The heroes

All around him Jamal could hear the cheers of the people who had been his allies during the last few days, battle after battle they had been putting their lives in the line for the sake of those who were not capable of protecting themselves. Every one of them probably lost a friend or someone dear during those wars and even their memories had been lost for the majority of them, though they have slowly started to recover. Jamal understood that euphoria, they couldn't contain themselves they had the conviction then that their sacrifices were not a waste.

Jamal looked up at the sky whose brightness, was one of the biggest pieces of proof that showed that indeed they had survived another night.

The dawn, which was symbolizing their victory.

" Let me help you putting her in the car, " Volga proposed to Jamal while he was carrying the exhausted Natasha.

" Thank you, " he said as he was handing her the girl in his arms.

" Don't say it, " Volga replied while she was laying Natasha on the back seats of the convertible, she closed the car door and said, " it's the least I can do since I wasn't of any help in this last battle, though I'm supposed to be the captain of this army ".

" What are you talking about? You really helped us by coordinating the support of the army, you have been covering our backs since that long and even stopped those things to flee, " he explained to her while observing people as they were leaving the buildings to come back to the vehicles before he pointed to the many dead bodies lying on the ground near to them. He stared at her and saw that she was not very much convinced, " and as I have told you, you wouldn't have been able to deal with such a fight, you saw it with your own eyes they were stronger and faster than normal humans, that's why we needed people like Natasha and Carla, who are as strong as them and maybe even more, to exterminate them ".

" I still can't believe this story of superpowers and stuff, " Volga admitted while shaking her head before she threw a glance at Carla, who was just next to Jamal. The young woman bowed her head as she was blushing with embarrassment. Volga suddenly frowned after she remembered something, she gazed at Jamal and interrogated him, " how have you managed to be so helpful on the battlefield if normal humans are useless against them? "

Instead of responding by using words Jamal just smiled and Volga sighed " OK, I got it, no need to repeat it again, due to the special training you've received you're not you're no more an ordinary man ".

" I'm curious, which kind of training would increase your physical abilities until reaching this level of mine? " Carla wondered unconsciously speaking out the question Volga wanted to ask him.

" I won't say that I'm actually as strong or as fast as you two are " the man replied, he glanced at the two women who were deeply staring at him before he finally completed his explanation after they pressed him so much, " at first sight, it may look like I have physical abilities far beyond the normal people, just like you, but that's not true... I mean, not totally. In fact, compared to the standards of the military forces I'm indeed stronger and faster but still not as high above the normal as Carla and Natasha are ".

" But how do you explain- "

" That I can fight like them? " Jamal said after he guessed what Volga was about to ask, " the answer is my fighting styles and skills which are particularly unique. My techniques and experience are making me a powerful fighter even without an extraordinary power. It's as simple as that ".

Both women glanced at each other like if it was not so easy to believe, and Jamal could feel it when Volga asked him, " you mean... that you are capable of doing all those amazing performances thanks only to your own talent? " When Jamal nodded with a large smile without considering that it might seem less credible she retorted, " are you kidding me? Are you inferring that even I can reach such a level just by training as hard as you? "

He chuckled while answering, " you may give it a try, but only if you are ready to sacrifice a large amount of your time and having the conviction that you will never give up ".

" How many years did you undergo that special training to attain that level of yours? " Volga asked out of curiosity after considering his words.

" You want to know? " he paused to tease her before he confessed, " practically all my life ".

The two women were shocked, no one could speak a word until one of their comrades came to ask if they were allowed to leave the zone yet. Volga shook her head to recollect her thoughts and give her instructions, " tell Nelson that he and his team should stay to amass the bodies of our enemies and burn them, we don't want to take any risk. The rest of you can go, I seem to have seen Brad somewhere, go look for him and he will guide you to the living area of the city ".

The soldier nodded stiffly before he moved to go execute her orders.

Then, she turned, thought for a short moment before she sighed, " I plan to spend the rest of my life with Don so I'm not ready to sacrifice even half of it but what would be interesting to know is if you could use that same training or even a little bit of on these girls, who have already enhanced capabilities, what kind of super-warriors would they become? " As she was talking Volga was staring at Carla as if she was expecting her to change somehow.

