~~~~~

Walter

~~~~~

The thrum of Stanley's Soul was a diminishing drumbeat inside his Domain as Walter watched the man slump forward. "Goodnight, Sir." Caffeine sat up with difficulty in Stanley's lap and licked at his face with small whimpers. Walter stood vigil as his own vision blurred. Luckily, he didn't need his eyes to see…

Meanwhile, Zeke was sprinting towards them, a blinding light in his eyes and an echo of the same thrumming power coming off him in waves of white-gold light. Eve ran behind him, her flesh almost completely healed and now covering the silver metal bones that had been exposed by the rotting corruption moments before.

They didn't quite make it to Stanley.

The power thundering from the man winked out mid rumble and left behind only a faint buzz of static in the air. Simultaneously, Zeke staggered, tripped, and fell unmoving on the floor just outside the bunker, the echo of power gone from him. Eve screamed as she scrambled to catch him, but it was drowned out by the keening wail from the pug…

You have heard the Sorrow of the Beast Lord.

Debuff Gained: [Depressed]

Debuff Gained: [Deafened]

"You… what does it matter?" Walter sighed. Stanley wasn't breathing anymore, and he had no heartbeat… but his body still seemed to hum with power. "Is he gone? Just like that." The struggling pug seemed to indicate so… "Am I in shock?" Walter wondered. He felt… numb, drained. "I should be…" He was missing an arm, cut off by his own hand no less, and had just survived a bloody nightmare of a battle… a battle they had won. But the price of victory…

Walter did not worry for Zeke at the moment, the young man merely slept, drained and exhausted from the battle. Eve would notice in a moment that his golden aura still surrounded them, if slightly diminished. The Shard in his chest still blazing with the same golden light.

Walter's many small wounds were already healed and he could feel his lost arm regrowing. Then his ears popped…

Debuff Removed: [Deafened]

Unfortunately, the Depressed Debuff was not removed so easily. In truth, Walter was unsure if he could tell a difference. Yes, they had won the day… but the cost had been high. Even as so many of their people were dragged from the brink of death by Zeke's aura, far too many were left untouched by it…

Adam appeared next to Caffeine in a sudden twisting of space, and sat down to pet the distraught pug. The boy hadn't killed a single one of the Undead, but had saved people countless times by repeatedly sending the creatures away. Walter left him to console Caffeine as he watched outside.

A disturbingly large number of the Undead army was still alive, and while some still charged mindlessly into the aura, and burned, most were fleeing… Regardless, they were leaving and Walter's focus was on something else.

A young man on his knees just outside the Tower, his hands clutching a small flaming egg as tears streamed down his face. "I am so sorry…" Walter had been witness to Adrian's sacrifice at the end, had been silently screaming at Daryl to just step inside where he could be protected, or at the end, to run away and escape the death that came for them all.

Walter knew what that white fire was from overhearing the couple talk. The man had literally given his life to bring down the monster… "Greater love hath no man…" But now Daryl was left picking up the pieces alone. A bittersweet victory indeed. "You are not alone, and never will be so long as I have the strength to stand." Walter wanted nothing more than to go to Daryl, to offer what scant comfort he could. Even if only to be a silent presence at the man's side… and yet, once again he was just out of reach.

Walter could pull his Domain down… could step outside… but not yet. He would be pragmatic, no matter how much his heart begged him not to be. He also had a harpoon ready at hand, if it became necessary… In the meantime, Princess was with Daryl, pressed up against him, and while Walter could hear her small cries, she was not lost to grief and was on the lookout. Walter hoped that she would be able to offer the young man some solace going forward, even if nothing else could.

Nate was unconscious on the ground nearby to Daryl, a smile on his lips as he slept, while what looked like most of his body regenerated… That man had given everything he had as well, had charged straight at death's door without hesitation, and been pulled back at the last instant. There had been so many heroes today, and far too many had paid the ultimate price.

