The old NPC glanced at Planter. “That sword you carry is also from the ancient times; I can tell by its shape. It doesn’t have the broad and heavy shape that Cutter’s sword has; it’s nimble and swift. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t some kind of enchantment on it to make the weapon feel extra light, but still be incredibly strong.”
“You’re right.” Planter drew the blade from her inventory. Instantly, she was engulfed in the weapon’s iridescent glow. “I’ve always marveled at how easy it is to swing.”
“The ancient wizards used powerful magic to not only make them easier to use, but also make them connect to the wielder’s mind. This let the sword act for the owner, the blade moving before the thought was ever given. It’s written that these smart weapons will only connect with someone that was a descendant of the great wizards. To regular people like you and me, it’s just a sword.”
“That’s really interesting, professor, but how does it help us defeat the zombie warlord?” the big warrior asked sarcastically.
“Cutter, if we can lure the zombies away from the hideout, I have no doubt Tu-Kar can be defeated, as long as we work together.” Watcher glanced at the warrior and stood tall. He refused to be intimidated. “We must not forget who the real enemy is.”
“And who’s that supposed to be?” Cutter asked.
“The wither king. He’s the puppet master, pulling all the strings.” Watcher cast his gaze across all his companions. His blue eyes, for a change, were bright with confidence. “Kaza is the one that’s the real threat, and we need to know his plans so we can stop him.”
Cutter looked down at the boy. His steely gaze would normally make Watcher shrink and look away, but the young boy stared back, relaxed and self-assured.
“I’m surprised to say … I agree with Watcher.” Cutter patted the boy on the back. “We take out the zombie warlord, then we get to the Capitol and teach that wither a thing or two about messing with villagers.”
Planter smiled. “Alright.”
Suddenly, a mottled brown and black figure emerged from behind a tree trunk. Planter jumped with a start as Watcher strung an arrow and pulled it back, ready to fire. But when the huge grin grew across the square face, he realized it was just Blaster.
“The hideout is just up ahead.” The boy removed his brown cap, his dark, curly hair going in all directions as usual. “It’ll be night soon. That’s when we should plan our little surprise.”
“I agree.” Cutter adjusted his inventory, the uncomfortable stick figure poking him in many places. “I’ll be very glad to be rid of these things.”
“I found the perfect place for our skinny little friends.” Blaster put the brown leather armor away and replaced it with his favorite, midnight black. “Come on.”
They followed the stealthy boy as the sun slowly caressed the horizon, turning day to night.
Normally, the dark forest would have made Watcher nervous, but instead of reacting to everything and feeling as if he was being pushed around by his surroundings, he was the one driving the chain of events. For the first time in his life, he felt in control, not because he was the strongest or the bravest, but because his idea would hopefully help them to defeat the zombie warlord.
“Here,” Blaster whispered. “Put them here.”
The NPC had led them to a clearing in the forest that faced the entrance to the warlord’s hideout. Majestic birch trees ringed the perimeter. Tall blades of grass swayed in the breeze, occasionally masking the presence of the bright yellow flowers that dotted the field. Long shadows stretched across the grassy plain as the moon slowly rose in the east. It was nearly an idyllic scene, except for the massive horde of monsters sheltered nearby in the zombie warlord’s hideout.
Blaster stopped in the middle of the clearing, then reached into his inventory and pulled out a contraption made of sticks, with a thick stone base on the bottom. He placed it on the ground, then hung a set of leather armor on it.
“This was a clever idea.” Blaster decorated the stick man with green armor, then placed another on the ground. “Using armor stands to trick the zombies will be fun.”
Watcher smiled, then pulled out his own armor stands and put them on the ground, spread out as if they were just entering the clearing. Any spare armor he had was hung on the wooden frames, simulating a squad of soldiers.
“Put some near the edge of the clearing,” Cutter said. “We want to make them think there are more out in the woods.”
