Chef in the Apocalypse

The situation teetered on the edge of despair; Colin’s self-sacrificial taunt had granted them a fleeting respite, but the odds remained stacked against them. The absence of their guardian, Colin, left a gaping hole on the frontline. The party’s spirits were in tatters, their willpower scattered like leaves in the wind.

Amidst this grim tableau, Jayce refused to yield to the weight of sorrow and defeat. While the collective sorrow of Colin’s loss gripped them, Jayce’s mind was already in motion, his survival instincts kicking in with unwavering determination.

Ignoring the turmoil around him, Jayce’s thoughts raced like a whirlwind. His 10 years of experience in the unforgiving apocalypse had honed his strategic thinking, and he was unwilling to let Colin’s sacrifice be in vain. The Goblin Staff, the emblem of Jackie’s power, lay before him, an unexpected opportunity.

With an urgent request for healing, Jayce grabbed the Goblin Staff and dashed into the dusty maelstrom where Colin had once stood. His chef jacket shielded his mouth from the swirling debris as he clutched the staff in his free hand, determination etched into his features.

Through the dust cloud, the scene unfolded before him: bloodfang wolves raking and tearing at a shield on the ground, their eyes blazing red with relentless fury. And there, amidst the chaos, loomed the towering Alpha Wolf, its crimson fur a symbol of death’s dominion. The Alpha itself struck at the shield with furious determination.

Jayce’s blue eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing with an unyielding resolve. Planting his foot with firm determination, he summoned every ounce of his strength and launched himself forward, propelled by Colin’s lingering taunt that the wolves could not resist.

The Goblin Staff swung down, aimed at the hind leg of the nearest wolf. Magic-less and relying solely on his physical prowess, Jayce struck with all his might. The staff glanced off the wolf’s thick hide, seemingly ineffective. Yet, in an unexpected turn, the wolf shuddered violently, its claws ceasing their relentless assault on the shield.

Without pause, Jayce pivoted to the next target, repeating the process. Two blows this time, and the wolf’s reaction was eerily similar. A shiver ran through its frame, its mad red eyes abandoning their aggression to fixate on its packmate. Then, as if possessed, the wolf lunged, biting into its companion’s neck with frenzied abandon.

The unfortunate wolf that had suffered from friendly fire let out a yelp of pain, snapping it out of the taunt and making it recoil a few meters. However, this was none of Jayce’s concern, he continued to run through the dust, hitting every wolf he could before similar situations were occurring across the battlefield.

Until he appeared behind the Alpha wolf who was still distracted by the shield in front of its eyes. Jayce gritted his teeth, allowing the anger and frustration to boil to the surface. It was not just the Alpha wolf that he was angry with, he was also angry with himself for putting his friends in such a dangerous situation without their knowledge.

That kind of hurt and self-loathing was mixed with a righteous indignation that welled up from within him. Colin, whom despite only knowing personally for a few weeks, had already become his true friend, his death was agonizing. The gentle giant was not supposed to die like this, or maybe it was destiny?

After all, in his previous life, Colin had also died holding back the Goblin waves that assaulted the shelter, saving all of the inhabitants including himself. Back then, the big man had made an impression on him, making him vow to save him in this life.

But his actions had led to a similar death for the larger than life man, causing Jayce to hate himself deep inside. He channeled all the hate and rage outward, causing his visage to burn with the flame of indignation.

He grabbed the goblin staff with two hands, lifting it above his head and preparing to strike. His current form overlapped with his past life, he had swung his sword like this countless times, so much so that it had been branded into his mind.

Taking a step forward, he pivoted all of his weight onto his right foot, bringing the staff down wickedly onto the large hind leg of the Alpha Wolf with a thud. Not stopping there, he began to slash from every direction with speed and accuracy, letting out his frustration upon the beast.

After 10 strikes, he was forced back by the numerous wolves who were fighting amongst themselves viciously. Taking one last look at the giant blood-red Alpha who seemed to be having a mental battle, he quickly retreated back to his party members, ignoring the sounds of fighting behind him.

Despite having achieved his goal, he still did not feel happy. As he walked out of the dust that was beginning to settle, the party looked at him expectantly, waiting for his next order. He gazed at the tired and clearly pained faces of his party members, suddenly feeling a sense of inadequacy in front of them.

He avoided their gazes, choosing to look at the ground as he made his way back. Lianna was the first to run over and put her hand on his shoulder. Before he could move it away, she said a chant under her breath, sending a warm current through his body and healing him.

"Thanks." he muttered softly.

"What do we do now?" Lianna asked, turning towards the direction of the wolves.

"We need to recover. Hopefully once they’re finished fighting between themselves, there will only be a few left for us to finish off." Jayce said, his tone gloomy.

Paul, who had been nearby, walked forward, "What do you mean when they’re done fighting between themselves?" he asked with a hint of confusion.

’Ah right. I didn’t tell them what I was doing, I really am a shitty leader.’ Hanging his head low once again, he responded listlessly. "They’re all under the effect of the berserker status, thanks to this."

He held up the Goblin Staff for all to see, before walking towards Jackie who was on the floor, hugging her legs in despair. "Here... I-I’m sorry." Leaving those words, he placed the staff on the ground in front of her and walked to the ice wall before sitting down.