Naruto's POV
God f****** damn it, can our lives get any harder than they already are?" Naruto yelled, both angry and concerned for Duck, who was in the jaws of a werewolf. It didn't seem to be biting as deep as he feared. The smoke was clearing, and Naruto couldn't quite figure out what had happened; it all happened quickly. There was a big burst of smoke and then a yell, which he now assumed was Duck's.
But that didn't matter to Naruto. Not that he didn't care about Duck, but he was more focused on the beast that was having a snack on him. Duck looked alive but in such pain that it made Naruto quite angry. Without hesitation, Naruto rushed at the beast and kicked it. The beast made a noise that Naruto thought was pain, causing it to drop Duck. Naruto quickly made a clone to catch the boy and rushed him toward Kenny, who was distraught then. Naruto gave the clone one order: "Keep everyone here safe by any means necessary," he said coldly.
He then jumped into the trees and rushed towards the beast's landing area, ready to deal with it. At this point, Naruto wasn't giving any s****; he'd do whatever was necessary to bring the beast down. He never broke his promises.
Lee POV
Lee and Chuck quickly got out of the boxcar to see what was going on. Lee was more concerned than Chuck, and he was shocked by what he saw. The creature had pure black fur, its eyes were emerald green and glowing, and it was as big as the trees around it. It was very muscular, with razor-sharp claws and teeth, and it was drooling blood-red saliva—or was that blood?
Lee witnessed Naruto kick the beast away, sending it flying like a baseball. Emily started following Naruto, moving so fast that they didn't even have time to tell her to get back. All that was left of the scene was Naruto's clone next to Kenny, trying to tend to Duck. Chuck walked towards Duck with an expression of seriousness and something more, something wrong. Lee quickly intervened to ensure nothing bad happened.
"Get back, Chuck! This boy has been infected by a werewolf. We need to quickly kill it," Chuck said, his voice strained as he tried to suppress his emotions. Lee could see Chuck was determined but conflicted.
"Wait, what are you going to do? What do you mean he's infected? What's exactly going on?" Lee asked.
Chuck glanced at Lee, then raised his shovel, which Lee noticed looked as sharp as a razor, or maybe even a sword, aiming it towards Duck's chest.
"I'll explain later," Chuck said as he moved towards Duck. Kenny immediately stepped in front of his son.
"Look here, s***bird. I won't let you get anywhere near my son," Kenny said, mustering all his strength, though he was trembling. It was the first time Lee saw Kenny tremble in fear and brokenness.
Chuck hesitated for a moment but then regained his resolve and thrust his shovel forward at blinding speed. Lee knew he needed to do something quickly. He held out his hand, felt a strange sensation, and then grasped it like a flame. He was engulfed in a white aura, which quickly formed a dome around Duck and Kenny, creating a barrier. Chuck was shocked that the barrier blocked his attack. He pushed harder, breaking through it with ease, but it was too late. Duck's body started convulsing in pain and power. His body became more muscular, and his clothes began to rip apart, pushing both Chuck and Kenny away.
Chuck ran towards the now-transforming Duck and tried to hit him, but his shovel broke upon contact. Duck's skin was as hard as diamonds. "We ran out of time," Chuck yelled. "Please, can someone explain what the f*** is going on here?"
Lee was about to respond when Carly spoke up. Chuck took a deep breath. "Listen, you all. That beast that just attacked was a werewolf. When werewolves bite humans, they transfer a virus that goes through the bloodstream and completely transforms the DNA into one of them. You need to stab them in the heart using a silver object. It doesn't matter what it is; it just has to be silver. Modern media got one thing right about werewolves: the bite does it. But the full moon has nothing to do with their transformation. They can transform any time of the day. That's the scariest part. It's not like vampires in movies either. And I can tell you guys have experience with supernatural occurrences," Chuck said, looking at Lee specifically.
Lee just looked away, unsure what to think. They had to deal with walkers, then vampires, and now werewolves. When would they catch a break? He was so frustrated, but then he felt someone hugging him from behind. It was Clementine, looking so scared. All of his anger and frustration melted away, replaced by parental fear. Duck had finished transforming and was looking directly at both him and Clementine, then started rushing towards them. Clementine was terrified. They needed to do something, and quickly. This couldn't be where their journey ended.
Lee used the same feeling again and formed another barrier around them. When Duck tried to punch the barrier, it didn't break, but it seared his hand, causing him to yelp in pain. Lee then expanded the barrier, sending Duck flying. Duck tumbled to the ground but quickly got up and rushed at them again.
"Man, this is going to be a while. I hope someone can help us right now," Lee said, annoyed.
