Dead Man Walking: Living By Day, Dead By Night

Upon returning to the bunker complex, Zane and the girls wanted nothing more than to take a shower and enjoy a nice home-cooked meal. Because of this, they all went their separate ways. And the moment Zane emerged from the shower, he saw a woman sitting on his bed.

Zane had locked the door behind him upon entering his room, and it remained this way. But he was not alarmed by the woman who had somehow managed to force her way inside because he knew exactly who she was. She was death.

When Zane says that his mother had reclaimed her adult form, and had secretly entered his room, he expected she had something important to tell him, and because of this he sat down by her side, while wearing nothing but a towel.

Death gazed at her son with a curious expression on her face before asking the young man a simple question.

"Aren't you going to get dressed?"

Zane looked at his mother as if she were an idiot before lecturing her on the definition of privacy.

"With you watching? That's a little inappropriate don't you think Maya?"

Death pouted when she heard her son call her by that name. She immediately flicked the man on the nose, before crossing her eyes and looking away, but not before scolding him for using the incorrect term.

"You dare call your mother by that name? When I'm in this form, you better refer to me as mom, mother, or mommy. Do you understand, mister!?!"

It had been a very long time since Zane had been scolded by a woman in a motherly manner. In fact, now that he thought about it, he may have never experienced such a thing in his life before, at least not until he found out the truth about his parentage.

And because of this, he could only sigh and take a seat next to her, all the while apologizing for what he had said.

"I'm sorry, mom, so what exactly do I owe the pleasure? I mean you normally run around as little Maya. Why all of a sudden have you revealed your true form to me? Is this because of Lilith?"

Death looked at Zane with a far more serious look on her face before nodding her head. The words she spoke were laced with severity.

"Of course! Do you think I would take the risk of appearing like this with all those little harlots running around the place otherwise? You walked right into the lion's den, and the only reason you escaped from Lilith is because of a coincidence.

I warned you, didn't I? I warned you that Lilith had a connection with that bitch. And you still walked right into the trap she had laid for you. Human politics is a petty matter that I seldom concern myself with. But even I understand that you were a diplomatic guest. To be invited into the personal quarters of a rival leader was obviously a trap.

One that you should not have fallen for!

Do my warnings mean nothing to you? You're just lucky I interfered with Lilith's ability. Or else you would have been dead the moment you foolishly told her that I gave you the power to raise the dead.

You do understand what this means, right? You have painted a target on your back! All the other Horde Kings are going to come after you now. The protections you have been afforded in the past are no longer valid. The moment Lilith tells them all that I have given you my blessing, they will come for you out of envy and spite.

This little settlement of yours? It won't stand the tide. And those pretty little things you keep around? They are not yet strong enough to follow you… If you stay here, Gravestone will burn, and those women you have developed feelings for? They will die along with everyone else in your life."

Zane stared at his mother in shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. Nor did he expect the consequences of what he had done would be so severe. But Death was right. Zane had been afforded a certain degree of protection by the Horde Kings in the past.

The reason was simple. Plain ignorance. It was because they suspected their mother was by his side, and that they did not want to interfere with their mother's business when they did not understand what it was that the Horde Kings had not retaliated against Zane for his repeated provocations.

But things were different now… It was Zane's own ignorance of his "siblings" that caused him not to understand the consequences that his visit with Lilith would naturally have. The Horde Kings may worship death as a goddess. But they each had their own ambitions.

Zane had revealed that their mother gave him the power to raise the dead, and control those who he had resurrected personally. This was not only a blasphemous revelation, as it meant he was equivalent to their goddess.

But he had also declared that he was her only true child. A comment that would personally wound the ego of every Horde King, each of which considered themselves Death's children. By saying all of this, even if true, it would be easy for them all to deny it as nothing more than the insane ramblings of a heretic.

And by doing this effectively and unilaterally declare war on Zane. Even if what Zane had said was true, none of the Horde Kings, except for perhaps the most devout followers of Death, would dare admit it. Because it interfered with their personal ambitions.

Zane had declared himself Death's heir, and by doing so asserted himself the rightful ruler over all undead in this world. Such a claim was itself a declaration of war against the Horde Kings. One that Zane failed to understand the implications of, because he knew very little about his "siblings."

When Death herself said this, Zane came to understand how big of a blunder he had made. And instantly began to panic. He grabbed hold of his mother's shoulders and immediately asked her for how he should proceed.

"What- What do I do, mom? How do I fix this?"

Death, however, had a smug look on her face, as if she were looking at an idiot. She forced herself away from Zane's grip before speaking down on him and his foolishness.

"Fix this? There is no fixing this? You can't just declare war on all the Horde Kings, and then play it off as a prank! What is done is done! You are at war, and you do not have the strength to survive the storm that is coming for you… All you can hope for is that you possess the ability to outrun it.

Finish what you have started with that green-haired little girl you have so taken a liking to. And then leave… You have painted a target on your back, and everyone you care for. And so long as you are not in Gravestone, then the Horde Kings have no reason to destroy it.

After all, they don't know that you actually care for these women, and it would be best if you kept it that way. If they did, Lilith would have invited them to use against you. So you can count your blessings in that regard…

Now go, get dressed, and celebrate with those women one last time. Because you need to leave, and soon if you want them to survive…."

Death then transformed back into Maya, and walked out of Zane's room. Leaving the man in a state of complete and total distress… Would he really have to leave behind everything he had built in Gravestone? All the comforts that existed, the relationship he had forged in life and death struggled. Would he really have to abandon it all now because of one simple mistake?

After some careful thought, he understood that his mother was right. He was not strong enough to face the coming storm, and if he stayed in Gravestone, Elena, Olivia, Angelica, Madison, and Lily would all die…

Sure, he could raise them from the dead, and make them his puppets. But would they even be the same? They would not be Horde Kings, and if that was the case would they even retain what made them human to begin with?

No…. There was only one option: Zane would have to leave them all behind, at least until he had the strength to protect them all. Gravestone would be fine without him and the girls were strong enough by themselves to survive on their own…

There was just one last thing to take care of. And with that in mind, Zane quickly got dressed and joined the festivities. Where he enjoys a nice home cooked meal for the last time in a long time. He would drink late into the night with the girls, before taking them all, including Lily back to his room to give them all one last farewell.