“Zombies, the army will halt and camp here for the night.”
The chain mail pulsed for just a moment, giving off a bright, iridescent lavender glow. Tu-Kar saw a similar sparkle of purple light glowing briefly in the eyes of his zombies, then that too receded. The zombies in the army instantly stopped marching, even if they were not within sound of his voice. A group of monsters directed the prisoners to sit on the ground. Some took out bowls of mushroom stew and distributed it amongst the NPCs.
“Wait.” The warlord pointed at some of the zombies with a clawed finger. “Only give food to those that are sure to survive this march and make it to the church. Waste no stew on any that are too weak or sick.”
His armor pulsed again.
The monsters handed out the bowls of stew and loaves of bread carefully, skipping those that seemed too frail to survive the entire trek. Some of the villagers tried to take food out of the monsters’ hands. They were beaten back with clawed fists or the flat side of a sword.
Tu-Kar smiled.
Some of the villagers glanced toward him, but quickly looked away when the zombie commander glared back. One NPC, an adolescent girl with long brown hair and bright blue eyes, stared at the warlord with fierce hatred in her eyes. When Tu-Kar gazed back at her, the villager refused to look away, her anger stronger than her fear. An old man dressed in white with a gray stripe running down his smock pulled at the girl, trying to get her to avert her gaze, but she persisted, scowling at Tu-Kar.
It made the zombie warlord laugh.
This girl thought she could intimidate him with her stare … it was ridiculous. He considered destroying her as an example to the other NPCs, but her anger would likely make her a good slave for Kaza; she was a fighter and would live long, though her suffering would also last long as well. It mattered not to Tu-Kar if one villager suffered or a thousand did. All that mattered was his plan, and delivering these slaves to Kaza was a big part of it. If this NPC girl got in the way, then she would be eliminated without a second thought.
Reaching up, he removed the enchanted chain mail and put it back into his inventory. It was a relief to have it off, but the pain from the magical garment still lingered; its power had a cost to the wearer. One thing zombies could do well was endure pain. The only thing they were better at than enduring pain was causing pain, and soon, Tu-Kar, the zombie warlord, would be causing pain to all the inhabitants of the Far Lands.
He laughed a maniacal sort of laugh as the villagers sobbed and moaned. Moving to the front of the formation, he found a pile of leaves and lay down, staring up at the stars and listening to his prisoners’ despair.
“Soon, these pathetic villagers will be Kaza’s problem and Tu-Kar will be paid what has been promised. That fool Kaza will never expect the zombie revolt until it is too late.” The warlord chuckled a hacking laugh. “When Tu-Kar’s army is powerful enough, then the zombie people will be safe. Too many times throughout history, the villagers of the Far Lands have attacked the zombie towns and destroyed countless monsters.” He scowled as he recalled the stories he was told as a child. “Tu-Kar will make the Far Lands safe for zombies by exterminating the villagers. And even if it means dealing with a creature as vile as Kaza, it will be worth it.” An image of his brother popped into the warlord’s mind. The young zombie had been killed in an NPC raid long ago. The thought made him growl with anger. “Soon, the villagers of the Far Lands will learn what it truly means to be afraid.”
Closing his eyes, the zombie listened to the sobs and wails of his prisoners, as if it were beautiful music, and laughed again.
Watcher heard the commotion before they reached the village. Shouts of pain and fear from villagers were mixed with the growls and moans of zombies. Swords clashed against armor and bowstrings hummed; the attack had already begun.
It was just after dawn, and the sun had already cleared the horizon. Long shadows stretched out from the base of the oak trees, giving the land a stripped appearance. Watcher stared down the curving pathway, looking for movement ahead, but the conflict was around the next bend.
Blaster, in an effort to remain unseen, took off his black leather armor and donned a forest green set. The color of the leather matched the grass that covered the forest and path they followed. Drawing his two knives, he continued moving toward the sound of battle, a grim look of determination on his square face.