Eve was still awake, if barely, as she sat with Zeke's head in her lap. Her head was drooping and hair hid her face, but nevertheless, Walter could see the tears on her cheeks and feel the trembling in her exhausted form. Her formerly dark hair was pure white now, and she had grown lines in her previously youthful skin. The boy likewise had changed as well, his own hair white as snow and a few wrinkles adorning his boyish face. It was an odd sight…

Both of them had been touched by the power Stanley wielded. Eve, he suspected, had tapped into it using her machines placed around Stanley, many of which were partially or fully melted into slag now. He also suspected that Stanley had done something to Zeke, right at the end there. Both of them had burned with the same light, right before it went out. Though Stanley was still humming…

Neither of them were as bad as Stanley himself looked… Like a man hollowed out, now little more than skin and bones, a fragile shell left behind. The pug in his lap didn't look any better, his hair so gray it was nearly white, with bones showing easily under shrunken muscle and loose skin.

Walter watched and waited. Very few people in the Tower did more than sit and stare at the devastation. Some stood and started searching the wreckage, looking for friends and loved ones that were missing. Some found who they sought, alive and only separated by distance. Others found nothing, or even worse, pieces and remains. Their cries filled his ears as he stood and fought to remain in control. A few people were collecting and absorbing Cores… a cold sentiment perhaps, but not unwarranted. The importance of personal strength was made abundantly clear all around.

"My Tower is a mess… I should tidy up…" Walter couldn't bring himself to care enough at the moment. Even the hundreds of glittering Cores within his Domain did not tempt him into action. He was so… tired.

Then Daryl finally stirred from his fetal position, climbing laboriously to his feet. Walter stepped into the nearest doorway to the man and waited, trying to stand straight and professional. He reached up to tighten his tie and adjust his collar, and finally noticed that he was an absolute mess. His clothes were shredded tatters. His shoes were gone, likely destroyed when he was kicking the Undead. He was also covered head to toe in blood, sweat, dust, and other disgusting detritus. An effort of will later, and everything was swept away by his Domain. That still left him in rags… Walter resisted the urge to go change. Being here was more important than appearances.

Daryl held the burning egg with great care as he took a step and then paused looking back at Nate. Princess darted to the completely naked and unconscious man, and dragged him by an arm towards the Tower. "I will have to prepare him some proper attire…" Walter thought in a daze, and then whisked him away into an empty room the moment Nate touched his Domain.

"Walter…" Daryl looked at him with tears threatening to spill anew, "I… he…"

Walter very much wanted to throw his arms around the young man and hold him tight, to tell him that everything would be okay. But that would be… Daryl crashed into Walter, one arm going around him and holding on for dear life while the other clutched the egg. Fresh tears spilled and Daryl tried to speak through the sobs, but it was all unintelligible. "Walter… Adrian… Can you…"

"Sir…" Walter was at loss for words as he took all of them upstairs and into the bunker. He was spared from the struggle as Daryl stiffened when he saw Stanley slumped on the floor.

"Stanley!" He broke away from Walter and took a step towards the man, "Can you feel the Soul…" His voice trailed off as he likely noticed the terrible condition the man was in. Though Walter noted that Stanley's clothes were untouched… unlike everyone else, Stanley had remained unscathed by the Corruption. Instead his body was destroyed by his own power, while fighting something that they still didn't know what it had been. "I hope you succeeded, Sir."

"Stanley?" Daryl knelt next to him and put a hand on the man's shoulder. The flames around the egg flared higher in intensity as Daryl tried to shake Stanley…

"Sir," Walter started, and then frowned in confusion. Stanley didn't move, not one millimeter, not even his clothes shifted…

Daryl gave up the increasingly harder shoving and punched Stanley in the shoulder. "Damn you, Stanley. Wake up and look at the Souls!"

Caffeine finally looked away from Stanley's face, rolling his eyes over to look at Daryl and Princess. He only whined once more and fixated back on Stanley's face. His tongue licked the man's chin again and Walter noticed something when he did. A glowing web flickered around the slumped figure… a web of strange symbols…

Walter tapped on Stanley's shoulder, but nothing appeared. He rapped Stanley's head with his knuckles and couldn't feel his thin hair… something was blocking him! Walter punched the frozen man, in the arm just in case, and this time the symbols flashed for another instant. "Should we try to break whatever this is?" He wasn't sure if they could… that blow had been strong, and yet it felt like hitting nothing…

Caffeine whined again and Walter waited expectantly for another Deafened Debuff, it was so loud, but nothing changed. Adam ignored all of it and just kept petting.

