Zam opened his eyes with a gasp of shock, his heart pounding madly as he bolted upright against a wall. His eyes darted around frantically looking for any trace of the monster as he struggled to regain his bearings. His hands trembled and fumbled as he grasped at his jacket frantically to calm the nerves. He sucked in a deep, rattling breath before turning his head to look around, taking in his surroundings, calmly this time.
A quiet rooftop. That is all he could see.
He was leaning against a wall near a door to a stairway that led to another street below, the faint sounds of growling coming from below in a muffled manner.
He was alone.
Relief washed over him immediately upon recognizing this place was free of monsters. It was safe. He was safe. And most importantly…
He was alive.
The teen let out a shaky exhale as he collapsed against the wall beside the stairs once more, feeling drained and defeated. He brought his legs close to examine the injury left by his encounter with the zombie.
His jeans were covered in mud and dirt, yet there was no scratch mark left behind. Only a tear in the jean where the zombie's claws had punctured through the material.
"What?" Zam stared in astonishment as he inspected the tear in his pants, it let some cold breeze come in through it and brush against his leg uncomfortably. "But I felt the injury...!" As the teen looked at the tear with slight bewilderment, he then moved his hands to inspect the rest of his body. He was unhurt.
No injuries.
"How?..." He asked himself confused. He wasn't injured from those attacks. Yet he should've been battered and unable to move! He should've fallen apart like a twig! Yet he hadn't broken anything!
"I swear I heard my bones snap when I hit that wall! What happened?"
{That would be my doing, User Solis} The vaguely female voice of the System spoke up from within Zam's head, frightening the teen with its sudden intrusion.
{It was the passive healing the Safe Zone you find yourself in provides} Zam blinked slightly at the sudden announcement from the System before he frowned.
"Wait! You could've taken me here from the beginning!?" He exclaimed angrily.
{No, I could not} It replied plainly.
{Interference with my connection with you the moment you were supposed to teleport to the Tutorial Dungeon made it impossible for me to take you here the moment the system error was detected, I apologize if you experienced any form of inconvenience, pain, or discomfort} It paused briefly.
{I attempted to teleport you as soon as the error occurred. I had tried to report such a massive error. Yet for some reason, my link with the administration has been severed or restricted. It was not until I had managed to restore the connection between us that I was able to transport you here}
"So the moment you came back you teleported me..." Zam briefly looked around the desolate rooftop. "Here?" He questioned curiously.
{Correct, yet not quite] The System responded.
"Huh?" The teen cocked his head to one side. "Then what happened?"
{I did not "leave" you and then returned back. I had never left your sides during the entire event} A long pause passed as the System continued to talk to the young teen inside his mind. {I do believe I explained it before...}
"You're connected to me, right?" Zam said, causing the System to give a soundless hum in response. "If you did leave me it would cause some damage to my brain..." He muttered to himself.
{Indeed, User Solis} It confirmed.
"So... what happened then?" Zam pressed as he sat against the wall once more. "What caused the brief disconnect?"
{I cannot explain it in full terms, but for me, it was like static had come in between me and you. Briefly stopping any interaction with you.} The teen nodded understandingly, rubbing his temples.
"I see."
{It almost felt like an external force tried to sever our connection, forcing me to withdraw from you...} The system continued to explain. {Or perhaps the system as a whole reacted strongly to this glitch that occurred when I had initiated your teleportation to the Tutorial Dungeon} The System explained.
{This phenomenon could mean either that something was wrong with the system itself or that someone had interfered with my attempts to transfer you to another zone}.
'Y'know... I'm surprised I'm even able to hold such a complex conversation with someone who is literally inside my head...' The teen admitted to himself silently as he glanced down to the ground below, staring at nothing in particular.
{Of course. The System lowers the production of cortisol levels to reduce stress and anxiety. This reduces mental distress greatly} The System stated.
{Or at least it tries its best to do so... in some instances the production of the hormone can overturn the sys-}
The teen frowned as the System explained "Save the long-winded explanations for later. I told you already... stay outta my thoughts..." The young teen scowled at the blank space in front of him.
{Apologies...} The System apologized politely, {Continuing on with the explanation... My communication abilities may be offline, but that doesn't mean I am incapable of gathering information about the current situation in order to aid you, User Solis...} Its tone grew serious once more.
{One of the main uses of a System linked with a User is to analyze all information that goes on within a radius around the user}
"Like... what information?" The teen mumbled as he raised a hand to rub his temples gently.
{Monster levels, possible item drops, etc.} The System answered quickly. {If you would allow me to...}
[Use System Analisis?]
[YES] [NO]
{Just simply press "Yes" and I'll begin} The System urged.
Zam hesitated a little before pressing "Yes".
[System Analisis has begun compiling data...] The System informed him after a short while.
...
...
...
...
...
...
"Um... So? Any important info?" Zam questioned impatiently.
