Clementines POV
Clementine found herself somewhere unfamiliar. She couldn't quite describe it; her young mind couldn't find the words to explain where she was. The only way she could tell it was "nowhere." She was nowhere, but she was here at the same time. The only other presence was a white figure. She felt a force pulling her towards it, compelling her to walk closer.
As she got nearer, she could distinguish the features of the white figure. It was a girl with yellow hair and white skin, wearing a yellow cloak. Her eyes were bright yellow, and electricity emanated from her. Despite her unusual appearance, something about her made Clementine feel like everything would be okay. She wanted to snuggle up to her for comfort, so she did. The woman was so inviting, and Clementine felt like she could stay in her embrace forever.
"Who are you?" Clementine found herself asking.
The woman just smiled and, with the softest voice Clementine had ever heard, answered, "I am a being that keeps balance between the worlds. But to put it more simply, I am an ally here to help you."
Clementine just nodded, not entirely understanding. Then she noticed a giant beast behind the woman. It was a bird with lightning shooting out of it, and for the first time, she felt fear. She stepped back, and everything snapped back into focus, all her senses returning.
"What... what is that?" Clementine asked, trembling.
"Don't be afraid of it. It might look scary, but it's actually quite kind once you get to know it," the woman reassured her.
Now that Clementine looked closer, she saw that the beast wasn't trying to harm her. It was more curious, sniffing her and licking her like a dog. It felt "zappy," the only word she could think of. Her fear quickly dissipated and was replaced by a warm, happy feeling. She started giggling because the beast was ticklish.
The woman smiled, watching the scene. "All right, Bolt, that's enough," she said, wanting to get to business. The beast immediately stopped and looked stoic, almost as if it were sleeping.
The woman placed her palm next to her, indicating for Clementine to sit down. Clementine did as she was told.
"You have been chosen to be one of the four Guardians of this world," the woman said. There was a long pause as she gathered her thoughts. Clementine waited patiently, her mind filled with questions.
"You see, long ago, more than 2 billion years ago, the world was formed by a being called 'The One Who Created Everything.' He first created the four legendary elemental beasts to forge the world. After the world was formed, he created humans and other magical beings, animals, and life. But what the creator of all things didn't anticipate—or perhaps did, but did nothing about—was a huge darkness. A dark being, one of his servants, his most talented servant, named Lucifer. He was the one who gave humanity a choice to do evil or good by consuming fruit. The creator was disappointed in Lucifer as well as the first humans. He punished Lucifer more severely than the humans. He cut off his wings, made him grow horns, and cast him to another realm he created: the world of the dead, or what you call 'hell.'
"What happened to Lucifer's wings? His left wing was fused with humanity, giving them the ability to use what is called mana and angelic power that all living things possess and can use if unlocked. The other wing was used to create magical beasts. The creator gave life to the wing and then fractured it, creating more life from it.
"2 billion years later, the seal the creator placed on Lucifer is weakening. We are the guardians of that seal and the protectors of the world. You might not understand this entire story now, Clementine, but in time, you will. You will reclaim your destiny as the next Guardian, and you will meet the other Guardians before long."
The woman placed her palm on Clementine's stomach and thrust it through, creating a stamp on her stomach. Clementine felt a strange sensation and was sent back a few meters. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lee, Carly, and Naruto's concerned faces.
(Flashback)
Larry's POV
41 years ago
Larry was nervous. He had bought some flowers for Sophie, and it had been so long since he had seen her in her glory. Larry thought about what they had done before he left for the military. Would that be daily, or would she have already moved on from him? He would have been fine if she had. He entirely understood. He tried her parents' house, but they told him over a cup of tea that she had gone to Atlanta, Georgia, for a job opportunity. They nicely gave him the address so he could meet her and see if she still loved him. Recently, he had some doubts that she had stayed faithful all this time.
His hands were trembling with the bouquet of roses as he walked towards the top floor of the apartment building. Room 143 was her room number. He found it. He had already tried six times to knock on her door, but each time he chickened out. He needed to mentally prepare himself. He fought a f****** war, for God's sake, but why was this so hard for him? Larry thought to himself.
He remembered his time on the boat years ago, and that gave him the courage to finally knock on her door. He heard a muffled sound, and then the door's lock came undone. He saw Sophie, looking way different than the last time he saw her. She was far more defined as a woman, making him blush. When Sophie first saw him, she immediately hugged him.
