The Gates of Eldoria

Chapter 2

Fantasy Undead Demon Zombie Refugee Apocalypse

————— —————

The company of survivors sorted itself into couples as they walked north towards the farmland that shouldn’t exist. There was a gap between where the highway ended and the farmland began, like a puzzle piece had been wedged into a hole that nearly, but not quite, fit.

Rex trudged alongside Daniel as Suit and Nurse paired up, the Sisters followed behind them, and the Lovers took up the rear. Daniel felt that he should learn everyone’s names, but he just couldn’t care less. He was pissed that he felt responsible for getting everyone to safety, the anger simmering inside him fixated on the imaginary indignity of helping people. He wondered if Jax would make an appearance later on, then he wondered if that was a flag. Pushing it from his thoughts, he decided that he’d fry that bridge after he crossed it.

They trudged through endless acres of nearly ripe wheat, pushing through the waist high stalks and crossing low, rolling hills while Daniel followed his internal compass towards Seraphina. He overheard the old man in the rear talking to himself or his Latina companion in short sentences. “Unless this is some sort of new strain, this wheat isn’t natural. It’s early spring, not fall. Even winter wheat shouldn’t be this far along. This crop is nearly ready to harvest. And the ground isn’t even plowed, it’s like the wheat was just scattered on the ground!”

“He must be a farmer,” Rex commented offhand, causing Daniel to grunt in response.

“Don’t talk much do you?” Rex said after another 15 minutes. “All this crazy stuff, this land here totally different from Louisiana, those trees, that big mountain… And you, you just keep right on walking.”

“I’m focused on getting to Sera… Home,” Daniel said. “I can look at the scenery later.”

“But still, this is just crazy. What do you think happened?”

Daniel stopped, looking at Rex in disbelief. The others caught up with them as he gathered his thoughts.

“Well, as an expert on supernatural phenomenon,” He said, sweeping his arms around. “It’s my professional opinion that scientist in Area-51 cracked open an alien propulsion device, causing a rift in space-time, which explains the medieval zombies. Everything else can be explained by the uncalibrated energy causing gigantism. Those trees and the mountain were probably just a tiny rock and blades of grass before the accident.”

“Jesus Christ,” Rex swore, “I’ll bet you’re fun at parties. I was just making conversation.”

“I typically go to parties that don’t have zombies and demons as guests,” Daniel snapped, refocusing on Seraphina and trudging over the hill of abused wheat that stood between him and his goal.

“Why are you such an angry jerk?” Someone behind him muttered.

Flames sprang from nothing and began swirling around him, fuelled by his wrath. “I DON’T KNOW!” Daniel roared, clenching his fists in frustration.

Something on the other side of the hill roared back.

Shucking his backpack, he clenched his fingers around the bat and ran up the hill, eager to take his anger out on something. He could feel Seraphina urging caution as his emotions surged, threads of patience forming a thin barrier between the raw anger and his higher reasoning. Cresting the hill, Daniel saw a small village of stone buildings with thatched roofs clustered around a dirt road. Trotting towards him was a lion, its flesh wrinkled with fat rolls.

Fun Fact: 8% of surveyed Americans said they could successfully defeat a lion in a fight.

The lion seemed to be in no hurry, casually trotting towards him at a lazy pace, unconcerned that Daniel might run away. Undead emerged from the buildings behind it, a double handful of men and women shrivelled like husks. Behind him, he heard one of the men swear loudly as they topped the hill and saw what waited for them below.

Daniel felt an early childhood memory dislodge and make itself known: Lions can run up to 50 miles per hour in short bursts.

There was no way he could outrun this oversized cat, even if it was packing extra weight. As the lion got within 50 feet, he could sense something else, a hungry demonic presence curled up inside it. Not wanting to give himself time to think about the consequences of his actions, he ran towards the beast.

