Chapter 7 - 06: Humanity and Tragic Ends (2/2)

Dixie looked on in horror at how deep John had thought this through. She knew that at this point he was the complete opposite of the past heroes she'd assisted in the past. She knew John had anger that he had pent up and stored somewhere in his consciousness but didn't know that anyone could use it as fuel as John did when he created this plan. She began to wonder if the gods choice to allow him to bring an end to the humans of the Triad of Worlds was the right thing as she began to see just how black his soul really was

As John finishes he felt multiple tingling sensations within his consciousness and took a look. He looked through the minds of the zombie dogs and could tell they were notifying him of the complete mapping of both the old and new sewers. John was delighted as he knew it was time to enact step one of Operation: Shadow Snatch. Without hesitation, he willed the current horde around him into 7 groups of 23 and sent them at full sprint towards the camps of denizens who would soon be a part of his undead horde.

It wasn't long before the first group John made, which he mentally labeled as group 1, came upon the first camp of homeless people. It was a group of 15 that had posted their tents and shacks alongside the walls of the sewer. Most of them were sharing their food with each other while a few slept in their makeshift homes. Within their numbers were a few 2 children who were playing with a toy plane and train. John thought back to his childhood as it wasn't that bad before the fatal fire that ruined his life, and began to wonder if he should spare the children but that went out the window as soon as he remembered just how f.u.c.k.e.d up life can become at any moment. After that unpleasant reminder of his life John only saw them as baits to lure in potential victims during step two of Operation: Shadow Snatch.

He willed one final order to group 1, and that was to enjoy the feast. Not even hesitating, the small horde rushed towards the group of homeless making all sorts of ghastly howls, roars, and growls as if to let them know of their impending doom.

An elderly man rose from his seat and looked a behind him to see what was making the noises unaware of what was rushing toward him as the others that sat around the burning barrel and cooking food looked on in horror as the sounds got closer. Even though the fire from the barrel gave ampul lighting it wasn't enough so the elderly man grabbed his flashlight and shined it down the corridor to only reveal a decayed corpse pouncing at him. Because of his old age, he couldn't react fast enough as the zombie tackled him into the burn barrel and the person who sat across from him.

The zombie bit deep into the man's throat and ripped a huge chunk of it out as it jerked back swallowing the chunk of flesh. It looked up and around at the screaming people as they were being assaulted by its undead brethren as well. Before it could continue its meal It noticed a woman grabbing the hands of the two children and making an attempt to escape. Following its order to kill as many as possible it rose and bolted towards them as another zombie caught on and ran alongside it at full speed.

The woman saw looked back to only see a silhouette of the two zombies dashing at them. She knew that she run fast while holding on to both so now she faced a horrifying situation either abandon both and save herself or abandon one child but the question still sat with which one should she abandon. With not much of a choice, she abandoned the boy and picked up the girl and ran as fast as she could while ignoring the little boy's cries and scream of agony as he's mauled viciously by one of the zombies while the other continued its pursuit.

John watched the whole thing through the eyes of the zombie who remained to chase the woman and the little girl she carried with tears rolling down her face at her choice to leave the boy. At first John applauded the woman for making a smart choice but sadly he found it typical as he saw it coming.

After a few seconds, the woman grew tired and was tackled by the zombie tossing the little girl to the ground as he zombie bit deep into her nape. She made a bloody scream while looking toward the little girl before yelling, ”Run Jasmine, Run!”

The little girl was stupid seeing as she could be next she ran a yard before stopping. The woman behind Jasmine kept crying and yelling for Jasmine to run as she saw that she had stopped. She wanted her to run and survive whatever was happening to them but all hope died as she saw what was in front of Jasmine. A silhouette of a dog that was half of Jasmine's size as it stood there as if waiting on an attack order.

Jasmine didn't know what to think of the dog the was now in front of her. As far she knew it was only people attacking, but with appearance of the dog she didn't know what to do. Before she could run try and run past it pounced for her neck.

Before John could see any more he disconnected his view of the scene as he began to feel a wait on his soul. A weight that was indeed heavier than he could ever imagine. Of course, he hadn't felt anything for the others he'd killed but the look of fear from the girl's face and despair from who John assumed was the mother killed felt different it was like a sharp pain in his soul. But as he began to think it over he felt something in his mind flip like a switch as at that moment John felt that weight on his soul become lighter. He wondered what it could have been but almost as if she knew Dixie flew toward John's skull and embraced him.

Dixie had seen what John's zombie had done and could feel what John had gone through but was oblivious to what he had just lost. She knew that John had immense hatred and anger towards and he had a darkness that laid dormant within his mind but seeing how he felt the sadness of taking the life of innocence showed Dixie that John indeed still had a bit of humanity in him. But she knew that this heavy feeling and sharp pain was a piece of his humanity actually dying.

John could see Dixie was crying as she was saying she was sorry over and over. John confused asks, ”What are you doing little fairy do you know what that feeling was?”

”I could've stopped you from watching! I could've saved it! I could've saved the huge portion of humanity in you that just died! Please forgive me John! Please don't change on me!” Dixie cried with her eyes closed and her head on John's nasal bridge.

John didn't know what had gotten into the c.o.c.ky and sarcastic fairy from earlier but from her words, he could summarize that something like this happened to someone she cared for deeply. He c.a.r.e.s.sed her tiny back with his index finger and said, ”Don't worry Dixie, I don't change so easily.”

In Dixie's heart, she wanted to believe those words but in her mind, she could only recount the very same words coming from the mouth of the hero she once served. She knew this quest from the gods was a dark and sad one as they put her under the impression that the next person she would be in charge of supporting would have already lost his humanity. But at this moment she could feel that the humanity John had shoved behind his hatred and darkness had just become 25% smaller. From Dixie's experience with her last partner who had only lost 10% and became a brutal and sadistic killer she could only believe that John was going to become more monstrous.

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Hi guys and gals sorry for super late or as it's 4 in the morning for me early (Sinful author making sinful jokes, gotta love it) so I plan on doing a Q and A. First 10 to 15 questions will be answered (unless very spoiler-heavy then it will be skipped.)