"Oh God, Larry, I thought you were dead," she yelled, crying. He just wrapped his arms around her, giving her a big kiss on her lips.
"Do you really think Vietnam would keep me from you?" Larry said jokingly, making Sophie chuckle. Larry had a wonderful night, a night full of pleasure, and the rest was history. Six months later, they got married, and two years later, they had a beautiful baby girl. He and Sophie tried to teach their daughter everything they knew, trying to be good parents. Larry seemed to lack in that area, though, because he had to work. His job was as a secretary at Robins Air Force Base facility.
That's when tragedy struck. His wife was ill. In her final moments, he was with her, as well as their daughter Lily. It was tough when she died. He always blamed himself. He should have been there more. He should have... And then everything else happened. This new plague... Larry finally remembered where he came from, and all his experiences. They all led him up to this point.
"Didn't they?" Larry asked the golden figure. The golden figure just gave him a nod.
"Now you finally know your past. I can now tell you your future, if you desire it," the figure offered.
Larry smiled. "Hell, why not? How bad could it possibly be?" Larry said. He was then shown his future—not just his future, but a greater future. A future that, even if he died, his death would contribute to. Larry knew he would not survive forever, and it reassured him as well.
"Thank you, whoever you are. I'm not sure what you are, but I hope this future comes to pass," Larry said, smiling.
(End of flashback)
Naruto's POV
Naruto wasn't feeling great, and the reason was kind of obvious. Clementine, the girl he had met a few months ago and saw as a friend, almost died. She was so close to not being with them, but luckily he could get there in time. With Carly calling out shots, he used his defibrillator jutsu and a second bolt of lightning. Some might have seen this as unlucky, but it seemed like they got lucky to him. The situation was avoided pretty smoothly, other than the other lightning bolt that struck and destroyed part of the Motor Inn, making the place unsafe. They were almost done finishing preparations, and Carly was doing a check-up on the unconscious girl. Naruto breathed out in dismay. Ever since he was sent to this world, he had done nothing but help people, or at least tried his best, but it seemed like people were getting hurt. Was it because of him coming to this world that things had become so messed up? Naruto had these negative thoughts roaming his mind.
"Kid, you have to calm down now," Doxie warned, appearing right in front of him. Despite her stern tone, her face showed concern. Naruto looked at his hands and saw his fingernails were sharp points, as sharp as razors. This signified what Naruto called his zero-tail form. His whiskers were more pronounced, and his eyes were slits with a red hue. Naruto took a breath in and out, and the rage and disappointment within him quickly went away. He knew it had gone away not just by how he felt but by how he looked. Doxie had told him this transformation was triggered by his emotions.
"You have to keep your emotions under control. We can't have you going on a rampage because of my chakra," Doxie said sternly.
"What's the point of me training if I can't even save anyone?" Naruto yelled. To others, it looked like he was just talking to himself or yelling at himself in this case. Naruto quickly jumped to the top of one of the most structurally sound buildings of the Motor Inn.
"It's good that you're getting smarter. Maybe what I'm teaching you is sinking into that dense brain of yours," Doxie said, sounding more proud of herself than of him, at least that's what Naruto assumed. The girl could be egotistical sometimes.
"Get to the point, woman," Naruto said, frustrated.
"Look, I want you to understand something," Doxie began.
Naruto was about to retort something when Doxie shouted, "No, listen! I want you to listen clearly. This advice I'm going to give you is the foundation for everything I'll teach you. Everything I teach you from now on will be based on this one principle. So listen closely: you need to control your emotions. You don't have to become an emotionless object, but you need to learn when to use your emotions and when not to. Do you hear me?" Doxie said, getting inches from Naruto's face.
Naruto was sweating. He could feel her bloodlust. Naruto could only mumble a response, "Okay, Roger that, sensei." He almost fell from the building but managed to catch himself at the last second and made sure he landed safely.
"I don't understand. Why are you telling me this now? Wasn't all the training I did before based on this principle, or are you just making this up as you go?" Naruto asked a valid question from his perspective.
"Well, duh, I am making it up as I go," Doxie said. Naruto should have known this. He slumped his shoulders.
"Well, can you just leave me alone for a while? I need time to think," Naruto finally asked after three minutes of silence.