Watcher pulled out the chain mail from the deserted watchtower after seeing Planter do the same. He hoped putting on the jingling armor would still his fears … but it did not. Drawing his bow from his inventory, Watcher notched an arrow and pointed it in the direction of the battle. Glancing to his side, he found Planter holding Needle in her right hand, the glowing green and white shield in her left. She looked terrified as well.
“I’m so scared,” Planter said. “You look so confident, Watcher. Have you been in lots of battles before?”
The archer shook his head.
“I’m not that confident.” Watcher wiped the sweat from his right hand, then gripped his bow firmly. “It’s just that I’m used to being scared all the time. You know … with the bullies picking on me and the warriors always playing tricks, some of them very painful; I had lots of time to learn how to deal with being afraid. The benefit of always being scared is that you get used to looking brave, even when you’re terrified, and that’s how I feel right now. I’ve never been in a battle before. In fact, one of my goals in life was to never be in a battle.”
“Well, it looks like you’re gonna miss that goal,” Blaster said. “I just wish I had some TNT to use on these monsters. A little TNT can really even the playing field.” He flashed them both a smile, then, with a firm grip on his knives, sprinted off into the forest. The green leather armor made him slowly merge with the background as he wove his way around trees and shrubs.
“Do you think we should follow him?” Planter asked.
“I don’t think so. Blaster likes to sneak up on his opponents, like he did with me on the trail yesterday. He’s a lone fighter and we’d just be in the way.”
“Well, I’d feel better if we had a warrior here to protect us,” Planter said.
Watcher sighed. I’m here, at least, he wanted to say, but remained silent.
He wanted to be that person, a great warrior to protect her, but he knew his gift in Minecraft was not strength of arm, but rather ingenuity of mind. He was a thinker, not a fighter, and that was great … when you were in a library. But here, on the battlefield, Watcher feared his gift might get them both killed.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the forest. Footsteps pounded the path up ahead.
“Someone’s trying to escape,” Planter said. “We need to go help them.”
Before Watcher could respond, she sprinted toward the sound.
“Planter … wait!”
Watcher gripped his bow tight and followed. His heart pumped in his chest like a beating drum. Every shadow in the forest resembled a monster … every tree branch a skeleton arm. Imaginary opponents emerged from his mind and filled in the spaces where bravery might have resided. The environment and everything around him enveloped Watcher in a fearful embrace that ignited every nerve in his body.
“I can hear them,” Planter said. “They’re right around the bend up ahead.”
Watcher tried to catch her, but Planter was too fast. She shot around the corner, then skidded to a halt and screamed. Two steps later, he caught up to her and also came to a sudden halt. Before them was a pile of NPC items, stone and iron tools, some food, and a crafting table. They were floating off the ground, rising up and down as if riding on the gentle swells of an unseen ocean. Next to the pile stood two zombies, one wearing leather armor, the other clad in iron. Both creatures held wide iron swords, the razor-sharp edges gleaming in the light of the morning sun.
The monsters were easily a head taller than either Planter or Watcher. Their bodies rippled with muscles, and by the appearance of the scratches and nicks in their armor, these two were
not new to fighting. The stench coming off the creatures was terrible. It was the smell of rotten meat and sick, decaying flesh. Watcher could taste the air as he breathed and it made him want to gag.
“What’s this … two more villagers?” one of the zombies growled.
“We’ll take them to the warlord. Tu-Kar will be pleased with more prisoners.” The zombies took a step closer.
“You aren’t taking … us to your warlord,” Watcher shouted, his voice cracking with fear.
The zombies laughed.
“Perhaps the skinny one with the bow is right,” the taller zombie said. He adjusted his iron armor. “That villager looks too small and weak to be of any use. Kill the boy. The girl will be taken to Tu-Kar.”
The leather-clad zombie moved toward Watcher while the taller one approached Planter. Pulling his arrow back, Watcher wasn’t sure which monster to shoot. His hands started to shake. A growl came from the monster in front of him as the decaying creature held his sword up high, a toothy grin spreading across his hideous face.
