The Walking Dead

(POV ???)

My head throbbed and my body felt as if it had just been torn apart, as my conscious returned. My senses seemed overloaded for a brief moment before they cleared; the pain vanishing as fast as it had manifested.

I attempted to move however, I soon found out I couldn't. Believing I had once again been reincarnated I relented my efforts and tried to fall back to sleep, when something caught my attention. This reincarnation was much different than last time. It would be rather presumptuous of me to think I was going to be greeted by a god every time I died, but I was still me. This means my memories weren't wiped as I had been told was typically the case. And, though it didn't bother me much, I felt a small chill which was unusual since spirits can't feel temperature, but I didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed, although heavily dampened, I could still feel the cool strokes of a gentle breeze dancing across my skin, I could still could smell the lingering scent of rotting flesh, of which those wolves reeked. I could still feel the rocky ground under me. The longer I sat, the harder it became to believe I was dead, but it still didn't feel right.

As I explored the depths of my feeling, moving my focus along my lesser senses, my eyes still clamped shut, I found something that started to seem more and more familiar. This body, it was me, it was Alice. Had I somehow not died? It was all off, unusual, near distant like lucid a dream, I felt like I was missing something, but still, the level of similarity was unmistakeable. Things didn't feel quite how they were supposed to, but considering the possible situations, me having survived in some miracle makes a little sense.

Trying to get up was a labored and fruitless effort. There was no response despite my best efforts to move my body. Attempting to open my eyes I, once again, was held prisoner in my own body; my now-growing-desperate commands never succeeding to get my body to react. Try as I might, nothing would budge. Suddenly my eyes opened, shocking me slightly. I got up off the ground and my body started moving, however I didn't command myself to do so.

The movements were awkward and didn't correspond to my own attempts at control. This was my body right? The doubt crept across me with the realization I was currently missing my right arm.

I tried to stop myself from listening to whatever was in control, and despite all efforts I continued heading slowly and resolutely, as if a programmed machine, in the direction of a destination, to which I have no recollection of ever having been.

My head wouldn't turn, my eyes wouldn't shift, it was as if I wasn't there, my body left to do nothing more than steadily shamble forward, in a disordered rhythm. Panic began to set in as I realized my predicament. I was alive, but I wasn't the one in control, and I could only relent to the force moving me. I was a prisoner in my own body.

Trying to think of solutions, I attempt to open my system to try and grasp of my situation.

____________________________________________

[NAME: Alice

[RACE: Lesser Zombie {New}

[GENDER: Female

[TITLES: [Child of Nature][Child of the Eclipse][Champion of Clover][Plagued]{New}[Walking Dead] {New}

[Lv: 1/10]

HP: 57/620

MP: 280/26800{1000}

Status: ???

[VIT: 61

[STR: 101

[END: NULL

[INT: 2680 (+1450)

[Wis: 675

[SPEED: 290

[LUCK: 67

[UNUSED STAT POINTS: 0

[SKILLS:

- PASSIVE:

[Catlike Reflexes (lvMAX)]

[Basic Claw Mastery(lv4)]

[Intermediate Short Sword Mastery(lv5)]

[Intermediate Great Sword Mastery(lv2)]

[Intermediate Dagger Mastery(lv9)]

[Intermediate Bow Mastery(lv2)]

[Intermediate Spear Mastery(lv7)]

[Accelerated Regeneration(lv7)]

[Intermediate Exhaustion Resistance (lv9)]

[Intermediate Poison Resistance (lv3)]

[Basic Fear Resistance(lv3)]

[Accelerated Thinking (Lv6)]

[Eye For Treasure]

[Night Vision]

[Lucky Strike]

[Intuition]

[Mark of Madness]

[Basic Eclipse Attunement]

[Void Walker]

[Deathless Nature] {New}

[Puppet] {New}

[Lesser Gluttony] {New}

[Touch of the Corrupted] {New}

- ACTIVE:

[Intermediate Mana Manipulation (lv5)]

[Intermediate Moonlight Magic (lv4)]

[Intermediate Sunfire Magic (lv9)]

[Intermediate Void Magic(lv3)]

[Intermediate Telekinesis(lv1)]

[Stealth(lv7)]

[Claws(lv6)]

[Basic Claw Arts(lv2)]

[Intermediate Short Sword Arts(lv1)]

[Basic Great Sword Arts(lv9)]

[Intermediate Dagger Arts(lv5)]

[Basic Bow Arts(lv8)]

[Intermediate Spear Arts(lv3)]

[Intermediate Throwing Arts(lv3)]

