Before the lion sprinted, the Cerberus landed on top of him, pushing him to the ground.

“You won’t get our sweetie!” Cilla shouted, and the girls pounded their fists on the lion’s back.

The lion rolled, throwing the girls off him. Then he charged toward Roger, not losing the chance to taste human flesh.

Roger dropped his sword, knowing his blade was useless against the lion’s fur coat. But he held up his shield.

When the lion got close, he swung his shield, smacking the lion’s muzzle. He leaped back and shook his head.

The lion growled at Roger until the girls grabbed the lion’s legs and yanked him back from the human. They swung the lion around and around before releasing him.

The lion crushed against the tree. It shook so hard, two zombies fell down and landed next to the beast.

The lion glanced toward the two dead, snarling with a brief grin on the corners of his mouth. The zombies, both women in raggy dresses, screamed and sprinted into the darkness.

Instead of continuing his battle against the Cerberus, the lion chased after the women.

“Come back here, coward!” Katina shouted, shaking her left fist up.

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Labda pushed her fist down from shaking. “Enough! This is our chance to run!”

“Good idea!” Cilla exclaimed.

Katina moaned with a little snarl from her throat. “Running from a fight is lame!”

Roger picked up his sword and shield, placing them on his back. “Sometimes we have to run to win another battle. Come on!”

He took off first. While running, the girls grabbed him and carried him in their arms.

“This is faster!” Labda explained.

Cilla giggled. “I enjoy carrying him!”

Roger didn’t care, although his head was close to the Cerberus’s breasts. He better remain still or else Katina might drop him.

As Roger looked forward, he noticed the trees grew fewer and fewer as they ran through the dark woods. And then they stopped toward the edge of a slope, facing an enormous barren landscape. All sand covering dunes. Light beams shined across the sand from the cavern ceiling like sunlight sneaking through the magma cracks.

"Good! We are out of the woods," said Labda, placing Roger down.

"What is this area?" Roger asked.

"The Asphodel Plains. It is where neutral souls come to live after their judgment. If you are neither good or evil, you appear here to wander like the souls in the river."

"It looks boring."

"Better than going into the River of Styx," said Katina.

Suddenly, something smacked Roger from behind. He fell down and trembled down the slope.

After he landed in the warm sand, the Cerberus landed next to him. Their heads dunked into a sand mount.

They pulled their heads out, spat out sand, and gazed.

"Who the hell pushed us?" Katina shouted.

Roger looked up and dropped his mouth open. The lion was back, standing on top of the slope. Apparently, the beast didn't want to give up his worthy prey.