As the last remnants of the goblin horde retreated, the town square grew silent, the fog lifting ever so slightly. The survivors, battered and weary, began to gather, checking on their compatriots. Elise approached the trio, her face marked with grime and sweat.

"Thank you," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and sorrow. "Without your intervention, our town would have been lost."

Anders, panting, nodded at her gratitude. "We couldn’t just stand by. However, I don’t think things are over yet." He said, glancing at the sinkhole. Back in Hamburg, goblin-like creatures kept climbing up out of the ground, regardless of how many died. If they wanted to truly ‘save’ this town, perhaps they’d need to find a way to clear the sinkholes and whatever was down there.

Sera, cleaning her axe, added, "And there’s also the Nachzehrer. If they're real, we have another threat to worry about."

Elise shuddered, "They’re real, all right. As night falls, they come out from the woods of Lüneburg Heath, feasting on the living and the dead. Their presence is why so many fled Schneverdingen."

Zayzal's eyes widened, "From the dead? Like, they can raise the dead?"

Elise nodded gravely, “Yes. Those killed by a Nachzehrer often rise as one themselves."

As they discussed their next move, the distant roar of engines echoed. Military jeeps and trucks pulled into the square as soldiers jumped out and began setting up a perimeter. It was clear that they were somewhat experienced when dealing with these sinkholes.

The soldiers glanced at the survivors, their weapons in particular, and nodded. The survivors returned the nods as a subtle sense of admiration enveloped them. In their minds, anyone who fought for their home and country was worthy of respect.

As the soldiers began running around and clearing out the area, a tall, well-decorated officer approached, his uniform crisp despite the circumstances. "I am Major Reinhardt of the German Armed Forces," he introduced himself with a nod. "We've been dispatched to deal with these creature outbreaks. Word reached us of the situation here."

“Reinhardt? Emil Reinhardt?” Anders suddenly exclaimed before peeking his head around the corner. His eyes lit up upon seeing the very person he was thinking of. “It really is you! What the hell happened? How did a dunce like you become a Major? You were just a Staff Sergeant when I was discharged!”

Major Reinhardt, or Emil, grew confused for a moment but soon remembered Anders’ face. His lips curved up as he put on a friendly smile. He walked over to the man and extended his hand with a laugh. “Müller? You’re back? Last I heard, you were living on the streets of Brazil doing grunt work. Looks like things haven’t changed much.”

Anders chuckled and firmly grasped his hand. Emil was surprised by the strength behind it and tightened his grip, but Anders just smirked. “What? I can’t return to the Motherland when the world’s gone to shit?”

Before Emil could say anything, Anders continued while glancing at Zayzal and Sera. “...Luckily, I made a few friends, or else I probably wouldn’t be here.”

Major Reinhardt took a moment to survey Anders' companions, his eyes narrowing slightly as they settled on Zayzal's gear and Sera's battle-worn axe. "You certainly have a knack for making unique acquaintances," Emil observed with a smirk.

Zayzal offered a half-smile, but his eyes were glued to the green orb within him while Sera just grunted and stood up. She was about half a head taller than Emil, forcing the man to look up to meet her eyes.

He couldn’t help but raise a brow at her physique. She was probably the sturdiest woman he’d ever seen. The two stared at each other for a few moments, analyzing one another before Sera nodded. “Not bad.”

She grabbed the man’s hand to give him a handshake. Emil returned it, but his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she squeezed. He could’ve sworn he heard a few popping sounds.

“But still weak.” Sera shook her head, let go, and returned to her seat. Emil was left standing there with a throbbing hand and looked at Anders as if to ask who the hell his friends were, but the latter just shook his head with a chuckle.

Emil’s gaze remained fixed on Sera for a moment longer, clearly intrigued by her strength, but he decided to put that to the side and turned his attention back to Anders. "It's good to see a familiar face, Müller, especially now. We need all the help we can get. You might not know this, but these creatures are emerging all over Germany."

Anders nodded. "The sinkholes... it’s the same story back in Hamburg. Do we have any idea where they're coming from or why now?"

"We have theories, but nothing concrete," Emil admitted, looking troubled. "It’s as if old folklore has become reality. But our primary concern is containment and ensuring the safety of the populace."

"And the Nachzehrer?" Zayzal interjected.

Major Reinhardt sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ah, those foul beings. Reports suggest they’re spreading throughout the heathlands, attacking unsuspecting victims and adding to their numbers. The tales are not exaggerations – those killed by them rise again."

Elise spoke up, her voice trembling slightly, "What's the plan, Major?"

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Emil turned to her, his face reflecting the weight of his responsibility. "We're setting up defenses around key towns and cities. But we also want to take the fight to them. We're gathering intel on potential nests and will be launching assaults soon."

"Tsk." Sera clicked her tongue. This was supposed to be training for them, but now they had to share the prey. Still, she wasn’t against it, as these Nachzehrer sounded powerful.

Zayzal glanced at her scoldingly and nodded. "We’ll join you, but we have our own reasons for being here, so don’t be surprised if we go off on our own."

Sera nodded gratefully at that.

Emil smiled, appreciating their determination. "Glad to have you on board, and don’t worry about that. Our forces will mainly handle the large-scale operations while you tackle the more... specialized tasks. I doubt we’re as experienced against monsters as you guys."

Anders grinned, patting Emil on the back. “Damn right! You have no idea what these two crazy people have put me through.”

“Hopefully hell.” Emil pushed him away with a laugh before he turned around and began giving out orders.

Hours passed, and as dusk approached, the town square transformed into a fortified base, with soldiers diligently setting up barriers and defenses.

