneak up and attack him by surprise.
"You don't want me here, do you?" Sasha asks as the Slayer answers in silence. "I get that. You do not want people to get hurt, but I'm not going anywhere else until Maggie and the others are safe and sound. You cannot stop me from achieving that, and you are not getting me to leave. I'll die before Maggie ever does if that's what it takes."
The Slayer turned his head to inspect Sasha and her determined yet pained expression. He could see her sorrow and anger beginning to surface in tears and a quivering jaw. Rick and Michonne told him about this woman being a primary sniper to their group. It made the Slayer wonder how well she could use his HAR.
With the small things that the Slayer knew about her, he's guessing she's been troubled thanks to the hands of Negan's reign in this dimension. Still, though, this hard-headed woman was going to get herself killed. Just like her friends who thought they could help. But sometimes, whenever the Slayer sees how these people can fight the demons, it would surprise him too much.
Sasha knew that she has been shutting people out by putting up a wall. Sasha was only concerned about survival and didn't care about connecting with anyone. Everything had come together, and all signs have been pointing to this moment when Rosita needed help to kill Negan. Through all of this anger that Sasha had dealt with, she did find some connection with Maggie.
Maggie, too, is experiencing a loss of her own, her entire family. Their relation evolved after Glenn and Abraham died. Gaining medical attention and staying secret from Negan, Sasha had provided much-needed support to bring Maggie to the Hilltop Colony. The Slayer held out a hand for both of them to stop momentarily, having Sasha watch as the Slayer writes on his notepad to show her his message.
I UNDERSTAND
BUT YOU SHOULD NOT DIE
YOU BELONG WITH YOUR FAMILY
TO THEM
BUT I DO NOT
MADE TO DESTROY HELL
AND SAVE YOU ALL
I CAN NEVER BELONG
GO BACK IF YOU WANT
I WILL NOT STOP YOU
Once the Slayer finished his notepad, he continued onward as Sasha followed his footsteps that advanced farther along the damaged road. Although she didn't want to admit things, Sasha continued to ponder what the Slayer had just told her. He didn't judge much, but at least he gave her a clear answer only from his words on a piece of paper.
But Sasha paid close attention to how the Slayer acted towards Hayden when he began to speak about meeting Rick and granting the Slayer access to the Crucible again. Sasha could notice that the Slayer here becomes generally seen as the biggest threat by the demons from Hell. He only showed a little more emotion than anything else and expressed more through actions rather than words like others do. She wanted to know more about what Hayden said about how he justifies his actions in Hell for the better of humanity.
But of course, there were already dangers and aftermath consequences when the Slayer kept his weapon aimed at Hayden angrily. Sasha thought about saying something else to the Slayer, but VEGA soon emerged from the HUD.
VEGA: {You are about a couple of meters ahead to arrive at the Hilltop Colony, Slayer. I'm detecting a Mancubus that's nearby the area, and it's heading towards the community.}
With that said, both the Slayer and Sasha hurried off and onward to where they would locate the Mancubus, much to Sasha's confusion of demon sorts. She didn't even bother to look back, knowing it would only cause her to slow down. After running for a few minutes, they both stopped by a tree as Sasha kept her ears peeled for any noise and silencer rifle sighted.
Sasha kept her breathing to a minimum, in slight fear of what these demons were to her. She didn't know how many demons there are, and she didn't want to take her chances with ones being larger than her. The Slayer and Sasha both held their weapons prominently, ready to use them at a moment's notice.
Fire and demonic outcries became overheard coming in the Slayer's direction just as he starts rushing up the sloping hill and saw it all in front of him. And when Sasha attended to the Slayer's side, she could feel her heart rate growing faster for Maggie's life. The legions of Hell were around and about, invading the Hilltop Colony as it became encircled by hellish flames of the Arch-Vile.
A/N: [And that's all folks. Again I am so sorry for the long wait. I will see you guys hopefully soon. We will deal with the invasion of the Hilltop Colony and how the Slayer and Sasha will deal with the Arch-Vile and its demon cronies. Please review, and let me have your thoughts!]