Well, it did not take us particularly long to find out what is behind the barrier. It was as exactly as we had expected it. Beyond the room is a horde of zombies, all of which are looking at me at this exact moment.

We had opened the doors carefully to ensure that we would not attract any attention. It didn't not help us much but we will have the option to quickly shut the door if the zombies do not attack.

At least in terms of stealth, it did not help us much. The creaking of the door was enough to attract the attention of every zombie in the room. The only way that would work is if the horde had a master.

Zombies as creatures are not able to think for themselves. That is why most of them are not able to detect our presence even as we walked through them. They have a set of instincts on basis of which they work.

The fact that all of them are looking at us at this moment is proof that somebody is heading this particularly group of zombies. A necromancer is able to look through the eyes of his horde.

That is why even when they are looking at me they are not making any move towards us. I am sure that they will be on us the instant that the necromancer decides to attack us. That is why I am still standing at the door and the troop is hidden in the room. We are ready to retreat at an instant's notice. You certainly don't want to deal with a horde.

It does not take long for the leader of this horde to make his presence known. It is a man that is covering his entire body in a cloak, made of some kind of a black material.

"Who would you be, commoner, slaying my creatures like this?", the man speaks, gesturing at me.

"Well, I would assume that you would already know about me.", I reply. "Your master outside has certainly been struggling to deal with me."

"Well, if you are speaking of the creature called as Matthew", the man replies. "He barely leads his own people. He certainly has no control over me. It is true that we maintain contact with him."

"Well, then who would you be working for?", I ask him.

"Well, why would I reveal my secrets to the black mountain.", he replies. "The only reason that you are not being attacked by this horde is due to the fact I already have others to deal with. Leave now and you shall not be killed immediately."

"Well, you saying stuff like that makes me want to stay here even more.", I reply.

"Well, then I will be forced to kill you.", the man dissolves into the group after saying this. As soon as he says this the zombies begin to charge towards us like a wave.

I don't get particularly long to react to the movement of the creatures as I retreat behind the door, as the troop bolts the door completely.

"Is it a necromancer.", Trevor asks me.

"Yeah, a bastard at that too.", I reply.

My attention returns to the door which had already begun to buckle under the weight of the zombies that are charging at it.

"What do you want to do?", I ask Trevor.

"Well, we can do little more than push on, captain. We won't be able to hold of a horde that is under sentient control.", he reply.

"Well, I know that but the question is how exactly I am supposed to be doing that?", I ask him.

"Well I would have to assume that the necromancer has something else to deal with?", he asks me.

"Yeah, he disappeared before the horde started to attack us.", I reply.

"Well, then I have to assume that one of the mayfires is fighting him.", he replies. "Else, with a necromancer it won't take more than few seconds to break open this door."

"Still, that doesn't not answer my question.", I reply.

"Andrew, pass your shield to the captain.", Trevor commands Andrew.

In a few seconds, the shield in Andrew's hand is now on mine. It is relatively sturdy but I will not be able to use it for long. It will break in a few instants.

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"Captain, what we want you to do is to act as bait for these zombies.", Trevor replies. "We can be sure that the necromancer is busy dealing with one of the mayfires. All we need to do is to ensure that we will survive until the mayfires win."

"Well, there is a chance that the mayfires will not be able to win. What will we do then?", I ask the man.

"Well, there is little that we can do then. We could retreat back to our previous positions but we won't be able to survive much time like that.", he replies. "Still, that would be the only option that we will have left. You might need to open up the barrier again."

"Well, I could try if you could hold the horde back.", I reply.

"Well, then all we can do is hope that the mayfires win this particular duel. Regardless you holding back the legion will do wonders for the mayfires.", he replies. "After all a necromancer without his horde is a knight without his armour."

As we were speaking this, the door behind us has begun to give way to the zombies. The door hasn't been broken through completely but one of the hinges has been broken up.

It won't take long for the second hinge to break up. Well, there are not many good options here so I do the only thing that I can do.

I grasp the shield and sword. I wonder for a second if I should transform but I let it go at the last moment. The zombies certainly won't have life mana and there is always the risk of vampire captains.

