Guldrin’s Gluttony: Family Bound by Speed & Food

The cold night air filled the warehouse as the last few embers of Guldrin's cigar flickered out, their faint glow casting fleeting shadows across his face. His eyes were distant and unfocused, the weight of the day's events hanging heavy on his shoulders. As much as he tried to block it out, the feeling of unease gnawed at him. The dangers outside, Shido's looming threat, and the hunger inside that seemed to never fade, all felt like tightening chains, pulling him in every direction.

But despite the turmoil, there was a quiet sense of purpose that had settled over him. He had a family now. They weren't just the Toretto family he had come to know and love; this group of survivors had grown to become his responsibility, and in turn, his strength. With a little training, some crystals, and encouragement, this group would be a force to be reckoned with.

Guldrin exhaled deeply, his breath forming a mist in the frigid air. He had known and learned early on that the world no longer followed the rules they once knew. Survival came first, and everything else was secondary. Yet, despite everything, there were moments, brief, fleeting moments, when he allowed himself to think of something beyond the endless fight for survival. And tonight, that thought was Shiro. Her kiss had been a simple act, but the warmth of it lingered in his chest, pushing away some of the darker thoughts clouding his mind.

Shiro's unexpected kiss hadn't been the only surprise of the night. After she had fled, her face a bright shade of red, Guldrin found himself smirking at the way his girlfriend had embarrassed herself. But it was a pleasant embarrassment, one that filled him with an unexpected sense of warmth and hope. He thought of the kiss as a symbol of the future they might one day have, once they overcame the blood-soaked hell around them. While this may be one of many worlds he will travel to, it would be something he would never forget, maybe even make the world his hub, the main nexus for his other travels. 

But for now, there were bigger problems to tackle.

Guldrin stood up, stretching his arms, the sound of his joints cracking breaking the silence. His mind shifted back to the task at hand. Tonight's mission, scouting. Shiro, still recovering from the earlier boldness, had asked him to lead a three-person scouting squad: Maki, the sharpshooter; Kohta, the sniper; and himself, the one with the strongest senses in the group.

The docks surrounding the warehouses were a hotbed of danger. With Shido's group possibly still lurking around, it was imperative that they ensure no one would be able to infiltrate the area unnoticed. They couldn't afford to take chances. Guldrin had been around long enough to know that the undead weren't the only creatures they had to worry about anymore.

He grabbed his gear, his silenced Mk 23, and his last sign-in from before they had left the warehouse, a RISE Armament Legacy AR-15 Rifle with a 4x scope was slung over his shoulder, a small pack of supplies on his back, and he made his way toward the group's designated meeting point. 

Kohta was already there, his glasses reflecting the pale moonlight. His knight's SR-25 sniper rifle was cradled carefully in his hands, and his usual excitement was absent. Instead, he appeared unusually focused, his eyes scanning the area with a cool detachment.

Maki, too, was preparing herself for the mission. The lean, blue-haired woman, with sharp eyes, was known for her prowess with both ranged and melee weapons. Her reputation as Yuriko's best sniper was well-earned, and she was one of the few people who could rival Kohta's skill with a long-range rifle. Yet, she was no stranger to close combat, her skill with a blade making her a dangerous asset in tight situations. 

The group was extremely lucky that the red crystal had cured her infection and she survived; another sharpshooter to fill their ranks was extremely helpful. She said goodbye to her daughter, a young 9-year-old with blue hair, chubby cheeks, and a bright smile, Rini, and joined up with the group for the mission given.

"We ready?" Guldrin asked, his voice low but clear.

Kohta adjusted his glasses and gave a quick nod, his rifle now slung over his shoulder. "All set. I've got the perimeter covered. Maki's got the angles."

Maki gave a short, sharp nod as well, her usual smirk replaced by a more serious demeanor. "Let's make this quick and clean. We don't need to be drawing attention."

The three of them moved into the darkness, their footsteps soft and calculated. The world outside was eerily quiet, save for the occasional groan of the undead drifting in from the distance. The night was colder here, closer to the docks, and the scent of saltwater mixed with the earthy smell of decay that had become the defining odor of the apocalypse.

Guldrin's senses were on high alert as they moved through the shadows, his blue eyes scanning the horizon. Every sound was amplified, every rustling of leaves or distant footstep setting his nerves on edge. He had never been one for conventional tactics, but he had learned the hard way that caution was often the difference between life and death.

"Watch the roofs," Maki whispered as they neared the first warehouse. "Anyone could be hiding up there."

Guldrin nodded and began to move toward the building's exterior. He crouched low, his rifle held in front of him, as he approached a broken window. The soft scrape of his boots against the concrete was the only sound that broke the oppressive silence. He paused at the window, peering inside to get a better look.