"Talk to you later," Doxie said, disappearing from his vision and probably going back to his mindscape. He went back towards the RV, and just in time too, as Katjaa came out of the RV door. She had a smile on her face and looked more hopeful. Naruto started feeling the same. Maybe Clementine would be okay, and maybe what he had done to protect this group could mean something.
Katjaa looked at Lee and motioned him to the side of the RV. Naruto followed, wanting to know the status of Clementine. He felt like it was his responsibility. Behind the RV, he started listening to their conversation.
"So, how is she?" Lee asked nervousness in his voice.
"Don't worry, she'll make a full recovery. Despite getting hit by two lightning bolts, she's completely fine. No burns, no electrical damage, nothing. On the contrary, it's like the lightning healed her. She's in better fighting shape than before. I can't wrap my mind around it," Katjaa explained.
Naruto was shocked by this revelation, and he wasn't the only one. Lee was also shocked.
"What do you mean it completely healed her?" Lee asked, dumbfounded and confused.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Lee. I just felt you should know this. Hopefully, this information will be useful," Katjaa said, smiling and having faith in Lee's leadership.
Lee smiled. "Thanks, Katjaa. That means a lot. It might not be easy leading everyone, but I try my best," Lee said, grateful.
Naruto's heart dropped when he heard Duck. "What are you doing?" Duck asked, surprisingly not energetic; he was more somber, which freaked Naruto out. Knowing the jig was up, Naruto stepped out of his hiding place with Duck following behind.
Lee, with a stern voice, said, "What are you two doing there?" folding his arms.
Naruto tried to think of something to say but said nothing. "I was just walking and getting a drink of water," Naruto said, lying terribly.
"I was going to ask how Clementine has been doing," Duck said, concerned for his friend.
Lee, with both of his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, asked, "How much did you hear?"
"I only heard a small bit," Duck said.
Naruto simply said, "I heard it all," not even trying to lie this time because Lee could see right through him like a window.
Duck then ran to his mother, hugging her. Katjaa hugged her son. Naruto could truly tell they loved each other very much. It made living in these conditions a little more bearable.
"Naruto, look out!" Doxie yelled in his mind.
Naruto didn't think; he quickly dodged and, without thinking, grabbed Lee with him. It was a good thing too because there were two bullet-shaped holes where he and Lee had been standing. Sadly, more bullets followed, and the third hit its mark. The unfortunate target was Katjaa's brain. Her head exploded, covering Duck in his mother's brain, and her corpse fell on him, trapping him.
"Naruto, are you all right?" Doxie asked, checking on his well-being.
Naruto couldn't say anything. He saw what was once a kind woman now dead. Naruto shut down, not responding to Doxie or Lee. Everything was just muffled. The only thing he was transfixed on was Katjaa's corpse. He felt nothing at first. He remained transfixed until a huge shockwave blasted him toward the not-totally destroyed building of the Motor Inn. His back flared in pain, but he got up. This wasn't the most painful beating he had ever had, and it wouldn't be the last one either. Naruto noticed, to his shock, Jackson standing in the middle of the Motor Inn. Smoke covered him, making him look menacing. The thing that put Naruto off was the red tint, the red sunlight. It was like a red filter was over the world. Naruto looked up, seeing the sun being eclipsed by the moon, which was blood red, a dark, foreboding red.
Jackson's eyes were glowing red, even brighter than when Naruto fought him in the forest near the dairy. Despite all his fears, Naruto formed the Rasengan in his left hand and rushed towards Jackson, ready to take him down again. He had done it before; he could certainly do it again, right?
Travis's POV
Travis's vision was blurry. One moment he was getting more food for the road, and the next he was on the ground, confused about where he was. He then recognized his surroundings immediately; he was in his room with Ben. The entire room was messed up as if an explosion had occurred.
Travis thought of giving up on the floor, but as he tried to get up, he accidentally stabbed himself in the hand with shards of glass. He winced in pain, knowing that was the least of his worries. With concern, he saw Ben flung over a table. From the position, it looked like Ben had been hit in the stomach and then his head had hit the floor, knocking him out. Travis alarmed, quickly checked if Ben was still alive. He found a pulse, confirming that Ben was indeed still alive.
He then had to look for his gun. Just as he was searching, he noticed gunshots outside. It was a war zone. He needed to get his weapon quickly. He saw his pistol, a Glock 19, on the ground. That's when he felt something cold pressed against the back of his head.
