Battle of Minds

Some much already happened but now I also clearly understand that Marc betrayed us. The one person who thought like me or vice versa was the one leading us to our doom.

I rushed back to others and I could see that they are no match for the power of Seth. They were attacking but none of them were landing. Seth either was able to stop them or dodge them. And in their weak condition they can't even merge their powers which might have given us an edge in this fight.

I pulled out my sword and charged on Seth but got blocked by him. I quickly turned and tried to slash him but got blocked again. I moved back and tried my zigzag run and a sudden turn and I was able to get a hit but it was like a pin just poked him.

We all were attacking from all sides. Spear guy and Lady were trying with their spears, captain was trying with his Gladiator's blade but nothing was landing or was giving Seth any major damage.

Ryan just got mad and charged with full force which Seth tried to block with his energy shield but still it threw Seth on a distance but... He just stood up like nothing happened.

We were all overwhelmed by Seth alone. The feeling of hopelessness and vulnerability was getting on us.

"Is there no way to end this?" I said.

"We can't think like that." Ryan replied.

"We have to fight hard." said Lady.

"We can't back down on this. If we took him down, all this misery would end right now." said Garrick.

It was just getting worse and worse. The history was repeating where I was not able to do anything or save anyone.

Suddenly spear guy attacked Garrick and the attack hit its mark.

"Captain it wasn't me." said Spear guy.

"No way. This must be..." I said.

While finishing my sentence, the spear guy tried to attack Garrick again but this time Ryan pushed him back with his shield.

In that quick moment, Garrick just charged and slashed through Spear guy with his blade. The blood was splattered all over Garrick and on the ground.

It was a shock... but what hurt me more was that, even in that quick charge I was able to see a trail of tears following that same path. Garrick did it with a heavy heart and also he did it because he did not want anyone else to do it.

'I am the captain so it should be my responsibility' that was going through his mind right now, and for that I don't even need the powers of any relic to understand.

With one more down we were only four fighters left and again suddenly Lady attacked me but I was ready for any sudden attacks so I was able to avoid it.

"This is not my doing." said Lady.

"I know that. This is all Marc's doing. He was the traitor among us." I replied.

"This was the worse thing you could have said at a time like this." said Ryan.

Lady kept on attacking me but I was able to dodge her attacks.

"Stay focused. Focus your thoughts. You have to snap out of it." I said.

"I can't... I can't concentrate." Lady replied.

"You need to stop him from taking full control of you." I said.

"I can't think straight. It is getting on me. All those bad memories, all these deaths are taking me into the dark abyss." she replied.

"Stay strong, you can't lose to this." I said.

"Easy for you to say *Marc's Voice*. I... I didn't say that." Lady replied.

"Leave her alone." I said.

"All this. I can't take all this. Please..." Lady said in agony.

I wanted to save her but nothing was coming in my head at that time. I was not sure how to save her from these clutches in her brain.

"I can't take this anymore. Please, end this." said Lady.

"No. You are a warrior. You are stronger than me. You should be able to beat him." I replied.

"She is nothing like you *Marc's Voice*. Please just end this." said lady.

"NO." said Ryan.

"Just end me or this will be your end *Marc's Voice*." said Lady.

"Ryan stay out. This is not you Lady, this is what Marc is saying." I replied.

"Please end this. Please Davis I can't. *shouts* PLEASE!!!!" said Lady.

Suddenly something happened and my body moved on its own and I thrust my blade though her chest. The next thing I heard from her was...

"*crying* Sorry... I... I never showed it on my face but... *coughs* but deep down, I was always afraid. And.. and because of this, he got me... Sor..rry... Davis." said Lady.

Those were her last words that I heard.

I didn't react. I just put her down. My eyes were filled with tears but also enveloped in rage. I wanted to scream but I didn't have the luxury or time to express everything.

I controlled my emotions and I knew that my focus should be on Seth, and also because the last three of us are not going to easily fall for Marc's manipulation, we must focus on attacking Seth.

(In some distance...)

"Huh... Never thought you would do that. It was a crazy decision to make. It was not just you but our captain too. Both of you thought and felted that anger and frustration but you both didn't waver before doing it." said Marc.

"Now only you three remained and sadly I can't control you but now should be my chance to see him because he is distracted. I should try to understand what is going through Seth's brain." said Marc.

***Flashback***

One day Seth suddenly appeared in front of Marc and offered a deal to lead us all to a place where Seth could kill us or give him our plan so he could counter attack on us.

"So why did you ask me? What got you interested in me?" Marc asked.

"You want to survive and you will do anything for that. That was the reason to choose you." Seth replied.

"And what if I refuse this." said Marc.

"Then you will face the same wrath, what they all will face." Seth replied with a grinned smile.

******

"I should try to see what is going through Seth's brain." said Marc.