Chuck ran over with immense speed and sliced off the werewolf Duck's arm with his shovel. To everyone's horror, it regrew in minutes. Duck tried to claw Chuck's chest open, but Chuck quickly jumped away, creating a portal beside him. He pulled out an automatic crossbow from the portal and started cranking it, making the arrows fly out like a machine gun, piercing Duck everywhere. The arrows seemed to slow Duck's healing factor since they were made of silver. Lee wanted to help but didn't have anything useful other than his barriers. Then it occurred to him—could he make more than one barrier?
He decided to give it a shot, maintaining the barrier around him and Clementine while creating another one to help Chuck. "Hey, Chuck! Please, man, don't kill him. There must be some way we can bring him back," Lee asked, his voice filled with hope and desperation.
"Sorry, no can do. It is possible for him to go back, but we can't risk it," Chuck replied, his voice grim.
"Monster Hunter, you can't convert a werewolf back to their humanity. It's just not possible. They'll always be a monster," Chuck said with sadness in his voice.
"Well, at least can you knock him out? Then we can deal with it when he's unconscious," Lee tried to compromise.
"I told you, I can't—" Chuck was cut off as Duck, now a werewolf, pierced his shoulder with one of his claws. He cried out in pain, losing concentration. Grabbing the werewolf's arm, Chuck threw Duck to the ground using a judo technique, creating a crater. Lee's feet shook from the force.
"You're wrong, Chuck. I believe we can help him. Have you ever even tried to convert a monster back to human?" Clementine asked, surprising both Chuck and Lee.
Chuck paused, pondering her question. "Girl, you have to understand. The reason we call these beasts monsters is because they lose all their humanity—all their empathy, emotions, everything that makes us human. They're beyond beasts or animals. Of course, you're just a child; you wouldn't understand."
"That doesn't matter. You haven't told me if you've actually tried or if anyone has ever tried. If we don't try, then what's the point of being human in the first place? Shouldn't we all be monsters then?" Clementine retorted.
Lee was quite surprised. Chuck looked sad as he replied, "Your logic makes no sense, girl. But I have tried. I know from experience because I had a friend I cherished who became a monster, and I was forced to..." He couldn't finish.
Werewolf Duck finally got up from the crater and moved to slash and kill Chuck. But he stopped a few inches away and fell to the ground as if being crushed by an invisible force. Chuck and Lee were surprised to see Ben holding out his hand, clearly straining to restrain Duck.
"I'm sorry, old man, but I can't accept that either. It can't be true because my friend Naruto has all the qualities of a monster at times. He has monstrous strength and sometimes demonic features, at least that's what I've heard. But he's truly human at his core. So, please, let us try. You can leave after this; this is our fate, not yours," Ben said, surprising Chuck.
Lee created a barrier around the crater, shaping it into a sphere with Ben's help to restrain Duck. Chuck then made another portal and took out a bo staff. "Fine. If you guys really want a death wish, don't come crying to me if it goes bad," Chuck said, firm but relieved. He grabbed the bo staff and slammed it onto Duck's head, knocking the beast boy out. As Duck went unconscious, he started changing back into a boy, now completely naked. Lee maintained the barrier but was getting very tired.
Kenny walked through the barrier and hugged his son. Clementine gripped Lee's hand, a happy expression on her face. Lee smiled, feeling it was worth it. They waited for Naruto to return, and soon saw two figures coming out of the forest.
Naruto's POV
Naruto quickly dodged a slash from the werewolf. Its speed and unpredictability reminded him of fighting a feral vampire. Unable to get a quick read on the beast, he decided to use trial and error. Dying would be bad, but it would be worse to see the people he was trying to protect get hurt. He'd take himself dying any day if it meant saving them.
Naruto ran towards the werewolf, jumping and punching it straight in the face. It stumbled, but quickly healed. It was like his fight with Jackson; even with all his strikes connecting, the beast just healed itself. Unlike Naruto, the werewolf's healing seemed infinite. Doxie had told him that even though she had limited chakra, so he couldn't always rely on her healing him.
Deciding to use speed, Naruto figured if he couldn't use quality strikes, he'd overwhelm it with quantity. He unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches, spinning around the beast. But the werewolf eventually figured out his pattern and slashed his chest. Naruto quickly distanced himself, wincing in pain as his wound healed.
"You can't use your physical brawn against this thing. We need to figure out another way," Doxie said seriously.
Naruto thought for a moment. "I got it! I have the perfect plan!" he yelled, standing firm as the beast charged. The werewolf raised its claw to strike Naruto, but its claw was met by a big rock, which it quickly smashed through. Confused, the beast looked behind to see Naruto making a funny face and slapping his ass. Enraged, the beast tried to slash him, but its claws went through him, confusing it even more.
Naruto laughed, using his good old invisible cloak Jutsu, Bush Style. He jumped out of the bushes, punched the werewolf in the face, and then landed back in another bush. He repeated this for a few minutes until he found an opening. He went behind the werewolf, two fingers poised to use a jutsu. "100 years of death!" he yelled, thrusting his fingers into the werewolf's butt.
