Without waiting for a response, I turned towards the sound, my pace quickening. I could hear Maya right behind me, her breath coming fast and harsh. There was no more room for hesitation, no time to second-guess. Every second counted now.
As we moved, the sounds of battle grew louder, more distinct, urging us forward. The decay around us seemed to intensify, the very air thickening with the stench of death. Whatever was ahead, it was the source of this city’s rot, the heart of Ebonfall’s corruption. And there, near the entrance of the looming structure, was Elyria.
She stood by the door, her face streaked with dirt and who knew what else, exhaustion clear in the lines around her eyes. But even now, she was as beautiful as the first time I saw her. Despite everything, she stood tall, her sword raised high in defiance against the sea of undead that encircled her. A surge of relief and joy welled up in my chest—I’d missed her more than I’d realized.
Seeing her now, memories flooded back. I thought of the first time we met, how I’d surprised myself by choosing Korrok as my Mentor instead of her. Korrok had been a valuable ally, his strength and wisdom guiding me through the early days until he disappeared without a trace. But Elyria had been there ever since, steadfast and unyielding. She’d sacrificed so much, giving up nearly all her possessions to join me on this crazy quest to help Earth.
And then there was Maya. My feelings for her had been muddled, confused by that brief, heated moment. But standing here, seeing Elyria, I knew the difference. My contemplation was interrupted by the sounds of the zombies. Something about the scene was off—the zombies weren’t attacking. They seemed to be waiting, their hollow eyes fixed on Elyria as if they were anticipating a signal or command.
“Elyria!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the eerie silence that had fallen over the square. Her head snapped in our direction, a flicker of relief crossing her face before she returned her attention to the undead surrounding her.
“They’re waiting for something,” Maya muttered beside me, her voice laced with tension as she notched an arrow. “Why aren’t they attacking?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, gripping my axe tighter as we edged closer to the square, my heart pounding in my chest. “But we’re not going to wait around to find out.”
Elyria glanced at us, her sword arm trembling slightly from the effort of holding her stance. “Everett, Maya—be careful! There’s something… off about them.”
I didn’t need her to tell me twice. There was an unnatural stillness in the air, a tension that seemed to thrum through the ground beneath our feet. The zombies continued to watch Elyria, their rotting forms swaying slightly as if caught in some unseen current. Whatever they were waiting for, I knew it couldn’t be good.
“We need to get her out of there,” I said, my voice low but urgent. “Maya, cover me. I’m going in.”
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Without waiting for a response, I surged forward, my weapons ready as I closed the distance between us and Elyria. Maya’s arrows flew past me, striking the nearest zombies, but they barely reacted, their focus still locked on Elyria.
I reached Elyria just as the first of the zombies began to stir, a low, guttural sound rising from the horde as if they had finally received the command they were waiting for. Elyria slashed at the nearest one, her sword cutting through decayed flesh, but there were too many. I stepped in beside her, my axe cleaving through a zombie’s head, while my gauntlet sword sliced through another.
“They’re not stopping,” Elyria panted, her eyes wide with fear and exhaustion. “What are they waiting for?”
“I don’t know,” I grunted, pushing back a zombie that lunged at us. “But we can’t stay out here. We need to get out of this square.”
We fought our way to the edge of the square, trying to retreat from the horde, but the moment we attempted to leave the area, the zombies reacted violently. The stillness that had held them in place shattered, and they surged toward us with terrifying speed, their rotting hands outstretched, their jaws snapping hungrily.
“They won’t let us leave!” Maya shouted, firing arrow after arrow into the crowd, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave. The undead pressed in from all sides, herding us back toward the building.
“Inside! We have to go inside!” Elyria cried, her voice laced with desperation as she parried another attack.
I nodded, realizing she was right. The zombies were pushing us toward the building, and it was our only option. We had no choice but to retreat inside.
With one final, desperate push, we made it to the entrance. I shoved the door open, and we stumbled inside, slamming it shut behind us. The undead pounded against the wood, their shrieks and moans filling the air, but for the moment, we were safe.
We stood there, catching our breath, the weight of what had just happened settling in. The zombies were still out there, still trying to get in, but for now, the door held.
As the heavy door slammed shut behind us, a wave of energy washed over us, thick and oppressive. The air inside the building felt alive, charged with a palpable force that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I could tell Elyria and Maya felt it too; their eyes darted around, wary and alert, as if the very walls were watching us.
The interior of the building was massive, a grand hall that stretched out before us, shrouded in darkness. The walls were made of dark stone, their surfaces etched with strange, intricate patterns that seemed to twist and writhe in the dim light filtering through the narrow windows high above. Gothic arches soared overhead, their pointed tips vanishing into shadow, giving the space an almost cathedral-like quality. The ceiling was lost in the gloom, but the flickering light from scattered torches revealed glimpses of ornate carvings, gargoyles, and twisted figures locked in eternal torment.
The floor beneath our feet was made of smooth, cold stone, each step we took echoed through the cavernous space. Huge rooms branched off from the main hall, their darkened doorways hinting at secrets and dangers hidden within. But it was the massive, winding staircase that caught our attention, spiraling up along the walls like a giant serpent. The steps were wide and shallow, carved from the same dark stone as the rest of the building, and they seemed to stretch up endlessly, disappearing into the shadows above.
There was an unspoken understanding between the three of us. We didn’t need to exchange words; the energy in the air, the oppressive silence, and the undeniable pull of the staircase made our decision for us. As if drawn by an unseen force, we began to ascend the stairs, our movements synchronized by some silent agreement.