[Mimicry(lv6)]

[Unstable Mana Shot(lv1)]

[Self Destruct (lv1)]

[Universal language]

[Control]

[UNUSED SKILL POINTS: 18

[BLESSING/CURSES:

[Blessing of the Cat God Clover]

[Innate luck]

[Curse of Gluttony] {New}

____________________________________________

' A Lesser Zombie?' I thought with equal puzzlement, and begrudging understanding. My focus lingered at that particular section of the interface. If I was a zombie, it may explain a few things, like how I'm still alive, and why everything feels so odd. The thought didn't sit right with me. Zombies typically attack anything that moves or makes noise, If I'm nothing more than a prisoner in this body now, it may have been better to just die.

' Cynthia, what are these new skills?' I questioned hesitantly. As I continued to skim through the status menu, I noticed a few new Skills and began to speculate how they were effecting me, however Cynthia never responded. As the silence held on I tried to call out to Cynthia again.

' Cynthia, are you okay, why aren't you responding?' I was starting to get unnerved by the silence. This may have been the first time I have been stuck in this kind of isolation since I reincarnated. I wasn't a fan.

'Cynthia what's going on?' I questioned again with growing concern, however I was once more left with no response. As my body unconsciously wound past trees, delving deeper into the forest I found myself getting more and more nervous.

I continued trying to get Cynthia to respond but to no avail. The scenery continued changing until the forest faded to a more blood red color and I realized I had traveled a very long way. I hadn't run into any other creatures which I thought to be odd but I wasn't going to question my good luck, before I managed to regain control of my body.

In the otherwise silent woods I heard a familiar voice talking to themselves, halting my fruitless endeavors.

" Good, this is very good, the forests are quickly being turned and soon no one will be able to resist my legions! The sins will return and I will lead them, finally I'll be able to show that boorish Pride what for. I've even captured one of his prized experiments." The childish voice gleefully exclaimed.

As I made my way further into the clearing my eyes opened in shock at the scene in front of me. The person who was speaking, I knew them.

" What's this?" The girl called in surprise, and I felt countless eyes fall onto me. The entire clearing was filled with numerous creatures that were far stronger than I was at the moment. The girl, who was gazing in my direction delicately waved a hand beaconing me forward and my body complied stopping just an arm's length away from her. My body stood without moving despite my want to run from the eyes piercing through me, or to ask what was going on.

" How unusual, you aren't ..." The girl closely examined me, and I felt vulnerable. Her gaze dug under the skin and I felt naked in front of her. Metaphorically speaking. That being said I'm not entirely sure what my clothing situation is looking like at the moment. The thought served only to further my discomfort.

Her expression of curiosity turned to one of complete elation after a moment of inspection." To think I have even turned a demi-human! And what diverse skills it has, a most powerful subordinate. My power is growing far faster than I had anticipated. Hmm, yes, we will forego future preparations, and commence the attack sooner than planned, we cannot let those humans have any more time to prepare. How lucky you are my dear, you will be my right hand lady, my executioner, and by my hand I will take control of the entirety of the human content, then spread till the whole world is at my command!"

A horrid symphony of mangled and demonic roars and cries came from the creatures in the clearing, as if cheering along with the girl.

" Hmm, actually, You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?" She questioned looking back at me. After a moment something clicked. " You, must be the one who my host wanted to surpass. The one who humiliated her. Yes, now I remember. How fitting her most hated adversary will be the one to pave the way for my domination of this world!"

The girl's face contorted, and she let out a horrid laugh that made my skin crawl and my body flinch away. This definitely wasn't the Anabelle I remember.

" Hmm, It is unusual though, a Demi-human that is overly invested in Magic. Not every day you see something like this, but unfortunately I am unable to turn them into a lich at the moment. How regrettable." Anabelle caressed my chin gazing onto my eyes. "You're still useful, in time I'll be able to help you see your true potential but for now, this will have to do. If only you were able to grow up fully, oh how regrettable indeed. You would have made for a marvelous feast for me then."

A deep heavy grumble shook the clearing it's origin seeming to be Annabelle." Yes, you're right, I need to stay focused. We've done enough preparation now. It's time for the fun to begin. We'll be feasting soon enough. But first ..."

Right on cue, I began to sink away, as if I had just been chained to a heavy weight and dropped into a bottomless pool, my senses disconnected completely, and I could feel my soul sinking into a fathomless abyss. Grappled by darkness, I could do naught but helplessly succumb to the nothingness that awaited me.

