Zombie Domination

Julian turned to Celestia and gave a firm nod.

"Nice work. That was smart thinking."

She gave him a quiet smile in return, her fingers still glowing faintly from the threads.

Clarissa stepped closer, watching the giant wolf-like Zoe still fixated on the yarn ball.

"Should we... take turns watching her through the night?"

Julian shook his head. "No need."

Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you planning to do?"

Julian exhaled as he walked forward slowly, his tone calm.

"I want to test something."

Everyone watched as he cautiously approached the towering creature. Zoe's ears twitched, and she slowly turned to him, the yarn ball now forgotten.

She sniffed the air.

Then, recognizing his scent, she padded forward with surprising gentleness for a creature of her size.

Julian stopped.

Zoe leaned down, then suddenly lunged into him with a giant thump, pinning him to the ground in a tight embrace.

"Wait—Zoe!"

Her huge tongue lolled out as she began licking his face enthusiastically, one swipe after another, tail wagging like a pendulum behind her.

"Alright—hey—enough!" Julian protested, struggling beneath the weight of her enormous paws. "You're getting me drenched—seriously—!"

Emma nearly doubled over. "Pffft—she really likes you, Julian!"

Aya tried to muffle her giggles. "You look like a wet towel!"

Even Celestia covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with a quiet chuckle.

Julian sighed, still pinned, soaked in saliva,

"…Guess that means she trusts me."

With a deep breath, Julian pushed against Zoe's massive form and gently slipped out from her embrace. He stood and walked toward her head, placing both hands softly on her furred temple.

"I'm going to seal your power for now," he said quietly.

Zoe blinked, her large beastly eyes filled with emotion. Her ears drooped, and her tail lowered, dragging slightly across the ground.

Seeing that reaction, Julian smiled faintly and ran his fingers through the fur between her ears.

"Don't worry. I'll take you out for a walk another time."

That perked her up instantly. Her ears lifted, tail wagged again with slow, happy thumps.

Then Julian closed his eyes.

He reached inward, focusing not just on his own mind, but projecting into Zoe's. He called upon his skill [Domination], channeling it not as an oppressive force, but as a focused command, a calming tether.

'This isn't just to control... What if I can use it to guide?'

He directed his will toward the wild instincts that fueled Zoe's transformation. Slowly, in her mind's eye, he visualized them, raw, pulsing, chaotic.

He wrapped that chaos in invisible chains.

A shimmering, ethereal lock formed deep within her psyche, limiting the uncontrolled surge of her beast form, but not extinguishing it. The seal didn't erase her strength, it simply made it manageable, something she could reach for when ready.

A soft glow shimmered around her body.

Then, like mist burning away in sunlight, the fur receded. Her ears and tail faded, and her body began to shrink.

A moment later, Zoe was back in her human form, lying peacefully on the ground, fast asleep.

Everyone let out a collective breath of relief.

"She's okay," Celestia whispered.

"Finally..." Emma exhaled, wiping her brow.

Clarissa stepped forward with a quiet smile. "Good job, Julian."

Julian simply looked down at Zoe, his expression thoughtful.

"She just needed some help finding her balance."

The fire crackled nearby, warm and steady.

As they sat together by the fading firelight, Veronica crossed her arms and glanced at Julian.

"Why didn't you just seal her from the start with your skill?" she asked, raising a brow.

Julian leaned back slightly, his expression calm but serious. "Because I had to wait until her instincts fully awakened. The seal only works if I can clearly perceive the target's inner drive, and that only happens when she's transformed."

The others nodded slowly, the explanation making sense. After the chaos of the night, it was a relief to have clarity.

"Let's get some sleep," Julian said. "We'll need our strength."

No one argued.

They settled into their tents, exhausted but safe.

The next morning…

Sunlight poured through the trees, warm and gentle. The air smelled of damp earth and fresh dew. Birds chirped quietly in the distance.

They sat around a small fire again, cooking a simple breakfast. Zoe sat quietly with her legs tucked to one side, her eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry... for causing so much trouble last night," she murmured, barely above a whisper.

Emma, still chewing on a piece of bread, waved her hand. "Nah, you're good. We're all safe, that's what matters."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Veronica added with a shrug. "We handled it."

Celestia smiled gently. "It's okay to rely on us sometimes, Zoe."

