Hey guys. lownick here, bringing you a new story from Andrewbird64. Like Max Payne 4, this story is also a crossover between The Last of Us and RWBY. If you want to read this on wattpad, then here's the link story/162110312-to-endure-and-survive-in-remnant-the-last-of-us.

PROLOGUE

Earth, a planet that gave life to many things that adapt to the environment. One of these was humanity. Sure, humanity wasn't perfect, and many would debate that humanity is a good thing, but you get the picture. All that matters is that Earth was home, and should always be a place where every life and being should live in harmony.

Unfortunately that all changed when the Cordyceps Fungal Infection took place and had devastated mankind for over two decades. Roughly 60% of humanity was either killed or infected by the Cordyceps. The fungus grows in the human brain while the host is still alive, taking away their higher brain function (and with it, their humanity). This caused the infected host to become hyper-aggressive and are incapable of reason or rational thought. Those who were exposed of being infected from bites or breathing spores from the infected.

There are four stages of the infection:

-Stage 1: Runners

-Stage 2: Stalkers

-Stage 3: Clickers

-Stage 4: Bloaters

Runners is the first stage also the weakest stage of transformation of the infected host. The host starts turning between 1-2 days of infection. Within a day, the host will increased irritability and hostility towards others. They have poor eyesight, but they maintain some human characteristics. To tell the difference between a non-infected and an infected is the glowing orange eyes. Their body language are sluggish. Runners will become aggressive when there's a non-infected individuals in front of them. They will also attack in packs, the best way to survive is to run as far away as possible and attack when they're by themselves.

Stalkers are the second stage of the infection. They have the vision and speed of Runners, with the ferocity of Clickers. The most notable physical traits that define the Stalkers are the distinct croaking noises they make, the beginning of fungal growths on the head and face with only one eye left, the development of pseudo-echolocation, and their discretion upon spotting a victim at distance. They will strafe and take cover, eventually closing in on the victim, hence the name "Stalker". Up close, Stalkers are very aggressive and will charge directly at the victim. Stage 2 may take place anywhere between a week to a month after the start of the infection (Stage 1) and last up to a year (Stage 3).

Their strength is equal to a fit human being, as their attacks can interrupt actions made by the player. Although their grab attack can be shaken off, it will still result in an instant death from blood loss/infection if the Stalker succeeds with the attack.

According to the Stages of Infection collectible, the modus operandi of a Stalker is to "hide and ambush victims." The collectible implores readers to check their surroundings, but no other information is provided. Their croaking may be heard from a distance in various areas, but it only serves as ambiance rather than a threat.

Clickers are the third stage of the Infected and take roughly a year to reach this stage of infection. They have had prolonged exposure to the fungus, and now possess strength that significantly surpasses the average human. This makes them deadlier, but at the price of being completely blind due to fungal infection taking over their face. However, Clickers are able to maneuver through areas by utilizing echolocation, which produces noticeable clicking/screeching noises to locate sources of sound, hence their name. Like Runners, Clickers can sometimes be found in a passive state.

Clickers appear less human than Runners and Stalkers, with faces that are completely skewed and scarred by fungus developed from their infected brains. The fungal plates have apparently adapted to keep the host/pathogen alive and able to spread, as a direct shot to the face with a powerful weapon such as a revolver will more often than not just break off a chunk of the mold, leaving the Clicker's brain unharmed, but exposing the victim's face and rendering them able to see once again (until the fungus regrows). Clickers are dangerous and much more aggressive than Runners, and like Stalkers, they no longer resist the fungus because their humanity has been completely eliminated. They seem to have enhanced strength, as they can overwhelm and kill anyone if grappled and always succeed if attacking other humans. Clickers also possess what seems like very high intelligence, never leaving an area when they have heard prey run by them, and will constantly check every available nook and cranny to locate the source of the sound with little regard to give up on the task at hand.