"Don't you f****** move, you hear me? Don't move if you want to keep your head on your shoulders," said an unknown person. There was no one from the group; he didn't recognize the voice. Travis knew for Ben's sake he needed to stay alive.
"Okay man, just be cool, okay?" Travis said, trying to sound as brave as possible, but he couldn't help trembling.
Travis could feel the smirk growing on the man's face. He didn't know the person's gender, but the voice suggested it was more likely a man.
"What should I do with you?" the man said. "Should I eat you? And if I do eat you, should I cook you or boil you? No, I have a good idea. I think I'll eat you raw. I've never tried eating human meat raw. Maybe it's tasty."
Travis felt disgusted as the man licked him. "Your sweat is so exquisite, it's like a salty and sweet taste at the same time. I can't wait to eat you," the man said.
At that moment, Travis felt true fear. A thought came across his mind: being devoured by this man, who wasn't even a walker, just a dirty Hannibal. He was snapped out of his thoughts by a sharp pain in his ear. The man had completely bitten off Travis's ear. Travis could feel the warm blood gushing out of his head. He felt like he was going to be sick. The pain wasn't even the worst part; it was seeing the man chewing on his ear with glee in his eyes.
Then he felt a foot hit right across his stomach and then again in his neck. This went on for what seemed like an eternity, but when it ended, the man finally said, "I'm done having my fun with you. I guess I'll come back. Sadly, I don't have a weapon; the one I pointed at you was just a decoy. I'm better with knives than guns, so I guess you stay there like a good little piece of cattle. When I come back, I better see you already dead."
The man walked away foolishly, not knowing Travis was forever closer to his gun. Without thinking, Travis grabbed it, pointed it at the back of the guy's head, and pulled the trigger. He smiled when the man fell dead. He knew he shouldn't be happy about it, but after what that evil man did, he deserved hell. If Travis went to hell, he hoped to find that man again and do the torturing.
Travis snapped out of his dark thoughts. He looked over at Ben, knowing his personal feelings had to wait. He had to put the group before himself. With the gun in his left hand, he quickly used one arm to lift Ben. It took him a minute, but he managed to do it. With Ben on his back, he quickly made it out of the room.
Immediately upon surveying his surroundings, he saw Kenny protecting his son while being beaten down by three other men. Travis, without hesitation, was about to shoot one of the guys, but someone already beat him to it. He saw Larry killing two of them already using his rifle. Travis took down the third one. He had four rounds left, and unfortunately, those were the only bullets he had.
He quickly got behind cover, one of the tables they used for huge dinners together. He moved towards where Larry was. Larry looked shocked.
"Good Lord, what happened?" Larry asked, trying to keep himself composed.
"It doesn't matter what happened to me. The only thing that matters is getting everyone out of here," Travis said.
"You're right, son. But that's easier said than done," Larry replied, surveying the area. They had killed four bandits so far, but there were still about ten left. They were picking them off one by one. Luckily, none of them were getting too injured, but it was going to be hard to maneuver between all the gunfire.
"I know it's going to be hard, but we need to get to that RV so I can start it up. Kenny isn't in any shape to drive, you know how beat up he is," Travis reasoned.
"Yeah, you're right about one thing, kid. We do need to get out of here. Whatever you need, just say the word and it will be done," Larry said with determination.
"I just need you to give me cover, keep them busy, and don't let them notice me. If any notice me, quickly shoot them down. It doesn't matter if one of them is aiming at you. If I don't get to that RV, we're all dead anyway, understand?" Travis said with a dark tone.
Larry nodded. "Understood."
Travis wasted no time. Quickly getting out of cover, he took a few steps. Luckily, he wasn't getting any attention, thanks to Larry keeping them off him. He made it directly in front of the RV. But it didn't last forever. A man was behind him. Travis couldn't react in time, but again, luck was on his side. A walker bit into the man's throat. While the walker was busy eating the man, Travis quickly unlocked the RV door, locked it behind him, and got into the driver's seat.
Fortunately, none of the tires were shot, and the engine and gas tank were intact. The RV was fully functional. He just needed to find the keys. He looked in the top mirror but didn't find them there.
"Of course, it won't be that easy," Travis muttered to himself, laying Ben in the passenger seat. Just then, Kenny entered the RV, holding his unconscious son and something else in his hand that could get the RV working.
