From what I could tell, instinct fell in the same category with muscle memory, the body moving without any active participation. Supposedly it allowed you to move faster than you could think.
What I felt now was like that. The knowledge that flowed in my brain felt like it was something I already knew by heart. How curious… I never had amnesia, but this had to be what it felt to suddenly "remember" something you forgot.
Right now, my blood boiled in anticipation and my lips twisted into a savage grin. I thanked God that I became a wraith. Regaining my {fate} could be likened to meeting a lover or regaining a lost limb. It was like my missing puzzle piece. With my {fate} in my hand, nothing would stand in my way ever again.
"{Auto}," I whispered.
{Fates} a crystallization of a person's deepest and darkest regret. Commonly linked to overwhelming desire or how one died, it became the manifestation of a person's wish for survival.
People who died in fires normally gained {fates} in either controlling fire or being immune to it. Those that fell to their demise gained the ability to fly. Abilities related to strength, speed, or magic would go to those that most desperately searched for them.
From their nature alone, a person's {fate} told you way more than a thousand words ever could. The reason they were called {fates} was because they represented a possibility of another reality to the user.
The biggest irony this fucked up world could give you. You gained a superpower that would have allowed you to not die in the first place.
"I really am no hero," I lamented in a defeated tone.
The {fate} I gained was called {Rewind}. It allowed me to get a look deep inside me. Deep down, my biggest regret was stepping out that day… If I had just walked away, I would have lived.
What came over me that day, I would never know. But in truth, I could care less what horrors awaited that girl. Sending her to hell in my stead was something I could perfectly live with.
"Shit. I'm a horrible person. And to think I got to join because of my 'heroism'. What a pile of bullshit."
Due to my {fate} being awakened, my injuries had healed and my stamina got restored. Any person who awakened a {fate} transcended humanity and became a reaper.
What exactly were the reapers? They were the final army brought back from the grave to protect the living.
"The knowledge I got was strictly about my {fate}. I need to figure the rest out ASAP."
I tried stomping my right leg a couple of times and verified that my thigh was now as good as new. The immediate problem was that the zombies closed in significantly while I was learning my {fate}.
"Pfft. Like that matters anymore," I declared arrogantly.
Not to toot my own horn, but if this was a game my {fate} would be considered a balance breaker. While it had limitations, its implications were too numerous to list down. Fifteen notwithstanding, I could even take a hundred if I wanted to. The only problem would be the cost.
"Well, running away earlier helped me significantly in that regard. Celebrate, you fucking pieces of shit! I got sent to hell just to murder the living crap out of all of you!"
With my stamina restored, I was no longer out of breath. I had seven more rounds in my mag and a last one as a spare. Originally, I would have been hard-pressed to conserve ammo as I did with the first one. But with {Rewind} such problems no longer existed for me.
"{Save}," I whispered.
I ran towards the left group like an angry bull. At my height, I could be considered tall, but the zombies were all thin and short in comparison. Being overweight, just a push from me would be enough to send them down. Of the fifteen zombies, only three or four were taller than me.
Both in comics or movies, one should have been careful about fighting with zombies due to the danger of infection. As I no longer had the worry, the tactics available to me expanded.
My weight, which was initially a demerit, could now be used to send these fuckers flying. In the left group, only one tall zombie was there. He was my target.
"I dub thee Bigfoot." I couldn't help joking.
The ones with Bigfoot came at me with their arms outstretched. No longer human, I pushed and shoved my way through them. With the right group barreling here, I would be surrounded if I stayed in the middle.
When Bigfoot came at me, I shoved my left forearm to his mouth and placed a bullet between his eyes when he bit down. The back of Bigfoot's head ruptured as the round exited.
Losing strength, the body fell down. I didn't feel any pain on my forearms, so Bigfoot's jaw didn't manage to tear through the leather armguard I wore. Not wasting time, I placed myself behind Bigfoot and held him steady by his neck.
I held him as one would hold a hostage and took aim at the ones around us. There were six zombies remaining, and the right group would arrive in less than two minutes. I needed to be quick.
Using Bigfoot as a shield and with the near point-blank distance, even while one-handed, I shot all six down, one after another.
Unlike Hollywood. I did not aim my gun at the zombie's foreheads. A gun rose up the moment you fired due to muzzle flip.
The closer the target, the worse the difference between the point you aimed and where the bullet went. To avoid this, I aimed at the noses of the zombies. Even with recoil, the bullet should have landed on the forehead.
Adrenaline allowed me to control my firearm easier. I was sure that after it passed, my arms would be a mess. Ignoring everything else, the right group was now near enough for me to see their faces. I still ejected the magazine and loaded my last. Bigfoot's corpse fell to the ground as I reloaded.
His chest had numerous scratches. He shielded me from the hands of his posse. I wore a leather breastplate, so Bigfoot only managed to nick my neck. The six I took down buried their nails into him.
"Rest in peace, Bigfoot. I will handle the rest." Despite my dramatic farewell, I could somehow feel Bigfoot giving me an annoyed look.
I took a wide stance as I played duck hunt with the coming zombies. I had eight zombies in the last group and eight bullets.
"Let's see how good my shooting is." I clenched my jaw in preparation and relaxed my shoulders.
I began to rain fire on the coming zombies. First zombie… Hit. Second. Miss. What the hell? The zombie bounced its head as it moved! I ignored Bouncy and shot another. The round slammed into its eye socket and down she went.
"Good so far," I said as sweat fell down my brow.
Bouncy was now extremely close, so I fired once more. Not sure if it was intentional but due to his unsteady gait, the bullet only grazed his right temple. While his body slightly turned to the left, he quickly resumed his brisk walk. Frustrated, I couldn't help but shout in annoyance.
"What the hell, Bouncy?! Stop being an ass!"
While I focused on Bouncy, from the corner of my eye I saw the rest of the zombies coming. Bigfoot Three and Four were among them. Bigfoot Two was the one leading the pack, so he was already gone. Unable to wait. I changed tactics and dashed towards Bouncy.
Like a ragdoll, my shove sent Bouncy crashing to the floor. I quickly stepped on him and shot his face.
"Four more."
I only had three rounds left while four zombies came for me. Unwilling to miss, I ran toward the other zombies and tackled Bigfoot three. Even if he was taller, he couldn't get me off him quickly enough when we smashed towards the ground. The muzzle of my firearm got buried into his mouth as my round blew his brains out.
"Three."
Due to three others around, I tried to stand as soon as possible. Unfortunately, a zombie got me and bit into my left shoulder. The pain of having your flesh torn from your body hurt.
Like holy shit, this fucking hurt! Knowing my perfect streak needed to end sooner or later, I rested the gun's business end between the eyes of the one on me and fired.
"Two."
The pain destroyed the high I was on and exhaustion hit me all at once. Unable to stand, I weakly aimed at the last zombies and fired. A bullet slammed against the chest of one but the other missed completely. My shoulder began to burn as my mind turned hazy.
"So, this would be where I turn?"
Ignoring my musing, Bigfoot Four and his friend snarled as they tackled me. In the split second they were in the air I activated my {fate} for the first time with a twisted smile.
"{Rewind}"
Immediately I disappeared from my current position and returned to the spot where I used {Save}. My mind clear, my ammunition refilled and all my injuries healed.
"Let's try this again you bastards!" I shouted in anger as I cracked my neck.