Doxie was completely confused. "What the hell was that? That's no jutsu!" she said, punching Naruto in the head. "I thought I taught you better than that."
"I thought it would work!" Naruto defended.
The werewolf quickly tried to claw him, aiming for his jugular, but Naruto dodged and wiped his hands on the grass. "This guy does not wipe his ass," he said, disgusted.
"For once, I'm rooting for the werewolf. Maybe you should die in this battle," Doxie said, completely disappointed.
"Shut up, Doxie!" Naruto yelled, furious. "Fine, I have another technique that will work. This will totally work!" he said confidently, putting his fingers in a cross shape. "Sexy Jutsu!" he transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman. The werewolf stopped for a moment, flustered, but then started frothing even more.
"Naruto, you shouldn't have done that! You made the situation worse. Now we have an angry, hungry, and horny werewolf on our ass," Doxie said, afraid and furious.
Naruto quickly transformed back and was about to try something else when Emily kicked him, causing him to dodge a strike from the beast. Emily scared stiff, stood below the glaring werewolf. Naruto's transformation broke, and he fell to the ground.
"Did you kick me?" Naruto asked, a little angry.
"Sorry, I thought you were the werewolf. I saw two, so I assumed you were one of them," Emily said, grinning and scratching her head.
Their moment was cut short by the beast trying to claw Emily's head off. She dodged, and with a mana-filled punch, launched it away, doing more damage than Naruto had managed in the entire battle. Naruto was confused—why were his abilities less effective than mana attacks?
He decided to answer that question later. He used the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, summoning 2,000 clones that overwhelmed the beast with a 2K Uzumaki barrage. Naruto then launched through the horde with a Rasengan, slamming it into the werewolf's chest. Emily, from behind, slammed both her feet into the werewolf, combining her attack with Naruto's Rasengan to blast a hole through the werewolf, nearly cutting it in half. The beast was still alive, quickly regenerating, but its lower half was disintegrating into dust.
Naruto realized that his chakra powers could destroy the body while mana could finish it off. Emily crashed into Naruto, and both were cornered by the now fully regenerated and stronger beast. They quickly got up.
"Emily, can you transfer mana into another person? Is that possible?" Naruto asked.
Emily thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think it is possible. Why do you ask? You don't actually think it could work, right? That's only a theory."
"It's our only option. I can't quite use mana, and my powers don't affect it like your mana does. So, if you could transfer some mana into me, I could probably make a Rasengan filled with it, and we can kill it right here," Naruto explained.
"Alright, what do I have to do?"
"Maybe try to transfer it through my arm or something," Naruto suggested. They quickly dodged another attack, landing in the trees. Emily grabbed Naruto's arm and began transferring her mana to him. It surprisingly worked. Naruto could feel the mana, and he decided to pull it into his chakra system. His entire body was now filled with it.
Naruto quickly channeled all the mana Emily had transferred into him into his Rasengan, making it as massive as a wrecking ball. He slammed it into the beast's claw. The werewolf was engulfed by the giant Rasengan, which exploded a few feet away, severely injuring the beast but not killing it. Naruto could see the werewolf's heart, thinking that like Jackson and other vampires, destroying the heart might defeat it.
Emily had the same thought. With all the mana she had left, she pierced the werewolf's heart with her hand. Blood sprayed everywhere, but the beast finally disintegrated and exploded into flames, throwing Emily off balance and causing her to land on her head, knocking herself out. Naruto, experiencing chakra exhaustion, was about to pass out as well. Kurama saved him at the last second, giving him enough chakra to stay conscious.
"Good work, kid. You probably should see if she's doing good. I'm getting to like her," Doxie said.
Naruto quickly checked on Emily. She was just knocked out, with no apparent injuries. He hoisted her onto his back and began the long walk back to their group, which took a few hours. As they approached, Naruto saw the group dealing with another werewolf—Duck. He seemed confused, emerging from the forest, but it looked like everyone else was alright.
Naruto, carrying Emily, joined the group, relieved that the immediate danger had passed. He laid Emily down gently and sat beside her, exhausted but content.
Lee POV
Lee ensured everyone was okay and checked in with the passengers on the train. Despite his efforts, he couldn't shake the feeling that he might not be a good leader. He wondered if his decisions had caused more harm than good. He thought about Katjaa and how he wished he had been stronger and more decisive, maybe then he could have saved her. He also thought about Jackson and how he might have prevented the destruction of the motor inn if he had acted faster.
"Lee, are you all right?" Travis asked from the train driver's seat.
Lee was snapped back to the present, remembering why they were there. Kenny was in no shape to drive the train, so Lee stepped up. To his surprise, Travis volunteered to take over, and Lee felt a mixture of relief and pride in Travis's sense of responsibility. Despite his young age, Travis had proven himself capable.