When provoked, a Clicker will immediately enter into a "berserk mode," aggressively flailing its arms and 'roaring'. At this point, if a survivor has been "spotted" by a Clicker, the Clicker will attack head-on and will not flinch when shot, unless the player is using high-powered rounds.

Bloaters are the fourth, final, rarest, and most dangerous stage of infection as they take the longest to develop, taking years to reach this stage. They are covered in thick fungus that effectively acts as armor. Because of this protective covering, they can withstand multiple hits from weapons such as the Shotgun and Hunting Rifle, and even hatchets and machetes making them extremely tough to eliminate. Bloaters are extremely aggressive, but are rather slow-moving, making them more predictable than other infected. Like Clickers, Bloaters 'see' using echolocation to locate and trap a survivor. Because the fungus has completely deformed their face and blinded them, their echolocation is a lot less refined than the Clickers. If a Bloater grabs a survivor, it will violently rip their jaw apart through brute strength, or grab the player's head and smash it, killing them instantly. There is no way for the player to defend themselves if grabbed - the result is an instant kill. Bloaters throw sacks of mycotoxin, which explode on impact, spraying the target with the toxin. The mycotoxin will hurt any non-infected individuals , so it is recommended to avoid these deadly clouds.

Bloaters, like all Infected, are vulnerable to fire. When set ablaze, a Bloater will wildly thrash around, trying to put out the flames. After being immolated, they will be charred, black, and smoking. Their armor will also be charred and brittle, making them vulnerable to low-powered weapons. Considering the rate at which Cordyceps grows after its fruiting body has emerged from the hosts head, the infected is estimated to take from 10 to 15 years to reach stage 4.

Even after an infected individual has died, the fungus will continue to grow. It grows into big fungal plants around the body so much as only a few inches but can cover large areas. By this point, the corpse becomes skeletal and brittle, and the fungus sticks the body to whatever surface it is on. The fungus will begin to emit spores from the body which will infect anyone that breathes them. To combat this, most survivors carry gas masks, although if the person is immune to the infection they have no need for one.

The infected weren't the only thing that killed humanity, but also how mankind went to show their true colors. People are murdering each other for survival. Martial law hits cities. Food was running low. There are even cannibals who hunt other humans for food and survival. How can anyone live like this?

Only two people struggled for a long time for surviving. These two had been through a lot. They lost people important to them. These two are Joel Miller and Ellie Williams. They seen things they shouldn't have had. At first they couldn't stand each other. It was supposed to be a smuggling job, but then he found out that he was smuggling an infected girl. Ellie convices Joel that she is immune. Ellie was supposed to be delivered to the Fireflies to find a cure for humanity. Almost a full year, both of them have been fighting their hardest to keep staying alive. They actually learn a lot from each other of what they have been through. Later, Joel became a father figure to Ellie. He lost his daughter once, and he wasn't going to lose Ellie too.

A woman named Marlene, leader of the Fireflies were fighting to find the cure for the infection to save humanity. Their catchphrase, "Look for the light. Believe in the Fireflies," Is just another propaganda to recruit more members to fight martial law. The Fireflies were being hunted down by soldiers as they were in a war. Marlene found out that Ellie was immune and sent Joel to deliver her to the Fireflies. Unfortunately Joel didn't want Ellie to die from doctors removing her brain in order to find a cure. Joel went to kill almost every Firefly members and the doctors who were about to perform the surgery. Even killing Marlene so she won't come back after them.

In the end, Joel lied to Ellie about how there were others like her and the Fireflies decided to give up looking for the cure. Deep down, Joel knew he destroyed the rest of humanity. He chose to save one person rather than to save billions to live. Ellie was devastated because she was willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of humanity. She made Joel swear that everything that he said to her about the Fireflies were true.

He looked at her in the eyes, crossed his arms and said: "I swear."

Ellie looked back with tears waiting to be released, and with a croaked voice she simply said: "Okay."