STORY TIME PART 6
Nhia and his companions persist in their upward journey on the platform. As they ascend, their attention is drawn to the floor directly above, which opens, causing zombies to plummet onto their platform. Despite this ongoing challenge, they valiantly combat the encroaching zombies while their elevated platform remains in motion. With each subsequent floor they traverse, a fresh influx of zombies descends onto the platform, intensifying the struggle.
With Stella nestled in Nhia's arms, they gazes upon the determined efforts of the men, struggling valiantly to fend off and repel the encroaching zombies from the platform. Stella, wearied yet observant, poses a question, querying the fervent determination exhibited in their endeavor to save her. In response, Nhia shares a personal reflection, recollections of his own history of sorrow, particularly the loss of his mother. He recalls how his girlfriend once tirelessly endeavored to rescue him during his challenging period, recognizing his uniqueness and cherishing his significance. Nhia draws a parallel between that pivotal moment in his life and his current efforts to safeguard Stella, reflecting how he now emulates that same spirit of determination and protection.
On the upper floors of the mall, a magical barrier created by Barbra protected the daycare area from the relentless onslaught of zombies. The gruesome scene was painted with blood splatters on the floors and walls, accompanied by a grim collection of lifeless bodies. Agustin, armed with a knife, eliminated the final zombie in the daycare lobby.
Curious about the duration of the protective barrier, Agustin inquired of Barbra how long it would hold. Barbra reassured him that it would remain effective for a day, expressing hope that Rex would find a solution. Together, they surveyed the distressed patients and shocked shoppers who were witnessing the carnage. Barbra made an effort to console and calm everyone.
Suddenly, Agustin sensed a shift in the zombies' attention as they turned their focus to something else. Their collective movement diverted towards a different direction, catching Agustin's attention. Nhia and his group were battling their way through the approaching zombie horde.
Agustin requested that Barbra temporarily deactivate the magical barrier to allow him to assist Nhia and his group. Barbra consented and opened a door within the barrier. Agustin swiftly moved through and launched a surprise attack on the approaching zombies from behind. Among the chaos, he spotted Nhia carrying Stella, while six other men valiantly defended their position against the encroaching undead as they are slowly moving forward.
Agustin's gaze transformed as he beheld Stella's critical condition. With unwavering determination and a heart full of resolve, Agustin engaged the approaching zombies, moving quickly and without hesitation as he fight his best to reach Stella. Nhia noticed Agustin's efforts and encourages himself to press on, providing a much-needed boost of morale. Agustin's shouts drew even more attention from the encroaching zombies and he pressed forward with unwavering resolve. As Nhia and his group raced past Agustin, he continued to fend off the undead. They reached the daycare area and entered through the protective magic barrier. Nhia entrusted Stella to Barbra and implored her to save her life. Barbra immediately began her magical healing on Stella's chest.
Turning back, Nhia witnessed Agustin slowly becoming overwhelmed by the relentless zombie horde. In a moment of desperation, Nhia let out a resounding cry, observing how tirelessly Agustin fought to ensure their safety. Unbeknownst to Nhia, his cry resonated throughout the mall, causing the magic barrier to tremble in waves and conjuring magical sound waves that reached Agustin. The zombies lunges at Agustin, teeth bared, but before they could bite his flesh, a surge of magical force emanated from Agustin, forcefully repelling all the zombies surrounding him. Agustin then collapsed to his knees, bewildered by the unexpected display of magic power.
Nhia extended his hand towards the magic barrier, calling out to Agustin, which prompted the barrier to open. Barbra, astonished by Nhia's ability to open her magical barrier, watched in amazement as Agustin rushed back into the daycare area just before the barrier closed. Agustin, still puzzled by what had transpired, questioned the unusual occurrence, while Nhia, equally perplexed, admitted that things had been rather strange lately for him. Barbra responded by acknowledging that she wasn't surprised at Agustin's heartfelt efforts to protect Stella. Agustin, in turn, voiced his concern about Stella's condition, wondering if she would be okay.
Nhia turned his gaze toward Agustin and took note of the expression on his face, recognizing it as a manifestation of deep love. Barbra explained that she was doing her utmost to close the wound and staunch the bleeding, but Stella's fate ultimately depended on her own will to survive. She observed the turmoil within Stella's mind, tangled in despair. Agustin approached Stella and gently held her hand, offering his support and affection. Meanwhile, Nhia was alerted by a cracking sound and turned to see a horde of zombies relentlessly pounding on the magic barrier. The barrier was gradually weakening.
