The Iron Forest

"Come little one. Just a bit closer, that's it, almost there,” Chloe's voice was smooth and gentle. “It's ok. It's safe. I won't hurt you."

The black rabbit inched closer to sniff the leafy greens in Chloe's outstretched hand. "You are so cute. Can I get a closer look?" Chloe reached down, holding her hand flat. "Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you."

That was the wrong thing to say. The rabbit's ears stood on end, and it thumped its foot on the ground and hopped off into the nearest bush.

"What did I do? Don't be scared. I won't hurt you. Please come back here."

Chloe chased after the black rabbit with her hand stretched out as far as it could go, but the damn thing just kept running further away.

She grew tired eventually, and she found a red maple tree to sit under. It was a hot and humid day, and she found herself wishing for winter. She thought of her sister and how Hope had loved the summer.

The thought of her sister sent a pang of sorrow through her heart. She’d spent every day searching the city for her, only returning to the graveyard at sunset each evening, but still there was no word of her.

Chloe was beginning to think that her sister had not come to this new world after all. She felt a sense of relief at that thought.

Chloe was lonely and scared and wished that her sister was with her. The two had been inseparable since they were kids. But she was happy, knowing her sister was safely back home.

There was a scraping sound behind her, and she spun with the reflexes of a cat. Her hands went up, ready to defend herself from an attack, but nobody was there.

A shadow fell over her and a cool breeze caressed her skin. She sighed, enjoying the refreshing wind, and she looked up and saw a blue bird circling overhead. The bird was trailing something.

She reached up a hand and caught a soft white object. She stared in shock as the ice melted in the palm of her hand.

"Snowflakes," she murmured.

Light reflected off of something metallic, and Chloe ducked just as something shining streaked over her head. She spun around just as the heel of a boot connected with her cheek.

The blow sent her spinning backwards, and before she could recover, a man dressed in a black cloak raised his hand and fired an arm mounted crossbow directly at her.

The bolt caught her in the chest, and hot, searing pain burst through her chest as the silver bolt sizzled between her ribs.

“It hurts!” she screamed as she fell to the ground and clawed at the bolt trying to pry it free, but the silver burnt her fingertips.

It was the worst pain she’d ever felt. Through her tears, she saw the man raising his crossbow and aiming it at her head.

Oh! No. It can't end like this.

She continued trying to pry the bolt free, but all she managed to do was tear open her shirt.

The man froze and stared at her-his face a mixture of anger and confusion. He lowered the crossbow slightly.

"Where did you get that?" His words were harsh and intimidating.

"What..." she paused and gasped for air as the pain intensified. "Please, it hurts," she whispered, her voice weak and unsteady.

He took a step forward, "Speak monster, where did you find that amulet?"

"My name is Chloe…" she replied, her voice still weak, but gaining strength. "I’m not a monster. I was given the amulet… in Seattle."

“He gave it to you. That is unspeakable, why would a celebrated order mage give away his ethereal armament?”

She shook her head. "I don't know... He gave it to me… told me to deliver a message."

The man drew a dagger, and his black cloak billowed behind him, revealing a bright silver sigil of an open hand emblazoned on his collared shirt. His grip tightened on the knife, and he stepped towards her.

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for what she knew was coming. “Please,” she whispered.

The blade entered her flesh and the pain doubled. She cried out and then the pain disappeared. She breathed heavily for a moment.

When she opened her eyes. The sun was high in the sky and the clouds seemed to dance overhead as they floated by. The man stepped into view. He held the silver bolt in his hand.

"Speak," he said, and the voice carried a tone of command that she could not ignore.

“Please don't hurt me," she said. “I’ll tell you everything.”

“Speak the truth,” he said. “I will know if you are lying.”

She nodded and paused for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. So much had happened in the last few days, she wasn't sure where to begin.

She took a deep breath and said, “It all began when I woke up with a message carved into my hand…”

She told him about the message, the party, the rabbit, Cassadin's words and the shadowy horned figure. How she had been turned into a zombie and finally the men in the graveyard. She left out the part about killing the boss, best to let sleeping dogs lie.

