Chef in the Apocalypse

Jayce stood like a sentinel, observing as the party worked with a sense of urgency to dismantle their camp. His gaze, however, held a knowledge that set him apart. He alone comprehended the horrors that the impending Beast Tide would unleash, a calamity that now bore down on them sooner than he had expected due to the altered timeline.

Three months might seem like a trifling span in the grand scheme of things, but it deprived them of valuable time to grow stronger and fortify themselves against the relentless wave of monsters that would soon descend upon them.

Among Jayce’s objectives for this journey beyond Bastion was to locate the town of Qinling, or what had been known as such before the Apocalypse. With the reshaping of the Earth’s surface during the game’s descent, most maps had become obsolete, rendering navigation a perilous endeavor.

In his previous life, he had heard a sorrowful tale from his party’s leader about the tragic fate that had befallen his wife and Qinling’s inhabitants during the Beast Tide. Despite the regression, Jayce’s heart still held deep affection for his old party. They had endured countless life-or-death situations together, standing unwaveringly by each other’s sides until the end.

Jayce’s face twisted with turmoil as he wrestled with his emotions, haunted by the memories of their camaraderie. Lost in thought, he didn’t immediately notice Lianna approaching.

Lianna had sensed his inner turmoil, her earlier conversation with Jackie echoing in her mind. She hesitated, deciding not to bring up the news about her class upgrade quest. Instead deciding to support Jayce.

Gently, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and spoke in a soft, soothing tone, "Jayce, we’ll follow whatever decision you make."

Her unexpected touch and kind words broke through his reverie, causing him to momentarily lift his head and meet her gaze. In her emerald eyes, he found a respite from the storm of his thoughts, as if the world around them had fallen silent.

After a contemplative pause, Jayce wore a warm, genuine smile and replied with sincerity, "Thank you, Lianna. I know what I must do."

His eyes hardened with determination, and he silently vowed, ’I won’t carry regrets in this lifetime.’ Turning his attention to his comrades, he addressed Zane and Colin, his voice carrying a newfound resolve. "Zane, Colin, I need a word."

The two stopped what they were doing, heading over post-haste. Colin looked at Jayce who had a resolute expression plastered on his face and instantly knew that he would be doing something dangerous. A fire began to burn within him, bringing a large grin onto his face. However, the next words that came out of Jayce’s mouth caused his smile to turn into a frown.

"Colin, I need you to lead everyone back to Bastion. Any and all reconstruction should be focused on barricading the city and creating a line of defense for the incoming horde of monsters."

"And what will you be doing?" He asked in a deep voice, not liking where this conversation was going.

Jayce smiled wryly, "I’m sorry guys, you’ll have to allow me to be a little selfish this time. Zane and I will be searching for survivors of the city in the east."

Before Colin could object, the sandy haired swordsman almost squealed in fright, "Y-You can’t go back there. You won’t stand a chance."

Instead of reprimanding the man who spoke out of turn, Colin nodded "He’s right. It’s too dangerous by yourself. I’ll tag along."

Jayce shook his head, "This is not a discussion. This mission requires stealth and subterfuge, which doesn’t exactly line up with your forte." he responded politely with a plain expression.

However, hearing those words, Colin held back a shudder. He knew his Leader better than anyone. Whenever Jayce took a polite tone, it meant that he had made the final decision and any objections would be quashed. He had made a similar mistake when suggesting that the two have a spar, only to be politely declined.

Colin, in his ignorance, had kept pushing the envelope, eventually leading to the two going toe to toe. All he remembered of the spar was suddenly feeling as if half of his strength left his body, before being beaten to a pulp in rapid fashion.

Therefore, hearing the same polite tone, his bones began to ache slightly. Clearing his throat, he responded "Ahem. Okay Leader, I’ll do it."

Jayce nodded, satisfied. "Good. Zane, any objections?" He turned his gaze toward the stoic and handsome man by his side.

Zane, with unwavering determination, replied promptly, "None."

"Excellent." Jayce addressed the rest of the party and the stragglers they had encountered moments ago. "Colin will be in charge during my absence. Treat his orders as you would mine. Your top priority is reaching Bastion as swiftly as possible to relay my message. The lives of over a thousand people depend on you." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

In unison, the group responded, "Yes, Leader."

The group swiftly parted ways, with Colin at the helm leading them back toward Bastion. Jayce, Lianna, Zane, and the remaining survivors turned their attention toward the looming threat that had caused such a panic in the fleeing townsfolk.

Lianna couldn’t help but express her concern as she looked at Jayce, her beautiful green eyes filled with worry. "Jayce, please be careful," she implored.

A soft smile danced on Jayce’s lips as he assured her, "I’m always careful."

With that, Jayce and Zane veered off toward the direction from which the panicked survivors had emerged. Their enhanced attributes enabled them to traverse the land with incredible speed, akin to the galloping of a horse. Not only could they move swiftly, but their increased stamina allowed them to maintain this pace for hours on end.

The duo traveled for a few hours in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps pattering on the terrain accompanying them. It was then that Zane raised his hand in signal, telling Jayce to come to a stop.

Jayce quickly did so, "What is it?"

"I can sense some movement up ahead" he replied, looking past the line of trees in the distance.