Planter nodded, then moved to the back of the clearing and placed her stands between the trees. She hung leather armor on one, and iron armor on another. The rest of the party did the same, positioning at least two dozen armor stands across the clearing. Those near the tree line only received partial armor, as their legs were hidden by blocks of dirt and wouldn’t be visible to the zombies from far away.
Blaster placed blocks of wood around the clearing, then stepped back to survey their creation. In the dark evening light, the scene they’d created looked just like a squad of soldiers was walking out of the woods and across the meadow.
Watcher smiled. “You sure you’re gonna be alright out here on your own?”
“Someone has to light the wood on fire,” Blaster said. “They won’t see me with my black leather armor. I’ll join you right after the foolish zombies get out here.”
“Okay, everyone follow me.” Watcher took out his bow and notched an arrow.
They ran through the dark forest, leaving Blaster behind. Watcher knew it was imperative to be in position when Blaster got the attention of the zombies; they had to be out of the monsters’ path or they’d be overrun. The companions wove around the trees, keeping to the shadows whenever possible.
As they approached the hideout, the sounds of monsters grew louder, their sorrowful moans and angry growls causing chills to run down Watcher’s spine.
“I wonder if any of those sounds are from Er-Lan,” Planter whispered.
Watcher shrugged, but had the same concern. He hoped the young zombie was okay.
“What if we see him on the battlefield?” Watcher asked.
A horrified expression grew on Planter’s face.
He shook his head. “That’s not gonna happen, so let’s not worry about it. I’m sure Er-Lan is safe somewhere in that hideout. I bet he’ll just stay out of the way when the fighting starts.”
“Let’s hope so,” Mapper added.
Cutter grunted.
The companions reached the edge of the tree line. Before them stood a gigantic wooden structure built from spruce logs and oak planking. A moat ringed the structure, the channel filled with water. Anyone falling in there would never be able to climb out.
A wall at least six blocks high ran around the building, with a tall watchtower standing next to the open gate. Behind the wall, another tower stood even higher than the first, but no motion was visible within.
Between the moat and the fortified structure sat an encampment of colorful tents, some striped blue and black, others red and white. The fabric fluttered in the gentle breeze, masking the sound of the NPCs’ approaching footsteps.
Running along the edge of the forest, Watcher found a recession in the ground near the bridge that spanned the moat. Tall grass covered the area, creating an ideal hiding spot. Watcher checked the hole. It had a solid stone bottom and steep sides. That, coupled with the tall grass, would easily hide them from the horde of monsters that would move past them any second. He glanced at his friends as they followed him into the hole, trying to give them a reassuring smile, but fear nibbled at the edge of his senses, making the grin look more like a strained grimace. Suddenly, a light flared to life in the forest, and they could hear something clanking against a piece of metal.
“Come on, soldiers, we have a zombie hideout to attack!” a voice shouted. They all knew it to be Blaster.
More shouts came from the forest, each in a different sounding voice, to simulate multiple villagers calling to each other.
The m
oans from behind the walls changed to angry growls as zombies poured out of the gates and charged across the wooden bridge that spanned the moat.
“Destroy them all!” Tu-Kar shouted, his unmistakable deep, scratchy voice blaring over the sounds of the other zombies. “Capture any that surrender, but I want their iron. Bring Tu-Kar some new armor.”
The zombies growled and snarled as they charged out of the gates, heading straight for the fires that lit up the clearing in the distance. The monsters didn’t even bother to look around, their thirst for violence overwhelming any other thoughts. Watcher sensed something next to him. Turning, he found Blaster breathing heavily, his dark armor making him almost invisible.
“Everyone ready?” Blaster gulped another lung full of air.
They all nodded.
Cutter placed a hand on Watcher’s shoulder. “I think it’s time you lead us into battle.”
Watcher swallowed as beads of sweat trickling down his square face. He looked up at the big warrior, then gripped his bow firmly, and jumped out of the hole, running for the bridge. Crossing it in seconds, the group passed through the now-deserted encampment.