The last two demon stones he consumed had filled him with unnatural physical prowess, increasing his strength, agility, and stamina. Although his muscles hadn’t increased much in size, they felt dense as corded steel, filled with explosive energy. He had grown a bit taller too, his 5’8” frame had stretched at least two inches judging by the cuffs of his jeans. His skin was more sensitive in some strange way too, he could feel the air brush against it like some kind of radar, letting him know when things were moving around him, like when Rex had tried to tackle him an hour ago. The rough tape wrapped around the bat handle felt like mountains and valleys to his fingertips, and his skin was so discriminatory he could almost taste the sweat and oils that had soaked into them over the years.

The lion roared as Daniel drew close, a powerful, throaty sound that filled the air with the stench of rotten meat. Tendrils black as tar and just as sticky rose from the earth, entangling Daniel’s legs, wrapping around him as he bellyflopped to the ground. They burned like acid, like liquid nitrogen, sapping his vitality. He screamed as one wrapped itself around his throat, searing his flesh.

The lion stopped nearby, then lay down, watching as Daniel squirmed on the ground in agony. It chuckled, a sound resembling boulders crashing down a mountain. “You taste delicious, little one,” It said, drawing out the words. “I’ll enjoy eating you slowly.”

Daniel struggled against the sticky tendrils binding him to the ground, straining to free his arms. The fact that a lion was talking to him freaked him out more than anything else happening, tinging his anger with a primal xenophobic fear. In the distance, he could hear the one or both of the sisters on the hill screaming, finally losing their mind as events unfolded. Growling with the effort of lifting his arm, he bared his teeth at the beast.

“Kitty says what?” He asked, pointing two fingers at the lion’s nose.

The massive cat tilted its head in confusion. “What?”

A bolt of lightning leapt from Daniel’s fingers, striking the monster on the nose with a thunderous boom. He poured his anger into the twisting channel of energy until the black tendrils dissolved into sticky tar, freeing him to roll over and climb to his feet. Exhausted by the energy drain and the effort of using his power, he lifted the metal bat and strode towards the twitching demon-cat, each step made possible only through sheer force of will.

Raising the bat over his head, he wreathed it with the flames of his wrath and brought it down onto the head of the still twitching beast with a resounding thunk. Flames spread from where the bat impacted, eagerly devouring fur and licking at the exposed skin. Again he swung, this time catching the animal across the snout as it tried to regain control of its muscles. It yowled in pain, pawing at the fire which stuck like napalm, burning flesh and fur. Another swing, and another, he beat the monster without mercy, striking anywhere he could as it rolled and scrambled to get away. Another concussive strike to the skull sent embers flying while dropping the huge cat. Fire covered it now, adding heat to the already scorching Louisiana spring, but not burning Daniel. It dissolved into black flies, which ignited with pops and crackles as the demon infestation attempted to flee the flames.

The entire battle had lasted less than a minute, reminding Daniel of just how quickly he could die in this strange new reality. A glowing orange stone throbbed at his feet, another reminder of how strange things had become.

He snatched it up, greedy for his reward after the pain and indignity he had suffered. It dissolved into a greasy liquid when he accepted the offer of power, sliding under his skin and into his veins. Ravenous hunger filled him, a bone-deep ache that caused his stomach to growl almost as loudly as the lion did. Even as endless hunger filled his belly, energy filled his aching muscles and abused joints.

Casting his sight on the withered zombies that were power-walking towards his companions, he raised a hand and clenched his fist. Tar-black tendrils broke through the packed soil, wrapping around five of them. Energy flowed through an arcane conduit into his belly, taking the edge off his hunger as he drained the undead of whatever unnatural power gave them mobility. When they crumbled into dust, he bounded up the hill and dispatched the other five with ease, popping their heads with his bat, filling the air with bone dust and dander.

Cresting the top of the hill once again, he found everyone had scrambled down the far side and were huddled together in a panicked group.

“C’mon you cowards,” Daniel shouted, walking over to where he dropped his backpack. “Daylight’s burning.”

————— —————

Compulsion seized him before he regained the top of the hill. Dropping to his knees, he began paying penance for using the dark powers that crawled in his guts. Grabbing up a small stick, he cleared an area of grass and drew strange fractal patterns in the dirt, focusing on getting them just right. Resembling lightning, they twisted and flowed around him as he scratched the hard soil. Once he was satisfied with his work, he began organising blades of grass, comparing their length and width, colour and thickness, scrutinising them with diligence until he had ten piles perfectly aligned.

