Wendy's mind raced with questions and worries. Setting the forest on fire could be extremely hazardous and dangerous. If the flames spread more than they anticipated, the atmosphere itself could become dangerous for them instead of protecting them.
'He can risk his life for others but is reckless and bold,' she thought. Even though they had known each other for less than an hour, she was somewhat starting to understand Kalsie's character.
"GROWL!"
But before she could discuss it further or think of any other alternatives, they heard the large growling noises drawing nearer to them.
Immediately their expressions became stern, realizing that time was running out.
Therefore, Kalsie urged, "Hurry up! Burn all those bushes! We don't have time!"
Without wasting a second, Kalsie ran toward the boundary of the clearing from where they came and ignited the bushes on fire.
"Ah damn it!! You better hope it works out well!!" Wendy, a split second behind, let go of her concerns for now and rushed toward the bushes without any other options remaining, setting them ablaze, as their situation did not give them time to think.
With the two working together quickly and the bushes being a bit dry, soon, the crackling flames quickly spread in different directions. It didn't take long before a massive fire erupted, consuming the near trees and lighting up the surrounding area.
When the fire stretched meters wide along the boundary of the clearing, waves of heat and bright light hit them, forcing them to step back. With the bushes feeding the flames, there was no need to spread the fire further.
They then regrouped near the approaching Dead Walkers where separated them.
'Now, we wait and see the result...' Kalsie was lost in thought as his greyish eyes captured the burning flames. Despite his calm demeanor, his muscles were in complete pain from the accumulated stress and exertion. But he did not care.
Since the morning, or rather since the previous night, there wasn't a moment when he was in a state of rest, except when he drank water from the lake, which helped him greatly. But from running all day to fighting against the monsters and searching for Job and others, it took a huge toll on his body.
Yet, he did not stop and kept on going without a break to help others even if it meant risking his life.
If someone asked him why he was pushing himself to help others, one of the reasons was because of how his father raised and trained him. And the other was because...
"They are here..." Wendy muttered, bringing Kalsie out from his thoughts.
Now, with the fire illuminating the area, faint silhouettes of Dead Walkers and their glaring red eyes became visible within the dissipating fog. Despite the growing blaze, the monsters were not deterred, as if they could not understand the threat in front of them. They continued advancing, still at a distance from the inferno, but the terrifying flames were gradually closing in.
As they observed the unfolding scene, both Kalsie and Wendy remained silent, their expressions serious, each lost in their own thoughts about the situation. They patiently awaited the outcome, knowing that the fire was their best defense at the moment.
But amidst the huge crackling flames and columns of dense smoke, a voice of surprise broke the silence from behind.
"W-What is that?!" Jack, who had been swimming, was taken aback by the sudden increase in heat and the colossal light emanating from behind.
"Shit! Who set the forest on fire!?" Another voice exclaimed.
"Wait! Isn't that Kalsie and Wendy?! Why aren't they with us?"
Realization dawned on them as they identified the culprits responsible for the blaze.
"Why did you all stop!? Keep swimming!" Fred urged, snapping them out of their shock. "Even if he did that, so what? He started the fire to keep those monsters away from us!"
"Fred is right! Remember, fire is their weakness," Job chimed in, supporting Fred's stance. "Let's get out of here before we think about anything else."
As they were shocked, a series of unusual sounds reached their ears, breaking through the crackling of the flames.
"GROWLLLLL!"
But these growls were not those of predators; they sounded more like the anguished cries of prey. Soon, more of these eerie wails joined.
"Growlll..."
.
.
.
"Are you hearing that? Do you have anything else to say now?" Fred wore a smug expression as he pointed out the eerie wailings of the monsters. His gaze rested on those who had felt nervous earlier.
"Shall we go?" he suggested confidently.
Away from them, the fire blazed with such intensity that it produced a thick, robust column of black smoke mingling with ashes, which hung heavily in the air.
Its light was blinding, making it impossible to gaze at the raging flames for too long. However, as Kalsie had anticipated, it served as both their shield and a weapon against the approaching monsters.
To catch a glimpse of the dying creatures, they had to focus their eyes on the gaps between the roaring flames.
"It seems like your plan worked. But is it just me, or are we no longer receiving those white orbs?" Wendy inquired as she felt confused.
Whenever they had killed a monster, they had always been rewarded with a white orb, enhancing their physical abilities. Without these orbs slowly boosting their strength, none of them would have had the endurance to keep running for so long for hours straight.
However, considering they had initiated the fire that was exterminating the monsters, they should have been collecting a considerable number of white orbs by now. But, strangely, none had been spotted.
"I don't know... perhaps it doesn't count if we kill them indirectly," Kalsie replied as he shrugged his shoulders. Inwardly, he was just glad that his plan worked well and the fire didn't seem to be spreading like a wildfire. However, he still wasn't sure if it wouldn't turn out that way.
"But doesn't that strike you as odd?" Wendy mused, her arms folded skeptically.
Kalsie thought, 'What hasn't been odd up until now...'
"Forget about it; it's the least of our worries. Let's just hope the fire doesn't cause us more harm than good," Kalsie concluded, turning his attention back to the lake. "Let's go. Our job here is finished."
With those words, he leaped into the lake and began swimming toward the small island.
Wendy cast one last glance at the roaring inferno before joining Kalsie in the water.
Kalsie took the lead, but Wendy, with the giant axe secured to her back, found swimming a bit challenging and lagged behind him.
'Wha-!?' But something strange happened.
As Kalsie propelled himself forward through the water, a sudden, sharp pain erupted in his head, leaving him stunned. Soon, his body ceased moving in the lake as his muscles refused to cooperate. It wasn't just that; encroaching darkness quickly swallowed his consciousness as he sank deep into the lake.
With him losing his awareness, the sensation of drowning in the lake enveloped him.
'Dad... did I do it right?'