She finished by saying, “And then I ate his brains and I saw visions.”

His eyes had a strange gleam to them, but the grip on his dagger had relaxed, “What visions?” he asked.

“I saw how the grave keeper had found a treasure and the thugs killed him for it.”

“So you didn't kill the grave keeper?”

“No, I wouldn't harm a fly. The killer was a man with a scarf. I think he was the boss, but I didn't get his name. There was someone named Ned, though.”

“What about the man whose nose you broke and the man whose arm you dislocated?”

So the grave robbers had run to the Talamasca and reported her after all.

Damned cowardly lowlifes.

She just hoped they hadn't been around long enough to see her kill their boss. If they had, then this meeting with the hunter wouldn't end well.

“Those were accidents," she stammered. "They were trying to kill me. I was just defending myself?”

The hunter scratched his stubble beard as his eyes ran down her body, taking note of the cuts on her arms and her strange clothing.

“Do you believe me?” she asked.

“Your story sounds like the ramblings of a drunk.”

“I didn't lie.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

He shook his head and said, “I’m sure you believe what you have told me. It is true that brother Cassadin had uncovered a great secret. He told me that himself, but he disappeared before he could tell me anymore.”

He massaged his temples for a moment and his eyes had a distant look to them like he was deep in thought. “Brother Cassadin’s armament gave him access to spatial magic, so we were used to him disappearing for days or even weeks at a time. No one suspected that he could be dead.”

She could tell that the man was upset by the news, but she didn't have much sympathy for a man that had caused so much pain to her and possibly her sister.

“Can you undo what's happened to me?” she asked. “I’m a bloody zombie. Can you fix me and send me home.”

The man shook his head. “Sorry lass, the only cure for zombies is a silver bolt to the heart, decapitation and fire.”

“What am I supposed to do? I don't want to die.”

“Chloe, if what you say is true, then we have bigger problems than your—” he paused, looking for a delicate way to say it.

“For my fracking problem,” she supplied.

He smiled. “If we could get some evidence about everything you’ve told me, then maybe we could convince the Archon to look into your condition.”

“How?”

“I could kill a demon, and you could extract information from its mind. If Malice is free, then the demons would be the first to know.”

Chloe didn't like the sound of that but she had no choice. She needed help, even if it was from someone that was sworn to kill people like her.

“So what do we do now?” she asked.

"You lie low in the graveyard. Once I’ve tracked down a demon, I’ll send Frostbeak with a message.”

"What's a Frostbeak?"

"He’s my familiar."

Chloe stared at the blue bird, which was now perched on a branch and seemed to be sleeping.

“What about the thugs?” she asked. “What if they come back?”

“Don't worry. I'll take care of them.”

She sighed in relief. "Um, can I ask you one question?”

He stared at her but didn't say a word.

She shrugged and said, “Can I at least know your name? Or don't monsters deserve that kind of civility."

The corners of his lips curled in a smile. "Garrick, brother of the Fifth Order."

“Is that all you wanted to know?”

“No,” she said quickly. “I have heaps of questions, like what are the strange messages I see in my mind? What does this amulet do? What's up with the black rabbit following me around?”

He smiled, “Those are good questions, but I don't have the time or the interest to answer them for you. Get me the information I require, and then we can speak again.”

He turned to leave, and then he stopped, looked over his shoulder and said, “Don't forget Chloe, you are still the enemy. If you lie to me or harm a single human, I will end you right there on the spot.”

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Talasin released the grip on his two-handed sword as the zombie girl passed out of view.

Garrick watched her go, and then he turned and said. “What do you make of this?”

The apprentice stepped out from behind the tree. “She’s a liar, Master. We should kill her and take back Master Cassadin’s armament.”

Garrick held up his hand, “The ethereal armament can only be freely given, you know that. If I were to force it from her, its magic would be locked away from us forever.”

He scratched his stubble beard. “Life is not so black and white, Talasin. Her information is disturbing, but if she speaks the truth, then we are all in danger.”