"Sorry, I'm just thinking about things," Lee said, waving off Travis's concerns.
"Alright, man. Let's just quickly get out of here," Travis replied.
"Yeah, of course," Lee said, grabbing the red lever to start the train. But the train suddenly halted.
"Are you kidding me right now?" Travis said, annoyed. "Can we even catch a break at this point?" He sighed.
Lee felt the same frustration. "I guess I'll go and try to get us unstuck and also do something that I almost forgot," Lee said to Travis, who nodded.
"Don't wait too long. I'm not sure if there are going to be any monsters that will attack us. Let's get out of here as quickly as possible," Travis warned.
"Yeah, don't worry. That'll be the first thing that I'll do," Lee reassured him as he exited the front of the train. He walked towards the orange boxcar, opening the door to find everyone trying to make themselves comfortable. Carly and Ben were helping Kenny tend to Duck, who was still passed out. Ben, exhausted, kept Duck's power on, clearly tiring himself out. Lee knew he might have to take over after finishing his tasks, hoping the kid could hold on a little longer.
He looked around for something in the boxcar and saw Clementine drawing on a notepad. He walked over to her, and she smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"How are you doing, sweet pea?" Lee asked.
"I'm doing good, I guess. I'm just worried about Duck," Clementine said, glancing at the boy.
"I know, I share your concerns, Clem. We'll keep an eye on him, I promise you," Lee assured her. "Hey Clem, can I borrow some of that paper? Just one page, I need it for something," Lee then asked.
"Okay, but why do you need it?" she asked, tearing a page from the notepad and handing it to Lee.
"Oh, I just need to write something down. Nothing too major," Lee said with a smile. He already had a pencil in his pocket. There was one other thing he needed to grab. He picked up his wrench. It wasn't as good as the axe he had grown to love, but it would have to do. Maybe someday he'd get it back, though that was probably a pipe dream.
Lee dropped down to the other side of the train and walked to the back, where he saw that they were still attached. He tried to release the latch, but it was broken. He pried at it with his hands but had no success, so he used the wrench to pry it loose and finally freed the train.
"Hey, Travis, we're loose now!" Lee yelled, knowing Travis could hear him. But unfortunately, Lee couldn't hear Travis's response. He then went to do the other thing he had almost forgotten. He got out of the boxcar from the other side and went into the RV. He made sure it was completely turned off to preserve the battery and gas. He also made sure the keys were in the ignition. Then he started writing a note to Mark and the others who were stuck at the motor inn, knowing that Mark would eventually make it to this point. He wanted them to have the RV so they could get to Savannah. It might take a while, and not all of them might be alive when they got there, but at least they would eventually reunite in Savannah.
Lee made sure the RV wasn't locked and found some tape inside, which he used to tape the note on the RV door.
"I hope they come and find us," an unknown voice said, making Lee jump. He quickly turned around and saw that it was just Carly.
"My God, Carly! Jesus, why does everyone keep scaring me like that?" Lee said, getting angry.
"Sorry about that. I just hope Duck is alive," "Mark and Larry, too," Carly said, her expression a mix of sadness and hope.
"I know. We'll meet them again. I just have this feeling that all of us will reunite. We just need to be patient," Lee said. He then walked her back to the RV, knowing they were going to leave and likely never return. Lee then returned to the front where Travis was waiting.
"You said we were loose," Travis said, wanting Lee to specify.
"Yeah, it seems like it," Lee confirmed.
"Alright, the honors are yours, my friend. Don't try to crash it," Travis joked.
Lee just rolled his eyes and pushed the lever forward, making the train move. Nothing was encumbering the train, so it picked up speed. This was truly the moment they left their old lives behind—Atlanta, Macon, the Saint John Dairy, and the Motor Inn. A new journey was beginning, one that Lee would never forget, at least as long as he lived.
Unknown POV
A man, or what looked like a man, walked through the destroyed Motor Inn, surveying the wreckage and bodies scattered like rag dolls. He touched one of the corpses with his foot, noting the walkers starting to pour in. He'd always been fascinated with the undead, even when he was alive. The concept of death intrigued him; why did living things have to die? Why couldn't mortals live forever like the gods? This question plagued him, yet the answer always slipped through his fingers like water, a truth just beyond his grasp. Sometimes, this frustration turned into anger, fueling his creative ideas on how to exploit death to its fullest potential.
He crouched next to the body of a woman who had a clean headshot through the frontal lobe, taking out the brain stem. She hadn't had the opportunity to turn, which he found disappointing. But he could rectify that. A walker approached him, seemingly intent on attacking, but it halted and stared at him as if recognizing its master. Of course, it did. He was the one who created these things, or more accurately, the virus that made them. He had been human once, but events he barely remembered led him to revive himself through dark necromancy—a science more than magic. Engineering a virus was easy for someone whose power revolved around creating it, but his abilities extended far beyond that.