[Currently processing data]
"Hey... uh.... hellooooo?" He waved his hand in front of the screen, hoping it would respond to him, but got no response whatsoever, much to his confusion and annoyance.
[Currently processing data]
"Yeah, I know, you already said tha-"
[Currently processing data]
"...Shut up..."
[Currently processing data]
"Ugh..."
[Currently processing data]
"Shut up...!"
[Currently processing data...]
"Damn it!"
[Currently processing data]
"Okay! Okay, fine! I heard you! Just-! Just.. shut the hell up!"
[Currently processing data]
"Just... just shut up... Please?"
[Currently processing data]
"Okay, okay... just...!"
[Currently processing data]
"JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!"
...
The system kept quiet for a few more moments. Zam raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated fashion as he waited patiently. When the system finally broke silence the teen couldn't suppress an annoyed huff at the abruptness of the system's announcement.
"...?" The boy's face scrunched up in a puzzled expression as he turned to look at the screen in front of him. "What?"
[Currently processing data.] The words flashed across the screen as it spoke one final time
"Oh for fuck's sake." Zam shook his head slowly as he leaned his head back against the cool concrete wall, sighing. He closed his eyes tiredly and rested his head comfortably against the wall as he listened to the constant growls and howls coming from below him. The distant sound was comforting somehow...
Knowing he was at a safe distance and in a place they were incapable of going made him relax somewhat, though the sounds still bothered him in a sense. It felt... strange being stuck up here, away from everything else. The noises weren't as loud now, yet they remained there nonetheless.
"It's been one hectic day so far..." The teen muttered to himself and gave a tired yawn which he covered with his arm and used it to shield his mouth. His eyelids began to feel heavier as he let his head fall off his arms.
"One minute I'm on vacation with my family... talking about hot chocolate and gifts..." He sighed wearily as the weight of sleep began to overpower him fully.
"Next thing I know I'm in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, talking to a sentient System... Hmmm, I wonder where they are... I should feel a sense of urgency to find them... yet" His eyelids fluttered closed as he yawned again, "...now, here I am... alone... on the verge of sleep" He chuckled dryly.
The System continued beeping in the background as Zam brought his legs up and laid back down against the wall, hugging his knees close to his chest as his hands wrapped around himself. He felt himself beginning to fall asleep, he could only wonder what sort of nightmare awaits him when he woke up, as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.
"Goodnight... Dad, mom... sis I love you." He whispered to himself, trying to keep awake. Zam's eyes finally closed as his last conscious thought was that he wished his parents were there to help him through this, and with that, the teen fell asleep.
Silence settled over the air as the light that was once cast by the sunset was cut off entirely, plunging the rooftop into darkness. Zam's breathing remained steady as he lay on the cold ground, leaning against the wall.
As the darkness spread across the area and over everything else; enveloping it completely within a cloud of shadows that seemed to hide everything from view. The bustling streets full of zombies became dead silent as the darkness crept across every surface.
In the dim light of the moon and stars overhead; the dark brown-haired youth's body glowed brightly in contrast to the dark surroundings. In the dim light, he looked peaceful as if he was dreaming of peace, unaware of the world that surrounded him.
The soundless breeze that blew past him caused his hair to dance softly around his face as the light breeze played in his hair, sending shivers throughout his body. The sleeping teen shifted slightly, shifting closer to the wall as he attempted to cover his body with his arms.
The gentle swaying of his hair caused a smile to cross his lips lightly as he dreamed peacefully, unaware of the chaos in the world beyond that one little rooftop and his peaceful rest. The night passed without a single movement.
{System: Processing Data.} The System stated in a monotone voice to itself. {Structural analysis of space occupied by User Solis is proceeding...} It spoke aloud as it continued to analyze further {Estimated time remaining until completion of program. Approximately 8 hours...}
The System kept quiet after announcing to itself, continuing to scan through the surrounding area for anything abnormal.
{...} The disembodied voice remained quiet for a moment, seemingly debating within itself.
After a while, it finally spoke to itself.
{...Goodnight... User of mine...} The voice uttered.
For many minutes nothing disturbed the eerie silence; however, eventually, the wind kicked up once more and created a faint rustling noise throughout the rooftop, as if countless leaves were moving across the ground below and in various directions. The only sign of life was the small, white specks of starlight shining against the darkening sky above.
Then… something in the distance…
=====
Deep into the cold and infested city of Ushuaia, the silent darkness that blanketed the entire region suddenly came alive as the skies above darkened immensely. The sky above seemed to ripple violently with the movement as large black figures suddenly appeared in the sky. These black monsters soon came crashing down to the ground as the first wave collided with the buildings and collapsed them into ruins.
Within seconds other groups of these monsters joined the first wave and smashed their way toward the heart of the city. The streets around them started to become filled with debris and destruction as countless buildings were destroyed by the incoming onslaught, each crash making more damage appear.
