I found myself running, alone, and in solitude. Because my friend, Flaze, had chosen to stay behind, instead of giving chase.

Drats. I would've easily countered, if only she'd come.

We found ourselves at an impasse, a stalemate among our tactics. If she doesn't give chase, then I can't win in the same way that I did before. And if I instead come to her, she'd be the one able to counter, my approach easily seen from afar, and predicted.

I tried it again, as she hunkered down near a dusted building. The insides of course, we've already cleared, a single couple inside, who still remains there, thankful for our protection. And yet it won't be here forever, for eventually we will move on.

I sped up, feeling the winds against my body. Flaze's clone took point, with her shield held aloft. I tried to veer off in the last second, but she kept her eyes on me, making sure that the main body is well and protected.

I passed them by, making no actual contact, and the stalemate continues.

I turned around, and dashed again towards my turtling opponent. A strategy most unfair, but all is fair in love and war. And so I gave no complaints, instead bombarding them with fireballs to perhaps separate the two. But their coordination was perfect, for they were the same person. I gave chase, and they made sure to keep together even amidst the explosions, even if it resulted in more pain and injuries.

We both knew that I couldn't keep this up forever.

And so I made an opportunity, the duo jumped back to dodge a single blast, and then they had to pivot to evade another. It is in that singular gap, where I charged, like a hero crossing through the flames, except they were of my own making.

I reached my target, and Flaze widened her eyes, but the clone was still positioned in front of me. I crashed into the copy and kicked, the flames that erupted from my foot were stronger for I was going fast, but I already knew I'd fucked up, for the original slashed into me in that same moment, and my torso bled hard.

I retaliated, of course, but the kick came came shallow, and Flaze quickly stepped back. The knight came forward, while the samurai was positioned to repeat her assault to my side, already aware that I'm most dangerous from behind.

[Hellish Fireball]!

A distraction. A smokescreen. It was what allowed me to escape their clutches again and retreat, the two of them unable to follow.

No. Actually, they can follow. The problem is that they don't, and it's what our matchup had devolved into. Whoever gives chase is the loser. And admittedly, I am at a disadvantage, because she's got a more instant form of damage, her samurai form able to potentially kill me in one or two strikes. So she's got a path to victory, meanwhile my own trump cards which relies on my abilities that have absurd cooldowns end up coming short.

My Horsekick Gambit fueled by my Longstrider can severely cripple Flaze's samurai form, which is the main issue, but hitting her is another matter, and she'd taken to saving her taunt only for such occasions. Curse of The Horse on the other hand, only targets one of them at a time, and the remaining one only has to distract me for its very short duration.

Cheats. Hacks. I call unfair. Referee!

Still, it makes for good training, so I get back at it, shooting another volley of fiireballs at Flaze as we continue this dance of battle and violence. But controlled, just a friendly little game.

"Hey! HEYY!"

A game that was interrupted, by interlopers. Two men, the one up front wearing a black tshirt and army pants, his form crackling with lightning. The other trailed behind leisurely, wielding a spear and wearing a blue hoodie.

[Hellish Fireball]!

I immediately reared up, and neighed, readying my fireball. Flaze reacted in much the same way, the knight in between us, and the enemy.

And then I gaped, when she did the unexpected. The clone body walked forward and addressed the approaching people, and not to trash talk the competition, but to try and mediate.

"Wait!" She shouted, her arms flailed around, waving to them. "Wait up! Let's talk!"

What is there to talk about, when we can burn and claw at each other?

Or perhaps it's a ploy, to get our opponents to let down their guard?

Smart.

Flaze original, the Samurai, elbowed me. "You too, Jackal."

Ah. Not smart. Dumb. Very dumb.

And yet I complied.

She still elbowed me again, lightly, I could tell there was a mocking sneer underneath her samurai helmet.

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If we weren't faced with a common enemy, then I would've declared nuclear war for that insult.

[Warrior - Lvl 56]

[Rogue - Lvl 51]

I felt their Identify at the same time as my own. I'm certain I looked far more confident about the result.

Fine, we can take the risks.

I didn't dissipate my fireball, but I compromised and hovered it further back, the flames just a little bit dimmer. The both of them as well, stood down, now unsure about a fight.

"We're not enemies!" Flaze Clone continued her spiel. She's the one to do the talking, while the original broods in the back. "Enough people have died as it is. There's no need to fight among ourselves."

The guy in a black T-shirt stepped forward. He thumbed in my direction. "That's a monster."

Hoodie person nodded in the back, twirling his spear.

Real Flaze shook her head, speaking in a noticably deeper voice. "He's not. It's complicated, but he was a person before, and he got turned into a horse."

I neighed.

Hoodie guy scoffed. "We know how monsters are made, girl."

His companion agreed, trying to sound a bit more sympathetic. "He's no longer the person you knew. He's a monster now."

I hovered my fireball a bit higher and they tensed.

"That's not it," Flaze Clone said before we could explode into action, "He retains his personality as a human. Jackal only has the body of a monster."

"Bullshit." Hoodie guy said, nearly interrupting Flaze.

