How To Survive A Calamity

"I've done many things I'm not proud of. ' Zach's thoughts against the cold pavement were fleeting. The night sky and brewing clouds had never seemed so far and yet so low before.

In the distance, the electric sounds of the nightlife became a muffled backdrop. Looking back, Zach suppressed the urge to exhale a self-deprecating laugh. And that was only because of the burning pain caused by the bullet sized hole in his lungs.

'Well, fuck. It hurts no matter how many times you get shot in a lifetime...'

Zachary Harper for as long as he remembered had always been a bold soul and risk taker. He never seemed to fit in quite alright with the regular masses, actually.

Since Middle School, he had been branded an outcast, a delinquent, a problem child. Some even called him a demon. That was because wherever Zach Harper went, violence followed.

He had always been involved with the dregs and filth of society, he was notorious.

But Zach was often misunderstood by others. He wasn't a delinquent because he wanted to, neither did he find solace in being one. But nothing he ever placed his hand into ever seemed to work out. He wasn't smart or good at studies, he wasn't good looking —average at best, just saying— and he wasn't all that good in communicating his feelings.

But if there was one thing Zach Harper was notorious for being good at, it was fighting.

Zach was a brawler, famous in his childhood streets.

As a result of that, he was often found amongst the many thugs in a part of his neighborhood, and since he never seemed to fit in anywhere else, and no one seemed to acknowledge him, he flowed with the wrong crowd and spread his name.

However this changed during a certain incident. Zach's little gang was forcefully detained by the authorities over a minor incident. Having someone like Zach amongst their ranks had caused the little goons to grow too confident and bolder in their mischief, until they had grown beyond being a nuisance.

Thinking back on the events of his life, in his own blood, Zach barely restrained a painful self-deprecating laugh as he recalled how furious and maddened his father had been to discover he had been arrested at only 15. Fortunately, the crime committed wasn't something big, and only a 'small' bail sufficed to get him out.

His father, who was his only parent and struggled to raise him, was furious and beat the crap out of him that day. He had had enough, he would send Zach to Military school.

"You like fighting, ey? I'll make sure that bastard talent of yours isn't wasted then, " he said.

That incident had change his life, or so Zach thought.

He stopped moving with his previous group which had been forcefully disbanded and went back to school. Zach was ready to start a new leaf and abandon his previous life behind him, he swore it.

He would, from then forth, be a model student. He would attend classes, and make the top of his class, if possible. At the very least, he would no longer be involved in any more gang fights.

Zach earnestly believed so. He really wanted it to be. That was what he thought at first. But things led to more things and Zach found himself beating up a group of high school seniors that tried to bully him.

In his defense, it was their fault. He was the victim this time...well, for the most part.

But that just led to a chain of events that signaled the downward spiral of the rest of his life.

The 3rd year Seniors of the boys he beat came after him for revenge and to teach a lesson. And teach a lesson, they did. They taught one Zach never forgot.

After suppressing the notorious Zachary Harper, he became their bread shuttle, their buss boy, their lackey. These seniors were the real deal, they were real Delinquents and Zach couldn't hold a candle to them.

What was worse was that those delinquents were only rookies of a group of Biker Gangs that were well known within that neighborhood. The way Zach was treated, was exactly in the same manner these seniors behaved before the Bikers. Zach was merely at the bottom of the food chain, a large one.

Similarly, these Bikers were dominated and absorbed by a much larger and powerful Street gang — which were a fraction to a much larger Underground Organization — swallowed up its entire members and 'dealt away' with those that refused to bend the knee. At this point, Zach was caught in a spider web.

There was no way out. These guys were actual gangs, while he was merely a third year middle schooler who was a little good at fighting.

Zach had no choice, he bit down, and lowered his head , succumbing to his faith. His life would only get worse and twisted. And eventually he dropped out of school by the time he became a second year in senior school.

Recognized for his fighting abilities, Zach became a plaything to these people. He became an amusing toy, and would be staged in fights, with bets placed on him and his life on the line. He could only continue to throw his fists for the twisted entertainment and amusement of others. If there was anything good thing about all of it, it was that he at least received some money for all the matches he participated and won.

His fame and name was slowly growing amongst these gangs; the Mad Dog, they called him, became popular in these fights.

His father would hound him whenever he showed himself at home, curse at him for the kind of life he began living. A drop out, a gang member, a delinquent, a street fighter. Even to the extent, he openly admitted to regretting having him as a son.

If before it was too late, now there really was no turning back. Zach's name had already spread considerably in the thug world. So he fled from his home, abandoning his saddened father. And only with rage and anger, he openly embraced his new lifestyle.

He threw himself, mind, body, soul, and anger into each and every of the fights that followed. The Mad dog became Madder! His achievements mounted, his name and notoriety skyrocketed!

