POV: Rick
The clearing was chaos. Mutant zombies swarmed from all sides, their glowing veins pulsing with a sickly light. Rick held his ground, his knife flashing as he struck down one creature after another. Sweat dripped down his brow, but he couldn't afford to falter.
"Hold the line!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. "Don't let them break through!"
Sarah fought beside him, her knife slick with blood. "This isn't a wave—it's a damn tsunami!"
Rick didn't respond, his focus entirely on the fight. He could feel the tension in the group, the cracks in their unity threatening to break them apart. They were surviving, but barely.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna was in the thick of it, her crowbar swinging wildly as she fought off a particularly aggressive mutant. "Alright, who ordered the extra-large zombies?" she shouted, dodging a swipe from one of the creatures. "Because I didn't sign up for this!"
Her zombie gang was doing their best, but they were outmatched. One of them lunged at a mutant, only to be swatted aside like a rag doll. Jenna winced. "Hang in there, guys! We've got this… I think."
Carl appeared beside her, his sword slicing through two mutants in one smooth motion. "Stop talking and focus."
"I am focused," Jenna retorted, slamming her crowbar into a mutant's head. "Focused on staying alive."
"Then try harder," Carl snapped, his voice sharp. Jenna blinked, momentarily stunned. Carl rarely let his frustration show, and it caught her off guard.
---
POV: Kane
Kane stood at the edge of the forest, his sharp eyes fixed on the battle. His controlled zombies moved with precision, coordinating their attacks to keep the group on edge.
"They're holding," Theo said, his tone begrudgingly impressed.
"For now," Kane replied. "But they're cracking. And when they do, we'll be ready."
---
POV: Rick
Rick could feel the strain on the group. Their movements were slowing, their attacks less coordinated. He clenched his jaw, refusing to let them fall apart.
"Jenna!" he barked. "Can you use your space ability?"
Jenna hesitated, her crowbar frozen mid-swing. "Uh… maybe?"
"Do it!" Rick snapped.
Jenna groaned but focused, her hands glowing faintly as she activated her portal. Several mutants vanished in an instant, sucked into the glowing void. Jenna grinned, wiping her brow. "How's that for teamwork?"
Rick didn't have time to answer as another wave of mutants surged forward.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna was starting to regret her earlier bravado. The mutants just kept coming, and her arms were starting to feel like jelly. "Is it just me, or are there more of them now?" she shouted.
"It's not just you," Carl muttered, his sword flashing as he took down another mutant. "Stay close."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Jenna replied, dodging a clawed swipe. She swung her crowbar with all her strength, knocking the mutant off balance. "Ha! Take that, you overgrown—"
Her victory was short-lived as another mutant lunged at her from the side. Jenna braced herself, but before it could reach her, one of her zombies intercepted it, tackling the creature to the ground.
"Good boy!" Jenna shouted, her grin returning. "You're getting a raise!"
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched as Jenna's zombie gang rallied, their feral growls filling the air. He tilted his head, intrigued. "They're more coordinated than I expected."
Theo frowned. "Should we adjust our strategy?"
Kane shook his head. "Not yet. Let them think they're winning. The real test comes next."
---
POV: Rick
The tide was starting to turn. The group was battered but not broken, their desperation fueling their fight. Rick slashed through another mutant, his breath ragged. "We're pushing them back! Keep it up!"
Sarah let out a shaky laugh. "I can't believe this is working."
"Don't jinx it," Rick muttered, his eyes scanning the battlefield. The mutants were retreating, their snarls fading into the distance. But Rick's gut told him this wasn't over.
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna leaned on her crowbar, panting heavily as the last mutant disappeared into the forest. "Okay, that was officially the worst cardio ever."
Carl approached, his sword still drawn. "You did good."
Jenna blinked, caught off guard. "Was that… a compliment?"
"Don't get used to it," Carl replied, walking past her. Jenna watched him go, a small smile tugging at her lips.
---
POV: Kane
Kane turned away from the scene, his expression calm but thoughtful. The group had survived, but their victory was hollow. They were exhausted, vulnerable.
"Let them rest," Kane said quietly. "Tomorrow, we break them."