He placed his hand on the woman's chest and channeled dark green energy into her body. The hole in her head began to close as the brain matter regrew, repairing itself and any other injuries she had suffered. His corpses needed the best physical condition to serve him effectively. The green energy spread to the other corpses, reviving them similarly. The woman's eyes opened, now a milky white, and she groaned like the other rising undead. Before long, he had twenty new servants to add to his horde.
He walked through the ruins of the Motor Inn, spotting a shard of glass. It had been centuries since he'd seen his reflection. His face was skeletal, with skin stretched thin over his bones. His teeth were startlingly white against his snow-pale skin, devoid of fat, his body a skeleton draped in a skin suit. He wore a black and gray robe and wielded two sickle weapons, each with pointed spikes jutting from the blades, attached to chains for long-range attacks. He prided himself on his skill with these weapons, believing himself unbeatable, especially when combined with his magic and his army.
He envisioned a world under his rule if everything went according to plan. This world would be his domain. As his horde of walkers roamed through the Motor Inn, he hovered off the ground, breaking the mirror shard and ensuring he stayed at the front of the herd. They had a specific destination, a seal they needed to break. His superiors would not tolerate tardiness, so he had to arrive exactly in three days. At their current pace, they should reach it in time, provided they weren't halted.
Lee's POV
For the past hour since they left their lives behind, Lee and Ben had been taking turns keeping Duck restrained. The duck was still passed out, but this precaution was necessary. It pained Lee to restrain someone as pure as Duck, but Chuck had a point: if Duck turned into a walker, he could kill them all before they even knew what was happening. So it was Lee's turn. He kept Duck in a mana shield barrier, which was good for controlling his power. Lee could now create and maintain multiple barriers for up to an hour. Pushing past this limit made him dizzy and prone to passing out. Perhaps with time and training, his limit would extend, but for now, this was the best he could do.
"Hey, Lee, it's my turn," Ben said.
Lee didn't need to be told twice. He immediately deactivated his barrier, and as quickly as he did, Ben used his gravity power to take over. Their routine had become almost seamless. Lee chuckled at the irony of their situation. Humans thought they were at the top of the food chain, but it turns out they weren't—not anymore.
"Why the long face?" Lee was snapped out of his thoughts by Chuck. He had a serious expression on his face, but it quickly turned into a smile. "I'm wondering, were there more of you?" Chuck asked.
Lee saw no harm in telling Chuck. He might stick around and become part of the group. "Yeah, there were more of us," Lee started, but Chuck cut him off.
"Did the dead get them, or was it a monster?" Chuck asked.
Lee decided to tell the truth. "Neither. One of our people got killed by the living," he said simply.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Chuck said, looking away and staring at the moving trees.
"Can I ask you a few questions? My group would want to know," Lee asked.
A few people glanced at Lee and Chuck's conversation: Carly, Lily, Emily, and Ben, who were still maintaining the gravity field around Duck. Pretty much everyone was curious.
"Sure, why not? We're going to be here for a while, and I don't think I'm going to jump off this train," Chuck said, chuckling.
Lee couldn't help but crack a smile. "Where are you from? Did you live around the area we found you?"
"Georgia boy, you've seen where I live. You're standing right in it," Chuck said jokingly. "But if you really want to know, I originally grew up in France. They had beautiful meadows. Maybe one day I'll visit there again," Chuck said, now with a sad expression. Lee could tell he was remembering something uncomfortable.
Lee decided to change the subject. "Have you always been alone like this?" he asked.
Chuck thought for a moment, which Lee found interesting. "Yes and no. I've worked with people on jobs, but I don't really have a partner per se. I've always been a lone wolf, so I guess, yes, I've always been alone," Chuck said quickly.
Lee decided not to pry any further and was about to walk away until Chuck stopped him. "I'm sorry. I'm just not that good around people. It's been a long time. Your company—all of your company—is nice," Chuck said, referring to everyone. He smiled, and Lee felt a little better.
"Yeah, I should apologize as well. You caught us on a pretty bad day," Lee said, apologizing.
"You still have a couple of kids. All of them, they have such high spirits," Chuck said, gesturing to Naruto and Emily, who was meditating, Clem, who was drawing, and Ben, who was putting everything he had into maintaining his power. Ben was sweating; this was probably the most effort he had ever put into something.
"You are right. Maybe we will be okay. Maybe this isn't a bad day at all. Maybe it's just an inconvenient day or something like that," Lee said, feeling optimistic.
"That's the spirit, my friend," Chuck said, playfully putting his arm around Lee's neck and giving him a noogie.
"Hey, man, that's not cool," Lee said, embarrassed as everyone chuckled around them.
"I hope I can talk to you again," Lee said, holding out his hand to the homeless man.