Digging into his backpack while everyone else watched his madness, he pulled out a granola bar and began eating it in a deliberate, meticulous manner. He finished three-quarters of it, then put the remainder away despite his hunger. The last of the compulsion dropped away, leaving behind echos of endless anger and a bottomless void.

“What’s wrong with you?” The Suit asked, arms folded across his chest.

“I don’t know,” Daniel replied, crawling to his feet. “When I use the powers, I have to pay for it later.”

“Well, you yelled at us to hurry up, then you spent fifteen minutes playing in the dirt,” He accused.

“Well,” Daniel countered, walking towards the tiny village. “At least you weren’t eaten by a lion. Let’s loot the place and get moving”

Inside his head, there was a new presence making itself known, Magribella. She gave off a reserved feeling, shouldering the burden of helping Daniel manage his emotions. He could sense the two of them interacting with one another, their thoughts entangling, exchanging emotions and memories. He caught a mental glimpse of a cheery inn, filled with people followed by an exchange of what could only be some kind of throne room complete with guards along the walls. Thankful for the new restraints placed on his rampaging emotions, he passed into the tiny village.

Eight houses were arranged around a central green. No more than glorified huts, they were larger than his apartment back in New Orleans. A barn sat to the west of the central common, black flies crawling over some unfortunate animal that had died in front of its half-opened doors.

“Pick a building, loot it, yell if you need help.” Daniel said.

“Loot?” The Latina questioned. “I’m not stealing anything.”

“You’ll take whatever we need to survive,” Daniel snapped at her. “It’s not about you anymore, it’s about all of us getting back to civilisation.”

Her face twisted like she had bitten into a rotten apple.

Stolen novel; please report.

“I figure it’s going to take us another day to get there, so that means roughing it over night,” Daniel continued. “Take whatever you think might help with an overnight camping trip. Unless you want to sleep in a pile of leaves, maybe?”

The older man grabbed her elbow and guided her towards one of the huts.

Stepping in the open door of the first hut, he marvelled at the Medieval Chic decor. It was just a single room, with one corner partitioned off by rough, brown curtains. A stone fireplace held up one wall, complete with a flat piece of iron used as a cooking surface. Cast iron pots and pans were in abundance, hanging from hooks on the wall. Crockery were arranged on shelves nailed to the wall. A dresser and bed were half hidden behind the curtains. The floor was packed dirt, with a few rugs strategically placed for walking. Against the fireplace a large ten gallon tub leaned, presumably for doing the laundry that was hung from the rafters to dry. And Saturday night baths, Daniel supposed.

Daniel heard someone yell “Jackpot!” from one of the other buildings. He stuck his head out the door to see Rex emerge from the hut across the street with a short sword in his hand, swinging it with enthusiasm. “This is what I’m talking about,” he said, pointing the blade at Daniel.

“Be careful not to cut off anything important,” Daniel retorted, returning his attention to the building he was in. Rummaging through the belongings of other people felt strange, like he was intruding. Which, he supposed he was in some way.

A pouch of coins was discovered under the mattress of the bed, which reminded him to loot the corpses outside for any bounty. Examining the coins, he noted they came in two types and two sizes: Large and Small bronze, and Large and Small silver. There were pictures on the coins, wheat on the small bronze, sheep on the large. The small silvers featured a crown, while the only large silver in the collection had the face of some important woman. There were two books as well, both timeworn with faded covers. The scratching inside looked handwritten, indicating the volumes were probably valuable just because they were books.

He noted the scratching in the back of the thickest book, which reminded him of names, and that reminded him of his grandmother’s family bible which had a list of family births and deaths recorded in it. He added the books and pouch of coins to his backpack. Perhaps someone could figure out who these people were and give them some peace.

Stepping outside the hut with a collection of kitchen knives , he joined the two Sisters who were huddled together by the village well. The one with half a weave was removing the rest from her hair, leaving a mass of tumble weave on the ground.