Just then, Planter screamed. She swung Needle at the zombie, but it was easily blocked. She slammed her shield into the beast, causing him to take a step back, as if injured slightly. The zombie growled and knocked the shield from her hand, then grabbed Planter by the arm. He pulled her in close.
“No!” Watcher yelled.
He turned and fired his bow at the creature without thought, instinct taking over his body. The arrow zipped through the air like a bolt of pointed lightning, slipping between two iron plates to find soft flesh. The monster screamed in pain, causing his comrade to turn and look.
Just then, something silver and bright burst out of the forest … an NPC warrior. A violent, animalistic scream came from the shining villager as it smashed into the monster approaching Watcher. The zombie’s sword swung wildly, heading for Watcher’s neck, but he ducked, the blade whizzing past an ear. The silvery warrior battled with the leather-clad zombie, the two combatants locked in a deadly dance. The new villager’s diamond blade clashed with the zombie’s iron weapon.
In the distance, Watcher could hear more fighting; it was coming from the village. Monsters were growling and moaning in pain as they battled some assailant. He guessed it was Blaster causing havoc amongst the zombies.
“I hope you’re okay, cousin,” he said softly.
Moving to the side, Watcher drew another arrow and fired it at Planter’s assailant while backing away from his own. The shaft bounced off the monster’s chest plate, making a pinging sound. Turning, the zombie growled, then charged right at him. Reaching into his inventory again, Watcher pulled out another arrow, but it dropped to the ground. He fumbled for it as the zombie closed the distance. Finally fitting it to his bow, he aimed with his hands shaking, and fired. The arrow flew wide, missing the zombie and embedding itself into a nearby oak. With a laugh, the iron clad zombie shoved Planter roughly to the ground, then pointed his sword at Watcher and growled.
Just then, the monster’s comrade was tossed through the air, landing in a heap. The prone zombie struggled to stand, but the newcomer didn’t give the monster a chance. The warrior charged at the creature, diamond sword held high.
For the first time, Watcher saw it was a villager, a big NPC in ornately designed iron armor. He brandished a diamond broadsword with the expertise of a seasoned warrior, striking the monster on the ground twice, taking the last of its HP and causing the creature to disappear with a pop. The second zombie turned and charged at the warrior, a savage moan filling the air. The big villager blocked the monster’s attack, then advanced, his diamond sword flashing through the air, almost too fast to be seen.
Notching an arrow, Watcher tried to take another shot at the zombie. But it was difficult to aim as the creature battled with the villager. Their bodies crashed into each other as their swords banged together, each of the combatants trying to find an advantage. The monster lunged, poking at the warrior with the sharp tip of his sword. The villager easily blocked the attack, then brought his sword down upon the zombie’s shoulder. A bellow of pain filled the forest as the creature flashed red. Staggering backward, the monster stared at his attacker, fear and dread filling the zombie’s dark eyes. The warrior raised his huge diamond broadsword, preparing for the final stroke, but before he could swing, Planter attacked the monster from behind. Swinging Needle with unbridled rage, she slashed and slashed at the monster until it finally disappeared, leaving behind three glowing balls of XP.
Watcher breathed a sigh of relief and released the tension on his bowstring. He glanced at Planter and smiled as she stared down at the monster’s inventory that now floated on the ground.
“Good job, Planter,” Watcher said. “You finished that monster off.”
“No time for congratulations, there’s still a battle raging.” The warrior glanced at Watcher’s bow and smirked. “Come on.”
He ran toward the village with Watcher and Planter following close behind.
“What’s your name?” Planter asked.
“I’m Cutter,” the warrior replied.
“Hi Cutter, I’m Watcher and this is—” Watcher said but was interrupted.
“Shhh,” Cutter said.
The big villager slowed and tried to walk quietly, but the metal plates that made up his armor clanked together, making stealth impossible.
“What is it, Cutter?” Planter asked.
“The sounds of battle … they’ve stopped.”