Jamal walked silently to the car door and peeked at Natasha who was quietly sleeping inside, he then said " look " while pointing to the place where the bodies of the hundreds of undead were being taken away. " How many of them do you think Natasha has taken down before we arrived? "

Carla and Volga didn't initially understand the point of his question but, anyway, they both took a look back to where he was indicating and where they were many of them still lying lifeless on the ground, they pondered for a short moment before they gave the same answer.

" the one-third of them, " Volga declared.

" I think it's quite similar to the number I got, " Carla, then, added with a shrug.

" Would you believe me if I tell that actually, she has killed half of them and maybe even more? " Jamal said after hearing their estimations.

" For real!? " they both cried out

" You may not have noticed, since it was quite dark when we arrived, but I paid close attention to it and there is no doubt, the half of them were eliminated by her. Moreover, didn't you wonder why such a very great number of enemies focused on only one foe and didn't even try to sneak away to the main area of the city? " They stayed silent as to wait for him to give them the answer, " well, she had been fighting while holding them to leave this place ".

After hearing that, the two women couldn't help but think about what Natasha required to carry out such a task. " Concentration, strength, an extraordinary speed and stamina, sharp reflexes, high capacity of analysis and observation but most importantly, techniques, a lot of techniques. Without the help of great skills, she would have died trying ".

Volga abruptly turned her head to stare at Natasha while looking very astonished, she frowned and gasped, " that girl... don't tell me... ".

" That's right " Jamal confirmed without needing her to complete what she had to say, " with the adequate training each of these girls can constitute an entire and an unstoppable army by themselves. This one still lacks a lot of experiences in controlling the energy she uses during a battle and her style of combat is too rough and emotional, therefore, her stamina is her greatest weakness, otherwise, she wouldn't have needed our help to deal with that army of undead in the first place ".

For a moment, there was a long silence where none of the two women before him could know what to say after such revelation.

Carla couldn't help wondering about the large gap of skills, combat ability, and experience there was between her and Natasha. [ According to Jamal her powers manifested them not so long after the great catastrophe but yet she seemed more proficient at using them than me ] she said to herself, though, she could somehow understand that since she had been trained by Jamal himself for quite a long while she guessed, but she still was not able to get rid of that sentiment of inferiority in her heart.

Jamal didn't take long to figure out what she was thinking and he decided to take the lead, " do you want it? That kind of power? " he asked her straightforwardly.

The young woman raised her head after being surprised, she looked at him in the eye since she didn't expect him to make such an offer, however, she didn't intend to ignore it either. She quickly collected her thoughts, she clenched her fists after making up her mind, and responded, " yes, I want to be as strong as her and even more ".

" And what will you do with that power? "

" To protect the people who are dear to me and to repay to the one who had offered me the chance to continue living, " she almost immediately answered without an ounce of doubt in her eyes as if she was waiting for that question.

" Are you two trying to remake a scene of an action movie? " Volga commented after moving her sight from one to the other, then, with a more serious expression, she interrogated him, " what are you trying to accomplish by transforming them into invincible warriors? "

" Well, if I had to respond to you, the most appropriate answer I could give you would be because I don't want to see anyone being scared of the night anymore, " he confessed while putting his hands behind his head.

A minute later, Sania came to them and announced to them, while being covered by sweat and soot, that they were done with the job they were given. She paused to take her to breathe, " we have finished cleaning, all the bodies of those monsters have been reduced into ashes and I hope with that we finally be forgiven and you will stop giving us hellish punishments ".

Volga nodded before she began to tap her chin with her forefinger while faking like she was thinking, " but... I don't know, I mean, you have betrayed us after all, that act deserves a harsh punishment ".

" Come on, we were being controlled and you know it very well " Sania replied trying to defend themselves.

" Nevertheless, you have tried to kill us and according to Jamal's analysis you weren't exactly been controlled but it was your desires that have been boosted, which means that somewhere inside you have always wanted to kill me, " Volga said while playing the innocent.

" I won't deny that here and now I do have the desire to kill you, " Sania mumbled between her teeth, irritated.

" Excuse me, you said what? "

" Nothing ma'am, just waiting for your next instructions, " the young woman quickly corrected herself.

" Alright, go tell the others that it's time to go, no need to waste any single more second in this place, it's starting to feel creepy, " Volga ordered while throwing worried glances at the place where was the undead's bodies a few moments ago.

