Dead Man Walking: Living By Day, Dead By Night

Zane thought about Beatrix's offer for a long while. The benefits to Zane, if he were to accept the trade, were an unknown quantity. Even Beatrix herself could not reasonably explain what would happen to Zane if he consumed the object which granted Horde King's greater power.

Nor had she fully elaborated why she herself had not taken it for the benefits it posed to her and her siblings. This entire exchange was one based upon faith, faith that Beatrix, Zane's sworn enemy, would offer him something in good faith. Rather than trick him into consuming a toxic substance.

And even if Zane was naïve enough to trust Beatrix's word, there was still the matter of neither of them knowing how it would affect a living human being. Sure there were promises of greater power, but could such a tempting vow really be reality, especially when Beatrix herself had admitted that she had no idea what kind of effect her item would have on him?

The best-case scenario was that Zane survived and gained a significant increase in power because of the item he traded Beatrix's life for. However, how exactly his power would increase was an unknown factor.

For all he know it could be a rather tame boost in an aspect that was of little use to Zane. And it was ultimately this fear of the unknown, that all human beings naturally possessed, which forced Zane to reject the woman's offer. Much to her chagrin, that is.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there are too many unknown variables for me to accept your offer. It would appear that destiny has forced us to fight on this day. But before I return to my host, I must ask, who exactly is this mother you and your kind speak of with such reverence?"

Beatrix had a surprised expression on her face when she heard Zane reject her offer, but it only increased in intensity when she heard the man ask about her mother? How could he not know their mother's identity when her scent surrounded him?

Perhaps this was a tactic to throw her off guard, or maybe Zane genuinely did not know he had come into contact with their mother. Regardless, Beatrix decided to be truthful with him, even though she wore a conceited smirk on her face when she did so.

"Who is our mother? Why she is death itself, our creator, our benefactor, and in many ways our deity? From the looks of it, you are ignorant of the fact that our mother's scent is upon you. Someone in your life is not who they say they are. I could not reasonably explain who that is, but our mother is very near and dear to you, whether you know it or not.

If we must fight on this day, then it is clearly mother's will. May her favorite child win, brother…."

Once more, Zane was stunned by the Horde Kings referring to him as a brother. But he suddenly understood this misunderstanding of theirs might be why they had not properly retaliated against him, despite the fact that he had already killed several of their actual siblings.

Still, it was not exactly a comforting thought to know that the so-called mother of death, or death itself, was someone in his life, hiding in plain sight. Keeping a close eye on him. This surely had to be another lie, right? I mean, there was really nobody who could fit this description.

And thus, Zane shrugged off Beatrix's comments while returning to his own forces. Once he did so, Olivia was quick to ask him how the negotiations went. She was almost a tad hopeful that a peaceful resolution could be made, despite the fact that they were the aggressors this time around.

After all, if the Horde King's were willing to negotiate with Zane, did that not mean that there was a hope for peace to exist between the living and the dead? Or so were the woman's thoughts, as she rather excitedly encouraged Zane to share what had been discussed.

'So? How did it go?"

Zane's response was counter to Olivia's hopes, and though his words were short, the intent they conveyed was more than enough to tell how things had gone during the negotiations, even if he did not outright say so himself.

"Prepare for battle…"

There were no further questions after Zane had spoken these words. There was also no hesitation on the part of the women in his party. They quickly equipped their weapons and followed Zane closely. All the while, his horde, which had already encircled Beatrix's force, began their assault.

---

The battle itself was short. Zane had already encircled Beatrix's forces from the start of the negotiations. With a literal shield wall surrounding and pressing down upon them, it was a slaughter of the Tier I Horde King's relatively small horde.

All that remained was Beatrix herself, after only thirty minutes of fighting. Who continued to sip on her tea and sit on her throne made of human bones. Even when Zane and the women in his party surrounded her. It would appear to them that Beatrix had admitted defeat the moment their negotiations broke down.

There was no organized attempt by her forces to break through their encirclement, and many of them had not even bothered resisting their fates. At least not the higher tier of undead, who had more intelligence than basic instinct.

When Zane approached Beatrix, he laid his bloody sickle against her throat, curious as to why she was not even attempting to fight her fate. His brow raised slightly. For whatever reason, he felt the need to ask the question that was currently controlling his thoughts.