They moved slowly down the path. In the distance, the village was emerging from the morning fog that frequently blanked the forest. Buildings were burning, sending smoke high into the air, but no one was trying to put them out. No buckets of water were being thrown on the flames; they were just left to burn themselves out.
Watcher peered through the smoke and fog. “I don’t see any motion in the village.”
“You can’t see anything from this far.” A look of disbelief came across Cutter’s square face.
“I can.”
Watcher glanced at Planter, but she was looking at Cutter, admiring his fancy armor.
“Follow me,” Cutter said.
They sprinted down the road and into the village. The smoke bit the backs of their throats, making Planter and Watcher cough, but Cutter seemed unaffected. He strode past the burning homes with a look of wild rage in his steely gray eyes. On the ground, they found a pile of iron armor and weapons. A smell of rotten meat wafted off some of the discarded items.
“It seems someone took care of a few zombies for us.” Cutter glanced at Planter and smiled.
“It was probably our friend, Blaster,” she replied.
“Where is this friend?”
She shrugged.
“I hear something.” Watcher turned his head to listen again. “It sounds like a villager moaning.”
“That doesn’t sound like a villager,” Planter said.
“But I hear villagers moaning too,” Watcher replied. “I think they need help.” He pointed into the smoke. “That way.”
Planter took off, sprinted toward the sound, the purple glow of her enchanted sword and enchanted shield casting a lavender bubble in the hazy air. As they ran, the moaning grew louder. Watcher could now hear the voices of villagers, but they sounded weak.
Streaking past the devastation that had been wrought upon this community, they ran around burned out homes and shattered buildings until they came to the front of the village. NPCs both wounded and elderly lay on the ground, struggling to stay alive. Some flashed red as their injuries continued to carve away at their HP, while others sat motionless, a look of despair and defeat on their faces. Across the path leading out of the village stood a line of six zombies, each armored and heavily armed.
“Tu-Kar, the zombie warlord, commands that no one follow the great zombie army.” The zombie leader, a tall monster wearing an iron chest plate, glared at the newcomers.
“But you took all the food,” an older villager moaned. “We have nothing and will starve
.”
“Tu-Kar is not concerned about the fates of these villagers,” the monster said. “Only those that can work will be spared. Any others are just a drain on resources.”
Cutter moved to the villagers and glanced down at them, then focused his angry gaze on the zombies.
“You’re in my way.” Cutter drew his diamond sword and pointed it at the monster. “Move and I will spare you and your zombie comrades.”
“One warrior challenges us,” the zombie growled. The scarred monster glanced at his comrades and laughed. “These zombies are the best fighters. A lone warrior doesn’t stand a chance.”
“He isn’t alone.” Planter stepped forward with Needle and her shield in hand.
“A girl!” The zombie laughed even harder.
Planter turned and glanced at Watcher, expecting him to move forward. But he knew his place wasn’t at her side. He could do more damage from up above. Flashing her a grin, he turned and ran around one of the buildings. Using blocks that lay scattered on the ground, he built a set of stairs, and climbed up onto the roof of a building that was still untouched by the ravages of war.
“Ha ha ha …” the zombie commander laughed. “That little archer ran away before the fight even began. Tu-Kar has said before that villagers are all cowards. Here is the proof.”
“Watcher’s not a coward,” Planter protested, but her voice sounded weak and uncertain.
With an arrow notched, Watcher was about to yell down at Planter and Cutter, letting them know he was on the roof, but suddenly, something green shot out of the forest and fell upon the monsters.
It was Blaster.
He sprinted out of the tree line and fell on the nearest zombie. The monster screamed out in pain and surprise as the young boy carved away at the zombie’s HP. Blaster was like a green streak of lightning, moving this way and that as he used his curved knives with surgical precision. In the confusion, Cutter charged forward, yelling his guttural, animal-like battle cry. The smallest of the zombies screamed in fright, then turned and fled down the trail, away from the combat, leaving the other five monsters to face the battle. Planter hesitated for just a moment, then charged forward as well, heading for the left side of the zombie formation.
Zombies Attack! Page 6