Chuck smiled. "I hope so too," he said, shaking Lee's hand.
Lee then decided to check on Clementine. She was intensely drawing, and he pondered whether he should interrupt her creative flow.
Lee watched Clementine for a moment before deciding to ask her how she was doing. "Hey, sweet pea."
Clementine's focus was broken. "What did you say, Lee?" she asked, confused.
"I want to know how you're doing, sweet pea," Lee said with a big smile on his face.
"I feel worried for Duck. I hope we can help him," Clementine said. Her concern made Lee's heart melt. She was such a kind person, and the thought of her pure heart being corrupted was one of Lee's greatest fears.
"We'll try to help him the best we can," Lee reassured her. "What are you drawing, sweet pea?"
Clementine showed Lee her drawing, and it confused him. The pictures of a woman were incredibly realistic and beautifully detailed. One depicted a battlefield with people dying and being decapitated. Lee decided not to alarm Clementine but still needed to make sense of what he was seeing.
"These are really good drawings, Clem. I just don't understand what your artistic intent was," he asked.
"I'm just drawing dreams I'm having. They're pretty weird, and I don't quite remember them that much. But the weirdest thing is I can remember them when I'm drawing," Clementine explained to the best of her ability.
Lee wasn't sure what this meant. Maybe it was a sign of things to come? He immediately discarded that thought as absurd. Giant, menacing monsters were one thing, but predicting the future was another.
"See you, sweet pea," Lee said softly.
"I'll show you what else I draw, at least when I finish it," Clem said, giggling to herself.
Lee then walked over to Ben, who was hard at work. "How's the work going, Ben?" he asked.
"I'd like for you not to speak to me while I'm doing this. This really takes all my concentration," Ben said, annoyed.
"You got it," Lee simply said, leaving the young man alone. He then turned to Kenny. "How are you holding up, Ken?" Lee asked.
"Not great. I want you to leave me alone," Kenny said harshly.
"Alright," Lee said, respecting Kenny's space. He then walked over to Carly. "How are you holding up, Carly?" Lee asked, concerned for her well-being.
"I'm doing fine, considering the situations we've been through. I've just been thinking," Carly said, staring at the passing trees.
"What have you been thinking about? Hopefully, it's nothing like jumping off this train, I hope," Lee said.
That made Carly chuckle a little. "I wouldn't lie to you, that did cross my mind at some point. It's not my fault you left these things open. Just anyone could jump out of here, and you probably wouldn't be fast enough to stop us, would you?" Carly joked, but she did have a point.
Lee felt relieved knowing nobody was suicidal. "So, I'm assuming you're doing alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, Lee, I'm doing fine. I'm just waiting for Doug to get back. He will find us, I have no doubt," Carly said.
Lee smiled as Carly looked out at the trees once more, signaling the end of their conversation. He then approached Lily.
"How are you holding up, Lily?" Lee asked, knowing it was starting to get repetitive.
"Doing good, now that you're here. I felt really unhappy when my father sacrificed himself, but I realized, thanks to your words, that I have faith my father will find us both Mark and Doug as well. If I were a betting woman, I would bet my entire life on it," Lily said, leaning over to kiss Lee on the lips. Lee allowed it, and as quickly as it happened, it was over.
Before they could talk more, Duck started screaming, and Ben struggled to hold him back. Lee quickly moved to use his barrier. With both Lee and Ben's powers, they managed to restrain Duck. Chuck knocked him out again, while Carly ensured Kenny stayed back. Once Duck was knocked out, Lee and Ben released their powers, both exhausted. Ben was so worn out that he immediately fell asleep, and Lee decided to let him rest.
"Do you see why we can't let him live? He'll keep trying to transform every time he becomes conscious. We need to deal with this now," Chuck said.
"Alright, but we need to talk about this. We can't do it while the train is moving. I don't want any of us getting into an unnecessary fight while the train's in motion," Lee said.
Everyone agreed. No one wanted to die from falling off the train.
Lee went to the front of the train. "Hey, Travis, we're going to stop the train for a moment. We need to deal with Duck," Lee explained, giving Travis an order.
Travis immediately complied, and the train came to a complete stop. Everyone but Ben and Travis, who stayed behind to protect the train, gathered. Lee trusted Travis enough to rely on him.
There was a somberness in the air. Lee knew there would be tough conversations and arguments ahead. "I'm sorry for all that I'm going to say here. I like you all, so I might sound like an asshole, but there are a few things you need to know about this world," Chuck paused for a moment, and no one said a word. "There are more monsters than just werewolves or vampires. They're the lowest species in terms of power. There are six tiers in the hierarchy of monsters. I'm going to explain these tiers because, in the long run, once you know them, you'll understand the threat levels they pose."
Everyone nodded, indicating they were following.
