The Fool's Freedom

The evening was spent recounting the day’s events and sharing information about their gains. Most people seemed to be perfectly content in giving the details of their skills away. Alan envied them and considered them fools. He trusted Ashlyn and probably Emerson. He liked the lot of them, really, and wished them the best, but trust was not something that should be easily given in their situation.

Maybe he was being paranoid. Maybe people were not as rotten as he imagined and power wouldn’t twist them as easily. But those were people he had worked with, even if he didn’t know their names, and, in a way, they all still adhered to the same power structure they were used to by adopting Tim as their unofficial leader. Not that the man was doing bad, on the contrary. Alan was impressed. His opinion of those higher up in the corporate chain has always been on the lower side, mostly based on his experiences.

Still, what would have happened if he had been in the store when the world ended, or on the bus? What if it was a bunch of strangers instead of coworkers? Addicts? Criminals? He had gotten lucky so far, but it had also only been a day.

He watched as Walter freely shared and demonstrated his [Ember] to the [Spark] users. Matt almost drooled watching and he grilled the man until he had every single detail. The young man seemed obsessed with the idea of being a walking inferno as he told the story of some game character he had played, completely oblivious to the looks of the people around.

Eldon had also gotten level 5 from one of the big lizards and had chosen a pretty impressive ability that allowed him to shape water into actual physical objects. At the moment all he had managed were small misshapen balls. They were like very sturdy jelly that broke down into regular water the moment it touched the tongue. Essentially water bites.

Ivan had impressively managed to advance his [Light Orb] skill by creating more than one and even making them float close to him. He had also picked up [Reinforce Weapon] for his second skill. He had three orbs circle slowly around his person while trying to teach Rob how to do it. Alan watched the young man struggle half-heartedly. Tim had mentioned that the boy had been having issues with killing the lizards, and was barely level 2.

Alan figured falling behind would become a death sentence soon. They couldn’t stand by the lake forever as they would have to hunt and find a better place to make camp, maybe search for other groups once they found everyone from theirs. And mostly, their need for stronger opponents would grow as they grew in levels. Powerful individuals would rarely allow themselves to be shackled down by those who couldn’t adapt. He certainly wouldn’t sit around and wait for people to catch up.

He felt like a cold asshole for his way of thinking. It had only been a day, but he was already planning on ditching the weak links. Had he always been an asshole to this degree?

Something colorful drew his attention and he saw Florence near the group, saying a soft thank you to Salla who wordlessly handed her a piece of glistening white meat. She had apparently completely refused to fight the lizards and for all they knew, despite her starting skill, she was still at level 1.

Maybe it was the skill screwing with her head? One way to find out.

Should I be me or not an asshole? Hm.

Alan stood up, using his first skill almost on instinct. It had taken him a very short amount of time to become completely reliant on [Efficient Basic Movement] and he couldn’t wait to further his understanding of the skill under Davis’s guidance. That could wait until tomorrow.

He put on his friendliest face, which Ashlyn had once called his semi-asshole look, and approached Florence. He channeled the energy of pre-apocalypse Emerson and sat close enough to her that the girl looked up in surprise and shifted uncomfortably. No personal boundaries allowed, no sir.

“Hey, Florence. Can I call you Flo? I heard Emerson call you Flo. I’m Alan, but you probably know about me, I am somewhat famous as the office’s half-crippled asshole.” She shifted a bit more, keeping her hands close to her chest. If she could she would probably run away, but Alan wouldn’t give her the chance. “Are you doing alright? Really, everyone else is so nice about giving you space and everything, but soon that will not be an option. No one will protect you forever. We’re no family. I know some of you can barely stand me.” He caught Nadia’s gaze and winked. The woman turned away with a scowl. No one else in earshot said anything, despite the fact that his words probably carried quite far in the silence.

There was a flash in Florence’s eyes, and the corner of her lips twitched upwards.

“I don’t expect anyone to protect me,” she said. That was probably the longest sentence Alan had heard her say since he had joined the group.

“Then what do you expect Flo? Please, tell me. I want to help, really. And not because I like or fancy you. It’s because a person I do like and care about, and such people are rare, unfortunately, won’t let me leave you behind to die. And if they try to help you when you’re useless, I will be dragged down by my own sentiments towards them. I don’t want to be dragged down Flo. Do you understand?”

“Don’t call me that.” There was a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. Good. Anger was good. Alan had made it so far mostly due to his anger.