Lee POV
The shockwave blasted away Lee. It happened so suddenly that he didn't have time to react. When Lee got his bearings, he saw the worst scenario that could have occurred: Jackson had breached the barrier, and his men were flooding into the Motor Inn. Lee could see a huge gunfight happening above ground. Luckily, he was below the ground and saw his ax that had fallen out of its sheath during the shockwave. He grabbed it and got up, seeing Jackson laughing and standing as if he had won. The hell he did, Lee thought.
Lee immediately rushed towards Jackson, trying to buy everyone else time, but was stopped when he saw Naruto flying towards Jackson with one of his Rasengans, or at least that's what he called them. To Lee's horror, Naruto got kicked mid-air by someone faster, someone who was not Jackson. Another person, maybe as strong as Jackson, maybe stronger, was now confronting Naruto, the strongest asset they had. "All that help is going to go down the drain," Lee whispered under his breath, getting ready to act.
Jackson suddenly appeared right behind Lee. "You wanted to come for me?" Jackson's voice echoed.
Without thinking, Lee tried to swing his ax at Jackson's head, but Jackson ducked to the ground with lightning speed and swept Lee off his feet in two seconds. Lee couldn't even process what had happened. Jackson then flicked his head, sending Lee skidding towards the Motor Inn, crashing through one of the doors. Lee got some big splinters in his midsection and was bleeding heavily, but he would live. A few cuts wouldn't keep him down, Lee thought determinedly as he got up.
Something fell out of his pocket. It was the amulet. He remembered its use; Emily had specifically told him what this artifact could do. It could seal anything purely evil for only 30 minutes; if it was stronger, even less time. But Lee was willing to bet on those odds. Thirty minutes or less, even if they got ten minutes, would be enough time for them to get out of there. "This is our only option. Despite the drawback, I'll be willing to take it," Lee said to himself. The drawback was that to seal anything truly evil, the amulet would take ten years of his lifespan. Even if it took a hundred years, Lee thought it would be worth it.
With new determination, he knew he just needed Jackson's blood for it to work. He only needed to get one cut. He could do that, at least he hoped so. He walked out of the room, his ax in one hand and the amulet in the other. "So you're back for more? Show me what you've got, human. Show me what makes you a leader, show me your true strength," Jackson taunted.
Lee didn't stop to think or strategize. He just rushed at Jackson, swinging his ax. But Jackson dodged each swing. "Is this really all you have? You're such a disappointment. Am I seriously this above you humans? Is there really no one, no real monster hunters, to kill me or even talk to me? This era is super boring," Jackson said to himself, not even defending himself.
That's when Lee saw his chance. He sliced Jackson's cheek. It wasn't a great amount of damage, just a minor cut, but Jackson noticed. Jackson retaliated with a punch that sent Lee flying, snapping something in his stomach. Lee couldn't figure out what it was at the moment, but he was flung towards the same entrance, crashing into the wall. With all his strength, Lee kept himself conscious. He found his ax, which luckily had blood on it. Using his thumb, he grabbed as much blood as he could and, with all his strength, got up. It was easier than he thought, and with a speed he didn't know he had, he quickly got out and was right in front of Jackson. This surprised Lee. He never thought he had this type of speed. He felt warm and energized.
He focused on these feelings for a moment, then immediately held out the amulet, wrapping it around his hand. He showed it to Jackson, placing the blood on the ruby, making it glow. Jackson was shocked and fearful. "How did you get such a powerful artifact?" Jackson asked, wanting answers. But before Lee could say anything, six tentacles or arms grasped onto Jackson's body. Jackson tried to fight, but even with his enhanced power, he was being pulled in.
"This can't be! You idiot, you can't seal me forever! When I get out, I'll kill you first!" Jackson yelled.
"It was your boasting and arrogance that failed you. If you had taken this raid seriously, you would have succeeded and probably wouldn't have given us a chance to survive. But thanks to your arrogance and hubris, you have failed, at least for now. Only the future can tell. Maybe you will kill us all, but I don't care at the moment. The only thing I care about is keeping everyone I care about alive, and you will not stop me from doing that!" Lee yelled, feeling a pulse in the amulet. Or was it from the amulet? He wasn't sure, but suddenly it fused with his body.
