ggrrr, howlll, ggrrzaa
Zombies emerged from the forest one by one. While some Zombies walked forward, others crawled along the ground, their broken legs leaving a long trail of black blood behind them.
Ahead of Rock lay a large number of earthen peaks protruding from the ground. Most are the size of a hand.
This is Rock's answer to immobilizing them and reducing their numbers. The Horde advance towards Rock, stepping on the stone spikes that damage their legs.
But the Zombies advance regardless of the state of their bodies, leaving part of their feet behind.
The needles get deeper and deeper as the zombies advance step by step. Each time a zombie falls because of the traps, their bodies shield the following zombie, allowing them to avoid injury without too much loss.
--
Zombies are dark creatures born of death and only partly alive. They are corpses that have been corrupted by a dark energy that has brought them back to life to walk the earth and devour living beings. Because of their state (death), they feel nothing. No pain, no fatigue, no hunger or thirst. They will live forever as long as their heads remain attached to their bodies.
--
As they walked, their feet began to tear under the pressure, leaving morsels of flesh in their path, and they continued to advance, little by little, without missing a beat.
The horde had been marching for several minutes now.
The majority of the zombies present are unknown, but a large part of the horde that is "dead" has served as a stepping stone, allowing the lucky few to cross these obstacles without the slightest damage. Rock greeted them with a powerful punch. Destroying the few remaining zombies.
Rock still remembers the persistence of these creatures despite their condition. To avoid any surprises, and to make sure they were all "really" dead, Rock had to crush the heads of each corpse. With each kill he received a different amount of experience.
When he had finished, he felt a change in himself. Focusing on this sensation, he heard a new notification telling him that because of all his zombie killing, he had acquired a Title.
A title is something that can be acquired through certain actions, usually giving the holder a bonus.
The title Rock has acquired is [Undead Killer], which allows him to inflict extra damage on non-living creatures.
----
"Looks like we've got some stragglers," Rock says to himself as he sees the Zombies crawling on the ground.
Compared to the previous Zombie, they're awfully slow and grunt as Rock approaches them.
Because of their slowness, these Zombies posed no threat to Rock, who was able to eliminate them quickly.
After this one-sided massacre, Rock decided to continue his treatment.
Before heading into the forest, he noticed that the ground around the corpses had turned black and that the rotting blood of these creatures was seeping into the soil and corrupting everything it touched.
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Using his senses for a short time, he noticed that this energy was gathering in one place.
The Zombie Dog Stone!
It pulsed with violet light and showed signs of growth. These signs of growth are faint - anyone would pass them by - but by listening to his senses, and with this influx of energy, there can be no doubt.
Seeing this, Rock advances cautiously, taking care to avoid the blackened areas around the corpses, as he senses that same dark presence in the air.
A dark, corrupting energy all around him. This dark energy was sending distress signals to his body telling him to avoid all contact.
--
Rock took off towards the forest, leaving behind a mountain of corpses. As he continued forward, Rock noticed a faint light in the distance. When he arrived, he noticed that the light was coming from a cave.
This cave was peculiar, but as he got closer and closer to the entrance, Rock noticed dark stone ruins right next to it.
- Voila, I've found the place to finish my recovery," thought Rock as he made his way towards it.
The stones making up these ruins were covered in moss and looked as if they had been there for centuries. On these ruins and around the cave, mysterious symbols are carved, suggesting that the cave had been the site of dark, mystical rituals.
Beyond the ruins, the cave was dark and sinister, with stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling and floor.
The faint light filtering through the cracks in the rocks was the only source of light in the cave. Rock felt the presence, albeit weaker, of this dark energy.
At the far end of the cave, he saw a horned demon's head carved out of the rock.
Its size is enormous. Over two meters high, it was the only thing that stood out in the darkness. This head is frightening, with hollow eyes and a menacing expression, which seems to watch over the cave entrance with a menacing air.
Following the path Rock finds an ancient passageway partially obstructed by rubble. After a few knocks, Rock manages to clear the passageway with his body. The room is of medium size, with a vaulted ceiling and rough stone walls. Torches hanging from the walls offer a faint glow, barely illuminating the dark recesses of this room.
In the center is a stone altar, surmounted by a marble statue of an ancient goddess, her arms outstretched toward the ceiling. Around the altar are traces of ancient offerings, gold coins, gems and sparkling jewels, vessels containing blood and organs. On the walls, there are frescoes telling mythical stories of heroes and deities, depicted in vivid colors and meticulous detail.
Some parts of the frescoes have been damaged by time, but overall they are still remarkably well preserved.
Rock approaches the altar and feels a mystical energy emanating from it. This energy is very weak, but much purer than the energy in the Zombie Dog's skull.
At the far end of the room, there's a small alcove carved into the rock, housing a horned stone demon head similar to the one in the cave, the only difference being that this one has more horn, looks wiser and its eyes glow a crimson red.
The statue's eyes are empty, but there's something disturbing about their expression, as if they had a life of their own.
The statue's mouth is open, as if it's about to utter a word or pounce on the first person to bite it.
Mystical emanations seem to emanate from the demon's head, filling the room with a strange, eerie atmosphere that radiates in strange harmony with the altar.
People are approaching!
Rock senses their presence because of his connection to the earth.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, he looked around in the hope of finding a suitable hiding place.
In the corner of the wall was a cavity, just big enough for him to squeeze into. He crawls inside and finds a small space hidden behind a huge stone that appears to have been detached from the wall. From a distance, it looks as if a stone is blocking the way, but this stone is Rock.
The advantage of being an unconventional creature is that, in this situation, any living creature feeling oppressed would find it difficult to observe what's going on, and would be noticed for its breathing.
But the advantage of being a creature like Rock is that his view is not limited by anything. As long as he has mana, he can see.
----
Right in front of the cave are 4 people. Who look at the grotto with reverence before dropping a knee to the ground.
"May the blood of the Red Lady flow through our veins, and may her thirst for violence and destruction guide us to the fulfillment of her will.
We give you thanks, O Red Lady."
After a few minutes, they stood up and entered the cave.