The interior was empty, devoid of movement. The faint moonlight filtering through the broken glass illuminated dust and debris, but there were no signs of life. He signaled to the others, indicating that the immediate area was clear.

"Moving on," Guldrin murmured.

They moved with a sense of purpose, checking the surrounding area for any signs of activity. Guldrin led them through the back alleys and abandoned trucks, his every step calculated and quiet. The night air was thick with the scent of rot, the familiar stench of death and decay. It felt as though the very world itself was suffocating beneath the weight of the apocalypse.

Kohta was the first to spot something unusual. "Over there," he hissed, pointing toward a small, dimly lit building. The faint glow of a lantern flickered through a cracked door. It was odd; no one had seen a light source since the nuke and the occasional torches, lighters, and candles. His eyes narrowed, and he adjusted his rifle, preparing for a potential shot.

Guldrin motioned for the team to halt. "Let's keep our distance. Maki, you're up."

Maki moved silently, her movements graceful and fluid. She crouched low, disappearing into the shadows as she made her way toward the building. Guldrin and Kohta followed suit, keeping a safe distance. Guldrin's grip tightened on his rifle, his senses hyper-aware of every crack in the concrete, every movement in the distance.

Maki reached the building, disappearing into the darkness before reappearing moments later. She signaled for them to approach. Guldrin's eyes narrowed as he closed the distance.

"What's inside?" he whispered.

"People," Maki replied quietly. "A small group. No undead."

"Shido?" Guldrin asked, his voice tense.

Maki shook her head. "Doesn't look like it. But they're armed."

The tension in the air thickened. Guldrin could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins as they closed in on the building. If this group was hostile, they wouldn't hesitate to fight. He could feel it in the way Maki's hands tightened around her weapons, the way Kohta's eyes scanned the horizon for potential threats. Every movement was deliberate.

"Let's clear the area," Guldrin said, his voice low but commanding. "Stay sharp."

They moved in slowly, clearing each room methodically, making sure no one was left hiding. The group inside was small, no more than five or six people. Most were unarmed, huddled in the corner, but two men stood by the door, their rifles in hand, clearly nervous.

The group inside the dimly lit building didn't notice the intruders at first. The muffled sounds of their low voices and occasional laughter broke the stillness, a stark contrast to the quiet night outside. Guldrin, Maki, and Kohta positioned themselves just outside the door, each of them aware of the weight of their decisions. This wasn't a simple scavenging mission or a standard recon. This was about survival, the survival of their group. And these people, whatever their motivations, were a threat.

Guldrin signaled to Maki to take point. Her lean figure melted into the shadows as she crept forward, slipping through the broken door with the grace of a predator. Kohta followed, his rifle now in hand, ready for anything. Guldrin brought up the rear, his senses attuned to every minute sound around them. His stomach churned slightly, an instinctive reaction, as the subtle scent of sweat and fear reached his nose.

Inside, the scene was disquieting. Five people huddled together in the far corner. Two men, clearly armed and standing guard, were positioned at the door, while the others were seated on the floor, muttering among themselves in what, to Guldrin, sounded like Russian. The lantern flickered dimly on the table in the center of the room, casting long shadows on the grimy walls. The faint glint of knives and pistols was visible, though none of them seemed aware of the immediate danger they were in.

Maki's eyes were sharp as she scanned the room. She motioned for Guldrin and Kohta to follow her lead, and the three of them advanced silently into the building. The door creaked slightly under their pressure, but it was nothing more than a whisper against the ambient noises of the night. They moved in, each footfall carefully calculated to avoid drawing attention.

As they neared the center of the room, a sharp sound cut through the stillness, a loud thud followed by a grunt of pain. It came from the far corner where a young girl, barely in her teens, struggled to free herself from the hands of one of the men.

Guldrin's eyes flickered toward the scene as the girl's muffled sobs echoed through the building. She was clearly distressed, her clothes torn in several places, and her arms were pinned against the floor by a large, brutish figure. The man seemed to be enjoying the girl's misery, laughing darkly as she squirmed beneath him.

Guldrin's fists clenched around his rifle, his blue eyes narrowing with fury. The anger surged inside him like a wave crashing against the shore. His muscles tensed, the familiar feeling of his power rising within him, but he fought to maintain control. This was not about rash action. He had been in similar situations before as Big Boss, and rash actions could easily end in more death, but in this case, his instinct screamed for action.

He shot a look to Maki, whose face had hardened into a mask of pure loathing. The silent exchange of understanding passed between them, they were all thinking the same thing.