"At the very bottom, where the most common and weakest monsters lie, is called the iron or gray tier. The second tier has stronger monsters, ten times stronger than those in the gray tier. We call this the silver tier or the uncommon tier. Is everybody following so far?" Chuck asked.
Everyone nodded.
"Above that is the rare tier, more commonly known as the gold tier. These monsters are harder to deal with and much trickier They have way more abilities, and you'll mainly need their natural weaknesses as well as a combination of mana to even deal with one of them. Then there's the Legend tier. These are monsters that are considered legends in their own right. These monsters could destroy mountains with just a couple of fists."
Chuck demonstrated what he meant by destroying a tree with his fist.
"Do you guys understand?" Chuck asked, waiting.
"After the Legend tier, there's the Mythical tier. These are beasts or beings that are considered gods or mythical. Beyond that is something called the Unknown tier, the only tier I can face myself. To give you some hindsight on what we're dealing with here, that werewolf that hopefully has been defeated was only a gray Common tier werewolf. Compared to a Rare werewolf, both of them would be gone, absolutely killed. I could only deal with a Rare myself, and I would almost certainly die in the process, or almost die, depending on the situation."
"You want to know what these powers are as well? Well, this is mana."
Chuck held up his arm and created his aura; it was a piss-yellow color.
"Everyone's aura is different. Like Lee's is completely white, while Ben's is a very light blue. It's different for every person, but it doesn't really affect our ability that much. You see, mana is the only way us humans can even kill monsters. Without it, it's completely impossible unless you have silver or know their natural weakness, which I don't think we have the materials for. That's besides the point. The reason I'm explaining all of this to you all is because this boy will turn into a common werewolf. He won't be as strong, and we can deal with that, but we need to kill him here. I'm sorry to say, trucker man, but your son cannot be saved. I tried to save someone who was going through the same thing, and you want to know what happened to me?"
Chuck took off his jacket.
"It wasn't pretty," he said as he removed his shirt. Everyone was completely shocked. The middle of his chest was completely scarred up, and the scarring extended to his left shoulder and his back. "The claw of this werewolf completely went right through me. The only reason I survived was because I had mana on at the time, so it was able to heal me quickly."
Chuck finally finished. We didn't know what to say, and neither did anyone else. Kenny was trying to find the words to defend his son, but he was lost for words.
"I'm sorry that happened to you, my pal, but how do we know all this even exists? Sure, there are werewolves and vampires; I can agree on that. But how do I know you haven't faked that injury?" Kenny said, trying to hold on to any type of defense.
Chuck sighed. "I don't think I can fake something this severe. I literally died once but quickly came back, so I pretty much had a near-death experience. That's how real it was. Of course, I can't really prove it per se, but I can tell you I've been in the rain, and if you think it's paint, it did not wash off or it's very resistant paint. Maybe everything you're saying, all your defense, just crumbles. Am I right, my friend?"
"My great pal," Chuck said, pausing for a moment.
"WeThey have way more abilities than you can imagine," Chuck began. "To even deal with one of them, you'll need to know their natural weaknesses and use a combination of mana. Then there's the Legend tier. These monsters are considered legends in their own right. They could literally destroy mountains with just a couple of punches."
To illustrate his point, Chuck destroyed a tree with his fist.
"Do you guys understand?" Chuck asked, waiting for their reactions.
"After the Legend tier, there's the Mythical tier. These are beasts or beings that are considered gods or mythical. Beyond that is something called the Unknown tier. To give you some perspective on what we're dealing with, that werewolf we've hopefully defeated was only a gray Common tier werewolf. A Rare werewolf would be much more powerful. I could only deal with a Rare myself, and I would almost certainly die in the process, depending on the situation."
"Now, you probably want to know about these powers. This is mana," Chuck said, holding up his arm and creating an aura. It was a piss-yellow color.
"Everyone's aura is different," he continued. "Lee's is completely white, and Ben's is a very light blue. It doesn't really affect our abilities much, but mana is the only way humans can kill monsters. Without it, it's impossible unless you have silver or know their natural weaknesses. Unfortunately, I don't think we have the materials for that."
"The reason I'm explaining all of this is because this boy will turn into a common werewolf. He won't be as strong, but we still need to kill him here. I'm sorry to say this, but your son cannot be saved. I tried to save someone who was going through the same thing once, and you want to know what happened to me?"
Chuck took off his jacket and then his shirt, revealing a chest full of scars. The scarring extended to his left shoulder and back.
"The claw of this werewolf went right through me. The only reason I survived was because I had mana on at the time, which allowed me to heal quickly."
When Chuck finished, no one knew what to say. Kenny, struggling to find words to defend his son, finally spoke up.
"I'm sorry that happened to you, my pal, but how do we know all this even exists? Sure, there are werewolves and vampires, but how do I know you haven't faked that injury?" Kenny asked, grasping for any defense.