I wonder if there are any weapons or armor in those tents? Watcher thought, but knew they didn’t have the time to search. Instead, he headed straight for the fortified wall. Without slowing down, Watcher charged through the open gates, an unknown number of monsters likely waiting on the other side.
Zombies came pouring out of the watchtower that loomed high over the gate, their swords gleaming in the moonlight. Watcher knelt and fired arrows as fast as he could draw and release, aiming for exposed points between pieces of armor. They fell to his barrage while the others continued to advance.
Cutter descended upon the monsters, his enchanted iron sword cleaving great paths of destruction through the mob. At the same time, Blaster wove between the creatures, slashing at zombies as he passed, never standing still long enough for any of them to hit him. Planter moved to Cutter’s side, Needle glowing bright with magic. She swung the blade faster than any of the creatures had thought possible, her glowing green shield deflecting zombie blades.
“Watcher, look what I found,” Mapper said.
He looked over his shoulder for a second, taking in the scene, then continued to fire.
The old man opened a chest that stood next to the gates. He reached in and took out multiple items, stuffing them into his inventory. A growl sounded behind him. Before Mapper could turn, Watcher fired three quick shots into the monster, eliminating it from the Far Lands.
“Mapper, stay behind me.” Watcher started to advance, continuing to launch his pointed shafts at the few remaining monsters.
Blaster attacked two zombies at the same time, extending his curved knives, then spinning like a top. His blades found soft flesh, erasing their remaining HP.
Quickly, the companions destroyed the guards from the towers, leaving only those within the fortress.
“That’s that last of them.” Cutter put away his sword and allowed some of the XP to flow into him. “Let’s go inside.”
“Wait, I have something for each of you.” Mapper reached into his inventory and withdrew a handful of bottles, each with a dark purple liquid sloshing about. “These are night vision potions. Each of you drink. When we get into the main building, destroy any torches; the darkness will be our ally.”
“That might even the odds a bit.” Watcher slapped the old man on the back. “What are those other potions?”
Mapper held what looked like a pink splash potion of some kind in his hand. “A little surprise for our friends.” He gave Watcher a devious smile.
With a shrug, Watcher drank his purple potion. Instantly, spirals of dark blue hovered around his head as his surroundings grew sharper and easier to see.
“I like it,” Blaster exclaimed. “Let’s do this. I’ll take care of all the torches.”
“I’ll help,” Planter added.
Cutter nodded, drank his potion, then charged toward the entrance to the wooden building.
As soon as the doors were opened, they were all overwhelmed by the stench of the place. It smelled as if someone had left meat out in the hot sun, allowing it to rot. That could only mean one thing … zombies, lots of them.
Their moans confirmed their suspicions. Cutter ran into the room, drawing his sword to attack. The chamber was brightly lit, a torch placed in the middle of each wall, casting wide circles of light across the chamber. Tall columns of wood lined one side, holding up a portion of the roof, while a solid wall covered the other. Watcher knew there would be zombies on the other side of that wall; he could hear them. Blaster and Planter dashed through the room, destroying the torches. He faced the opening to the side room and readied his bow.
Cutter’s blade could be heard crashing into armored monsters, their shouts of pain and fear filling the air. A pinging sound stood out in the cacophony; Watcher knew what it was from.
“I need some help with an annoying skeleton,” Cutter said.
Watcher turned and scanned the room. He found the skeleton hiding in the corner, the monster likely hoping the darkness would protect him … that was a fatal mistake. Notching two arrows, he fired them both at the bony creature, then quickly drew and fired again. One of the first pair hit, then the second landed. The skeleton scanned the room, but by now all the torches had been extinguished and it was impossible for the creature to see. Watcher drew another arrow and took aim. He had to hurry; monsters would be coming through that doorway any second, and he wasn’t sure if he could stop them all by himself, even if he had the advantage of night vision.
Suddenly, Blaster entered the fray, his knives slashing at the monster. The skeleton tumbled to the ground, now just a pile of parched-white bones.