"After handling all these guys I will just end that manipulator guy because he is a relic user too. *smiles* It will be a treat for him to suddenly get killed by my hands." inside the mind of Seth.

"It can't be. He made a fool out of me. I can't stand this. I would gladly take an insult than anyone tricking me. Tricking is what I do to others and no one does this to me." said Marc.

We were struggling against Seth. There was no way of defeating him with just three of us. And on top of that, Ryan and Garrick were already fighting at a low stamina and their shape got worse than before.

But all three of us knew that we can't hide, we can't run from him that's why their is only one option in front of us and that is to FIGHT.

"Move right."

Suddenly a voice came to my brain and instinctively I moved right and was able to dodge Seth's attack.

"Move two steps behind and then attack quickly."

Again instinctively I moved two steps behind, with that I got away from Seth's attack and I quickly counter- attacked Seth horizontally.

I was able to give a slash but it was not even close to enough.

Then Marc came forward and with that a lot of conversation happened through his telepathy.

(Conversation within Marc's Telepathy...)

"Why are you here you traitor?" I said angrily.

"After dealing with all of you, Seth will come for me too. that's why I came to help you guys." said Marc.

"We don't need your help." I replied.

"Davis wait. Let's listen to what he wants to say." said Ryan.

"You are saying this, after what we saw. What is left to hear. We already saw what he did. He attacked the captain and because of him two more members got killed." I replied.

"Their must be a reason?" said Ryan.

"Yeah. He must have a reason. He just wants to suppress his guilt of killing five of our members which he didn't care about and now he is trying to help us to make him feel like I did something right in my fucking life." I replied frustratingly.

"Captain killed his group member with his own hands. I killed Lady with my own hands. It all happened because of you." I said.

"I am doing whatever I feel to survive. It has nothing to do with you or anyone else. I will do anything and I mean ANYTHING. And Don't blame me, you two also killed them to protect yourself. *heavy breathing*" Marc replied angrily.

"What changed your mind?" asked Garrick.

"Captain, we can't..." I said.

"Let him speak. You can't always be right about others. Let him be clear with what he wants to say." Garrick replied.

"When he was trying to convince me I was trying to dive in Seth's mind but because of something I was not able to read his mind, and at that time that's what clouded my judgement and I fell for his words." said Marc.

"Like this will ever happen to some genius." I replied.

"I don't know. But when you were fighting I was able to read his mind this time and this time I found out about him using me to kill you all and then after this Seth is going to kill me." said Marc.

"Like we will believe you." I said.

"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not. But this is the truth and if you can't accept it then I would be happy to lead you to your death." Marc replied.

"Both of you stop. Davis leave it. We will discuss this matter later because right now we are in front of a bigger threat.

Right now we need every manpower or relic user we can get." said Garrick.

"But... You are being too nice this time captain." I said.

"Don't let your emotions get your vision clouded. Everyone one of them knew they were going to their deaths when they came to this mission. It doesn't always have to be your responsibility.

They were able to think for them and they decided what to do by themselves.

And one last thing. 'Enemies, enemy is said to be our friend.' So don't think that we forgot everything but right now what is important is in front of us." said Garrick.

"Let's end this guys. This might be our last chance." said Ryan.

"Yeah this might be our last..." I said in my mind.

(Back to present...)

"So you change sides quickly huh... You are not loyal to anyone. Not even to your friends." said Seth.

"You were the one who made a fool out of me. But now I will not fall for your words again because now I can read what is in your brain. I know what you are thinking." Marc replied.

"Oh really." Seth said softly.

"Then tell me what I am thinking." Seth said in a heavy voice.

Marc was shocked I could see him sweating. It must be something bad, no bad is an understatement for this expression. It must be something worse. Then he suddenly...

"Everyone. Move back. NOW!!!" said Marc.

We fall back and we could see monsters coming towards us. It was like a nightmare after nightmare. It seems like a loop of infinite crisis. It will never end.

Seth was laughing as monsters were closing in. Seth moved back and monsters were on our chest to attack and we were in no shape to fight them.

Then suddenly in anger Marc said. "Stop!!!"

By saying that all monsters just stopped their attack and they were just standing their. Then Marc said. "Turn Around!!!"

And the monsters moved according to Marc's command.

"I guess, I am able to control even those monsters." said Marc.

"How could this be..." asked Ryan.

"I think because all of them are blob monsters their IQ is not what they are known for. And that must be the reason for this. Or Marc has awakened some hidden power of his relic." I replied.

"*laughs* So what now Seth. Don't you think that this will turn the tides of this battle." said Marc.

"Hmm" said Seth.

With this we got something to fight with because now we have an army of a few monsters on our side. This might be our only chance.

[ DAY 65 - MONSTERS COUNT : 2,851 HUMANS ALIVE : 6, 105 ]