A hand desperately shook in my face as I pushed down on the crinkled grass to stand up.
“Lucian! Take my hand! You must get up! Now!”
I obliged the frantic Lady Fern, grasping her outreached hand, also noticing the rough callus on her palms and what appeared to be tiny scales on her skin. Many curious thoughts about her unique species crossed my mind but now was not the time. Putting my curiosity aside, I stood firmly on two feet.
By instinct, my head jerked towards the unnatural growls, deep and gnarled, growing louder from all sides. Most came from beneath the earth, from those that should have never awakened again.
Hands, with flesh rotted and peeling off the bone, broke through the soft dirt, clawing their way to the surface. These were the true undead that I was familiar with, groaning mindlessly and slowly clunking with dragging feet towards us.
“Zombies?”
Lady Fern solemnly shook her head, eyes intently combing through the rising numbers of our unwelcomed company. Her voice uneasy, not seeing what she searched for, replied,” Battle would be easier if our true foes were simply zombies. Something is awry. The rising undead are not from the recently deceased but from those already long buried.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, these undead are not the rare cases where a spirit repossesses a recently dead body, creating a ghoul - a more dangerous undead with sentience. However, what we are seeing is the revolting desecration of those who long passed. These are reanimated bodies mindlessly following orders.”
I unconsciously gulped at the former, thinking the description fit spot on to my current circumstances.
Lady Fern gritted her teeth and hissed, “There is likely a larger culprit behind this evil atrocity.”
Her black veil draped forward as Lady Fern bowed and clasped her hands in prayer. Suddenly, the outlines of her figure glowed in a familiar shimmering golden aura. Lifting her head, she also lifted up her hands, holding up a warm, divine energy.
“May you all find peace once more in the light. Goddess Atlanta, grant them mercy. Burn away this twisted act that defies you.”
The once calm energy softly radiating from the Lady’s uplifted hands erupted into the sky in a raging fire of divine gold and furious ruby. The wave of energy crashed back down and flooded to all corners of the graveyard. The grass and weeds fluttered back and forth as if brushed by a gust of wind, but agonizing growls filled the surroundings as only the undead caught fire and burned.
Stance lowered and eyes vigilant, the Lady quickly said, “Something is not right.”
“My Lady! Are you alright?” Asked Sir Gale who huffed with quickened breaths from his sprint here from the cart.
“I am fine, Sir Gale. But this place - this sacred resting place - it may not be. Evil is among us.”
Both the knight and I, our eyes darted at something off the corner of our sight. We squinted at something unknown, shooting out tendrils of black lighting from far back in the cemetery. Once green grass wilted into husked-out brown in its wake, leaving a trail of crumbling ash and smoke as the dark lighting split across the graveyard like slithering snakes - rapidly swimming through the waves of grass to the zombies burning in golden fire.
The opposing forces exploded upon contact, writhing and wrestling for dominance. The dark tendrils of lighting sputtered with flashes of black sparks but unceasingly twisted and wrapped around the divine fire of gold. The shimmering golden light pulsated angrily, flaring with fiery whips that lashed at the snaking black lighting.
Each colliding blow sent storm-force gales into the surrounding trees, swaying them violently from side to side. We lowered our stances to the earth to better hold us to the ground, bracing against the coming winds. However, Lady Fern suddenly faltered, pushed back by each oncoming gusty current.
Sir Gale immediately reacted, jumping back and supporting the nun - shielding her feverishly sweating body from the winds. “My Lady! What’s wrong?! What evil mars you?!”
With palpitated breaths, Lady Fern gazed weakly at the ends of the graveyard. “I fear this horde is not simple, Sir Gale. The number of aged and decaying corpses capable of defying my power granted by the Goddess implies the handiwork of the fallen gods. The light is fading. This darkness is beyond me. ”
Lady Fern was right, the once-raging golden fires now dwindled, smothered by the growing black lighting.
But my face scrunched in confusion, hearing the new information. Turning back to the Lady, I asked, “Handiwork of fallen gods?”
