Chapter 21 - BESIEGED ON ALL SIDES

'Would you join our group?' the man request ringed out in the empty streets, the wind blows his robe as he stand there.

For a while Azief mouth was about to say no…but then he remember something. How could he forget about such important thing!

Idiots! he inwardly thought.

He remembered the beast in the elementary school. That alien like things, that gooey green stuff coming out of its mouth.

That fucking beast! The last requirement to become a Chosen

His eyes look scrutinizing the group in front of him. Twelve people. He look at the Malay man, leading the 5 man.

Looks strong he mused. But for some reason Azief could feel an uncomfortable feeling looking at the man.

Then he looks at the Indian girl with her two friends. A stick as her weapons. Why did the world orb give her that?

Hmm he mused. He then tries to remember the quest requirements for Shadow Lord class acquirement.

He doesn't have to do it alone, he finally remembers.

Well, when you keep battling and responding to situation without a chance to compose yourself, certain thing got pushed out of your mind.

This best describes Azief right now.

The only thing that matter is that the beast is destroyed. The only thing that matters is the beast is defeated, no matter the means.

It didn't have any restriction.

He smiles. Then he asks.

'What is your name?' he said in a grave tone looking at the muscly man. Behind the muscly man, his voice startled the Indians ladies.

While the man holding the scimitar, is gripping his weapon tightly. For some reason, that man look like he is dead afraid of me Azief mused.

'My name is Hamad.' The muscly man replied, still looking cautious at Azief.

'Hamad. Where is your destination?' Azief follows up. By now, he has certain alternatives but he couldn't delay going home.

'The capital.' Hamad reply

'KL?'

'Yes.' Hamad nodded and Azief put his finger on his chin. But his general expression is hidden because of the hood.

'Hmm' Azief has to think about this.

'Are you joining them?' a voice from behind him piped up.

'We need to go fast. Our destination is different from them.' Sofia said, her voice was anxious, almost like pleading.

She is right Azief mused. This is not their real objectives. Their objective right now is going home, not to help strangers.

Azief knows that too. But….this is too good of an opportunity to pass up. Could he…Hmmm…there is another way.

But it's not certain that they will wait. But still, it is better than doing nothing.

He needs to move fast. Now that he has the strength to mow down zombies, he could go home.

Sofia is also a good support partner.

'Then how about this?' he said to the group. The group listens intently.

'I'll give you a choice. In 3 days I will come back here and help you go to the capital. But only if you waited. If you wait three days, then I'll show an opportunity of a lifetime.'

Azief said only this. He did not say what the opportunity was, remaining as vague as possible.

How could he say that he will ask them to fight that alien with him? Of course he couldn't say this.

Azief could be selfish and cold sometimes to strangers. But he is not entirely lying. After all there is still many loots that he left under the debris of the buildings when he runs away from Ah Seng shop.

It's just now, that he knows that there is a super creepy looking alien standing near that building, how could he bravely enter there again without some backup plan?

And if they help him defeat the alien they would also gain levels, and not to mention the alien certainly would drop some powerful loot.

'Three days?' Hamad asked.

'A lot could happen in three days' Hamad said frowning. He thought Lord Shadow could help them.

After all, seeing the disparity in power, Hamad has already regarded Lord Shadow with high estimation.

What he needs now, is someone strong.

'Yes, a lot could happen' Azief said, nodding in agreement. After all, he knows, he is asking for too much.

'Of course in this three days if you manage to level up sufficiently and is confident of your strength you don't have to wait for me. After all this is just a selfish request of mine. You also have your own destination, your own goals and objectives. It's just that I have some matter I need to confirm if I were to join your group. The more the merrier, isn't that right? I know what you want. You want my power because my level is higher. Yes, it is only because my level is higher, that I could so overwhelmingly defeated you. There is no need to hide this from you. After all, not many survive this calamity. I'm not so cold not to even give some pointers. Not to mention you have a lot of people in your group.'

Hamad nodded.

'I wanted to join you. Of course I want to. After all, if there are more people, our ability to survive would also soar.'

The group behind Hamad agrees, nodding their head.

'But, I also have my own things to pursue. I could not leave here until I confirm one thing. Either you accept or not, I hold no hard feelings. Just think of it, that we have no fate.' Azief said.

Hamad then said.

'If we were to wait, where would we wait?' he said asking.

Then Azief smirked.

'If that is the problem, I have the solution. Nearby here, there is a supermarket. The zombies around it have been neutralized by me. You could go and wait there. There are still a lot of supplies.'

Hamad was silent for a while, thinking, contemplating. He did not answer. Then he said.

'We'll see.'

Azief just nodded.

Then he said.

'Farewell. Until three days later then' as his robe fluttered he walk away with the archer following him.

'An aura of a strong man' Lakshmi said from behind.

*****************************************************************

AN HOUR LATER

Stiff corpses fill the area, walking, crawling, squirming. Black blood drenched the tar, and limbs scattered everywhere like some abominable plants sprouting from the earth.

A woman and a man leisurely walking through this corpse infested land. Sometimes the lady would release and arrow which would always be ended with a shriek from the target.

The man sometimes leisurely slashes his black intimidating sword and heads would fly. Then the man stop walking as he approached one of the stiffs.

'This could work.' The man crouched and grabs something from a decapitated hand.

A key jangling with numerous key chains.

'This is his bike right?' In front of the man and woman is a sport bike. The man is Lord Shadow, the Archer is Sofia.

Sofia by now has level up to 13 and Azief is still his same level. It is hard to raise level just by killing zombies now.