By the time he was supposed to be a third year, Zach had already claimed a considerable position amongst these gangs. He wasn't the leader or vice leader or anything, he was more of a figure. He had come so far he attracted the attention of the Boss at the top.

The one in charge of all the small, large and local gangs in the entire region. Watching one of Zach's fights, the Boss developed an interest. He saw potential in the young boy whose eyes were full of only his opponents and wrath. And with Zach at the center was a business opportunity.

An underground fighting arena where many from society would come to watch. And with Zach as the star throughout the coming years, this business boomed and flourished. The organization raked in more money in three months than they had in an extended period of time.

Zach's name and fame only continued to spread slowly across the Underworld. He had long already accepted his lifestyle, and had even began to develop some kind of spiteful pride from it, to the point that many believed all he thought of was breaking apart his next opponents. He had become a man of no words with an ever present bloodlust and dead glare that many could only be left awed, wondering his thoughts.

In contrast to what they expected, Zach hadn't lost all, to any rationality. He had only closed off to his fate, and he had found a goal.

Fighting had always and only been the thing he had ever been good at, and using this accursed talent of his, Zach would rise to the very top of the Underworld. He swore it.

And indeed his notoriety and fame spread enough to reach the ears of the Bigger Bosses, the ones truly at the top of the Food chain. Big individuals in society, and infamous names in the underworld.

He quickly gained their attention and was allowed into their ranks, abandoning behind his arena days. But Zach only saw his life as only beginning from then on.

He joined Criminal organizations, crime families, The Mafia. And using his prior procured reputation, mounted even more grander achievements that were outside of just fighting. In a few years, the Mad Dog was no more, Gloom was what they called him.

Zach climbed his way up the hierarchy and higher up the ladder. From a small time delinquent, to dropout, to thug, to street fighter, to Mafia goon, to Crew head, to Captain, to Capo, to an Underboss.

By his 35th year, Zach was the direct Lieutenant to the Big boss at the top of his organization. And just like many other similar Organizations in the past, when the time was right, Zach struck when the Boss was in a weak state.

He executed a Coup and usurped power for himself, claiming the position of Organization head.

But on his third day, he was shot by his own best friend and left to die in the alley of an abandoned port.

That was how he had a bullet hole in his lungs. It was supposed to be an instant kill into the heart, but the shot had missed and hit his lungs instead, prolonging the pain of his death like a gruesome punishment.

'No shit, they weren't kidding when they said your life flashed before you at your final moments, ' Zach ridiculed himself in his dimming heart.

Micheal, his best friend, was the only person he had grown close to over the years he spent climbing to the top. He had shared with him his past, future, hopes and dreams, but the bastard had been the one to pull the trigger at him and seize his throne.

'And on my third fucking day no less! ' Zach laughed in self ridicule once more. 'Blud didn't even let me make my first order...hehe, Micheal you sonavabitch... '

A small self ridiculing smile curled on his bloody lips as he struggled to push himself against a wall and sit up. He cast his fading gaze at the extent of the ocean before him. The abandoned port was quiet, Zach could almost listen to his waning heartbeat.

He wasn't too long from this world anymore. He gazed off one last time, letting his mind wander.

He wanted to see his father just one more time.

He wanted to tell him...he wished he could have told him just one thing.

That he was sorry.

On that day, Zachary Harper died.

...

On that day, Zach Harper died...

Yes...

'Yes. That's how it was supposed to go at least! '

Zach opened his eyes to a bright light, a brand new world. Everything seemed so large, and he recognized to be staring at an expansive ceiling that covered his entire view.

'Where...' Zach halted his thoughts immediately. There was...a woman with long brown hair and bright eyes. A very large woman leaning over and smiling down at him from above.

'Oh...' Zach's hurtling thoughts slowly calmed . He wasn't was surprised or 'excited' as he should have been anymore. If anything, he felt relieved.

He had been reincarnated. He was given a second chance at life, and could live it differently this time around. He could live it in peace, away from all the violence, crimes, blood and pain from his last life on earth.

Zach felt... happy.

'Death truly opens up new prospects, huh, ' he mused feeling relief flow through his now beating heart. He couldn't understand what the woman whom he assumed was his mother was saying, but Zach wished in his heart to live peacefully this time around.

...

[DING!]

...

He heard a piercing ring in his head, then a strange synthetic voice buzz through his ears like an alarm, as a string of illusionary letters appeared before his eyes.

...

[WARNING! WARNING!

The {Great Calamity} is upon all..]...

'What...?

...

[ [DING!]

A New Quest has been issued:-

Type:- SURVIVAL

Name:- Quest To Becoming Stronger:

Description:

The {Great Calamity} is coming...Get stronger and survive.

Duration-: ...

Reward:- ...

Penalty:- Death, ??? ]

...

'...Eh? '