Fort Mercer

Two swords clanged together. Jack and Riain were in the centre of the courtyard practicing, Jack taking favour of the claymore, and Riain using the Katana.

Riain Praised Jack for the speed in which he had learned to use the blade. Most people spent years attempting to perfect their form; But Riain estimated that within a year Jack could become a master swordsman. Jack could say the same about Riain, he had quickly learned how to shoot with side arms with great efficiency; however he seemed forget occasionally that guns did have a limited capacity.

The training was a good way for Jack to keep his mind off his father. Jack drove his sword into the dirt and rested his weight against it. Riain merely placed his sword back within the scabbard. "I think that will do for today Jack." Both men walked towards the two vacant chairs. The drunken man Jack had seen when he first arrived was lying on the ground. Jack never seen this man actively walking around the Fort, but always seen him asleep or passed out in some random corner of the premises

Jack looked at him for a moment before turning to see the young Cathy Ward tending to the horses; he had to admit he was quite taken by her. She looked in his direction, before quickly looking away.

"I know what you're thinking, Jack." He heard Riain saying "And I can tell you that she is quite taken with you as well."

Jack coughed "I don't know what you're talking about Riain." Jack looked towards him to see him smirking. A thought suddenly crossed Jack's mind. "What made you train so hard with swords?"

Riain's face suddenly fell "Well Jack. My father killed people, he knew no other way of life his parents were killed when he was a young age, and he was taken in by a tribe that lived by the sacred way of the samurai. However after an attack my father's clan were defeated. And as is customary to the samurai way, a samurai defeated in battle must take his own life. However he swore revenge and came to America, in search of the men who had destroyed his clan. However after he found them, he turned to a life of crime. He knew nothing else; he and a group of men robbed and killed people. However he was betrayed by his "Gang". The government arrested him and struck a deal with him. In exchange for the members of his gang, he would be released. He kept his end of the bargain, but they didn't, the killed him just to make sure he didn't return to a life of crime. And so I sought revenge on the man who had betrayed my father. I found him and cut him down. His name was Aoyama Matsuda. He was an agent in some agency called "The Bureau". That is why I trained so hard. So Jack, tell me why you trained so hard with all these weapons."

Jack retold his own story which was similar in many ways. He told of his father attempting to leave the life of crime after his friends left him for dead, how he attempted to start a farm, and how himself and his mother were taken and held by the government, as leverage against his father, and how he was forced to hand hunt down his former Gang, how Javier was the only one he brought in alive, and how after they had restarted their farm, John was gunned down by Edgar Ross and at least a dozen soldiers. Riain leaned towards the drunken man, who had a bottle of whiskey grasped tightly in his hands, after prying it free the two men toasted the memory of their respective fathers.

That night Jack walked along the wall lost in thought. Everyday more and more people came to the fort talking about a mysterious stranger that had saved them from the Undead hordes. Everyone had a different story about how he had saved them. Some said he reduced the Undead to a fine mist with a single shot, others said he ran the Undead over in a black stagecoach, others said he could control them and make them walk towards their own death, one woman claimed he cleared out the entire town of Blackwater using only a tomahawk, and a flaming torch, a man said his bullets engulfed their targets in flame, one man said that he had saw the creature at night how he cut many of the Undead asunder with a scythe. Some of the people claimed he was an Undead himself. Because of this the creature had been given many nicknames; Apocalypse, Death, The Undead Cowboy, The Monster who Hunts his own Kind, Undead Hunter, Reaper, Monster Killer, even Riain had given him a nickname, Shinigami, which Riain said was Japanese for "God Of Death." No Matter what Jack was convinced whatever it was, was his father, John Marston.

He came across Bonnie McFarlane and the Mother Superior, who was sitting on two chairs, looking out over the walls of the fort the Undead, continued to wander aimlessly around the fort. So they had decided upon leaving them to themselves unless it was completely necessary.

"Good evening, Senór Marston," the mother superior said "How are you this evening." She seemed quite happy.

"I'm fine thanks." He was carrying Riain's Claymore in his hand, and had several of his other guns, strapped to various Holsters.

"Now how's a woman supposed to get close to such a heavily armed man." The mother Superior smiled.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean Mother." though he did have a fairly good idea of what she was talking about.

Bonnie laughed at him she had cheered up considerably since her arrival. "Come off it Jack, I saw how you've been looking at that young lady. And just so you know she looks at you the same way."

Jack was about to say something when something on the horizon caught his attention. Fire, and a white mist. Bonnie stood up in and looked the same way Jack looked, the Mother Calderón stood as well before speaking "It seems as though the we have another soul seeking sanctuary." And Jack had to admit she was right, the mist and flame were heading straight for the fort.

Riain came to their side as well as Cathy she walked towards Jack and spoke directly to him "Mr Marston what's happening?" She looked towards the mist and flame with a look of worry."

Jack could only think to one way to respond "Someone's coming in." he then turned his Attention to Bonnie and Mother Calderón "Tell me when he gets close, Riain help me open the gate."

The two then ran for the gate getting the help of several men, telling them to be ready to shoot. An army captain that had claimed himself in charge of the fort began to yell at Marston. "I warned you Marston, You don't give orders around here," He pointed the barrel of his Revolver to Jacks forehead and cocked the hammer "Goodbye Mr Marston." Just as he tightened the trigger a man yelled

"Captain, they're coming" The Captain and Jack both looked towards the gate to see a large mass of the Undead heading towards the gap, The Captain pointed his gun towards the Undead and began to shoot towards them, however each one of his shots was either a complete miss or completely ineffective. Jack Quickly drew a rifle form his Back and began to fire into the crowd with perfect Dead-Eye accuracy sending over twenty Undead to the ground, however they were still coming.

Jack placed the dropped the rifle, he reached inside his coat to the holster he kept under his right arm, and Pulled out a Mauser C96 but before he fired he looked out the Undead were moving away from the door. As thought they had lost all interest in the people who now occupied the fort. Just then he noticed a black Stagecoach drawn my four majestic looking horses one of which of which was consumed in flame. Jack watched as it charged towards the fort and into the open door, the men promptly closed the gate behind the coach. The stage coach parked in the centre of the courtyard.

Jack once again heard a hammer being cocked he turned to see the Captain once again aiming for Jack's head. "Any last words Mr Marston?"

"You would never hit me if you were any further away." Jack smirked looking the captain directly in the eye.

Going red the captain tightened his grip on the handle "Good-bye Mr Marston." A loud bang then broke through the air.