The best tactic is a small truth to back up the lie right? Well, obviously it would be to slaughter then and feast on their flesh but for now you have to play nice.


"I did encounter someone like that, they indeed seemed very angry. Coming here and meeting you seemed like the better option when compared to staying there with a clearly hostile harbinger."


There is a slight pause before the next question "And he didn't attack you, no offence but I don't see you being alive if he did."


You tut to yourself, got to cover a little more "Well I think he was trying to recruit me, I think he would have attacked once he realized I wasn't taking him up on the offer but I was too far away already."


This time the reply comes right away "Oh how interesting, I presume he wanted your help in attacking us, he seems like the angry vengeful type and we did send him away in disgrace barely holding onto his life afterall. So you weren't tempted to join him?"

You enough is enough. They aren't buying the half-truths as the whole story sell out the Old man, he'd be the first to sell you out if it benefited him.

These guys are clearly too suspicious to buy the lies.  The Old Man would also sell you out in a second if it benefited him, so why not sell him out first and join the stronger side?


"Ok to be very honest, he was stronger than me, by a lot. I only found my abilities a couple of months back and he recruited me when I didn't really have a chance of fighting him. I did train with him for a while as he wanted me to help him and I got a lot stronger. Seems he wanted me to help him beat you guys as he didn't want to risk the fight alone. I learned what I could from him and now would much rather join you guys as he is a bit crazy and would most likely kill me the moment you were defeated anyway."


There is silence for a time before an answer finally comes. "Well that is very interesting, and actually the truth which we didn't initially expect. We shall let you join us, do understand though that you will still be under some suspicion for a time."


You nod, that's pretty much what you expected "Sounds about what I expected so I'll accept those terms." You say as you walk closer.


A different voice joins in the conversation now "As you get closer you will see a large underground entrance, then one building past that on the right you will see a metal door set back inside an entrance way, that's the way you need to take in. If you see anything strange, do not attack it, they are semi-autonomous but still under our control and will not attack unless provoked."


You shrug to yourself "not as if anything could really surprise me anymore" you think as you see the underground entrance and head one building past it. You see what looks like a normal skyscraper lobby and almost wonder if you had gone too far when you see what looks more like a huge metal slab than a door part way into a side corridor. "Huge defensive door but tucked where people walking by won't easily see it, smart."


As you get closer it swings open to reveal a huge monstrosity holding it. The roof here must be over 10 feet high and the thing is still hunched against the ceiling to be able to fit and its bulk blocks most of the corridors width, like a human mutated to be the biggest, most muscular abomination you could imagine. "Gorram-it, I take it back, I can still be surprised, you're like some monster from mythology aren't you?" You mutter as you decide about what to do. Surprisingly the thing growls at you in response. "Oh, and you seem to understand me, that's a bit worrying too." You say.


You carefully edge past the thing as it makes no move to attack and you notice that the door is several inches thick of metal, and that the thing easily pulls it shut behind you even though it's not on hinges. "Seems those muscles aren't for show either, I can see why I wouldn't want to pick a fight with you" you tell the monster which seems to take it as a compliment and grins at you, which is a truly horrifying sight.

You welcome to the thunderdone!

You head down the corridor ahead and past several smaller doors, opened by other strange mutated humans. You make note that the walls and ceiling here is re-enforced, probably after knocking down walls to make the tunnel. You start hearing cheering up ahead as you come into a small lobby area.


"Nearly there!" you hear the first voice saying "There are doors and corridors off this room but you need the blue one marked 'Balcony'."


Then the link drops. You have some suspicions now about a trap, but why let you pass all the abominations which could probably kill you in the tight confines of the corridor only to try and kill you now?


You head through the arch and up the stairs and walk right out into what looks like an old circular arena, lit from above with a large pit in the middle, walled by concrete topped with glass and steel. Crowds of humans line the glass, looking down and cheering like they are at a concert.


"Welcome to the New City Arena!" you hear thundering above you, and looking up you see the suspended PA system as the announcer continues "The Lords have told me that we have a special guest here today, as so we are putting on a special show for you all!" place your bets and give a cheer for your competitors!" The crowd goes wild as you see giant metal doors in the pit opening.