Out of the rubble, a figure rose slowly.
The figure held in its arms what appeared to be a large chain. It rattled and clanked loudly against itself as it stood tall, reaching heights almost twice of most of the creature's height. The humanoid monster stood motionless, unmoving as if contemplating something intensely. It swung the chain wrapped around it thick arms and pulled forward with tremendous force.
The chains rammed through several buildings before the chains connected to the ground, creating a huge hole in the asphalt. With a mighty pull, it brought back the chain to where it belonged and attached it to the chain around its neck. Once secured, it lifted its head up and gazed at the empty, ruined city below it before looking directly at the sky. It then let out a low roar in the direction of where the sun had set before.
The roar echoed across the entire city, vibrating the windows of every home and building as it traveled further than ever. It sounded like something from a horror movie that seemed to cause nature itself to tremble and cry out in horror.
The massive shadowy monster ceased the roar and slowly began to walk through the city, dragging behind it the chain. As it walked, more and more of the dark monsters from the sky followed behind it. Soon enough, all of the monsters formed together into a horde of creatures larger than any other group in the city. They marched forward in sync and in a perfect line, following behind their master without any complaint or disobedience.
As they walked one of the chain-carrying monster's henchmen suddenly paused momentarily, before letting out a sharp, high-pitched screech. The master of the horde stopped and turned his head towards its subordinate who was crying out to alert its master about some new sight. Without another grunt, the boss monster walked briskly to its subordinate's side.
As the tall monster reached the side of its subordinate, it bent down a bit to try and see what it was looking at; its face contorted in confusion as it saw what the subordinate was pointing at.
Standing in front of it was a zombie with bright crimson eyes. The zombie's jaw hung agape with the blood dripping from it onto the ground in big drops. The tall shadowy monster looked down at the zombie with confusion written all over its features before turning to its subordinate. Short growls were heard between the subordinate and its master, as it seemed like the two spoke to each other. All the while the zombie standing in front of them did not move from its position.
Once the subordinate finished speaking, the boss monster turned to face it fully. The boss grunted, speaking to the zombie.
The zombie responded with a high-pitched cry and raised both of its hands up, slamming them hard against each other and then against its chest.
The towering monster in the shadows snarled angrily at the explanation it was hearing. It stood up from its hunched posture and roared with anger. Its eyes suddenly gleamed with an evil glow as it stomped its foot angrily against the ground. The shadow monsters behind it reacted by also screaming angrily at the words spoken by its master.
A howling began as all the darkened figures were slowly illuminated by the uncovered moonlight in the sky, revealing the grotesque faces they had been hiding under the dark night. All of them had rotting faces with black hollow eyes and rotten flesh stretched across their cheeks and noses, along with rotten teeth that jutted out from their mouths. They all wore similar clothing consisting of dirty white tattered shirts that resembled hospital gowns while long torn pants covered their legs; however, their feet remained bare. Each of the walking corpses had a pair of long claws that extended out of the backs of their hands, and were stained with blood that dripped from their knuckles. Each one varied in size but they all paled in comparison to the boss monster.
The boss then followed suit as the moonlight hit its entire form. The beast's skin had a strange grayish tint to it; but its features were no less ghastly, giving one the feeling that if the beast had just opened a gaping maw it would have spewed out an endless stream of gore in all directions. It sported a skull with glowing red eyes and fangs that protruded out of its mouth. It wore a matching pair of tattered black and white striped shirt and pants. Both of which clung tightly to its muscular yet rotted frame.
The boss zombie reached to the smaller zombie that had informed him of something, holding it by the collar of its shirt and glaring at him furiously.
"W-weak..." The taller zombie spat, bringing the chain wrapped around it to the smaller zombie's neck "Unneeded..." He said while tightening it again, causing the smaller zombie to cry out in pain from the harsh pressure. All of a sudden the shorter zombie started struggling wildly, trying to free itself of the chain but to no avail. After a few moments of struggle, it finally fell limp in the grasp of the taller zombie.
The taller zombie then lowered the chain and stared at the smaller corpse on the ground with glowing red eyes. His face twisted even more in rage, showing a hint of excitement and pleasure as a cruel smile graced what remained of his lips. It began to laugh wildly as its posse followed in unison behind him, their laughter echoing through the city.
The laughing and cackling soon died away as the Boss Zombie let one final guttural scream out to the skies above. It then raised the smaller corpse higher up with great effort, lifting it over its head so that the body could dangle helplessly at least six feet off the ground.
"H-human!" It spat with anger laced in its voice.
"M-must... e-eat... HUMAN!!!!" The monster screamed at the sky. The smaller corpse's limbs trembled violently in response as its blood shot out in multiple streams from its broken neck. A trail of blood was left behind as the tiny corpse was carried high into the air, dangling above the horde of monsters.
"EAT HUMAN!!!" The boss's final roar echoed through the night.