"What happened to him?" Daryl deflated and sat back, "Is he…" only then noticing the fire around the egg had flared up. He frowned and moved the egg towards Stanley. The flames brightened and white sparks flickered intermittently above the fire as the licking tongues of red-gold seemed to dance faster. "What…"

"It's the Source," a voice croaked, and they all turned to look at Eve. She was staring at Stanley, eyes peeking between white hair. "It's his power… it's how he killed the first Raid Leader… and what killed him."

Daryl hesitated. "So he is…"

"Sir." Walter stiffened slightly when the gargantuan wolf stuck its nose into his Domain. He hadn't been watching outside and now he could see the pack of over a dozen Wolves right outside the Tower. Even as he watched, a shadow pooled on the ground and then spit out two more of the beasts, both of them covered in writhing Corruption. The golden light of Zeke's aura made short work of it, and the darkness was rapidly burned from them. The big one stuck its nose into his Domain again.

"We have visitors." Walter interrupted the discussion about Stanley's condition and told them what he saw.

Some of his attention shifted to the more normal-sized, and yet still upsettingly large, wolf in the corner of the bunker. "I forgot it was here… I truly must be in shock." The wolf's head lifted as if noticing his attention, and it looked at his back. It was panting heavily and obviously exhausted as it's head plopped back down. The wolf had been there ever since it carried Caffeine inside and dropped him on Stanley…

"They helped outside," Daryl said, "even saved my life…"

"He almost…" Walter suppressed the flash of fear and worry. It was in the past, Daryl had survived. But that was also the best endorsement that one could have. He appeared before the looming wolf, "You are welcome in our home, Master… ah, pardon me, Mistress… Wolf. I am very grateful for the aid you have rendered to me and mine. So how may I help you?"

The wolf shrank down to a normal size and stepped inside the door slowly. "Did Caffeine teach them that?" Walter wondered idly as he stood in place, hands behind his back… well one hand, the other hadn't regrown quite yet. "I am a mess… in no state to greet a guest…" He still had not gotten around to cleaning up. "I hope she will understand… considering the circumstances." He must be tired… as if a wolf would care about such things. But still, etiquette was to be maintained.

Her gaze lifted to point straight at Stanley's location… or maybe Caffeine's?

"I understand," Walter said, "If I may?" He pulled gently on the wolf with his power. She was powerful, he could feel that much, but there was no resistance and a moment later he appeared with her in the bunker.

She glanced around and then padded over to the other wolf already in the room. She nuzzled him briefly before continuing on to Caffeine, Adam, and Stanley. Walter was slightly anxious as he watched, considering the power he could still feel inside Stanley. He just didn't know if it was seen as a threat to others, or if it was something that could be stolen in some way. Maybe even what had drawn the beast here…

He didn't worry too much for Adam, Walter had seen the boy move untouched through the battlefield as he sent the Undead back outside.

She sniffed at Stanley and then dropped a glowing Core on his lap, directly in front of Caffeine's nose. It was a big one… "One of those Abominations?" The pug ignored it and only continued his nearly constant whine. Adam made no move to take it, and after glancing at the wolf once, he simply kept up his gentle petting on Caffeine.

The wolf huffed at the pug. When no response came, she very abruptly and very viciously snarled at the small dog, large fangs menacingly close to both him and Stanley.

Adam didn't even flinch while Walter couldn't help the twitch of his hand in surprise and he prepared to defend the trio… but Caffeine only whined again and then rolled his eyes up to the wolf looming over him.

"What…" Daryl started to ask and then went silent as he glanced at Princess. He looked away from her a moment later. "She said, eat the magic rock or I'll bring the puppies to chew on your ears."

Walter wanted to smile at the threat, but he was too drained. Nevertheless, he had promised to care for the pup…

The wolf huffed, non-threatening once again, and the pug strenuously reached out his head towards the Core.

A small glowing shark appeared around Caffeine and instantly lunged forward, tiny teeth closing around the Core before fading. There were a few crunching sounds as the pug chewed, and Walter saw muscle bloom under his loose skin. Gray hairs darkened a few shades towards black and Caffeine stood up slowly on Stanley's lap.