“Sure. So, what do you say we get you some levels tomorrow? I know you have one of those self-help skills. I was offered something called [Manage Emotions] but I figured I was mentally stable enough and my body needed help. You have that?”

“[Manage Emotions]? No. I do not. Although I guess my skill functions similarly.”

“It does? Great. So about those levels, how ab-“

“Look,” she smiled and it looked like an actual genuine smile that caught Alan off-guard. “I know you mean good. I am not stupid and I am not helpless. I’ve been getting things under control. I need time.”

Time? She knew how to work her looks; he would give her that. Alan wondered if that was her plan, maybe charm someone and use them. Is this sexist? Fuck. I might be a bigger asshole than I thought.

“Sadly, we don’t have time. I will be honest. I don’t think we will make it very far as a group. People are fucked and once they taste power, it changes them.”

“Is that what’s happening to you?” Florence suddenly asked, smiling again, her green eyes bore a hole straight through his brain. He felt a wave of uncertainty, vulnerability, and a hint of fear. It was a strange mixture of emotions as he found himself drawn in her smile, a smile that offered safety. He shook his head and the feeling passed. What the fuck was that? She is not THAT charming. Am I tired? Is this shit getting to me?

He took a few moments to answer, returning her gaze, searching for any hint of surprise or disappointment. There was nothing.

“Yes.” he finally said. “I do think I am changing. And I am changing fast, for better or for worse. You should think about it too.” He stood up.

“I will consider it. Thanks, Alan.” Florence said behind him. He saw Salla nod at him and smile.

Yeah, thanks me.

He grabbed a bunch of leaves from the pile that was gathered by those who stayed here during the day. The leaves were apparently amazingly soft by leaf standards and could serve well in making the grass they slept on more comfortable. He went to his spot on the other side of the now even larger fire pit, next to Ashlyn and Emerson who were already there. The large man was asleep with a piece of meat in his hand. Alan felt something catch in his chest. Despite being thin he himself was not light as he was on the taller side, and Emerson had carried him for most of the way back. Even with the insane strength, it was probably not an easy feat. He owed the man far too much. He didn’t like it.

Ashlyn was busy whittling away at some smaller branches. It looked like she was trying to make arrows but her attempts so far were not great.

He set the leaves on the ground and made himself comfortable on top, watching her work.

“Any luck?” Ashlyn asked.

“With what?”

“Florence. How is she doing?”

“Surprisingly well, honestly. She is hiding something… and I have this uncomfortable feeling that it is System-related. Just a feeling.”

“I see. Things will eventually get fucking complicated with all the new skills and powers.” Ashlyn said.

“Exactly!” Alan exclaimed. “It’s going to be a fucking mess. But talking about skills, why exactly did you pick yours?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I think it will shine later if we survive long enough. The rest of the choices just didn’t feel right.” She paused, looking at the sharpened piece of wood in her hand.

Is she hiding something too? Not that I am one to talk.

He opened his mouth but she continued. “I was offered a stealth skill, a perception one which would complement my tracking, the one I picked, which is called [True Aim], and another skill that felt a bit off to me. A skill called [Claws] ... You see where I am going with this?”

“It’s not downright amazing; I kinda see why you passed on it. Still, considering the things we’ve met and the conditions we live in…”

“I didn’t pass on it because of that, Alan. It would give me fucking claws! Claws! What human has claws?”

“Uh… Hugh Jackman?”

Ashlyn smirked for a second, and Alan was ready to laugh along when her face dropped once again. “The skill would give me characteristics that would make me… less human. Not that the stats are not doing it by making us superhuman, but it's different having things grow or change. And there will probably be a lot stronger skills that do that. Would I still be me if one day I stopped being human? This scares me more than the fact that we’re fighting for our survival here.”

Huh. That was what it was about, wasn’t it? Leaving humanity behind. What would he do if he was given the option? Of course, he wouldn’t want to be a monster, but he was not really attached to his current broken body. Then again, a change of the body would lead to a change of the mind that he couldn’t stomach. Ash knew what she was about, and he was also quite happy with how he had turned out. It was other people that hated it.

After an uncomfortable pause, he decided to not go down that rabbit hole of what-ifs.

“I don’t know Ash, we don’t know much at all. You should trust your judgment though. If you aren’t feeling it, just don’t do it. No use in being powerful and hating yourself, right? I am kind of disappointed with my own choices, but it is what it is. Eventually, it will lead to something better. It’s how these things go, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks. To be honest I am still worried. [True Aim] is kind of… well, if I had [Ember] or even whatever your skill is, I would have been way more useful and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

Oh no.