Barbra clarified that the healing process was consuming a significant portion of her magical energy, making it challenging to maintain the barrier for an extended period. Nhia approached the barrier, witnessing it continuing to deteriorate. Faced with the imminent threat of the barrier breaking, Nhia felt helpless. However, just when all seemed lost, a surge of potent magic engulfed the entire mall, causing the fractures in the magic barrier to mend. Nhia, overwhelmed with excitement, proclaimed that the Robo Mall had finally regained its former glory, leaping with joy. Agustin, sharing in the jubilation, embraced his brother, while other patients and shoppers breathed sighs of relief, grateful for their newfound safety.
In the vicinity of Robo Mall, Xai, Mai, and Michael continued their journey in the van, heading towards the mall's location. Suddenly, Xai hit the brakes as they encountered a daunting sight: thousands of zombies blocking their path. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xai expressed doubt about proceeding any further. Michael, growing increasingly anxious, inquired if there was an alternate route to reach Robo Mall. However, before Xai could respond, Mai interjected with a request for trust. She instructed them to close their eyes and drive forward. Michael complied immediately, placing complete trust in Mai without hesitation. Xai found it difficult to believe that this unconventional approach would help them navigate the approaching horde.
Mai assured Xai that he needs to trust her and emphasized that her newfound powers had brought her to them. Xai hesitated briefly, but ultimately, he chose to trust his sister, closing his eyes as well. Mai takes a deep breath, closed her eyes, and braced for what lay ahead. With caution, Xai gently pressed the gas pedal, propelling the van into the horde. The zombies pounds on the vehicle, attempting to breach its defenses. In the chaos, Michael trembled with fear and began to apologize for deceiving them, revealing that he wasn't Mikey and had no knowledge of his twin brother's whereabouts, but before he could finish his sentence.
Suddenly, the van was lifted off the ground, causing them to open their eyes. All they could see through the windows was an impenetrable blackness. Michael cried out in confusion and fear, unable to comprehend their situation. Xai, on the other hand, let out a shout of disbelief and excitement, acknowledging that Mai possessed genuine magic. As they watched, the darkness on the windows began to dissipate, and the van was gently placed back on the road. Xai turned around to see that they had successfully passed through the horde. Energized by their escape, Xai accelerated toward Robo Mall. Mai smiled and reassured everyone that they should never have doubted her. Upon arriving at Robo Mall, they were surprised to witness the mall lighting up with magic. It became evident that their father, Rex, had finally harnessed his magical abilities to his fullest extent once again.
They all witnessed numerous spikes erupting from the walls of the mall. Suddenly, a spike sliced through the van, splitting it in half. The two halves careened and crashed onto the parking lot. The section of the van containing Xai and Michael collided with another car, while the portion with Mai inside is engulfed in dark magic. Michael, his shoulder cut and bleeding, staggered out of his seat in a dazed state. He glanced at Xai, who was bleeding from his head and remained unconscious. Nearby, zombies began to approach, and the car next to the van catches on fire, intensifying the danger. Michael spotted a clear path to safety but hesitated upon hearing a faint cough from Xai.
Struggling to make a life-altering decision, Michael grappled with whether to risk saving Xai or prioritizing his own escape. Then, he heard Mai's voice in the distance, calling out to her brother. In response to her call, Michael decided to take the risk and rushed over to unbuckle Xai from his seat belt. With considerable effort, he managed to lift Xai and slowly drag him away with his weaken strength. As they moved, the car explodes, causing Xai, Michael, and the approaching zombies to tumble to the ground. Upon impact, Michael landed on his head, causing it to bleed. He clutched his head, experiencing the sensation of it spinning in circles. His eardrums were also ruptured, leaving him with only a persistent ringing in his ears. Through his blurred vision, Michael discerned Mai's presence. Mai did her best to pull Xai and Michael further from danger. She then gazed up at the mall, where the spikes are ascending higher within Robo Mall.
Back inside the mall, Nhia and the others suddenly felt the entire structure tremble. The floor beneath them began to rise, and as they turned to their side, they saw another platform carrying other survivors ascending alongside them. Rex is responsible for lifting both platforms, using his immense power. Exiting the mall, Rex, encased within his giant robot, activated a button. The mall began to transform, forming an even larger robot that stood hundreds of feet tall. This giant robot initiated the process of detaching the spikes that had encased it.
Rex shouted for it to ignite the spikes from within. The massive robot radiated with intensified magic, causing the interior spikes to ignite in mystical flames. Amidst this fiery spectacle, Mr. Kaika burst out of the robot, still covered in spikes resembling a colossal worm of spikes. Mr. Kaika let out a deafening roar and unleashed waves of spikes toward the giant robot. In response, the robot countered by punching the spikes with its magic-enhanced fists, while jet cannons on its back fires at full throttle. The robot reached the spike-worm and forcefully seized it with both hands, breaking it apart. This action sent Mr. Kaika soaring into the sky, where he spotted Rex holding onto the two platforms.