“I’m Daniel,” he said, holding up the knives and offering them. “You should probably carry a weapon of some sort until we reach civilisation.”

“Quanisha,” said the one shedding weave.

“Quantisha,” said the other, helping her remove it.

“It sounds like you’re sisters,” Daniel said, feeling awkward with the conversation. “You look like sisters.”

“We are,” they said together. “Twins.”

“It must be nice to have a sibling who understands you so well,” Daniel said. “I’m an only child.”

They both shrugged. “If she quit stealing my clothes, it’d be great.” Quantisha said, taking one of the knives.

“She steals my makeup,” Quanisha countered, taking a knife herself.

Daniel smiled at the normalcy of their sibling rivalry. He didn’t have any siblings and could only imagine how great it would be to have a brother to share experiences with.

Shrugging off his backpack, he set the other knife next to it and began winding up the rope hanging over the side of the well. Soon enough a dark grey bucket filled with water appeared. Swinging it to the side of the well, he scooped up the cool water with his hands and washed the sweat and blood from his face. Dumping the remainder of the bucket over his head, he shivered at the contrast between the chill liquid and the Louisiana heat.

“Good idea, man,” Rex said, dragging a sack up to the side of the well. “Gimme some of that cool H2O.”

Daniel dropped the bucket back down the well and indicated the man should wind it up himself. “Never pictured you as a waterboy sort of guy,” He said.

Rex laughed, winding up the bucket. “I love me some comedy, man. Nothing like getting stoned and watching something funny.”

The lovers appeared next.

She had a shawl draped around her shoulders while her man was carrying a rolled up blanket of goods and a cast iron pot. He dropped the collection and watched with envy as Rex splashed water on his face.

“We found some root vegetables and a cooking pot. There was a small box of spices too, but I didn’t recognise any of the scents,” He said.

Daniel introduced himself again. “I’m Daniel. Sorry if I’ve been a jerk. I’m not normally like this, it’s just, since I got the powers I’ve changed.”

“John Freeny,” the older man introduced himself, touching his cap. “And my lady-friend, Noemi Sanchez.”

Daniel nodded at the couple, not quite understanding what a ‘lady-friend’ was. Lover? Friend? Companion? “Good work, that’s dinner for tonight.”

“Deberiamos conseguir las especias?” John’s companion asked, looking up at him.

“No, no estoy seguro de como reaccionaria nuestro instinto,” He said, then looked at Daniel. “She asked if we should have taken the spices, but I’m not sure how they would sit on our stomachs.”

Daniel nodded at that, turning his attention to the last couple to make an appearance. Suit and Nurse carrying blankets and a small basket filled with fruit. “They’re like pomegranate,” Nurse said, “but inside are little raspberries. I think they’re all still good.”

Daniel nodded and introduced himself again, getting their names in return. Douglas was an insurance salesman, and Kerrie was a travelling LPN from Houston.

They raided the barn next, scoring two pitchforks with iron tines.

After everyone had washed themselves and refilled their water bottles, Daniel clapped his hands. “I’m ready to go, so let’s move out,” he said, adjusting the straps on his backpack.

“Just why are you in charge?” Douglas demanded. “This is a good place to shelter.”

“I’m not in charge,” Daniel snapped. “You’re in charge. I’m going that way,” He pointed towards Seraphina and New Orleans. Turning his back on the group, he started marching.

He could feel Seraphina and Magribella growing closer by the minute. Something had changed in the last half-hour and they were moving towards him. Gripping the straps of his backpack, he trudged down the dirt road to meet them. Rex caught up a minute later, falling in next to him. “It’d be stupid to stay behind while the only guy with superpowers walked away,” He said.

Daniel grunted in response.

“Still as talkative as ever, I see,” Rex laughed, then lowered his voice. “I’m sorry about Jax and all that stuff before. It’s just, you know, I got family back in Bootie.”

“I understand,” Daniel said. “I’m not forcing you to come along.”

“No,” Rex said, drawing out the word. “But only an idiot would try to tromp through those woods, right?”