The darkness persisted for what felt like an eternity attempting to torture me in my helplessness. Only when relenting to my fate, accepting the darkness and attempting to rest, did a blinding light burn my eyes, but for the first time in a while I could move to cover them. As the light morphed into contrasting colors, I recognized my surrounds but couldn't say quite where I was. It was a white room, simple with a desk in one corner, and a bed in the other corner near a window, with a canopy that obscured something that seemed to be lying on it. Various posters and pictures also decorated the wall, some were of music groups, or boy bands others were of two small children.

A small picture laying on the corner of the desk, caught my attention, taking a closer look at the picture I trace my hand along the figures, and finally recognized where I was. This was my sister's old room.

" It's been awhile, Michael" A voice called out from behind me. It was hauntingly sweet and I felt myself immediately begin to cry.

Turning I am met with my sister as she sat on the edge of her bed the same way she always was when I came to her room seeking refuge. Running up to her as I had so long ago, I began to cry. All the years of pent up stress, and rage. All the terrible things I have had done to me, all the unspeakable things I had done to others all seemed to melt away just as every problem had before.

Clenching my eyes closed I focus on my hold on her progressively getting tighter as if she would slip away if I relented even a little.

" Gosh you look terrible." She said, causing me to open my eyes. My surrounds had changed. The room had become tattered, As If a bomb had gone off. The posters were torn, and the room been all but razed to the ground, only the walls remained however even they were struggling to stay together.

Looking back at my sister I realized she wasn't talking to me. Her gaze was above me, behind me.

" Yeah, we all look like we've seen better days." A deeper voice said behind me. Looking back I saw myself, or rather Michael. He looked like he'd just been run over, I guess that's because he had.

" Well it doesn't matter anymore, now that we're all back together again, we don't have to worry about that anymore. We can just stay here together, doesn't that sound nice?"

"A lot has happened since we last saw each other. You will have to tell me everything that happened."

I lifted myself and spun around to sit beside my sister. Michael had sat beside her on her other side and they began to talk. I wanted to reach out and join, but they seemed to be off in there own little world. It made sense though. I didn't belong here. Even if I wanted to stay with them forever, I had abandoned them already; left them behind to be forgotten. I had tried ever since my reincarnation to rid myself of their memory.

I hopped off the bed and walked over to the door that led outside of her room. Looking back one last time, my sister's head turned towards me.

"Where are you going? Come back and talk with us. "She called out. I had assumed she was ignoring me because she couldn't see me, but now the both of them were staring at me, beaconing me back into their arms. I was tempted to run back to them but I couldn't.

" I'm sorry, but I can't ... yet. Not yet. I'll be back again soon. So wait for me. Please." turning back to the door the wall had sealed shut and the door disappeared.

" I can't let you leave." My sister's voice was low. It's tone went from endearing to harsh. "After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me? All the time I spend listening to your childish complaints and sob stories, and now you're just going to leave me? I knew I never should have cared for you. I should have left you to die by father's hand you filthy little murderer."

My sister had appeared next to me and I couldn't bear look her in the face. This wasn't her. My sister was gone. And even if I was dead too there is no way she would have followed me to Hell.

Her words hurt, but from a horrible habit I had developed recently that pain turned into a blazing anger. 'Stop using my sister's face you disgusting creature.'

I thrust my claws into the form in front of me and tore it apart, refusing to acknowledge what it looked like. I had to keep reminding myself she wasn't the one I cared about. The sister I loved, I was never going to see again.

"I knew you never cared about me. Father was right you really are a monster. It was my mistake to ever love you." Her haunting voice resounded again, and upon opening my eyes I saw myself torn to shreds by my feet. My old self had stepped in and saved her.

" You're going to regret messing with me." I snarled. Something reminiscent of fear appeared on the imitations face, but after a moment the blood and claw marks obstructed any indicators of it having a face in the first place.

Appraising my work with a mixture of regret and disgust, the world around me began to crumble. The opportunity to stay with my sister forever was tempting even if she was an imposter, but I couldn't leave my family behind. If I ever go the chance to see my real sister again in some for of afterlife. I'm sure she'd never forgive me for leaving family behind.

Pulled back into my body once again, I was faster at adjusting to the sudden shift in senses probably due to the frequency of being in and out of consciousness. I was faster to notice the nearing edge of the treeline as my body was still in autopilot. Faster to notice the distinct taste of blood in my mouth as well as the pungent stench of decay that clung to me and my surroundings. Faster to notice the waves of mutilated monsters accompanying me. Faster to notice the burning landscape beyond, and the gaping hole in the impenetrable wall of Elysium.