Then just as quickly as the change came over him, it reversed. Hair faded back to nearly white, muscles shrank and the dog almost collapsed on trembling legs. But he didn't fall… instead the pug stood frozen and staring up at Stanley's face. "What…"

The large wolf was likewise staring at the man's body, also frozen in place. "What happened…" She tilted her head back and howled loudly at the ceiling as the pug slumped to his belly but still held his head up and locked on Stanley's face.

Walter felt something touch his Domain, not at the edge, but somehow nudging at the interior of the bunker… and he saw the female wolf staring at him again. "Very well," Walter nodded, somewhat curious now, and then a pitch black wolf stood from an expanding pool of shadow and looked around the room.

Walter watched nervously as it moved. Eve had lost the battle for consciousness and the few humans still awake in the room outside were no match for these beasts if they decided to fight…

The shadowy wolf dropped a Core, slightly smaller than the previous one, and this time Caffeine didn't have to be coaxed to take it. The pug snatched the Core before it could touch the ground and this time the transformation barely even started before reversing once again. All three of the beasts were staring at Stanley, and even Adam was watching now… "What do they see?"

Caffeine Howled.

You have Heard the Excited Howl of the Beast Lord.

Debuff Removed: [Depressed]

Buff Gained: [Energized]

Caffeine turned his head and then shot across the large room, and through the wall, before landing in the former battlefield outside. An instant later, he bounded at a small group of shambling zombies that still trudged towards the Tower. All of them collapsed, their heads missing, as the pug slid to a stop on the far side of them.

Caffeine grew larger, hair darkening, muscles growing, and suddenly heaved with his head down. Moments later he vomited out a pile of what had once been zombie heads. Adam suddenly appeared next to the pug and gently patted his back. Caffeine tried to lick the boy and Adam blinked to his other side, still patting him.

Then Caffeine's head locked onto another group of Undead, and he took a step towards them at the same time that he abruptly shrank back down to his old and feeble form. Caffeine promptly fell in a rolling tumble and the Wolves still in the room with Walter huffed in unison. Walter could have sworn they shared a look and the black one rolled its eyes, before sinking into a shadow and reappearing outside near the pug that was dragging itself forward with trembling legs.

The female looked at Walter one more time, before following Caffeine outside. Though she jumped through a window rather than going through the wall…

Eve was awake and staring wide-eyed as the wolf sprinted past. Likely awakened by the pug's howl… it had definitely given Walter a jolt. He looked at the Buff.

[Energized](59:32)

+20% Movement Speed

+200% Regeneration to Stamina

+20% Perception Attribute

"What the fuck is going on?" Eve growled.

"I…" Walter was at a loss, "I am not sure…"

Princess yipped and Daryl translated, "I will help Dearest Human come back…"

"He isn't dead," Zeke was awake as well and staring at Stanley as Eve helped him sit up, "he gave me… power… I could see so much. He was dying… and I… I couldn't save him." Eve pulled him into a hug, but Zeke looked over her shoulder at Stanley. "He isn't dead! But I don't know if he is alive…"

A wolf howled outside in the distance, and the whole pack next to the building rose up. They moved off at a ground eating lope, vanishing around a corner and chasing after Caffeine.

Daryl knelt on the floor still, staring at Stanley, then moved the egg next to him and hesitated…

"Here, Sir." Walter set a small jewelry box on the floor and Daryl set the egg gently inside it.

They both watched the furiously flickering flames for a few moments, they did seem to burn stronger next to Stanley, until Daryl spoke again, "He said I would have to take care of him… do you think…" Daryl choked back a sob. "Do you think he'll come back…"

"I am quite certain that nothing on earth or in heaven will be able to stop him," Walter stated with conviction, now understanding Daryl's frantic need for Stanley's Soul gazing abilities.

He had watched their relationship from the onset, and in a world of parties, drugs, and meaningless flings, they had found each other. It had started like all the others, but Walter had seen true affection blossoming. Then the world ended, and rather than tearing them apart, it had only brought them closer. While he didn't doubt that Adrian would sacrifice himself to save Daryl, he also didn't believe that the man would give him false hope either. "He will come back, Sir," Walter restated. How it would work with an egg, he was less sure…

Daryl stood and hugged him again. Walter returned the gesture and allowed himself a small smile where no one could see. He had missed the hugs as Daryl had grown up and they came less frequently. But this made all of the struggle worthwhile.