Chuck sighed. "I don't think I can fake something this severe. I literally died once and came back, so I pretty much had a near-death experience. That's how real it was. I can't really prove it, but I can tell you I've been in the rain. If you think it's paint, it didn't wash off. Maybe your defense just crumbles, my friend."
"My great pal," Chuck continued, "we can't just give up on him. There must be some way to help him that doesn't involve killing him," Clementine said firmly.
"Yeah, I agree with Clem. I might be an optimist, but there must be some way to tap into his humanity," Carly added, though a hint of pessimism tinged her words, which made Chuck smile.
Lee wasn't sure what to think. "I'm also with Clem on this one. We can't just give up on our friends. I had a friend who became a monster, but I promised myself and someone I loved that I would bring him back into the light," Naruto said determinedly.
"I think we should be honest. We can't take any risks, even now. We need to stay vigilant and not let emotions get in the way," Lily said coldly.
"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I have to agree with Lily," Emily said.
"Why?" Naruto asked, curious.
"After what that bastard did at the dairy—you saw him, you fought him. He almost killed you and was laughing while he did it. I can't see any good coming from this, nor do I believe such a person could be turned to the light," Emily said, shaking her head.
"I don't know if such a beast can be tamed. Can we really trust Chuck to do this?" Travis asked hesitantly.
Lee could see that Travis was unsure about siding with Chuck. "You know what, everyone? I think we need to have a vote. It's the only fair way to deal with this. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but we need to decide," Lee suggested.
"Alright, let's do it," Travis agreed.
"How many people are for saving Duck?" Lee asked. Four hands went up—Naruto, Clementine, Kenny, and Carly.
"Okay, so we have four votes for saving him," Lee said, making a note.
"And for Chuck's side?" Four hands went up again. Ben was asleep, so he abstained. This left Lee as the deciding vote. He was torn, knowing both sides had valid points. He believed Duck might retain his humanity but didn't want to take the risk. Whatever choice he made, he would stick with it and deal with the consequences.
Choose
A: Save duck
B: Kill duck
C: Lee abstaining
D: Lee will compromise
E: Lee says nothing
character bio
Name: Lee Everett
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Height: 6'1"
Build: Athletic, but lean
Hair: Black, short, and well-kept
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Medium brown complexion
Background: Lee Everett was a professor of history at the University of Georgia. Born and raised in Macon, Georgia, he lived a relatively quiet and academic life until a tragic series of events turned his world upside down.
Personality: Lee is intelligent, compassionate, and resourceful. Despite a strong moral compass, his past is marred by a crime of passion. He is protective and often puts others' needs above his own. His teaching background gives him a natural inclination to guide and mentor those around him, especially in difficult times.
Skills:
History: In-depth knowledge of historical events, which sometimes provides insights or analogies useful in crises.
Teaching: Excellent at explaining complex ideas and providing leadership and structure in chaotic situations.
Survival: Over time, he has honed his survival skills, including basic first aid, navigating using maps, and foraging for food.
Combat: Adept at hand-to-hand combat and using improvised weapons, gained through necessity.
Backstory: Lee's life took a dramatic turn when he was convicted of murdering a state senator, a crime of passion that was fueled by the senator's affair with Lee's wife. On the way to prison, the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse occurred, leading to a car accident that freed him from his fate. Lee's journey through the apocalypse began with survival but soon became a quest for redemption.
Major Relationships:
Clementine: A young girl he found alone in her house. Lee becomes her guardian, mentor, and protector. Their bond is incredibly strong, akin to that of a father and daughter.
Kenny: A fisherman from Florida, Kenny becomes one of Lee's closest allies. Their relationship is complex, filled with moments of camaraderie and conflict.
Lily: A reporter who joins Lee's group early on. Their relationship hints at deeper feelings, though it's often left unspoken.
Motivations: Lee's motivations are complicated and often conflicting. He wants to protect Clementine above all else but also strives to see the good in other survivors. Lee's ultimate goal is for everyone to get along and create a peaceful and supportive environment where children like Clementine can flourish. Even if it doesn't always appear that way, this desire for a nurturing community is at the core of Lee's actions.
Mana ability: barrier creation and manipulation he can create barriers from any rain and any size the barrier can also be formed into any object that the user thinks of.
author note
Hello everyone,
It's been a while since I last gave a proper author note. You might be surprised that I'm trying to incorporate reader choice into the story again. This will be my final attempt to add an interactive element to this specific story, and I want to explain how it will work.
You can vote through the review section of the site. All you need to do is write the letter corresponding to your choice. You don't have to write anything else, but if you want to, you can describe why you think your choice is the best one and why you picked it.
I hope everyone participates and votes. If this works well, it could become a more regular occurrence, with choices just like this one appearing in future chapters. Regardless of the outcome, I could never have gotten this far without all of you, so thank you, and I'll see you in the next chapter.
:)
July 11th