Aya gave a small nod, speaking softly, "We've got your back. So don't stress."

Clarissa looked up from stirring the pot. "Seriously, just relax. We're used to weird things by now."

Then Julian looked at her and said firmly, but with a smile, "You don't need to feel bad, Zoe. Around here, we help each other."

Zoe looked up, her eyes soft with gratitude. "Thank you..."

She smiled, a little more at ease now, surrounded by people she could trust.

After packing up their camp, the group resumed their journey. The engine hummed as Julian climbed into the driver's seat, the morning sun glinting off the windshield. Everyone was quieter than usual, still a bit drained from the night before.

Julian glanced at Zoe through the rearview mirror.

"How are you feeling?" he asked calmly.

Zoe sat in the back, hugging her knees slightly. She looked out the window, then back at him. "I can feel that my skill is... restricted. Like something's holding it back."

Julian nodded. "That's the seal I placed. It's not permanent, I can release it anytime. But for now, it's meant to help you."

"To help me?" she asked.

"To give you space to train it," Julian explained. "You need to learn to control it. That beast form... it's powerful, but dangerous if you lose yourself."

Zoe lowered her eyes and nodded slowly. "I understand."

A strange sense of relief washed over her. For the first time since her transformation began, the overwhelming pressure from her skill was dulled. It wasn't gone, but it was tamed, like a wild animal on a leash, waiting for her to learn how to lead it.

The vehicle rumbled on, cutting through the roads surrounded by forest and ruins, headed toward the location Vexmond had mentioned.

As the vehicle bumped over uneven forest ground, the canopy above thickened, casting shadow over the path. The air grew dense and quiet, only the distant rustle of leaves accompanying their approach.

"We're almost there," Zoe said, her eyes scanning the path ahead. Her voice was calm, but focused.

Julian nodded. "Everyone, get ready."

The rest of the team instinctively reached for their weapons and checked their gear.

Minutes later, they emerged from the thickets, and a massive wooden fortress came into view. A towering barricade of sharpened logs circled the area, forming a rough yet imposing perimeter. The top of the palisade was lined with crude spikes and watch platforms, though no one stood guard, at least not visibly.

Emma squinted. "Looks like there's a lot of people in there."

Veronica cracked her knuckles. "Why don't you just burn that whole fence down? Make ourselves a nice little door."

Emma grinned. "Tempting."

But before she could raise her hand, Clarissa cut in. "Don't. If that fire spreads, this whole forest could go up."

Julian didn't respond right away. His gaze was locked on the treetops nearby.

Then Zoe stiffened. Her nose twitched, her ears subtly shifting. "Someone's coming," she whispered. "From all around us."

Julian's expression sharpened. He could feel it too.

"Everyone," he said quietly, yet firmly. "Get ready."

Suddenly, figures dropped from the trees with practiced ease, three men, lean and feral-looking, their expressions twisted with a hunger that went beyond survival. Scarred faces, wild eyes, and primitive weapons strapped across their backs.

The one in the center, maybe the leader, stepped forward with a crooked grin. "What business do you have here?" His voice was low, but carried menace.

Julian kept his posture calm. "We're looking for someone."

The man scoffed, spitting to the side. "Whoever that is, they're probably dead. Go back to wherever you came from."

The other two didn't say a word. Their eyes scanned Julian's group, lingering far too long on the girls. Their lips curled into mocking sneers, and one of them let out a low, suggestive whistle.

Julian saw it. The way their gaze shifted. The hunger in their posture.

His voice was ice.

"Everyone. Take them down."

No hesitation.

Weapons were drawn. Power surged. Julian blurred forward like a storm, his blade flashing with arcs of lightning. The leader barely had time to blink before Julian's sword split the air, and his chest.

Crackling energy exploded outward, and the two remaining men barely managed to raise their weapons before Clarissa's telekinetic grip hurled one into a tree, bones cracking on impact. Celestia's threads wrapped around the other, pinning him down just in time for Emma's fist, wreathed in fire, to slam into his jaw.

But Julian wasn't finished. His eyes were locked on the fallen leader, who groaned and tried to crawl away. Without a word, Julian raised his hand, lightning gathered in his palm, and in a flash of blue and white, the man was reduced to a smoking corpse.

The forest fell silent again.