The sound metal clicking caused Walter to attempt a spin during his skill. He learned the skill didn’t allow him to make any additional movement midway, keeping his movement uninterrupted. As soon as skitter ended he half pirouetted half stumbled to face the newest threat.

“Don’t move or I will shoot” an elderly little man said in a crisp suit.

Walter didn’t believe the man would shoot him by how much his hand shook but did not want to take any chances. He didn’t recognize what type of gun the man was holding, but it looked similar to one of the drawings the instructor showed them. That instructor was considered a gun nut by everyone in The Academy. That instructor would give long lectures of the intricacies of identifying guns and why the people of a world would prefer one style over the other.

“Put down your hands up and tell me who you are and how you got up here” the old man demanded. His hands started trembling harder as he struggled to hold the gun. Beads of sweat forming on his bald liver-spotted head as he stared at Walter through bloodshot eyes.

“My name is Walter. I came from a city called Valhalla through a portal The System created so that I could save you. The System also sent me to fight The Darkness infecting your world. If we do not destroy The Darkness your world will end,” Walter answered. He didn’t find it necessary to add the part about him being exiled.

“Oh… Ok… Can you please have a seat and tell me a little more. Do you remember anybody from the 4th floor? Did they give you anything that helped you think?” the old man said in a slow placating voice.

“Were there other Doctors on the 4th floor? And do you mind pointing your gun somewhere else?” Walter asked as he walked to the chair with his club resting against it.

“Oh yes my apologies on that, usually people from the 4th floor are well… nevermind. Can you please tell me how you escaped the 4th floor without becoming infected?” the Doctor asked as he lowered the gun. “I thought the infected overran the 4th floor first before spreading,” the Doctor mumbled to himself absently.

Walter watched the Doctor carefully before saying anything else. He could tell that the Doctor had been up here alone for a while, alone and afraid. He could see the Doctor still trembling after setting the gun down.

“Are you ok?” Walter asked as the doctor began trembling more.

“Yes yes, I’m just having a bit of a reaction from the cure I recently took,” he said as the veins started to bulge through his mottled skin.

“What do you mean cure you took,” Walter said as he reached over to his weapon.

“Yes, a cure I synthesized from some of the infected individuals I caught. They were quite helpful you know, not complaining even after I ran out of anesthesia,” he said as black spit dribbled down his chin.

Walter grabbed his weapon standing up quickly, “Doctor did you inject yourself with fluid from the infected?” he asked.

“Heavens no my dear boy, I purified it down to its purest form before synthesizing a cure from that,” the doctor said. His bone began snapping then rearranging on the Doctor’s body.

“Sir you're infected. Whatever you injected yourself with was tainted by The Darkness,” Walter said as he flinched every time, he heard a bone break.

“Oh I’m not sick, I’m just a bit PECKISH,” he screamed as he launched himself over the desk at Walter.

The doctor’s body seemed to elongate as it leaped over the desk. His arms and fingers were long and gangly as they reached for Walter’s throat. His jaw unhinging as if he wanted to shove Walter’s whole body in his mouth.

Stepping to the side of the Doctor’s outreached hand he swung his club down cracking it as it shattered the doctor’s wrist. He quickly used skitter gaining a little breathing room. The Doctor screamed as it cradled its crushed wrist. Looking at Walter with tears in its eyes, it regained its humanity for a split second and spoke.

“S-S-Saaaaaave M-M-Meee PUUUHleease,” it croaked out in a pained voice.

Nodding his head yes at the Doctor, he rushed in planning to end this quickly. As he got within striking range the doctor struck out with its clawed foot. Connecting its foot with Walter’s chest it sent him flying across the room into some chairs.

Leaping back to his feet, Walter threw a chair at The Doctor causing it to flinch. Using skitter at that moment he shot inside the Doctor’s guard landing a heavy knee into the doctor's ribs. The bones breaking under the strength of the blow, Walter didn’t let up as he unleashed a flurry of blows. His club breaking he stabbed the broken edge into the doctor’s chest.

The Doctor howled in pain as it swung its last good limb at Walter in a last-ditch effort. Catching the blow Walter performed a joint lock, shattering its arm in multiple places. As the doctor collapsed in pain Walter moved behind the doctor and prepared to snap its neck.

As the doctor sagged to the ground, its broken limbs unable to support its weight he managed to say one last thing, “Ttthhhank YYOuuu.” Walter wrenched his neck to the side snapping the bones and severing its spine, killing him instantly.

Letting the doctor’s body drop, he couldn’t believe what he just had to do. The quest was to save the doctor, not kill him. He fell to knees next to the mutated doctor’s body and wept, letting out all the stress and pain he held in his whole life.

Wiping the tears from his face Walter stood up, taking a deep breath, centering himself. In the minute he gave himself to cry he could hear the dull thumps of bodies on wood. He knew where the sounds were coming from as he walked towards them looking for a fight.

He stopped briefly and looked down at the gun the Doctor had pointed at him and thought to grab it. He knew that if he was to use it that he could potentially kill a beast quickly without any danger too himself. But the drawback of not gaining any experience outweighed the easiness of a quick kill. He knew it was stupid not to take it, but he had to prove to himself that he wasn't as worthless as his upbringing made him feel.

He walked down the hall listening to the beasts slam their bodies against the doors mindlessly. Walking down the hallway running his fingers against the doors he stopped at one that was silent. Slowly cracking the door open he stopped when it struck something heavy. The door open only wide enough to let a very slender old man through. Pulling the mirror from his pocket, he angled it to look around the room. Seeing nothing moving, he squeezed his body through the small opening. Shutting the door quietly behind him he pushed the desk up against the door.

Looking around the room he could tell it was decorated with a scholar’s taste in mind. There were indents in the carpet where the heavy desk once was before it was used to block the door. Dark wood bookcases lined the walls on both sides. Each shelve crammed with books and mementos from the doctor’s life. They butted up against a large bay window that looked over a beautifully landscaped lawn with cement pathways. The crest of the tree just peeking above the base of the window.

The sound of the beasts beating on their doors intensified as doors began to break. The creaking of wood louder and louder until he heard the first door burst open. The beasts were going at the doors from both sides now trying to get at whatever made noise, Walter realized. They were attracted to noises; the clacking of their teeth must be a form of sonar. He could use this if when he escaped this room.

Looking around the room a plan started to form.