Having cleared the yard of its zombie inmates, Asher promptly restored his guardian to full health using his healing skill, aided by the guardian's passive life regeneration. Now, they faced a decision. They could either retrace their steps to the central room and select a different pathway, or they could proceed forward, given that another door awaited them at the far end of the yard.
"Considering we're already this deep in, let's just press on," suggested Asher.
Liam gave a nod of approval.
The heavy door at the end of the yard led to another dimly lit corridor. The passage, with its deliberate narrowness, seemed intentionally crafted to enforce a linear procession, perhaps an architectural ploy to ensure inmates made their way in a single line. Before long, they arrived at a nexus of choice, confronted not by branching hallways, but by imposing barriers. Directly ahead stood a caged gate, made from iron bars which seemed to have a locking device that hinted at a more intricate mechanism rather then mere locks and keys. To the right, a robust steel door presented itself, its facade scarred with numerous sculpted fist shapes. A quick examination disclosed the necessity of a key for its unveiling.
Their only accessible path seemed to be the left door. It was slightly ajar, with faint light trickling out from the gaps, casting shadows on the ground. Unlike the other doors, this one appeared old and fragile, its wood splintered in places.
Liam, curious, approached it slowly, peering through the small opening, trying to discern what lay beyond. Finding nothing immediately threatening, he pushed it gently. The door creaked loudly, revealing a room filled with worn-out benches, dusty shelves filled with tattered books, and a large ornate table in the center. The room appeared to be some sort of study or library.
"This looks like a place where guards or perhaps a warden might've relaxed or done their paperwork," mused Asher, taking in the surroundings.
As they began to explore the room, their attention was drawn to the table. Atop it lay scattered papers, most of them too faded to read, and an old lantern, its flame long extinguished. Among the clutter, a singular item caught Asher’s eye: a delicate silver key.
"This might be what we need for that door," Liam whispered.
The glow of the key seemed almost inviting. As they approached the table, a blood-curdling scream pierced the silence of the room. From behind one of the taller bookshelves, a zombified inmate lunged into view, its decaying face twisted in rage and hunger. Its scream also a call to its brethren.
Asher and Liam barely had time to react when more shadows began to move among the shelves, revealing over a dozen more of the undead. They rushed forward, a mass of rotting flesh and torn clothing, drawn to the living intruders in their midst.
"Guardian, Provoke!" Asher commanded sharply. In response, the guardian pulled the attention of the zombies, as if beckoning them into its embrace. Like moths to a flame, the zombies quickly shifted their focus from Asher and Liam to the armored summon.
Seeing his chance, Asher turned to Liam, shouting, "Now! Use your explosive shot!"
Liam, with his gun at the ready and its chamber glowing with a volatile energy, took aim at the now clustering undead around the guardian. With a deep breath, he pulled the trigger. The moment the bullet struck, a resounding explosion echoed through the library, a bright flash illuminating every corner. The force of the blast tore apart the horde, sending undead limbs flying and reducing the immediate threat.
Your Guardian is now affected by the 'Burning' ailment status. It will suffer a 1% maximum health loss per second for 10 seconds.
https://i.imgur.com/PSu3Ooi.png [https://i.imgur.com/PSu3Ooi.png]
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
You have participated in the elimination of 'Zombified Inmates & guards' x 12. Experience point earned have been divided by the amount of participants. You have earned 60 EXP! EXP (407/400)
Congratulations for reaching Lv.5! You have acquired 5 Attribute points.
Asher observed the aftermath, thoroughly impressed. He was aware of Liam's capabilities, but witnessing the sheer power of that shot was something else entirely. Not only had it obliterated the zombies, but the damage was substantial. The significant loss of over 80 health points from his guardian suggested the zombies had suffered even more, given they lacked the guardian's protective measures like elemental resistance and shield mitigation. What caught Asher's attention, though, was the lingering burn — a clear sign of fire damage. The guardian was now dealing with a sustained burning effect. It was fortunate that this was caused by an ally; Asher could promptly tend to his guardian's injuries in the safety of the library before they proceeded.
"That... was a bit too close," Liam remarked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Your guardian's taunt truly saved our skins there," he added.
Asher nodded in agreement, "We need to be more cautious. There's no telling how many more of them are lurking around."
"It seems our skills complement each other perfectly. If we run into another swarm of these undead prisoners, let's use the same tactic: My guardian draws them in, you blast them apart, and I'll patch him up before we move on." Asher added.
After the aftermath, they could finally move toward the table. Asher was careful, looking around to make sure no other threats were hiding. He picked up the silver key and gripped it tightly. "Let's head back," he said.
Together with the guardian, the two of them made their way out of the library. The air was heavy with the scent of burnt flesh and the residue of the gunshot. Once they were back in the corridor, they approached the steel door. The lock looked like it was just waiting for their key.
Taking a moment, Asher put the key in and turned it. There was the sound of gears turning and locks shifting, and soon enough, the door slowly opened to show what was on the other side.
Beyond the door, was the noticeable contrast between this section and previous areas of the prison. The walls were made of a thicker, cold gray concrete, devoid of any signs of wear. Every inch seemed purpose-built to be intimidating and impenetrable. The corridor was lit by harsh fluorescent lights, which cast a sterile, bluish glow over everything. The floor was polished to a mirror shine, probably making it easier to spot any disturbances or contraband.
On either side of the corridor were cell doors made of thick steel with small, reinforced windows at eye level. These windows were just large enough to provide a glimpse of the interior, but not enough to offer any chance of escape. Each door had multiple locks and electronic security measures, indicating the high-risk nature of the prisoners once contained within.
"Looks like a maximum-security section, doesn't it? These cells are far more daunting than the others," Liam observed. Given his background as a police officer, he had some familiarity with these settings.
His assessment was spot-on. They were indeed in the section reserved for the most hardened and dangerous criminals: the maximum-security block.
As they progressed to the far end of the room, a lever mounted on the wall caught their attention, illuminated distinctly by an overhead light.
"See that? Is that a lever?" Asher inquired.
"Sure looks like one," Liam observed. "Must be the mechanism to unlock the caged gate. Guess we'll need to activate it to move past those iron bars."
Bam
"Huh!?"
The echoing stillness of the maximum-security section was suddenly shattered by a deafening crash. Asher and Liam froze from the unexpected sound, their attention abruptly pulled away from the lever. From behind them, one of the fortified cell doors was hurtled into the air, crashing down with a reverberating thud that sent shockwaves throughout the corridor.
From the gaping hole of the shattered cell, a monstrous figure emerged, casting an imposing shadow under the dim lighting. It was an inmate, but not like the ones they'd encountered before. This creature was grotesquely swollen in size, its muscles bulging unnaturally, its height easily twice that of a regular man. The tattered remains of a prison jumpsuit strained to contain its hulking form, revealing patches of necrotic flesh beneath. Veins pulsed visibly under its decaying skin, and its eyes, devoid of any human spark, were filled with an insatiable hunger.
The silence was palpable as both parties assessed each other. Then, with a guttural roar, the behemoth charged towards them, each step causing the ground to tremble.
https://i.imgur.com/Qy0ivAw.png [https://i.imgur.com/Qy0ivAw.png]