Sofia took the Archer profession. Azief has explained to Sofia that choosing the Unique Class, will give you a super hard quest but the return is also good.

Being a Chosen means you have to also did some hard quest to make sure you are worthy to wield it.

She chooses to have a safe life.

'What do you think, Sofia?' Azief asked.

Sofia nodded

'I guess so. It looks like it's the right bike.'

'Hmm' he nodded.

He checks his pet taming time. 7 hours. Not that much anytime anymore before he could see his pet.

Azief starts the ignition and the bike started. Good. It works, he mused.

Quickly Azief rides it.

'What you are waiting for? Ride it.' Sofia blushed and ride behind Azief. She put her hand on his waist and Azief ride the bike.

There is still many stranded cars, buses, trucks, stuck on the streets but using a bike it is easy to maneuver through the abandoned vehicles and the burning cars.

There are the occasional zombies but with the speed of the bike, they could maneuver them safely.

He could just run using his feet and he would be even faster but that consume stamina. Not to mention the small city Temerloh is just near his village.

He then arrived at the bridge. And he stopped.

Why? Because he has notices it. Sofia might not have noticed because she has been closing her eyes the entire times.

Riding through the streets, there are many gore scenes, which should only have existed in a horror movie.

How could Sofia bear to see all the corpse and all the horror scene. Azief also many times wanted to puke or close his eyes, but he perseveres.

Fighting zombies is different than looking at the heart wrenching scene of a helpless struggle.

The corpse on the way, shows them that many have futilely tries to get into safety only to have their hopes crushed.

But what did he notices exactly? A horde of stiffs coming to them with speed and their lifeless body, some crawling, some in one leg, all with the intention of eating them.

'Why stop?' Sofia said as she opens her eyes. Then she looks in front of her. A bridge….a bridge full of stiffs.

She looks behind her, and an army of zombies. Front or back, zombies all around.

'You can't shoot arrows from behind as I zigzag riding the bike, can you?' Azief asked, hoping the answer would be yes.

But as always, things couldn't be that easy.

She shakes her head. Azief sighed. If she could, he could ram the zombies in the front while Sofia shoots from behind.

But thinking back, that plan is not really feasible. Then he has to make a stand right here.

Well, he could understand Sofia. It's not like they are the kind of people who would survive a zombie apocalypse or something like this.

Usually, in the movies, the people that survive this type of thing, is ex-military, a mad scientist, the old guy who spouts the world is ending type and the hidden ability type of man.

Not at all, like him and Sofia. He survived because of luck, she survived because he helps her.

Maybe, to survive this, we need each other. He mused as he smiles slightly.

What is this? I'm getting too bright. He shakes his head. Monologue in his own head is not helping anything.

'So I guess we have to fight them here on this bridge.'

'You mean-'she said as her face paled as understanding dawned on her.

Behind her were 100 zombies. On the bridge is another 100 give or take. Azief just smiles bitterly.

'You got a zombie, I got a zombie! Everybody got a zombie!' and Azief laugh a bit, chuckling at his own joke.

'What is that supposed to be?' Sofia asked.

'A joke?'

'Yes.' Azief replying, still holding his laughter as the zombies keep walking towards them, closer and closer with each step.

'You have the gall to joke? Right now?' Sofia said shaking her head incredulous.

'Why not? It's not like things could get any worse.' Then he nervously looked at the sky and said

'And, no, I'm not challenging you, World Orb. This is good enough shit for one day.' Sofia just shakes her head and readies her bow.

Seeing there is no other way, she really could only fight.

She has conquered her fear….a bit.

'I might raise another level like this' Azief said, smacking his lips. Level. Experience. Battle experience.

In this new world order, he will become a new existence, a powerful existence.

That is the only way to survive. He needs to keep reminding himself this, if he ever grows complacent.

'You….'Sofia said and she grabbed Azief robes, and stare straight at his eyes under the hood.

'I just level up to level 13. I can't fight that many zombies. You can handle it right?' She said, seeking confirmation.

Azief nodded.

'You just support me from behind.'

'Fine' she said, heaving a sigh of relief. After she fought many zombies they always drop arrows for her.

I guess it will only drop if archer is the one that kills it. The World Orb give items that is suitable for the people who kill it.

At least that is Azief deduction.

The groaning becomes louder, the footsteps also become faster. Some of them are running towards Azief.

Azief only smiles and he sheathes his sword, small black aura surrounding the weapons.

That is the only thing he could do right now, smiling.

'You're ready?' he ask Sofia as they stands on the bridge, two warriors looking perfectly comfortable with each other, facing a horde of zombies, approaching them, as the sun is beginning to show its face.

'Ready as I will ever be.' Sofia answer and she smirked.

'Don't die on me. You owe me too much. I wanted to collect the interest' Azief said, smirking.

'If you don't die, how could I?' Sofia said smiling in annoyance even though they might be in death door; she is unnerved by the confidence of Azief.

So different from her memory.

'I guess I will charge then?' Azief still ask

'Go, already.'

'Be careful' Azief said, almost like a whisper. Sofia just smiles in understanding. No matter how cold Azief is, there is a hint of warmth in his voice.

Sofia recognizes this warmth. After all, Azief is not a psychopath. He of course, have some kind of compassion, if not he would never even help Sofia.

For someone who hates being called a hero, he sure does a hero's job she mused.

Azief then with his speed, charge to the hundred zombies as Sofia let loose her arrows.

The battle starts on the bridge. 200 stiff fighting two Homo sapiens. Who would survive? Who would die?

*******************************************************************