Sir Gale turned to me and gave another condescending look. He was about to say more but could not. We jerked our heads at a noise that sent shivers down my back. A shrill cry partially answered my question, emanating at the edge of the cemetery, where tombstones ended and the forest began again.
“Heeeiiii! Awaaaakkke!! Awaaake!! Lord commands! Claim living lands for Death! Death is risen! Deaaath is riiiisen!”
“A ghoul,” Lady Fern firmly stated, eyes narrowing and fixated on the humanoid creature with large red eyes whose sharp claws raved madly in the air.
After confirming her suspicions, the Lady gathered her remaining energy, standing up and clenching my hand tightly while pulling me along into a run.
“We must retreat, Sir Gale. There are larger powers at play here. We need to regroup back in MonVeil Town and warn the Temple and the others.”
The knight nodded, following after us and covering our backs.
I turned my head as I ran, peeking back at the creature who Lady Fern spoke of. “Are you talking about that wrinkly gray-skinned thing? The lanky monster doesn’t look at all too formidable, no? The knight could probably take him down easily.”
Eyes darting side to side at the slowly oncoming zombies, Lady Fern huffed as she ran, “Yes, no doubt. Ghouls are of Class 2, a next-tier evolution path for the Class 1 zombies surrounding us. They would be of little threat to Sir Gale who is of an early Class 3, Paladin. However, the monster is not an ordinary ghoul, Lucian. Look closely. Above the creature's head.”
And I did l, turning to look but not entirely sure what I was looking for.
But then I understood.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
As if heeding my desire, floating words and numbers appeared above the ghoul's head as a small blue screen popped into sight before fading away.
***System Notification***
Skill Used: General Skill - Identity LVL 1
(Note: Notification windows can be disabled)
“Th’Anck- Ghoul: LVL ??,” I said, reading the words above the Ghoul’s head as I ran.
“Yes, a named Ghoul. The battle may be more difficult with the surrounding zombies, but Sir Gale can still take down the named monster. However, its name is exactly why we must also regroup and inform the nearby towns. The suffix ‘Th’’ is given to all minions created by the fallen god, Th’Hiel, who rules over death and the afterlife. The rise of the dead in this region is a problem beyond us. And any mortal, for that matter. It is a conflict between the gods. We must report it immediately.”
But we abruptly stopped, the momentum of our bodies sliding on the grass to a jerking halt. Our path of escape was blocked. Hungry zombies surrounded us, stammering forward with stretched-out hands - ready to rip apart living flesh.
“The first sacrifices! Take them! KIIILL ALLLL!!!” Screamed the ghoul from afar at the zombies while pointing at us. At the Ghoul’s command, the zombies became frenzied, snarling at the sky before stampeding towards us.
Lady Fern quickly turned to me, gritting her teeth. “I know you are not at all close to being fully healed, Lucian. But we have no choice except to fight our way through. Prepare yourself, it seems the followers of Th’Hiel want our bodies and souls. We shall not allow them.”
Turning to the knight behind us, the Lady shouted, “Sir Gale! We must leave, but I cannot run and let those cultish followers of Th’Hiel perverse those who rest here. At least not those who have yet to be turned. Lead our way through while I cast Sanctuary!”
“Yes, my Lady! I shall return these risen undead once more into the earth.” Turning to me, the knight momentarily eyed me and my scrawny frame, judging what I could do but ended his evaluation with a sneer. “Protect the Lady. Use your shovel. Even throw your body to feed the zombies if needed. At least you’ll die knowing you were useful.”
I watched as the damn knight said his nasty piece and charged ahead.
I’ll remember those words if I make it out of here. And if I don’t, I’ll make sure to bite you first when I become a zombie.
The Lady dashed after the knight, but her eyes were distant, focused solely on her objective to somehow save the bodies that had yet to become zombies.
Not entirely sure what I could actually do combat-wise, other than being told during the mission debriefing that Lucian uses a sword. So I opened up my character screen, calling, “Status Screen,” inside my head.