"What the hell?" Lee thought to himself. Jackson was already sealed, but now Lee saw a ruby gem where the amulet once was. It was attached to his body. Lee freaked out but knew he needed to gauge himself. He worried about it later, and as quickly as it fused, it unfused when he calmed down. "That's weird. What is this?" Lee thought to himself, trying to see if everyone was alright.
Lee immediately ducked out of the way of a gunshot that zoomed past. "How did I have the reflexes for that?" There were so many questions in Lee's head, but he needed to focus. He threw the amulet as far as he could. Jackson would eventually break out of it, and he didn't want his group anywhere near when it happened. Lee quickly ran towards the RV and, when he got inside, saw Kenny helping Travis start the RV.
"What's the problem, guys?" Lee asked, giving them his full attention, waiting for their answer.
Naruto's POV
Naruto's body flared in pain, but he was mostly fine. The last time he checked, there was a little blood coming from his head, hands, and legs, but these were just cuts and scrapes—nothing to cry about or anything too major. The thing that baffled him was this new foe he was fighting. She looked like Jackson but as a more female version: purple skin, red eyes, and fangs. Did all vampires look the same? It seemed so because, despite the gender difference, she looked the same. But to be frank, Naruto didn't care at the moment. It was more of an observation.
He got into his Taijutsu stance, ready for anything. The vampire woman snarled at him. She didn't seem to have the intelligence that Jackson did, so she just lunged at him without any reason or care in her attacks. That was the most dangerous thing about her—there was no thinking, she just acted. Every single one of her punches and kicks connected, and Naruto found himself slammed into a few trees, breaking through them.
"Damn it, this girl! Her strength... it's like when I fought Jackson during the dairy incident," Naruto thought to himself. He realized her punches were as strong as Jackson's. When Naruto tried to kick her in the face, she didn't even flinch. He hurt his leg more than he hurt her. "Damn it, how can I defeat this girl?" Naruto thought, trying to come up with a plan. If strength wouldn't cut it, maybe speed would.
He tried to speed around her to confuse her, but with precision and savageness, she punched him straight in the nose. She was able to see him and her punches were even faster than his. Naruto did a few backflips to create some distance, but she immediately came at him with a huge blow aimed at his midsection. He blocked with his arms, but the blow was so powerful that it cracked his bones and sent him flying, crashing through many trees.
Naruto managed to land on his feet, but the pain in his back and arms was immense. He had to focus on something else, not the pain. He needed to take down this vampire. "Focus on breathing, not the pain. Focus on taking down this bastard of a vampire," Naruto told himself.
The woman vampire sprang out of the foliage in a random direction. Naruto quickly got out of the way using his immense agility and landed a good kick, making her go flying. "If strength, speed, and defense don't work, I guess I could use good old agility," he thought. The woman lunged at him, trying to swipe and bite him, but Naruto dodged all her blows and then delivered a powerful gut punch, making her gasp in pain and falter.
"You're doing good, kid. Thinking on your feet, that's good," Doxie said with a serious expression.
"Thank you. I have to; this girl's way too unpredictable," Naruto replied.
Their conversation was cut short when the vampire woman lunged at Naruto's throat, but he used the substitution jutsu, swapping places with a rock. She was confused for a moment, giving Naruto enough time to create not one but two Rasengans. With a primal yell, he slammed both Rasengans into the woman's back, creating a crater and blasting her into bits.
Naruto knew that wouldn't be enough. He had incinerated Jackson before, and he came back. That's why he had a seal, a more powerful burning seal. This seal was supposed to destroy anything evil that came into contact with it. Anything good or neutral would be fine. They were lucky to have Emily on their side. Naruto wouldn't have thought of such a possibility or even that such a seal existed. He just needed to find the woman's heart, and he saw it trying to reassemble her body. He slapped the seal onto the heart, making it incinerate. A pulse of power exploded, pushing Naruto back.
The fight was over. Naruto caught his breath. "Holy shit," he gasped, breathing heavily. "That was a close one, right, Doxie?"
"Yeah, that was a close one, but you handled it without any help from me. You're getting better at thinking on your feet, but sometimes you have to strategize and plan out certain scenarios," Doxie advised.
"It's always a teaching day with you, isn't it?" Naruto asked, chuckling.
Doxie blushed with embarrassment. "Well, I wouldn't have to if you weren't so dense, you idiot," she said, turning away. But Naruto could tell she was smiling, and that made him smile too.
