Hey Jude

I can feel the weight of his sword, but a little nudge to the left, and he falls from the roof. I grab his sword, though, I need Joy to have it. He hangs onto it, but he is in the reach of the undead on the ground. 

He looks at me with vengeful eyes, before letting it go and turning into a Jaguar. 

I look at Joy, she seems disheartened, but she extends her hand for the sword. 

As I feel the lovely, relaxing, rain sliding through my skin and closing my wounds, I get a chance to check the situation, and it is dire. 

We're on the roof of a house. If we go clockwise, we have Daniel dodging Sally's flame sword on top of wooden houses, but as if that wasn't enough. The burning temple to the north-west adds to the huge fire that is in the making. 

The west is the plaza in front of the temple, which is swarming with undead. From the southwest I can see the undead jaguar coming in the distance, and to the southeast the werejaguar I just dealt with is back for more. 

I look at Joy, she is stretching, getting ready to go, but she cannot keep herself from keeping an eye to the direction of the hoard of zombies.

I extend my hand for her.

"Joy, we have to focus." I pull her into a hug as soon as she handshakes me, "I've seen him. I know it is hard, but we have to be strong." 

I have also seen Lily and Biel wandering. This is an absolutely disgusting technique. 

"We need a plan. I can hold my own against Tarik, but that thing seems too much." Joy points to the former Omar, "Not to mention that it is harder to move up here."

I guess she isn't as used to move on top of the houses as I've come to be. Regardless, no plans come to mind. I'm just instinctively walking backwards. 

Trying to focus on Omar is pointless. Logically, we could go for Tarik and try to neutralize him, but if we do that he might just get killed by the fire or by Omar, and then he'll become another undead and simply more relentless. Daniel and Sally aren't really treats for us right now, and there is a sea of fire in that direction. 

Is running once again the only choice? The whole city is going to either burn or get eaten, and I'm just going to bounce? No, we have to do something. 

"Who cast this walking dead skill?"

"I was fighting Tarik, I can tell it wasn't him."

Hum … Then it was probably Daniel. If Sally had this, she wouldn't have needed us. 

To think I'm the one who brought him to this world, helped him survive and conquer the Clã de Ataque's HQ. We've come a long way, and I really did screw things up from the start. 

"Can you cover for me?"

"Sure can, as much as you want."

They're fighting towards the north-east. I might be able to circle around the fire and get a good shot on Daniel. I didn't want to come to this, but what choice do I have?

I dash east, jumping around is easier now. But I can't go full speed, Joy needs to be in the tear's range to not be mauled by the beast. She also doesn't move as well on top of the houses. 

As I look back on her, Tarik is already on top of her. She dodges each claw swing and slashes in response. She isn't using the tear yet, but neither are those attacks very effective on that thick of a skin.

I move further, two more houses and I might have a shot. I look back, and she managed to come closer, but he manages to hit her and her skill is activated now. She lost the advantage, but It's still alright.

Okay! I'm in range. 

I check on Joy. Omar is on the fight now. She is dodging him, but attacking is futile. Tarik is managing to keep in the opposite side from her. Sly snake, he is making sure she is the target.

I need to down Daniel right now. Tarik could come for me, but he doesn't seem interested in that.

Draw. 

Breathe. 

Aim.

"Aaaahhh" A guttural acute scream.

My heart sinks and a cold chill runs down my spine as I look back. 

Joy?

I can see Tarik firmly catching her with his jaws and throwing her body far. She flies at least three blocks into a house near me. 

I have to take this shot. I shoot at Tarik's collarbone, he won't be able to move as well and will have to deal with Omar. Hope he stalls a lot, at least. 

I jump down, into the house she was thrown into. My blood is rushing, breathing heavily, but oxigen isn't reaching my brain. There was enough force to break a hardwood wall and some loose pieces have impaled her. On her shoulder and a leg. There is a lot of blood, and she is not conscious. 

I rush to her and push my ear into her chest. 

...

...

Thump Thump

...

...

Thump Thump

I take a breathe.

HUFF

She is alive, there must've been some of her secret skill still covering her. But we're not yet out of the woods. 

People are looking at us right now, scared. It is still too high of a wall for the zombies to catch us, but now their faces rubbing against the wood is fully visible, and we can clearly hear their groaning.

"Come on, Joy!" I slap her face with as much restraint as I manage, "Come on, Joy! Please wake up! I need you. PLEASE!" 

...

Her face twitches a little. I take a good look at her face and just now I notice how much I've been crying. 

As she opens her eyes, I gently place my palm against her cheek. 

"You think this is the end?"

"No, no, no. Your sword, where is your sword? I'll get your sword, and it'll be alright."

Where is it? Maybe it is with the Jaguars? Perhaps it flew even further than her? Why can't I remember where it went?

"Yapowe" Her face is contracted with pain, but still she smiles, "I wish we could've … Loved each other."

[Fragile Shepherd]

Oh, I recognize this feeling. So she was the one who guided me when I needed most. She is trying to show me once again what matters most. 

The bubbles are all over her. She looks particularly beautiful with them pushing her hair and giving it some volume. 

My heart skips a beat. I look deep into her eyes, way past the golden color and into her very soul. 

"I love you, Joy."

I feel time slowing as my face closes the distance into hers. 

Her lips so soft I could feel myself out of this world. That kiss feels like it would last for an eternity.

[Combined technique — Kingdom of acceptance]

My conscience blank for a second. 

I feel drowning into words unknown, a blend of concepts that I could never grasp. No forms around me, only words filling a page with more dimensions than my mind could comprehend. 

I look for Joy into the mess, but there is no such a thing. I find the word Joy, the words for eyes and yellow. 

I'm here too, my love. You're seeing what I'm seeing. If there even is you or me. Is this void how you feel?

Is this confusion, how YOU feel? 

Hahaha, if you pay enough attention, you can see our reality. Those are the scared couple, those are the hardwood impaling my(?) body. And those are the zombies. Come with me. 

I can almost see it. She is walking through them, with full comprehension of the reality of this world, she guides me. As she dances and composes beautiful concepts tailor-made for each of the beast, she manages to wrap minds and open their hearts so I can touch them, and as I do their minds and soul are at ease. 

We go past the fire and the houses, in the direction of Daniel. 

Even I could know that it was him. An absolute mess of indistinguishable corrupt concepts, so tangled up I can taste the despair. I can barely bring myself to touch it. 

Joy approaches it and unites a world of concepts.

The more, the merrier. We will need all of them to get to none of them. And from nothing, we can finally give him a fresh start. A start where he can make his own mistakes.