Chapter 8: What is this feeling?

Vinci is still indifferent; he did not help the scavengers in their fight against the evil group, however, seeing those people sacrifice their lives for others gave him a feeling that he did not feel before. A tingling sensation in his heart yet it does not hurt. He is puzzled and casts a calming spell.

Only a few hours of walking and they will reach City C. In the distance, a helpless mother and son are on the road waiting for someone to help them. David runs toward them and shares his food.

"Are you okay?" David asked while handing a portion of food and water to them. The mother and son thanked him for his generosity. The mother told David that they were separated from the group when they went out to look for supplies.

"Can you help us go back to our base?" The mother asked David.

David looked at his teacher and said yes. Vinci does not understand his action. Why does he have to help them?

"Why are you helping them?" Vinci asked out of curiosity.

"Teacher, we have to be kind to those people who need help. We are in an apocalypse so we need to extend our hands to the needy. It is part of our nature to be good. A good person emanates kindness and this kindness is shown through helping other people." He explains to his teacher knowing that he is not from this planet.

"Aside from that, are you not happy seeing other people in joy reuniting with their family and friends? Their joy brings warmth to our hearts which inspires us to be kind to everyone." He added while helping the mother and son to walk.

Vinci at the moment is confused. He feels the fun and thrill of this journey yet never felt the kindness David is talking about. They continued walking when the woman said they are almost there. David is confused because they are in an abandoned building. They noticed that when passing the streets it was very safe; there are no zombies in the area.

Suddenly, a group of people appears.

"Thank god you brought someone." a random person thanked the woman.

David and Vinci are confused about the statement that the random man said. They should be receiving thanks from them instead they thanked the woman.

The woman thanked David that they got back safely.

"By the way, I have a gift for you as my thanks. Come with me." David and Vinci walk with her. They are walking down the stairs and they are brought in the underground. The woman did not say anything while they are walking.

"Here. We arrive." the woman said. David and Vinci look around but nothing is there. In a moment, they hear a growling and it is not from the people but from the zombies.

"What is the meaning of this?" David asked the woman. The woman answered by saying "Thank you for being our sacrifice. Our god will like you as a gift." The people around are worshipping an evolved zombie. This evolved zombie will not kill them if they will bring a sacrifice, especially superhumans. It has intelligence and it is using humans to lure other humans.

"Deal with this." Vinci let his student fight with the zombies and then flies toward the evolved zombie. David uses "mold" to kill the zombies. Then one evolved zombie, a level lower than the boss face him. They fight equally in terms of agility and power. The zombie can reshape its hands into mantis-like hands that can pierce things.

Vinci talks to the boss wanting to get information about the apocalypse however, it still lacks human language. He does not want to fight this boss since it is not on his level. "Summon" he summons the legendary deer, a support type of beast. He orders it to deal with the boss zombie. "Light beam" The deer used the light beam and pierced a hole in the zombie's body, killing it in a second.

"It is done. do you have other orders?" The deer asked.

"I do. Let us wait for David to finish his fight." He replied.

"You should be wary of your surrounding braindead." He binds it with water and then sliced its head.

"Let us go back." He told David as soon as he finished his fight. His teacher is still indifferent. He does not care about the situation at all. They walk up and found the people gathered around, murmuring. Some people are asking what will happen to them. David is a kind-hearted man. He approached them and said

"I know you have done those things because you are afraid that the zombie boss will eat you. You were brainwashed. It has a magic that will make you submit to it and become its subject." He explained to them without any speck of anger, hatred, or betrayal.

Vinci asked the deer to heal them, remove their fear and calm them. The deer did what Vinci asked and then went back to his planet. David told the people that City C has a safe haven and they can seek refuge there. There are many awakened that protect the base. He also said that they are going there. If they want, they can go with them.

"Why are you helping them? You are betrayed by these people." Vinci is confused about his student's actions.

"They are helpless, teacher. The situation forced them to do it. We cannot blame them and besides, they are brainwashed by the zombie boss, made them believe that it is a god." David replied to his teacher sharing what he thinks about these people's actions.

"Can we really trust the people?"

"Teacher, there are good people although we cannot deny that there are really bad people but our nature is primarily good; it is our situation in this apocalypse that makes us choose to do evil." He replied

"Besides, you have already seen people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for others' sake. Do you trust me, teacher?" He added waiting to hear if his teacher trust him. David believes that he can change the indifference of his teacher into caring.

Vinci answered that he trusts David since he is his student and he is willing to save him in times he is in danger. Then David said that Vinci cares for him as his student. That feeling is the same when you care for other people; you are willing to help them with their needs.

While they are walking, Vinci is thinking about it.

They arrived in City C and coincidentally, there are soldiers patrolling around the area and saw them. The soldiers took them to the safe haven. Vinci can see the excitement on David's face as they are approaching the safe haven. He felt happy seeing his student's reactions. He said to himself "So, this is how it feels to be happy for my student."

When they arrived, David searched for his family. Vinci did not follow him. He wants David to have time with his family. Hours later, Vinci saw David walking like a zombie without energy. The excitement on his face earlier vanished and is replaced with sadness. He talked to him and David told him that his family is not in the base. He asked everyone in the safe haven but no one knows them.

"Will I ever see them, teacher?" He asked Vinci while crying. Vinci does not know how to comfort him. He never experienced it before. He hugged his student to comfort him.

He promised David that he will help him find his family then David showed his family picture to him.

While comforting David, Vinci is thinking of those beings who started this apocalypse. Since there are apostles, there should be a teacher who they listen to. "Is it you Caden?" He is thinking that Caden came here with the same intention of living a new life. What if this is his plan for a new life? Vinci will find out the main cause of this apocalypse while looking for David's family and starting anew by beginning to care for and trust other people.

He is feeling mixed emotions that he does not understand.