“I suppose so,” Daniel said. “It seemed like a bad idea to me at the time.”

Rex nodded. “That’s why I’m sticking with you. I mean, you killed all those zombies, and then that freaky girl, and the lion. How’d you do that, by the way?”

“Stupid luck,” Daniel said, allowing himself to be drawn into the man’s chattering. “Same as when I managed to kill that demon wolf. Frenchie wasn’t so lucky.”

“Frenchie?” Rex asked. “Short guy, beer belly, John Deere cap, thick accent?”

“Probably?” Daniel said.

“Damn, I hate to hear that.” Rex said. “Frenchie was a good guy.”

Shaking his head, Daniel focused on the road and quelling the bubbling anger and hunger inside him.

————— —————

An hour down the road they encountered another village, deserted. They paused at the well to cool off, and then marched onwards. Daniel wanted to sprint ahead, he could feel Seraphina and Magribella were drawing closer by the minute.

The narrow dirt road wound over hills and through the fields, not quite angling towards New Orleans, but close enough. It meandered north and east, never veering far enough that Daniel was tempted to cut across the fields and try forging through the woods that bordered them.

They passed through two more deserted villages before the sun began to sink low in the sky. Despite his desire to keep walking, he decided to camp for the night at the next village they encountered.

A cloud of golden dust appeared on the horizon, something making its way down the road with haste. “What’s that,” Rex asked, pointing at the disturbance. “A car, maybe?”

“If we’re lucky, it’s what I’ve been searching for,” Daniel replied.

Mounted guards appeared, dressed in armour, openly carrying sword and shield. They shouted at everyone in a strange, melodious language as they pulled to a stop in the middle of the road. Daniel could feel Seraphina and Magribella behind them, the voices in his head growing in volume as they drew close. Wrath seized him, clutching at his heart. Those soldiers stood in his way, between him and the objects of his desire. Raising his bat, he drew upon the power of the Demon stone inside him. Lightning crackled around the bat, ready to be released at his command.

A commanding voice carried over the chaos, “Nu! Daniel, ditinti! Piesi, mentin le celme! Gyerdoes, hezti e yn ledu in numbri di Veridian!”

Daniel paused as the words echoed in his head, allowing his Wrath to subside. The lightning drew back into his arm, crawling through his veins, liquid anger seeping back into his heart. He wanted to smash these tin soldiers aside, but that voice, Seraphina’s voice, pushed the anger down and away, allowing him to think rationally again.

A slender woman with long chestnut hair in a loose braid forced her way through the guards, her voice calm and soothing. Daniel watched as she approached, her skin was fair, with a smattering of freckles around her nose. Her eyes a deep blue, like that of the ocean he loved so much. As she walked, her dress clung to her curves, dampened by the Southern humidity.

Behind her, a smaller woman dressed in what could only be Medieval Bar-Wench fashion. Her coppery hair was pulled in a tight braid, and sideburns ran down her cheeks. She was maybe five foot tall, with generous curves and large ears.

He stared in amazement at the women before him, one human, the other a dwarf. Emotions ran rampant inside his head. They were the most beautiful women he’s ever laid eyes on.

Angry questions popped up in the back of his mind. What was he doing? How could he be feeling like this? Why were they making him feel this way? He tried to be objective. Magribella’s nose was far too big and her ears were like jug handles. Seraphina was skinny like a twig, her features sharp and angular.

But still. They called to him like sirens, and he couldn’t resist their lure.

Seraphina approached slowly, her smile as brilliant as the sun. Gold glistened in her hair, causing his hand to rise unconsciously and stroke it when she stopped in front of him. When did she get so close? Her face was inches from his, her eyes searching, hunting, seeking something behind his.

Hesitating, he lowered his head and placed his lips against hers. She responded with a ferocious hunger, forcing her tongue into his mouth, gripping his head tightly with both hands as her body pressed against his. Fire burst through his skull as they kissed, each rippling wave of heat imparting commonalities and experiences while their tongues intertwined. As the experience faded into a comfortable bliss, Daniel pulled back and kissed her nose.