" Got it, and if you permit I would want to give you a piece of advice. You better not be too close or clingy with Jamal when we would arrive, at least if you don't want to taste the wrath of a lioness protecting her territory. See you, " Sania hastily said while taking a quick glance at Jamal before she ran away.

" Wait! what do you mean-?" Volga tried to know but she was too fast. She turned to Jamal and looked at him soundlessly asking him for some more clarifications but the latter just shrugged, gulped, and walked away as if he wanted to purposely ignore the subject.

They got on their cars and the rest of the army were soon on their way to return to the main area of the city of Stainfall.

The cortege of cars was moving quickly, Jamal could feel that those people couldn't wait to arrive and meet all their relatives and friends they had left to carry out their missions, or at least those who could still remember about their relatives. He knew how the majority thought to never make it alive, and even Volga who was acting calmly in her car was, for sure, one of the people who were the most looking forward to it. The way she was holding the steering wheel and how she was driving fast, Jamal and Carla understood that she couldn't bear it anymore and want to see her beloved Donald immediately.

They arrived in no time and had the pleasant surprise to be welcomed by the cheers, the smiles, and the joy of all the citizens. Confettis were flying here and there and drums could be heard resonating in a very rhythmic way all around them. " We are being welcomed like heroes " was the only thing the people in the vehicles could think, at that precise moment.

Once they got down from their cars, a load of people ran to come greeting them, people would stand on the toes and elevated their heads looking for their friends or families while others were already hugging each other and chatting happily.

Seeing all that happiness around him Jamal could hardly feel more glad and proud. It was that kind of moment he liked the most because it was only then that he could find the answer he would ask himself every morning when he opened his eyes. " Why am I doing this, huh? " he smiled and laughed slightly, " because I love to see every people being happy ".

Volga grabbed his sleeve while hurriedly moving her sight in the crowd around her, obviously anxious. " Where is he? Where is he? " she didn't stop mumbling while looking for the face of her fiance.

" Jamal! Jamal! I'm here! " a female voice was screaming, the man moved his head abruptly and started to run his sight all over the place, scanning each faces before he soon caught a glance of the woman he was deeply in love with, running towards him.

He couldn't remember the last he had seen her running like that. Without stopping or even diminishing her speed she threw herself into his arms, passed hers around his neck, and rolled her legs around his waist while holding him very tight. " I missed you so much, " she said on his ear and before he could respond to her, she stuck her tongue inside his mouth, offering that passion she had been holding back since he left.

Then, Jamal put her down to stare at her beautiful face but he then saw her eyes moving unexpectedly to lay on Volga's hand holding Jamal's sleeve, and once again before Jamal could react she exploded, " Oh That's it! Only one week you've left and you have already found yourself a side bitch?! Don't tell me she is the one I heard that day, who was practically begging you to fuck her on the spot?! "

Assisting to the scene from a respectable distance, Sania slowly and silently stepped back to hide behind Nelson, Lina glared at Volga and carried on, " it's not in my habits to talk bad at people, I'm usually respectful but with what you have done let me tell you that you can- "

Before she could go further Jamal put a hand on her mouth and pulled her back when suddenly a man appeared and held Volga in his arms.

" Hopefully you came back to me alive and in one piece, " Donald said with an indescribable relief in his voice.

" We can get married now? " Volga suddenly asked him.

" At any time you want, " he immediately responded before starting kissing her.

" Oh, so she is the one you used to talk to me about? " Lina said with a much lower tone than before while trying to act all cute and innocent.

Don turned his head toward her and said, " miss Lina. I see that you have already met my beloved fiancee, I hope you got along well ".

" Yeah... sure we did, " the latter replied with a not credible tone while slowly hiding behind Jamal. She poked out the upper half of her face to gaze at Volga, looking like she was begging her to forget what just happened. The latter smiled and nodded as to say that it was alright.

" Now that you have finished with your touching reunions, can you tell me where should I carry her to have some rest? " Carla stepped forward and asked the four people, she was carrying in her arms Natasha who was still sleeping her wooden sword on her chest.

" Nat'! Oh my goodness, how could I forget her, she must be completely exhausted due to the fight, " Lina observed while approaching to touch her friends face, " please carry her and follow me, I know where. And by the way, you can all follow me and have a rest too, you must also be tired and the welcoming party made for you is not ready to start yet ". She invited the small group before they left the crowd.