***

The sprawling expanse of Lüneburg Heath was an eerie sight as dusk set in. Vast stretches of open land, covered in a blanket of purple heather and dotted with twisted, gnarly juniper bushes. Tall, dark pine trees occasionally broke the monotony, their old branches providing a safe haven for predators. The land was filled with rolling hills, with gentle rises and dips, creating pockets of shadows that seemed to harbor unknown threats.

A heavy mist rolled across the heath, rising from the small bogs and wetlands scattered throughout, making the visibility treacherously low. The once beautiful and tranquil heath had taken on a sinister atmosphere, a land where folklore nightmares came alive, and with Schneverdingen's recent decimation, their numbers had soared.

Major Emil Reinhardt, now in full battle gear, led a squad alongside Anders, Zayzal, and Sera into the heath. Soldiers with night vision goggles, rifles, and flamethrowers followed closely. The eerie stillness was punctuated by the occasional soft groan, rustling of the grass, or a faint, distant scream.

Zayzal, with his eyesight having adapted to the night, was on edge. "They're everywhere," he murmured, eyes darting around. He could see shadows flickering around before disappearing, only for another one to pop up somewhere else.

Suddenly, from the fog, a figure lunged at them.

One of the soldiers barely had time to scream before a Nachzehrer tore into his throat, spewing blood in all directions. The creature had a shrunken face, ashen skin, and its eyes glowed with a sickly yellow tint. Its mouth was lined with sharp, jagged teeth, dripping with fresh blood.

Without hesitation, Sera swung her axe, cleaving the creature's head off.

Meanwhile, the soldier’s body started to convulse as his veins popped out of his skin. He started undergoing a transformation into one of those creatures, but Sera dropped her axe on its body, killing it for good.

But it was just the first of many. From all directions, more Nachzehrer began to emerge, their hollow cries chilling to the bone.

The battlefield quickly became a chaotic bloodbath.

"Form a perimeter! Don't let them surround us!" Major Reinhardt bellowed, firing shots into the approaching horde.

“Yes, Major!” The soldiers under his command immediately followed his directions. They created a semi-circle, leaving a section open for Zayzal, Sera, and Anders to attack.

Although Emil wanted to give them a few rifles, or at least a handgun, they refused. The only one who could use one without missing every shot was Anders, but he didn’t take it.

This was a training exercise for them. He also didn’t want to get Emil in trouble for handing out firearms to civilians.

With a steady grip on his short sword and dagger, Zayzal readied himself, his spear securely strapped to his back.

Calling upon the mana he had, he mentally directed it to infuse his limbs, strengthening them. It was a sensation akin to a sudden adrenaline rush, a burst of power that didn't come from muscles but from an ethereal source within. His [Adaptability] talent hastened the process, and with the effects of the potion from the troll dungeon still lingering, his reflexes became unnaturally swift.

As a Nachzehrer lunged at him, its clawed hand reaching out, Zayzal deftly sidestepped using his enhanced speed. The beast stumbled forward due to its momentum, and Zayzal swiftly drove his dagger into its back, piercing its heart. He withdrew his weapon, watching as the creature collapsed, twitching.

‘Not bad.’ He inwardly nodded at the sharpness of the sword and dagger. They didn’t cut through the creature like butter, more like through leather, but it was better than he expected. ‘We’ll have to try and collect as much dungeon loot as possible.’

Seeing another shadow approaching him, he put those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Nearby, Anders’ new spear was serving him well. As a Nachzehrer lunged, he met its feral gaze and used the beast's momentum against it. With a fluid twist, he avoided its grasp, positioning his blade to pierce through its neck.

However, his lunge wasn’t enough to kill the monster, and had to give it another stab as he wasn’t able to move in accordance with the flow of mana.

Shaking his head, he walked away from the corpse and focused.

The scent of blood mixed with the thick mist created a heavy atmosphere that weighed down on everyone.

The grassy terrain, slick with moisture, presented its own challenges as footfalls became treacherous. Each soldier was on high alert, their senses sharpened by the primal need for survival.

Amidst the fighters, Sera's figure stood out the most. Her axe cleaved through the Nachzehrer as though they were mere playthings, their defenses no match for her brute strength. With every swing, her enemies fell, yet there was an elegance to her movements.

She didn’t allow anything through her, like a one-man army.

Zayzal's tactics were a blend of agility and precision. He ducked and weaved among the creatures, striking vitals with his dagger. He handled the weapons a bit awkwardly at first, but his [Adaptability] kicked in and helped improve with every fight.

A Nachzehrer, larger and seemingly more experienced than the others, sneaked up behind Zayzal, attempting to grab him. Just as its fingers were about to close around his neck, a sharp blade thrust out, impaling the creature's hand. Anders had intercepted, using his spear's long reach to pin the creature's arm to the ground.

"Thanks." Zayzal grinned, spinning around and driving his sword deep into the creature's skull.

"Of course," Anders replied with a smirk, yanking his spear free.

As the battle raged on, Emil was constantly on the move, coordinating the troops and ensuring that their formation remained intact. His sharp orders cut through the night, bolstering the soldiers' morale. With each Nachzehrer they downed, hope flared a little brighter among the ranks.

Fortunately, assault rifles were still effective against these creatures, but it still took multiple critical wounds to kill them.

However, as time wore on, the Nachzehrer's numbers didn't seem to dwindle. From the shadows of the dense woods, more and more of these nocturnal predators emerged.

Suddenly, a shrill cry echoed through the fog, different from the haunting moans of the Nachzehrer.