“I have no idea who you are or what’s happening, but when I’m near you, I feel…” Daniel said, interrupted by her slim finger over his lips.

“I am Seraphina Everhart, daughter of Baron Lewis Everhart. I don’t know what’s happening either, but my father can surely explain.”

Daniel blinked hard. “I can understand you, Seraphina.”

“And I you,” Seraphina said, giving him a peck on the lips. She grasped his hands and tugged. “Call me Sera. Please Sir Daniel, will you accompany me to see my father?”

Daniel nodded, feeling calm for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Magribella grabbed his arm and jerked, bringing his face level with hers. “You’re not what I was expecting,” She said, her voice deep like a man’s. “But I think I have a thing for bald men now.”

Daniel ran his free hand across the stubble that crowned his skull. When early onset male pattern baldness made itself known, he decided to just shave his head instead of investing in cremes or other solutions.

Magribella placed a strong hand behind his neck and planted her lips on his, her tongue darting in hungrily, exploring his mouth. He met her hunger with his own, sucking on her tongue, nibbling her lips. The initial passion cooled, leaving behind embers ready to burst into flames at any moment.

Daniel pulled back, looking into her eyes. Brown, flecked with gold. “You have gold in your eyes,” He said, causing her to blush.

“And yours are as blue as the sky,” she whispered. “Those of a Sun-seeker and Cloud-Chaser. A lucky omen.”

Seraphina wrapped an arm around his, drawing him away. “Who are your companions?”

“Ah, what?” Daniel said, turning to face the people that had followed him. “Oh, these are um, companions? who have followed me…” He trailed off, uncertain how to explain the gathering of strangers that had collected around him.

“Well met,” Seraphina said, dropping a small curtsey. “Companions of my Daniel. Please board the carriages and I shall see you safely to my home.”

After some shuffling and patiently explaining to Rex that he wasn’t going to be allowed in her carriage, Seraphina got everyone sorted into the three carriages that had accompanied her. The soldiers that had ridden inside were placed on footboards, clinging to the sides and rear as they reversed and headed northeast.

“Where are we going?” Daniel asked after the carriages got moving. He was sandwiched in-between the two women and while he felt a bit awkward, it also felt completely natural. Their presence in his mind and their physical nearness wrapped him in a soothing blanket of tranquility. The anger and hunger that had plagued him earlier were nothing more than faint echos, fragments of a bad dream.

“Verdantia,” Seraphina said. “The most beautiful city in all of Evergreen vale. Or it was. It will require much reconstruction to reach its previous glory. I fear that we have been sent farther from our world than the gods intended.”

————— —————

None of this matters to you. Ignore it.

————— —————

Character Sheet: Daniel Carter

Gender: Male

Species: Human (Earth)

Age: 24

[Stats]

Strength: 15 (+3)

Agility: 16 (+2)

Stamina: 12 (+4)

Wisdom: 11

Intellect: 10

Charisma: 10 (+1)

[Quirks/Personality Traits]

Introverted and introspective.

Avid reader and knowledge seeker.

Sarcastic sense of humor.

[Buffs and debuffs]

Wrath: Strength +3, Agility +2, Stamina +2

Gluttony: Stamina +2, Charisma +1

[Super Powers]

Infernal BlazeStrike (Wrath)

Thundering Discharge (Wrath)

Devouring Grasp (Gluttony)

————— —————

Power Name: Devouring Grasp

Type: Vice

Source: Gluttony

Bonus: +2 to Stamina, +1 to Strength

Damage Type: Life Drain/Negative Energy

Duration: Sustained

Effect: The user taps into their gluttonous nature, manifesting dark and insatiable tendrils that emerge from the ground and wrap around a victim which drain the life energy of their opponents from a medium distance. The life essence is consumed, providing sustenance to the user and leaving their targets weakened and drained of vitality.

Compulsion Type: Penance

Compulsion: After using this power, the user is compelled to perform a penance of Temperance, practicing self-restraint by portioning and consuming a meal slowly and in moderation, acknowledging the virtue of temperance and avoiding excessive indulgence.

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