All too soon, Daryl pulled away and glanced down at the egg. "Will you…"

"I shall keep them under constant watch, Sir."

"Thank you, Walter. I… I'm really glad you're here." Daryl looked away toward the outside and then glanced back. "I need to go… and get stronger. I was too weak… and this damn Buff makes me too antsy to rest right now."

Walter swallowed back his protests and nodded, "Very good, Sir. Though might I suggest returning before it expires?"

Daryl nodded, his face bleak. "Probably a good idea, I won't go far."

Walter watched Daryl go, Princess on his heels, and saw Zeke watching him. "I'll go with him, Walter."

"Thank you, Master Zeke," Walter bowed slightly in gratitude to the fine young man, and was reminded once again of his poor attire. His clean clothes were now upstairs… outside his Domain. But it would only require a small expansion to start and he would need to reclaim the entire Tower anyway…

Eve watched her brother go and then threw a small metal spider at him. "Take that with you," she yelled when he protested, "or you're not going! For all we know, there could be even worse monsters now that the wall is down."

"Okay! Okay, I'll do what you say," Zeke let the spider climb onto his shoulder as he left and then paused at the door to add, "older sister."

Eve glared at the empty doorway, then created a thin disc of silvery metal in her hand. She looked at her reflection from a few angles and growled, "I'm going to kill you, Stanley. As soon as you wake up!"

She stomped into the bunker and grabbed one of her half-melted devices as she muttered, "In the meantime…" The metal deformed under her grip and started to morph into a wide dish antenna shape.

While she worked, Walter reached his closet with a sliver of Domain and with an effort of will, was once again dressed properly. He left his Domain expansion in place but didn't reclaim anymore for now. It would grow in time but he wanted to keep some extra strength at the ready, just in case…

Elsewhere in the Tower he could see many people moving around now. The pug's Buff had done wonders to get people moving and he felt the stove top burners switch on at the back of the ballroom. There would be food ready soon and that would help even more… "What are you doing, Miss? If I might ask."

Eve had continued with her work and had surrounded Stanley with the antenna shaped devices. She glanced at him with a strange look in her eyes. "Can't you feel it, Walter?" She finished shaping another and stepped to the next. "It's still coming off him… the Power."

Walter could feel it, a humming static that buzzed rather strangely through his Domain.

"I feel it," Eve continued, "and I want it! I could do so much with that Power!" She went quiet as she focused and metal flexed and shaped to her desires. "I can absorb it with these and use it…" She looked at her hands for a moment and murmured quietly, "Use it very carefully."

Walter was feeling slightly worried at her behavior and must have shown something on his face, because she snorted after looking at him. "Fucking relax, Walter. I'm just going to use the radiation to try and block it from spreading. I have no idea how far this feeling travels and what it might draw in." She kicked Stanley in the leg, with no effect. "This shield might be unbreakable, or it might fall at the first attack. Either way, I'd rather not have a fucking beacon screaming 'come get some' right here."

Walter felt a chill. "An excellent idea, Miss. How may I assist?"

"Just tell me if the feeling is going up or down."

Walter did as she asked while monitoring the rest of the Tower. He had to step away here and there to assist others, and also started the cleanup process as well. The dead were gathered and laid out, all carefully watched over by Walter just in case… but it seemed that the miasma was well and truly gone. So far.

Daryl remained within sight outside, for which Walter was extremely grateful, and he saw no more Undead in the vicinity of the Tower after Caffeine's exit. Though a rather large group of people did emerge from the ruined city and entered the building. Walter recognized some of them, survivors from the stadium rescue team that left with Nate…

"At least some of them escaped…" They brought with them tales of a giant bloodthirsty beast that killed everything in its path, and the pack that followed behind. Yet somehow they had escaped its wrath…

"I once again cannot follow the one I've only just sworn to care for…" Walter knew that this feeling was something he would have to deal with forever. But he would not second guess his past choice. "I will watch over your human, Caffeine. Until you return." It was all he could do… and that pug might be the only one who didn't actually need his help. Though he would be sure to keep food available, maybe send people to get more chicken… and from what he had seen, also keep some Cores on hand.