You catch sight of a section sticking out of the balcony and immediately recognize the minds of the two cloaked figures sitting on it as the harbingers. One of them waves you over and you move through the crowd until you reach their little dais, sticking out over the crowd below. There are now humans near them so you walk the last few feet quickly and find an empty seat for you beside them.


"Welcome to our little community!" The nearest one begins "This is obviously our arena where we get our entertainment. Obviously living areas and all that are down other tunnels and in other buildings but we thought we would greet you in proper fashion today!" He indicates the pit and you see a pack of mutant dogs walk out into the large open space, on the other side you see a much large group of infected, shamblers and fast types enter.


The Harbinger continues "As you see, we have brought back the coliseum, we have infected fight for our entertainment, and occasionally humans who break the laws here, a small group tried to rebell against us a while back, we gave them weapons and sent them in against Nate, who you met at the front door, he is one of our sentinels. It turned Nate into a crowd favorite and he ensured that the peace was kept, no-one has tried real insubordination since then!"


You think for a moment before replying as you watch the infected standing still as the humans shout to make bets based off numbers displayed on a big screen on one wall "But the humans, don't you eat them? That's how we get stronger and they are simply prey."


You can almost feel the disapproval of the men beside you and you sense new colour swirling in the glow of their minds "Not at all, it seems the Harbinger of the West has been lying to you. Eating humans has no effect on your abilities at all. Only your mind and training does. You got stronger as you believed in what he was saying and because you trained. But it is also why we nearly killed you on sight. Your decision taints your mind and we can see it."


You don't really know what to respond to this. But your overwhelming urge is to lash out, you were honest but now they were lying to you? Were they simply trying to indoctrinate you to use you like the old man?


You follow your urge, you know they are lying as you ate humans and got stronger, in just a few weeks of eating humans and training you became superhuman yourself. Attack physically and mentally, once they are dead, their community and the humans will be your personal living food locker.


You force your urges back down, the longer you spent with the Old Man and the more humans you ate, the more violent and volatile you became however they don't really have a reason to lie to you right now. Find out what they are saying then decide the truth for yourself.

You follow the urge

Tainted? You are not tainted by anything, you are the alpha predator of the weak humans below you and you will prove it by killing their 'Lords' in front of them and feasting on their flesh. Once you are in charge the games can continue but you will eat the humans as you watch.


You lash out at them and make a lunge towards them at incredible speed but you feel both attacks suddenly blocked. The two men in cloaks moved just as fast as you and they are now pinning your arms in grips you can't break.


"You see, I told you we can't trust a red, once they go that way they are ruled by the infection and lose all reason." One says to the other "Sadly in this case you were right, I thought since his colour had shades and wasn't set yet that he could still chance but I guess not."


"Don't talk over me!" You shout at them, you are about to continue and tell them of what you will do to get your revenge when you feel something slamming into your mind and you have to use all your concentration to fend it off. You only hold for a second though as a second attack shatters your defense and you feel pressure inside your mind.


Suddenly it vanishes and you don't feel their minds anymore. "There, I left all your abilities and mind intact but you lost all of your… mental prowess shall we say." One of them say cheerily to you "An impressive feat if I say so myself, mental brain surgery! Literally!" he chuckles at his own joke.


You are about to say something when you feel yourself suddenly thrown out over the crowd and fall right into the centre of the pit. You try and lash out at them but find all of your mental senses gone; you can only feel what you did when you were a normal human. You panic for a moment but the announcer comes back on the PA system. "That's right folks, our special event is that our Lords have captured an evil harbinger and stripped him of his mental powers! He is still incredibly strong and fast, but let's see how he does against our hordes! The winners are the infected who deliver the killing blow, will it be mutants of walkers!"


You looks up just in time to see all of the infected and mutants rush at you. You fight well, you still have your speed and strength and kill a large number of them but the small wounds add up. You lose your left arm first to a large mutant dog, you killed it but it had already severed the flesh. Your leg is broken by a shamber latching onto it while a fast type slammed into you. After that it goes quickly.


It ends as a mutant tears your windpipe out, the last thing you hear is the crowd cheering your death.