"Is your worship for your mother really so great that you would willingly die without the slightest struggle?"

Beatrix once more wore a smug and conceited smirk on her face as she responded to Zane's question. These were her last words, and it sounded like she was lecturing the man on reality itself, as if he were living in a delusion.

"All death is certain, even for those of us who have suffered such a fate once already. It is by mother's will that I was brought back into this world. And it is by mother's will that I now face my second death. Go on… Finish it…"

Zane's expression was strange. He actually felt bad cutting off Beatrix's head. After all, she had not even really tried to escape his pursuit. She lied in wait for his arrival, and when negotiations failed, she did not bother to resist.

Regardless, Zane could only sigh and do what needed to be done. With a quick movement of his hand, a gesture so swift and subtle an ordinary human being would not be able to detect it, Zane decapitated Beatrix.

Though Beatrix had made a statement about accepting her fate, as it was her mother's will. Her final thoughts, which she had opted not to speak aloud, were a statement of discontent regarding her perceived destiny and its cruelty.

"It truly isn't fair.... You know?"

Immediately after finishing the job, Zane stored his weapon and handed the large golden blood crystal over to Madison. Who he felt was the next in line to receive a new skill. But he did not pay any further attention to the girl after doing so. Because there was a curious message appearing within the system's text box.

---

[Congratulations, you have unlocked a Hidden Achievement!]

[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Kinslayer!]

[Description: By slaying multiple Horde Kings, you have engaged in repeated acts of violence against your brothers and sisters. Thus earning the approval of your mother.]

[Rewards:

+100,000 XP

Title: Kinslayer

+2 Skill Points!]

---

Zane stared at the description of this new hidden achievement and scoffed. Brothers and sisters? Who? The Horde Kings? Preposterous! His only sibling died from suicide when he was a young boy.

And he had personally killed his own mother shortly after the apocalypse had begun.

It was simply absurd to suggest that these undead monsters were related to him in any way. And thus he ignored the text, instead claiming the rewards for himself as they were actually useful to him.

---

[+100,000 XP]

[Level Up! You are now Level 29!]

[+2 Attribute Points!]

[Level up! You are now level 30!]

[+3 Attribute Points!]

[+1 Skill Point!]

---

Zane quickly looked over his stats and assigned the attribute points where he felt they were best suited. Putting three in wisdom so that finally all of his attributes were at a superhuman level, and investing the remaining two into Dexterity.

As for his skill points. Miraculously, this shitty and deceptive hidden achievement allowed him to gain two extra skill points in addition to enough XP to advance two levels. And because of this, Zane now had three skill points to invest. Thus allowing him to max out both of his current skills.

However, when Zane upgraded his Dead Man Walking to Tier V, which was considered a level of mastery, he received another message from the system, one that shocked him to the core of his being, and would change his life forever.

---

[Dead Man Walking – Tier V]

[As the months have passed, and the dead which you have slain has reached the tens of thousands. You have taken it upon yourself to consume an ungodly number of their blood crystals. And in doing so have become corrupted beyond recovery.

The passing of time no longer affects you or your body, nor the age that comes with it. The days in which your heart once beat, sending a fresh supply of blood to every aspect of your body, are long gone. Though you appear living on the surface, you can no longer be considered as such.

You have become, in essence, the very thing we you have fought so hard against. By your mother's grace, you have been reborn to a state which surpasses your human limitations, and in doing so, have truly become the equal of your brothers and sisters. Arise, Zane Graves, the last of the Horde Kings, and favored son of Death.

As a result of your physical transcendence, you have received a +5 bonus to all of your base attributes. Meanwhile, your base horde size has increased by +100 per every Charisma Point possessed.]

---

This message was followed by a major change in Zane's character screen. One which caused the man to stare in absence of thought for a very long time.

---

[User: Zane Graves]

[Race: Horde King]

[Level: 30]

[HP: 200/200]

[Attributes:]

[Strength: 25]

[Dexterity: 28 (+9)]

[Constitution: 25]

[Intelligence: 25]

[Wisdom: 25]

[Charisma: 25]

Skills:

[Dead Man Walking – Tier V]

[Commander of the Dead – Tier V]