With a sigh of relief, Watcher turned back to the doorway, ready for the zombie reinforcements. But instead, he found Mapper standing directly in the way.
“Mapper … move.” Watcher reached out and tried to push the old man aside.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I got this.”
“Are you crazy?”
Mapper glanced over his shoulder, a devious smile plastered on his square face.
The sound of angry monsters was the first thing to come out of the doorway, followed by razor-sharp claws and pointed fangs. The monsters charged out of the side room and headed straight for Mapper. Watcher tried to take a clear shot, but his friend was right in the way, the pink splash potion still in his hand.
“Hello zombies.” Mapper laughed. “So nice to meet you.”
The monsters growled, looking confused. Then, the old villager threw the potion. It flew through the air and shattered on the lead monster. The liquid splashed in all directions, covering half a dozen creatures. Instantly, they fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Mapper threw another potion at the next wave of zombies. They fell just like the first, screaming in agony as their bodies flashed red, taking damage.
“See Watcher, I told you I had this.” Mapper laughed and threw another potion, coating the last few monsters. “Healing potion … it’s poison to undead creatures.”
“Of course,” Watcher said with a nod.
He was about to say more, but stopped as a new sound emerged among the clashing of swords on armor. It was a faint clicking, as if someone were tapping hard pieces of wood or stone together. But there was an anger to the noise, something that caused a chill to run down his spine … spiders.
“There are spiders in the room.”
Watcher looked around him. The combat was still focused at the front of the chamber, zombies charging at them from the darkness. And then he saw them; eight points of angry red light slowly moving down the walls.
“The spiders are coming down the walls!” Watcher shouted. “Watch your backs.”
Focusing on the first set of eyes, Watcher fired a stream of arrows at the monster. It dodged the first one, but misjudged the next projectiles. They hit the spider, quickly destroying its HP. Watcher didn’t w
ait for the monster to disappear, instead he turned and found another target. More spiders were crawling down the wooden pillars holding up the roof. Watcher moved to a corner and knelt, then fired as fast as he could, not even pausing to breathe. His arrows were like a continuous stream of wood and flint, the pointed shafts like deadly rain.
Gradually, Watcher destroyed the rest of the spiders as his companions shattered the zombie ranks. The last few monsters tried to flee, but Blaster was on them with his curved knives, giving quarter to none. It looked as if they’d won when suddenly, something blue moved quickly through the darkness.
“Cutter, look out.” Watcher fired an arrow over the big warrior’s shoulder, but it was deflected away by a diamond sword.
“So, the villager returns to try to claim the diamond sword.” The zombie warlord placed a torch on the ground and glared at Cutter. “Tu-Kar took this blade from the pathetic villager. Now it will be used to take Ro-Zar’s weapon back as well … and then it will end your life.”
“You talk too much, zombie.” Cutter slashed at the monster, his sparkling iron sword flashing through the air like a bolt of metallic lighting.
The zombie blocked the attack, then swung the diamond blade at Cutter’s head. The NPC ducked, then slashed at the monster’s legs, scoring a hit against the zombie’s left thigh. Groaning in pain, Tu-Kar stepped back and glared at his adversary.
Just then, Watcher stepped into the light, an arrow pulled back and aimed at the zombie warlord. Blaster moved in from the left, his curved blades ready for combat. The glow from Needle painted a purple splash of light on the floor as Planter approached the monster from behind.
They started to close in. Tu-Kar growled, glancing at all the villagers.
“No!” Cutter raised his hand, stopping his companions. “I need to do this … for Fisher… and for me.”
His friends stepped back as Cutter approached the zombie warlord alone.
“Ahh … the NPC has some courage. The original owner of this sword could have used some of that bravery when he was destroyed. Ro-Zar said that the villager begged for mercy like a child … how pathetic.” Tu-Kar laughed. “That NPC was abandoned, sealing their fate.” The zombie pointed at Cutter with the diamond blade.
Zombies Attack! Page 16