"Then why has he not attacked yet?"

"Well... He's a monster, that's how they work. I bet it's got you enthralled, and you don't even realize it."

Two weeks of an apocalypse, and already people are experts in what makes a monster.

True Flaze was the one to respond. "What if you're also mind-fucked and don't even realize it?"

Spear guy furrowed his brows at the accusation. "I would know. We won't just allow ourselves to be brainwashed."

"And you just assume, that we would? Why?"

Hood person was about to retort, but it was then that his buddy interjected, flashing a bright smile. "Luke, I get why it's hard to believe them, but she does have a point." He stepped closer to Flaze's clone, and attempted to lead her by the hand, which she dodged. He briefly looked annoyed, but quickly returned to a charming expression. "That's really interesting, miss, what you said about a monster retaining some of its intelligence. Why don't you tell us more about it?"

As opposed to you, that lost it all. They gave be a confused look when I neighed and huffed in their direction.

"...Alright, let's talk." Flaze agreed to hear them out, and gave me a look to stand down. I extinguished my fireball, but I made sure to remain vigilant, shooting them a dirty look. They returned the gesture. Good. I'll remember that.

Flaze Original led the way towards what we knew to be a studio, with a wide reception area. I followed behind her, while the clone trailed behind, entertaining our two guests.

"I'm Matt," the electric man introduced himself, and then his friend, "and that's Luke." They both offered a handshake, which Flaze's clone stiffly accepted.

She also introduced ourselves, sitting in a nearby couch once we made our way inside. "Tarissa, Clary, Jack."

...Who?

It took a moment for my brain to catch up. I realized she was lying a second later.

Jack would be myself, not very creative as far as fake names go. 1/10.

Tarissa is the clone, and also the last character Flaze played in an 'official' play. Clary would be the first ever one.

Guess she's being even more wary than I am, but what the fuck are they even gonna do with our names? Look us up on the internet that no longer works??

Dram nodded, before asking 'Tarissa' something he was probably wondering about since earlier. "Why are you transparent?"

"Comes with my class." Flaze Clone lied... or well, it's not really a lie is it? She honestly told the truth.

From there they talked casually as we all got a bit more comfortable. Flaze spun a completely fake narrative that involved all three of us being systemized together and then fighting hordes of monsters to escape from the top floor of the hotel. Flaze Clone spoke of the horrors of nearly dying every single time, meanwhile the real Flaze gushed briefly about how fun it was to spill blood and cut flesh apart.

It was a performance of sorts acted out through two different bodies, both controlled by herself. I could tell that Flaze was having fun.

That's nice.

We should've done more improv, instead of being absolute snobs about it.

I also neighed my own comments from time to time, but our audience weren't quite educated enough to pick up on my meaning. Unfortunate.

The fun soon disappeared as Matt and Luke too were more than happy to speak of their exploits. The former sat next to Flaze Clone, Tarissa, and immediately tried to casually snake an arm around her shoulder. Flaze dodged and gave him a nasty look, but he either didn't care or was too oblivious to notice. Matt went on to talk about himself.

"I was in a gym when it began, my head suddenly hurt but I grinned and bore the pain. I came to eventually, to the sight of a monster. There was a woman there, still reeling from the experience, so I came and saved her, and then another girl that she came to the gym with." He ginned and gave 'Tarissa' what he thought to be a provocative look. "They were so thankful afterwards, and I even showed them a good time."

Flaze Clone sighed, I could tell that her attention was roaming around, looking for something more interesting. Rather, she was making it obvious, but no one else seems to notice. Clary should really pay more attention.

"It's just in the female nature, to seek real strong men." Matt continued, shooting me a disparaging look. Despite myself literally, quantifiably, being stronger, at a higher level. Also, I'm a horse. "It's so obvious once you remove the lies of modern society."

Matt slid closer to Flaze's clone, who skidded back the same distance. Luke, the hooded guy, took that as the perfect opportunity to plop right next to 'Tarissa', boxing her in between the two of them.

Flaze Clone laughed awkwardly, shooting me an uncomfortable look. Original Flaze shifted, I could almost feel her eye twitching from underneath the samurai helmet.

So, kill? I tilted my head, hopeful.

She sighed, and whispered, "No."

Shot down. Now I know how they feel.

She chuckled, somehow able to divine that I said something funny.

"Hey, it's real comfortable here. How about you take off that stuffy helmet, huh?" Luke addressed Flaze's clone, not noticing that that her hand was twitching closer to the sword by her waist. "Is that a no? You hiding something?"

"Ugh." Flaze Clone growled, unable to maintain character. She pulled her helmet down, even tighter. "How about, 'Fuck off,' Hm?"

"Oooh. Wild. I like that." Luke chuckled, before going on to talk about himself, and his supposed exploits. "Although I hope you're not hiding something ugly underneath all that."

I sniffed at the other Flaze, and made a subtle gagging motion without attracting the attention of the two stooges. They were too focused on someone who's not even real anyway.

Flaze, the real one, flipped me off. At least she's having fun.

Tarissa should really learn from her example.