The two guards had not yet noticed the intruders. They were too busy chatting between themselves, oblivious to the fact that their doom was closing in on them. Guldrin motioned for Kohta to take the left guard, while he and Maki would deal with the right.

The silence in the room was broken only by the faint rustle of clothing and the desperate, muffled cries of the girl. The man on top of her grunted as he adjusted his position, unaware that his life was about to come to a swift end.

Maki was the first to move, her swift strike silencing the right guard before he had the chance to react. The sharp crack of the silenced pistol echoed briefly as he crumpled to the floor, dead before he could even draw his weapon. Maki disappeared once again into the shadows, and in an instant, the left guard's fate was sealed. Kohta's rifle had already leveled at the man's head, and a barely audible shot rang out, sending the guard falling to the ground.

The room was now quiet, too quiet. The remaining five people, still unaware of what had just occurred, were left with no chance to escape. The two men standing in the corner were caught completely off guard, their attention on the girl as she tried to claw her way out from beneath her captor. One of the men, who had a great sense of hearing, turned toward the noise, his eyes widening in confusion as he spotted the bodies of his comrades.

"Wha-" he started, but his words were cut short by the sight of Maki's blade flashing in the dim light. She moved like a ghost, her form barely visible before the razor-sharp edge of her knife found its mark. The man crumpled to the ground with a quiet thud. 

Guldrin was like a ghost, walking silently toward the group of unsuspecting monsters, his blade flashing sporadically, reaping lives as he continued his approach. His main target, the man holding down the girl, if one could see his eyes at the moment, gone were the gentle blue, instead a pitch-black abyss had replaced them, his intention clear, killing.

The remaining man, the one tormenting the girl, now looked up, eyes wild with panic. His grip on the girl loosened momentarily as he turned to face the intruders. But it was too late. Guldrin was already moving, his pistol raised and aimed. The silenced shot rang out, and the man's head snapped back with a sickening crack. He fell backward, lifeless.

The room was still, save for the distant groans of the undead outside. The girl lay there, trembling, her wide eyes fixed on Guldrin as he lowered his pistol. Maki stepped forward cautiously, her gaze softening for just a moment as she knelt down beside the girl.

"Are you alright?" Maki's voice was calm, though there was an edge to it, a quiet fury at the horror she had just witnessed. The girl looked up at her, eyes filled with confusion, fear, and something else, a desperate hope.

The girl nodded slowly, her voice trembling as she whispered, "T-thank you."

Guldrin's gaze shifted over the fallen bodies of the men, his jaw tight. He could still feel the remnants of the anger bubbling beneath the surface, though it was tempered by the grim satisfaction of knowing that these monsters would no longer harm anyone else.

"We're not going to leave you," Guldrin said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him. "You're safe now."

Maki's hand went to the girl's arm, helping her to her feet as Kohta stepped forward to take the position by the door, keeping watch for any incoming threats.

The girl, looking up at the trio with a mix of gratitude and wariness, gave a weak nod. Guldrin could see the pain in her eyes, it was a pain he recognized, one that could never be truly erased. It was the kind of wound that could fester, changing a person in ways that were irreversible. But it was also the kind of wound that could be healed, not easily, but with time, with care, with the bond of those who truly understood. At the very least, she would mend these wounds enough to recover and use them as fuel for her following actions.

"Let's go," Maki said, her voice soft but firm, as she gently helped the girl toward the door. Kohta nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving the surroundings. Before they left, Guldrin stored their weapons, food, and anything else they had in his inventory before placing their bodies inside his inventory as well. They couldn't let a disease fester from dead bodies, that is the last thing they need right now.

The group made their way out of the building, moving quickly but carefully, alert to any possible threats. Guldrin kept an eye on the girl, noting her shaky movements but also the strength and resolve in her eyes. There was something in her that reminded him of himself, back when he had first been thrust into a world that demanded far more than he was ready to give.

As they emerged into the night, the harsh wind cutting through the air, Guldrin's mind churned. The world had changed, but people hadn't. There were still those who preyed on the weak, who would stop at nothing to satisfy their own desires. And as long as people like that existed, Guldrin would continue to hunt them down.

"Stay close," he told the girl softly. She nodded, her small frame trembling but determined. Guldrin placed a hand gently on her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. This was the reality now, a world where monsters didn't just wear the flesh of the undead. Some of them wore the faces of men.

And those men would be hunted down without mercy. Even his cigar tastes bitter after this experience, a stale, unsettling disgust that deserves to be removed with full impunity.

(Give me your POWER, Please, and Thank You! Leave reviews and comments, they motivate me to continue.)