Mr. Kaika unleashed a barrage of energy beams from his hands, targeting Rex. Rex, taken aback by this sudden assault, realized that his giant Robot was still grappling with the spikes below. In a quick response, Rex retaliated by firing energy beams of his own, all the while making attempts to evade the incoming attacks. As the intense battle raged on, the platform carrying survivors became the unintended casualty. Several energy beams struck the platform, causing it to shatter into pieces. Many survivors tumbled off, including Nhia, Rune, Simbad, Cameda, Will, Barbra, and Stella. Barbra managed to catch Stella in her arms, while Agustin, still on the platform, clung to Barbra's arm. With the collective effort of Agustin and a few other survivors, they successfully pulled their comrades back onto the platform.
Rune, who had fallen, suddenly awoke with an intense fire in his eyes. He extended his hand, conjuring his butcher blade weapon with magical prowess. Rune descended rapidly toward Mr. Kaika, skillfully dodging the ongoing barrage of energy beams. With newfound strength, Rune swung his blade with unprecedented force, cleaving through Mr. Kaika's brain and heart, bringing about his demise. Rune's exertion, however, took a toll, and he promptly lost consciousness once more. The Giant Robot managed to catch some survivors, including Rune, within its hand. Rex, utilizing his magic, fused the broken platform parts into a jelly-like substance that cushioned the falling survivors in the sky. This effort strained Rex, causing him to sweat profusely due to the immense magical expenditure. While he succeeded in ensuring the falling survivors to have a softer landing, Nhia, Simbad, Cameda, and Will descended gently onto the streets below, along with a few dozen other survivors who also found themselves landing nearby.
Cameda rose to his feet, only to find hordes of zombies closing in from all directions. His eyes scanned the surroundings and settled on a nearby bus. Urgently, he shouted for everyone to board the bus, and they wasted no time getting on. Inside the bus, Nhia focused on hotwiring it, but as time ticked away, the approaching horde grew closer. Cameda, realizing their dwindling chances, turned to Will. He spoke of their deep friendship and how Will understood his story. Will sensed that Cameda had a plan, albeit at great personal sacrifice. Cameda leaned in and whispered his intentions to Will that he would need to search for the new beacon of hope on his own.
With determination, Cameda exited the bus, brandishing his baton. Will, helpless to intervene, watched as Cameda ventured into the perilous street. Will's gaze shifted to the fearful survivors on the bus, where Simbad appeared drained and exhausted. Inwardly, Will questioned whether he could truly find the beacon of hope they all longed for. Meanwhile, Cameda let out a resounding shout that echoed through the area as the horde closed in. Will bore witness to Cameda's valiant struggle, but as the zombies overwhelmed him and he succumbed to their bites, a tear welled in Will's eye. He commanded the others to stay low, while the horde remained distracted by Cameda's sacrifice.
The surrounding zombies slowly filled the area around the bus, and the survivors held their fear in check, striving not to make a sound. A quiet moment was shattered by an unintended noise – a loud fart from Simbad. The zombies, alerted by the noise, began banging on the bus. Nhia and Will made their way to the front door as the zombies broke through the glass doors. Enraged, Will used a metal bar to fend off the advancing zombies. Nhia, feeling a sense of desperation, unconsciously emitted a magical signal, invisible to the human eye. This signal reached the giant Robot, prompting it to swoop in and grasp the bus. The giant Robot also notices Mai and the others and extends its grasp to include them.
The massive robot swiftly departs, venturing into the dense forest. Meanwhile, Cameda, who had previously lain lifeless on the street, suddenly reanimates as a zombie. His eyes glowed with magical energy, and a similar radiance emanated from his chest. Cameda surged forward with incredible speed and newfound power, embarking on a determined path. Cameda's journey led him to a prison located near the Old Berry Town. There, he encountered numerous high-ranking officials from Radiant City, defending the prison with formidable weaponry. Leveraging his newfound abilities, Cameda quickly neutralized all the high-ranking soldiers. His own flesh extended from his body, enveloping the prison in an eerie shroud. Cameda gazed into a pool of blood, catching sight of his own reflection, which bore the visage of a zombie. It was then that Cameda came to a sobering realization – he couldn't be the new beacon of hope; his destiny lay elsewhere, and he was determined to find that true beacon of hope.