Chapter 77: Walk on the Dead (Patreon)

The shock on Dan and Lessa's faces was obvious, their eyes fixed on what the Operator carried at her waist. "Miss Operator," Dan said.

"Stop calling me miss. Just call me Operator, please. And yeah, I'm carrying a head on my waist, but we don't have much time right now, so I need both of you to help me so we can get out of this place."

Lessa stepped forward, looked again at Mordran's head, wiped away tears still streaming down her face, and said, "What do you need from us?"

The Operator smiled and said, "I left my backpack on the third floor. Please help me retrieve it; it's in the last office after you go up the stairs. I need to take care of two things here first, and I don't know how long the things downstairs will stay asleep. There's no danger at the moment."

Dan stood in front of Lessa. "I'll go up for it. I won't be long." He adjusted his rifle and ran down the hall.

"Lessa. The girl is only wearing a medical gown. Please look around, see if there are any other clothes, and help me dress her in something more comfortable. And if there's anything to eat here for her, and something you two can take, please get it. I don't know if there's food up ahead."

Lessa set the rifle on the bed and started looking for the items the Operator asked for.

The Operator approached the girl and crouched down in front of her. "I can't keep calling you 'girl' all the time. Once we get out of here, we need to find you a proper name. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded with a gentle smile.

Operator, what are your plans for the three of them? Considering Mordran's warning, this world faces serious danger. Given his reactions and madness, it seems we're looking at possible annihilation.

"That's something we'll solve later, Tera. For now, first get this sticky thing off Napoleon, then keep my promise to Mordran."

You sure you're going to keep that oath? He's not around anymore to know whether you keep it.

The Operator sat on the floor at the entrance, set the jar with the worm to one side, and, with difficulty, peeled Napoleon off her hand. "Tera, you've seen what happens when people don't keep their oaths. Call it superstition, or call it whatever you want, but that man was a huge fucking son of a bitch, and he still left me his greatest treasure. I honestly wouldn't feel right using it if I don't keep my end. And the other thing is, I can't get the image of the System out of my head, and that trial we had for breaking an oath. I don't want to find out how not keeping what I swore could screw me over even more with that marriage union, or whatever the shit Mordran did to me."

The Operator glanced at Lessa and noticed her watching her, likely because she saw her talking to herself as if she were crazy.

After we get out of this place, I'll talk to them. I'm going to give trusting someone one last chance. I hope they don't screw me.

Dan came running with the backpack on.

[Activating Disassembly Field.]

The Operator put Napoleon inside the Disassembly Field and carefully began removing the slime from his body. The process took a few seconds, and when it was done, the slime was pushed to one side and Napoleon was floating in the field, moving his legs and head, probably enjoying having his mobility back.

"Thank you, Operator."

[Deactivating Disassembly Field.]

Alright, one thing less. Now, this disgusting worm. The Operator lifted the jar and stared at it. I'm not going to risk analyzing or touching something that sends a message to the winged ones.

She carefully removed the lid, and the worm quickly jumped out, falling to the floor. Once on the ground, it began to convulse and grow.

All three of them moved to the Operator's side, and Lessa asked, "Operator, what is that?"

"Mordran gave it to me to send a message. A final message to his people."

The worm gradually grew until it was twice Napoleon's size, then screeched in pain as black wings emerged. Its body began to take shape, developing muscle, a lean build, and a tail. Its head had a single eye and a large circular mouth filled with knife-like teeth.

"A Herald?" Dan asked. "I've never seen one myself, but it aligns with the descriptions I've read. If it's delivering a message from a winged being, that must be what it is."

Once its body took shape before them, the wings flapped, and it began to fly out of the room. The Operator stood up, and the four of them started to follow it, reaching the second-floor railing where they watched the messenger fly away, as if it knew precisely where to go.

"How's it going to get out?" the Operator asked, noticing the door was closed.

The Herald arrived at the metal door the Operator and her group had come in through, and with its mouth it started eating and opening as if opening a can of tuna. After a few seconds, the detached piece of metal fell to the floor, and the Herald stepped through the hole to continue on its path.

The Operator lowered her gaze to Mordran's head. "Oath kept, you son of a bitch."

"Operator?" Lessa looked down at the chaos on the floor below. The sleeping creatures, dead soldiers, and mutilated bodies. "How are we going to get out of here?"

"I had the same thought when I retrieved the backpack," Dan said. "Operator, here it is."

The Operator took the pack from Dan, removed her grenade belt, and shouldered it. Napoleon jumped off the floor and landed on the Operator's shoulder.

"Dan and Lessa, I don't know you. Shit, I still don't know if I can trust you. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm about to say, but I don't know why I'm bringing you with me. As far as I'm concerned, everyone in this damn place is shit. I'm just asking you not to make me regret the decision I'm making."