I charge into the group of zombies at the same instance that they break open the door.

I will fight them just outside the door. It is the only way in which I can fight without putting the troop at a risk.

Fighting zombies is a matter of endurance. I could take tens of them before I empty my mana reserves but there are hundreds of these creatures here.

Thus I focus on clearing a circle around me. I ensure that none of the zombies are within the reach of my sword. That means that the instant they enter into range, I have to either move away or I have to strike the creature.

(After about fifteen minutes that felt like an year)

I can finally see the creatures in front of me begin to falter. It doesn't make my work easier but I can see that the zombies on the edge of this horde has finally began to lose interest me.

That must mean that the necromancer has been neutralised. That doesn't mean that my fight has gotten easier. It just means that the zombies will be easier to handle. They won't be chasing after us like a dedicated attack dog, instead they will follow us like a mindless horde.

Killing them might be easier but I am also not at my best. About half of my mana reserves are gone and the other half is dissipating just as quickly.

My arms feel like somebody has put weights on it. Each swing is just that bit harder.

Regardless, now would be the time in which I can retreat from this position. In the duration of my fight I had somehow ended up in the middle of this room. That is the problem of controlling mana like this.

Right now, I am surrounded by zombies on all sides. Even now, I am constantly swinging my swords to either push back the creature or using the shield to block any bite that night occur.

It is a wonder that I have not gotten bitten till now and it looks like won't be bitten in this particular fight.

Even now, I have already begun to retreat to office. It is not particularly hard, but I have to do this slowly. Unnecessary hurrying would just mean that I increase the risk of me getting bit.

(After about five minutes.)

I have finally entered into the office. Trevor and the group had used the furniture in the room to block the entrance of the place.

They just left a small opening at the top to ensure that I will be able to return. No zombie would think to enter using that place. Even if they did, the troop would be there behead it as it entered halfway through the place.

Entering the hole, I see a room that is thankfully free of zombies. (I was worried that the troop might be at risk.) Trevor and Andrew are resting at the other entrance to this room while Jacob has taken the zombie duty.

Seeing me, I can see the look of worry that they had on their face. Seeing me they seem to have calmed down a bit.

"Captain, would it be safe to assume that the necromancer is dead?", Trevor asks me.

"Yeah, you should be able to that from the fact that the zombies are not breaking open the blockade that you have placed here.", I reply. "Well, what will we be doing now? We can't be sitting here forever now can we."

"Well, we will be sitting here until the mayfire will be getting rid of the zombies.", Trevor replies. "A broken door will certainly attract their attention."

"How could you be certain that the mayfires would be even getting rid of the zombies? Maybe they just came here to get rid of the necromancers", I ask.

"Well, they will need to get rid of the zombies. They would suffer too many loses if they don't do that.", Trevor replies.

"The zombies are getting rid of the traps, captain.", Andrew speaks, which reminds me about his shield. "They would not send their zombies in here and divide them like they have had for anything else."

"Yeah, it is one of the standard strategies that are used by the undead, captain.", Trevor adds to this. "they are the ultimate cannon fodder for such traps."

"Well, then what should we doing until then? It is not like we can just keep sitting here waiting for the mayfires.", I ask, even though my arms have started to ache a bit.

"That is what we shall be doing. You will have to focus on recovering your mana.", Trevor replies. "It is about the only ace that we have captain."

"Are you sure?" I ask the man, the only way I will recover mana would be to meditate which would certainly all of us helpless. I have about a third of my mana anyways. It will be enough to beat a hasty retreat.

"Well, the zombies have lost interest in the room, captain. I am sure that it will be safe.", Trevor replies.

And hearing this I sit. Before starting my meditation though, I remove the straps of the shield.

It is quite banged up, mainly due the force of my shield swings. It should still be useable though.

"Here is your shield, Andrew. I got a few dents in it but you should be able to use it.", I say to him.

"That is fine, captain.", Andrew replies. "In the worst case, I will have you fund my new shield if it comes to it."

I don't reply to this, as it makes me feel like slapping the man. Sitting down I begin to meditate as my senses descend into my mana core.