"Naruto, are you alright?" Emily called out, jumping off the trees like a pro. Naruto got up, his wounds already healed. Doxie never wasted a second, which made sense since if he died, she would die. At first, it was about keeping herself alive, but now he felt she truly cared about him, and he would do the same. They hadn't talked about her being sealed with him, but maybe they could find a way to unseal her. He feared he wouldn't be able to protect everyone without her power.
Naruto's thoughts were going haywire until Emily slapped him. "Hey, don't ignore me, idiot!" Emily yelled, trying to get his attention.
"You didn't have to slap me to get my attention, you know," Naruto yelled, getting in her face. Their foreheads were connected, and they argued for ten minutes.
During their argument, they made their way back to the Motor Inn. It was weird how they could argue so absent-mindedly. Naruto had never questioned it until now. Their fight ended when a huge explosion at the Motor Inn made them reassess everything. When they got there, Naruto saw Larry going to the upper floor, or what was left of it, to get Lily, who was trapped in debris, while Carly provided cover fire.
"We need to help them down there. They're not going to survive," Emily said, about to rush in.
"Go to the RV. It will be easier if I do it," Naruto said, showing her his shadow clones. Emily nodded and headed towards the RV. Naruto hoped everyone would make it out of this alive.
Larry's POV
Larry felt scared. The reason for that was that it was going to happen again. Just like with his wife, his daughter would die, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. At least, it seemed that way. His daughter was pinned beneath a bunch of concrete, and sadly, he wasn't strong enough to lift it off her. Fortunately, Lee and Carly came over, and a few seconds later, Naruto jumped beside them.
"Carly and Naruto, keep those walkers off of us," Lee ordered.
How could Larry forget he still had people who cared about them? How could he forget that, not after the dairy and his promise to Lee? He was always this dramatic when his family was hurt. He didn't think of all the people who could help.
"Alright, this is what we're going to do. Lily, how do you feel under there?" Lee asked, needing to get her status. Larry couldn't remember if he ever asked how she was. He had just been panicking when he saw her pinned there. He didn't even consider if she could move. It made Larry grit his teeth in disappointment with himself. It was always like this—he had always been a coward.
"It's mainly tight on my back, but I think I can move my arms or my shoulders," Lily replied.
"Lily, can you lift yourself like you're doing a push-up?" Lee asked. Larry then noticed he was on the other side of the big concrete sheet. Lee was now thinking about how to go about this. Larry thought he should be doing something, not just standing there like an idiot, but thinking about solutions.
"Alright, this is what we'll do: Larry, you and I will lift each side of this slab of concrete. Lily, I want you to help us by doing the hardest push-up you can. That's the only way we'll get you out. Then you and I will move towards one of the corners and raise it even more," Lee explained the plan.
Larry, not having any options or better ideas, went with Lee's plan. He and Lee had their problems, and for Lee to actively go out and save his daughter, fulfilling their promise, made Larry realize he had misjudged him. He thought he had resolved his feelings about the man, but there was still a pit in his stomach. He had seen Lee as a murderer, or at least he used to. At this point, they were pretty much all murderers. But at this moment, he finally rejected his dislike for Lee, and a new feeling of respect for the man emerged. This gave him the strength to lift the sheet of concrete with Lee's help.
Lily quickly moved towards the corners, not wasting any time. They lifted the sheet of concrete so well that they flipped it, and it fell with a crunch, breaking into pieces with dust everywhere. Larry was able to pick up his daughter.
"Can you walk, pumpkin?" Larry asked.
"Yeah, I can move, Dad. Come on, let's go," Lily replied.
They started running towards the RV. Everyone else left was Lee, Carly, Naruto, Larry, and Lily. Larry's daughter was in the very back while he was in front of Lee. Lee got into the RV, but then he heard a scream. His daughter was being grabbed by one of those things—the walkers. Without thinking and with the power of a raging bull, Larry pounced on the walker, using his military combat training to take it down.
"Go! I'll catch up with you guys," Larry said.
He was now getting swarmed by walkers. He had to quickly run towards the other side of the Motor Inn, and that's when he heard the RV drive off. The Motor Inn was destroyed, but sadly, Larry got cornered by about ten walkers. There was no way he was going to make it out of this, and he couldn't end it all. So, this was it. He'd die and never see his daughter again. That's when the walkers started getting shot down, one by one or two at a time, until all of them were dead. He saw a familiar face—two familiar faces.
