“Spirits stop. Let’s wait till daybreak before passing through this tunnel,” Riku said.

“Fine, human. We must warn you about something anyways.”

“What?”

“The undead are pursuing us; therefore, we must keep moving and enter the city as fast as possible.”

“Mazark’s doing?”

"Yes. We witnessed your previous escape from the trackers using a paralysis tune; however, none of your tactics will work on the undead.”

"What do you mean?”

“The zombies can’t hear or feel anything, you dumbass. You can stab them, play music to paralyze them, or even cut off their heads and they will still pursue you. Please use your fucking brain. It’s there for a reason,” Dragic interjected.

“The undead will continue to fight or pursue their target and they won’t stop until they fulfill their master’s orders,” the spirits said.

"Is there any way to fight or elude them?” Sylvia asked.

“Many have tried, none have succeeded.”

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“What are our options?”

“If we stay and fight, while we could fend them off for some time, but they will overwhelm us at the end. There is only one option. We have to head to the city and hide there.”

“Why?”

“Goddammit kid. Use your brain. The undead have a keen sense of smell. Hiding in a densely populated area will mask your scent and give you more time to formulate a plan of attack,” Dragic said.

“Hiding in the city will increase our chances of survival,” the spirits patiently said. “Have you two rested enough? We need to hurry.”

"Dragic, keep sensing our surrounding area and make sure that we won’t be ambushed. I have a bad feeling about this tunnel.”

“You worry too much, boy. I know what to do.”

“All right, let’s head out,” Riku said.

They lit torches and cautiously ventured into the tunnel. When Riku stepped foot in the gloomy passage, he wrinkled his nose as a damp, repugnant smell drifted into his nostrils. He waved his torch from side to side, trying to identify the source of the smell. Riku brushed his hand against the wall and felt dust and grime on his palm. A crosswind blew through the underpass, scattering rocks and blowing dust into the damp air.

“It appears no one has used this tunnel in a long time,” Sylvia said.

“Indeed, elfling. The path we are showing you is a long forgotten one. This is where the first spirit—our king—was born. We—later spirits—decided to enshrine this location and collectively cast a spell to deter outsiders from entering. You two are the first outsiders in a millennia to enter this holy ground.”

“We are honored, but if it’s sacred ground why are we allowed to enter?” Sylvia asked.

"You said it before. The world is at an impasse, thus rules must be broken. In addition, we are your allies even though your companion used despicable underhanded means to garner our support.”

“Haha. Sorry about that, but I had no choice,” Riku sheepishly said.

"We understand. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but never do it again.”

“Understood.”