Lessa took the girl's and Dan's hands. "Our only goal is to escape this place and not turn into those things." Lessa looked at Mordran's head. "Dan and I don’t care for Lord Eron and the winged ones. We lack the clearance to see what's happening on the lower levels, and we're also upset about those people in crystal coffins. Still, if given the opportunity, we'll do whatever we can to help."

The Operator said, "Alright, for now, take care of the girl. I'd appreciate it if you could think of a name for her, since calling her 'girl' all the time doesn't feel right. As I mentioned earlier, I need to talk to you about some other matters once we're out of here."

Suddenly, the creatures' roars started up again. They were waking up. The Operator quickly grabbed grenades from the belt and threw two on the first floor and one on the stairs. The creatures then fell back asleep on the ground. "Follow me."

They began heading toward the stairs, but were blocked by sleeping creatures. "Napoleon, you go first and clear a path. I want you to bury your blades in the heads of any creatures we step on. Find the safest route to the exit door on the far side from where we entered."

"Yes, Operator."

"You three, just walk on top of the creatures Napoleon kills. I've got three grenades left, and we have to make them count. Best if Dan carries the girl. You ready?"

Dan, Lessa, and the girl nodded silently, likely fearing that speaking might wake the creatures.

The Operator reassured, "Don't worry, you can speak normally. During my fight with Mordran's soldiers, sound didn't determine if they woke up; only movement did."

Napoleon advanced, clearing a path down the stairs by stabbing his blades into the creatures' skulls. Most of them twitched slightly when he struck. "Any way to move faster, Napoleon?"

Operator, I often find the enemies still alive when I put my legs onto their heads, so I heat my blades to burn their brains for assurance. Sorry, I can't accelerate further.

Getting to the first floor went smoothly. Napoleon carefully navigated, eliminating a few creatures along the way to prevent issues. The main challenge was that Level B-13 was enormous. The entire floor was covered with bodies of creatures huddled together, causing continuous growling in different spots all around. The worst part was the foul smell emanating from the creatures.

Please keep sleeping. Things have gone well so far. Don't let this be the moment when it all goes to shit.

"Operator. I have a question." Lessa whispered, probably still thinking they could wake up if she raised her voice. "Is there any way to help all those people? I understand now what they're turning them into. All these creatures were humans. Everyone outside, if everyone could see what happens here."

"What can I do?" the Operator said, looking at the frozen bodies above her. "Look at us. Just walking between these things is extremely dangerous. I know you've probably seen me do things that don't make logical sense to you, but I have limits to what I can do, and what we're doing is my limit."

"I understand, Operator. Sorry, it was just a comment."

This entire world is headed for disaster because of something I can't recall, caused by whatever that bastard woke up. And what am I supposed to do with them? Hide them? Where? I must avoid at all costs running into whatever is coming.

They were already halfway there. The Operator kept looking at the hanging bodies and remembered how scared they had been when they woke up. _They were awake. Who put them to sleep again?

"Tera, is there any way to help them?"

Sorry for the question, but who are you speaking with? We've noticed it since we first met you. If you can't answer, I understand," Dan said.

"No, it's fine. I must look like a crazy woman talking to myself. Tera is like an older sister who looks out for me. The communication chip is inside my head, and I only share information with her, so just ignore me when you see me doing this."

An older sister? Thank you, Operator. I bet you're blushing.

"Not now, Tera." The Operator smiled. "Help me with what I asked for."

For now, there's no way to help any of those people. I need you to focus on getting out of here. You can't help anyone if a pack of mutated monsters eats you.

"I understand."

Behind the Operator, she began to hear the roars once more. The creatures were awakening again, one by one, turning their attention toward the Operator's group. "Last grenades, damn it," she muttered as she threw the final three around Level B-13. The purple smoke from the grenades cloaked the area, causing the creatures to fall back asleep.

Operator, they're sleeping for shorter periods. I assume they're processing the sleep-inducing chemical more efficiently. You need to act faster.

"Napoleon, we can't keep moving carefully. Make a path one creature wide; we have to run. We can't afford to go slowly." The Operator stopped and looked back. "You three go in the middle; I'll cover you. I need you to run and ignore any creature that wakes up; just run without stopping."

Napoleon narrowed the path to a single body wide and picked up the pace, his blades punching into one skull and ripping free to the next, the heat searing each brain before the thing could wake. The creatures were coming up faster now, heads lifting all across the floor, and the trail he cut behind him was already filling in.

Behind them, the door they'd come through groaned open. Soldiers flooded through, spreading across the level at the entrance. One near the back found her.

"Open fire! Get the saws running, cut through them!"

Shit, they're going to hit my backpack. The Operator turned around, and bullets started hitting her front, protecting her group and damaging only the clothes she had on.

"Keep going. Don't stop for this," the Operator shouted to them.

The rounds tore into the creatures on the ground. One by the wall jerked as a bullet hit it. Its head came up, mouth open, and a tongue snapped out and wrapped around Lessa and ripped her off her feet, dragging her back through the air as the mouth spread wide for the acid.