Mark's POV
Mark was growing increasingly concerned the closer they got to the Motor Inn. He could see smoke rising from the area and doubted it was just another walker bonfire. Faintly, he heard gunshots, and both he and Doug felt a sinking feeling, especially about Carly. Mark was concerned about everyone, including the boy he was carrying, who was getting hotter and burning his hands. Despite the pain, he pressed on, hoping they hadn't yet implemented their escape plan. But Mark knew deep down he was lying to himself to avoid facing the truth. And the truth was grim: the Motor Inn was destroyed, and bodies were everywhere—walkers and humans alike.
Using his binoculars, Mark saw a body that looked like Katjaa's, and he gasped in shock.
"What did you see?" Doug asked, then quickly added, "No, don't tell me. I changed my mind. I don't want to know."
"It's good that you don't want to know," Mark said, and they left it at that.
"Alright, let's move in. There's nobody here; it seems quiet," Mark said. They both moved into the Motor Inn, and Mark had to put the kid down because his arms would be unrecognizable otherwise. He looked at his hands, shocked to see massive burns that didn't hurt as much as they should and even seemed better than before.
"Do you think all of them are...?" Doug couldn't finish his sentence, tears welling up.
"No, by all the bodies I see, the only one being... what's left of Katjaa. I think that was the only casualty," Mark said, frowning. Before they could think about what to do with her corpse, they heard struggling from the left corner of the Motor Inn. They quickly sneaked over and saw Larry being swarmed by ten walkers.
"We need to help him," Doug said, readying his gun.
Mark agreed, raised his gun, and started firing. They were able to kill two, then continued unloading until all the walkers fell to the ground. Larry picked himself up and ran over to them.
"What happened here, Larry?" Mark asked, seeing the absolute devastation of the Motor Inn. "Could Jackson have caused all of this, or was it the lightning? Maybe a combination of both."
"Everything was okay a few hours ago, but then we heard an explosion behind the Motor Inn. We went to investigate, but then lightning started destroying one of the homes and the Motor Inn. Then Jackson and his entire bandit gang attacked us. He did most of the destruction here. I think we sealed him with that amulet thing," Larry explained, exhausted. He then noticed the boy, who was steaming. "Who's the boy?"
"Yeah, about that. The explosion was apparently caused by this boy, or he got hit by it point blank and miraculously survived. One of the two. But the point is, this boy is unnaturally hot; he can literally burn through the ground, and he's completely fine other than the burn mark seared into his flesh," Mark explained.
"I see. Did you try to cool him down with anything?" Larry asked.
Before Mark could respond, a huge explosion erupted behind them from nearby rubble. A sinister laugh echoed throughout the destroyed Motor Inn. Everything fell silent, and then a pressure descended upon them, bringing Mark, Doug, and Larry to their knees. Jackson emerged from the rubble, as menacing as ever, smiling when he saw Mark.
"Hello, my old friend. I was originally going to kill your leader, Lee, for sealing me in this god-awful amulet," Jackson said, shattering the amulet even more, not caring that it was searing his flesh. "But now this is interesting. I think I'll make it more poetic. The man I saved will be my first kill coming back to this world. This is going to be fun."
Jackson walked towards Mark, ignoring Doug and Larry. Mark knew he had to kill his friend right here and now, or Jackson would kill everyone else. They had to face him here, but they were so ill-equipped. How could he defeat this man or beast? If Naruto couldn't do it, what chance did he have? Despite all the odds against him, Mark knew he needed to find a way. And he would find a way.
Mark got up, fighting against the pressure with everything he had. To Larry and Doug's surprise and astonishment, he ran towards his once-friend, now a shell of his former self, cranking his arm back to deliver the most powerful punch he could muster. And thus began the battle of the Motor Inn.
author notes
I wonder how the battle with Jackson will unfold. Mark and the others have so much to handle. I'm also curious about what the future holds for the rest of the group. Kenny is deeply grief-stricken, so he's not in a position to drive the RV right now. Travis has taken on the responsibility of driving. As for Kenny, who knows what lies ahead for him?
I wanted to let you know that there will be a break for a week. I have some personal matters to attend to, and I hope you all understand. :)
June 13th