“Listen, Ash. I will get hurt. A lot.” She waited for him to continue. He didn’t. Her punch was soft but he still felt it on his shoulder, the smile was worth it though. “…And by the way, Ash, my skill is called [Mind Jab]. I still don’t know why it didn’t work initially, but I am guessing the wolf was too far. I have to work out the range and it's quite short.”

“Skills affecting the mind sound freaking scary.”

“They do but this one sucks, to be honest. Ah, fuck it. I need some rest.” Alan lay down and watched the sky. The red rays of the sun painted the clouds in vivid colors that almost distracted him from being tired.

“Are you sure Tim shouldn’t try casting some of his healing on you? You are not just being a stubborn asshole, right?”

“It’s fine. I just ran out of mana or brain energy or whatever.”

The rest of the evening passed calmly. People practiced their skills, ate, or spoke calmly in small groups. Soon, Alan let his mind drift off.

He dreamed of wolves rushing at him and falling down bleeding from every orifice, as he blasted them with his mind like a vengeful god. Mad laughter escaped his chest as the slaughter grew worse and worse. Each wave snarled and rushed. Each wave died at his feet. Red lighting shattered the skies and the wolf horde, killing hundreds with each flash.

But there was no end, soon he grew tired, and the red lightning thinned. He looked down only to see that he was not a mighty god, but a small skinny man. His cane fell and his legs gave out. The wolf horde swarmed him, tearing his limbs, and eating his heart.

Alan woke up and rose. His back was stiff and his legs were burning, his clothes were wet with sweat and uncomfortably sticking to his body. It was still dark, the moons hung oddly dim on the horizon. He saw Nadia and Rob keeping watch on both sides of the still-burning campfire, their orbs of light illuminating their figures and most of the group. Nadia’s was rotating slowly around her hand.

There was a scream from the direction of the forest. Alan quickly activated his skill and stood up. It did little to combat the stiffness, but it helped with the pain.

Rob stood frozen making no indication of having heard the sound except that his [Light Orb] fizzled in and out of existence. Unlike him, Nadia reacted immediately and started yelling, “Wake up! Wake up!” She ran and pushed people with her hands and feet, whoever was closest. She reached Alan and stared at him for a second before moving on. Ashlyn was already up next to him, looking around, her pocket knife clutched in her fist.

Another scream, closer. There was a flash of light as Ivan threw his orb towards the tree line. Alan didn’t know he could that but watched as the ball of light made a wide arc and landed in the grass as if it were a solid object. Under its white light, just on the edge of the forest where the moonlight was stopped by the thickly overlapping treetops, they saw a man in red rags, slowly making his way toward them. Shadows danced behind him.

There was another scream. It didn’t come from the man but from somewhere behind him. A woman’s voice. People around him started moving, but Alan stood frozen. There was something there. Something that was too much.

The second orb revealed long limbs akin to writhing snakes and a rotten mockery of a human face, perpetually frozen in a grimace of horror. The creature slithered like a snake, slowly and surely making its way towards the man. There were screams. Walter’s [Ember] flew through the air and for once his aim was true. It made no difference to the creature. A long limb shot from the shadows around its body and slapped the [Ember] into nothing, as one would swat a fly, while another shot towards the man’s leg and caught it. He screamed as the creature dragged it back with inhuman speed.

Then it let it go. The man struggled to crawl, his screams had turned into low sobbing and ragged gasps. The people who had tried to rush stood frozen, horrified.

It threw the man around on the grass, pulling here, hitting there. Alan felt shivers course through his body as the realization of what he was witnessing hit him like a truck. It’s playing.

The [Light orbs] were gone by now and Ivan had forgotten to send a third, leaving only moving shadows and the man’s whimpering. A single beam of moonlight made it past the treetops and shone upon the horror. There was a loud hiss as the creature suddenly went mad with rage. Alan couldn’t look away as the limbs tore an arm from the man’s body as if he were a doll and threw it to the side. Another pierced his stomach and lifted him in the air for all to see until finally his head was ripped off in a gory mess. It threw it towards the group.

With a last low hissing sound, the horror disappeared into the woods leaving only blood and silence behind.

You have completed the Quest: The Pack Survives!

You have rejoined with all the living members of your group.

Reward: Supplies