"LESSA!" Dan lunged after her.

The Operator threw her arm across his chest. "Don't. If you go after her, you and the girl get taken too."

"Let go of me," Dan yelled at the Operator. "Take the girl. I'll save Lessa."

"Napoleon, get her!"

Napoleon shot off the floor, crossed the gap in a blur, and his blade took the creature's head off at the neck. The tongue went slack, and Lessa dropped to the floor, gasping.

"Lessa, run! To us, now!" the Operator said.

She hurriedly scrambled up and ran, with hands emerging from the sleepers to grab her. Napoleon dropped low and cut them off at the wrists one after another, creating a path through them until she reached safety, after which Dan pulled her in.

The whole level was waking now. The soldiers threw their own grenades into it, and gas hissed across the floor, but the creatures barely slowed, shaking it off and climbing to their feet anyway.

"The gas isn't holding them anymore! Everybody, the door, move! Napoleon, if anything grabs them, cut it."

She drew her revolver, tore a handful of rounds from the backpack, and loaded quickly. A creature near her opened its mouth, tongue coming out, and she put an explosive round through its head. The skull burst, spraying the ones behind it.

Rows of them were up now, some throwing themselves at the soldiers, others turning toward her group.

Time to do something desperate, shit.

She swung the revolver toward the creatures crowding the far door, off to the side of the frame, and fired two shots. The loud booms echoed across the level, causing many of them to burst apart, with chunks hitting the wall and floor, ropes of gut hanging from the doorframe. The path was now clear.

"Dan, Lessa, stop!"

They couldn't make it on foot. The monsters were waking up between them and the door, and the path was filling in more each second, leaving only one route she disliked.

"I'm throwing you. Both of you, to the door."

Dan's head snapped around. "You're gonna what?"

"You'll take a hard hit, and it'll hurt, so cover your head and roll. Give me the girl. Now."

Dan put the girl on the floor, and she stood next to the Operator.

"Cover your head when you land." She wrapped both arms around Lessa and threw her. It wasn't clean. Lessa went low and awkwardly across the floor, missed the wall, came down on her shoulder, covered her head, and rolled through the shredded meat the revolver had left on the ground. Lessa came up filthy and gasping, but she was safe.

Dan next. The Operator grabbed him and threw him the same way. He came down harder, rolled, and dragged himself up beside Lessa. Both of them hurt from the landing, both of them standing.

She took the girl and lifted her up. "Napoleon, cover us."

The floor was now fully awakened. All around, they were rising from the ground, eyes opening, heads turning, and gradually, they each spotted her, the woman running through them with a child in her arms. They approached her from every direction.

"Filthy, disgusting things," she muttered, holding the girl tighter.

They were people once.

"Not anymore, they're not."

Napoleon moved with incredible speed, as if the ground couldn't keep up. He would land on her shoulder, coil around it, then launch himself into a creature's throat. From there, he'd push off onto the next target, leaping off a skull, a reaching arm, her hip, her back, and finally onto the top of the pack, using every surface he could find for the next launch. He never held still long enough for anything to touch her. Around her, he was a blur, a spinning wheel of blades that cut everything it passed.

The girl pressed against her chest, her small hands clutching her shirt tightly, her face pushed in firmly, and the Operator felt every tremor as she ran.

"Almost there. Don't look. Just hold on to me." She looked at Dan and Lessa, who were firing at the monsters as they waited for her. "Get through! Wait for me on the other side!"

Dan and Lessa went through and left the door open, watching for her.

By the time she reached halfway to the door, Napoleon had already left a trail of dead creatures on the floor, making the path in front of her clearer. Behind her, more of them began waking up and chasing her, while at the far end of the other entrance, she could hear soldiers, gunfire, and screams.

"Move back."

She came through the hallway and set the girl down on the floor. Napoleon was still on the other side, cutting, throwing himself from one creature to the next.

"Napoleon, get in here, now!"

He launched off a creature's shoulders, taking its head on the way up, and shot through the gap, dropping to the floor. He was covered in chunks of meat and a dark liquid, and he shook his whole body rapidly, over and over, flinging it off until he was clean.

The Operator pulled the metal door shut and set both hands against it. The creatures hit it from the other side, a heavy slam, then another, then another, pounding into it without stopping. But with her strength, holding it closed took no effort.

She pulled the torch from her belt and held it out to Dan. "You're taller. Run it along the seam, top to bottom, and seal it shut." She turned her head. "Lessa, my backpack. There's a security key in there. Find it."

Dan grabbed the torch and ran the flame along the seam, causing the metal to turn white and melt. Lessa rummaged through the pack, discarding items onto the floor, until her fingers found the key.

"Got it."

Lessa put the key in the Operator's hand, and then the Operator pushed it into the panel by the door. The locks inside the frame slid shut, one after another.