***Stats Window***
Host’s Name: Lucian de Volan - (Deceased/Bound/Coma)
Occupier’s Name: Kian Hue - (Possessing body)
Race: 25% Human / 25% Beastfolk / 25% Elf / 25% Orc
Class: Mercenary
LVL: 06
Gender: Male
Age: 16
Status: Weakened, Injured, Heavy blood loss
Titles:
None
Perks:
None
Blessings & Curses:
Mutt-Blooded - A miraculous living being naturally born from more than two mixed origins. Blessed by the minor Goddess, Atlanta, known for her mercy and benevolence. Removes most curses from the minor God Diode, who abhors the intermingling of pure bloodlines. Grants improved resistance +2 to negative status inflictions.
Abomination - An existence with more than two mixed origins that rarely exists, and should not exist - defying the rules of Nature. Cursed by the minor God Diode, locking all species added trait bonuses and bloodline talents.
Unique Talents:
Soul Invader - A foreign spirit infringing upon unknown lands and the living creatures within. All watch warily of your existence. Grants affinity +3 to soul and spirit-related skills and talents.
Talent Abilities:
Improved Resistances LVL 2
Soul Affinity LVL 3
Bloodline Abilities:
(Locked) - Bound by the Curse of Diode
Active Skills:
Forceful Possession LVL 3 - System Granted Skill - Invades and takes control of a body with a recently passed soul. Dominates and forcefully removes the lingering soul from the body. The body must immediately be possessed to prevent further decay and permanent demise. Forces the previously inhabiting soul into a ‘bound’ state. Once bound, souls can be ordered, exiled, or consumed. Other effects may occur. (Warning: if the target's willpower is high enough, the user can be overpowered and forced into a ‘bound’ state.)
Quick Slash LVL 1 - Increase of 1.5x normal speed for next weapon attack. Uses 5 Stamina. (Requires Sword Mastery LVL 1, Strength of 9, Dexterity of 10, and Agility of 11)
Identify LVL 1 - System Granted Skill - Grants extra knowledge and information of surroundings based upon skill level. Uses 2 Spirit Points. (Note: May not work on certain persons and unique characters or those with abilities to block investigation-type skills.)
Passive Skills:
Sword Mastery LVL 1
Shield Mastery LVL 1
Herbology LVL 0
Etiquette LVL 2
Cooking LVL 1
Hunting LVL 0
…
There was too much to read through, but all I needed for now was information I could use in combat, which wasn’t much at all.
“To me, Galius! Protect my Lady! Tear those undead limbs from limb! ” bellowed the knight, calling the ethereal lion steed who rushed over from the cart. The knight then war-cried, shouting at the top of his lungs as he charged into the wall of zombies with his sword low to his side. “N’ARGH! Come at me, undead scum! I’ll slay you all!”
Cutting wind split the air as the blade of the sword slashed laterally in a half-circle right in front of the knight. His burly figure twice my size, easily muscled his sword and halved the zombies rushing him. However, even split in half, the zombie rapidly crawled their way on the grass and clawed at the knight’s plated boots.
I flinched as a staunch stomp splattered brain matter across the lawn. A headless zombie was the best method to defeat the undead. But the Holy Knight rampaged, nearly berserk, hacking and slashing anything in his way.
I gulped, unsure how I was going to take revenge on such a man. I knew we were leagues apart. I could not rush in and simply bulldoze my way through the waves of zombies. And with just a shovel at that.
But the zombies forced me to test myself and this new body of mine.
“Dammit! Incoming, my Lady! Protect her, noble spawn!”
A zombie escaped off the side of Sir Gale’s sweeping blade, charging right at me and the Lady. I looked at Lady Fern. She didn't even seem to hear the knight, completely focused on her spell while running. Her legs took her straight to the zombie, but even still she did not break concentration. She was resolved to help those still resting in their graves that had yet to be turned, focusing on her spell that made her glow in a golden aura.
For some reason, images of my mother in her casket underground flashed in my mind. The thoughts of seeing her like these zombies were all I needed to find the courage to fight.
Pushing my fatigued body into a sprint, I rushed ahead of the Lady nun and ran head-on towards the oncoming zombie.
My hands gripped the handle of the shovel, pulling it behind me and swinging as I jumped into battle for the first time in the game.