The apprentice nodded but remained silent. There was no point arguing with his master. He still had the scars on his back from the day he’d been taught that lesson.

“Talasin, I want you to remain here and keep an eye on the monster. Stay hidden. I want to know who she meets and what she does. If she threatens anybody, kill her.”

Talasin nodded. “What will you do, Master?”

“I’m heading back to the cathedral. The Archon must hear of this. She is wise in the ways of the balance and will know what to do.”

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Chloe watched the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. It was time for her to head back to the graveyard. She was still thinking about Garrick. The man called her a monster, but he was easily the scariest person she had ever met.

She thought if she could get him to trust her, then maybe he could help her find a way back home. It was worth a shot.

[Hunger 18%]

The grave robber’s brain had fed her for a few days, but she’d need to feed again soon.

Not feed. That makes me sound like a monster. I must eat soon-yes, that's better.

She wished she could go to the market and buy a sandwich, but human food didn't work for her anymore. Even thinking about eating all of her favorite foods made her stomach turn.

What she needed was brains-fresh preferably, but if it comes to it, she could dig up a corpse in the graveyard.

Hopefully one that's not too dry.

She shook her head. "Did I really just think that?" She couldn't believe she was thinking about eating people.

Her stomach growled and she groaned in dispair.

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She arrived at the cemetery, where the grass was covered with red roses, and their petals floated gently in the wind. There must have been a funeral while she was out.

She noticed the light was still on in the house. She was sure she had turned the oil lamp off when she’d left.

She moved closer to take a better look. She'd snuck around more in the last few days then in her whole childhood.

She was just beginning to think that she was being paranoid when she heard voices coming from inside the house.

The door opened and a fat man wearing a bowler hat and with a mustache that split his face in two smiled at her.

“Are you the grave keeper's assistant?” he asked.

Chloe turned her face from the man and hid her arms behind her back. She didn't want him seeing her wounds. “Um, yes, sire,” she stammered. “I'm the assistant.”

She didn't like lying, one lie always led to another, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

“Where is Ol’ Cobb? I thought he would be here.”

“He had to return home, for family matters.”

“I see. Are you related to him by some chance?”

“His niece, sire.”

“You look nothing like the man. You are a bit scrawny for this kind of work and incredibly pale.” The man leaned forward and stared at the cut on her face. “Are you sure you are quite well, young lady?”

“Yes sire, as fit as a fiddle. I had a bad fall the other day, but it's fine now.” She didn't know why she was speaking like a housemaid out of a period drama, but it seemed appropriate at the moment.

The man eyed her then said, “There is a plague going around these days. If you come down with a fever, be sure to send word to the third order healers. As for those wounds, you should really have those stitched up before they get infected.”

“Yes sire.”

The man blew out his mustache and said, “One question. Why is there a dead body inside the house?”

“That wasn't me, I swear.”

“I can see that. He should have been buried hours ago. It looks like some wild dogs got to him. His head has been torn apart, and his brains are missing.”

“Yes sire. It's a terrible sight. Dogs got in during the dead of night. I was just about to bury the man. Had to inform his family, you see.”

“Well, hop to it. We have another body for you, a young woman.”

“Fresh?” asked Chloe.

The man frowned at her, “I'm guessing you heard about the zombie outbreak in Cheapside. The dead woman’s body was not checked for bite marks, if that is what you mean. The guards did cut off her head as a precaution, though.”

Chloe smiled and nodded and then when she realized that smiling was probably inappropriate, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

“This plague is getting out of hand,” said the man. “This is the fifth victim this week. We left the body round back. Make sure it's buried nice and deep, we don't want this plague spreading.”

She nodded and said, “Um, sire. Who are you? I mean, what is your name, sir?”

“Captain Flintlock of the City Watch and this is Gus, he's new.” A young man wearing a similar hat and looking a bit green stumbled out of the house. He bent over and threw up all over a nearby tree.

“He doesn't have the stomach for this kind of work quite yet, but he’s my cousin's son and I owe him a favor.”

Chloe nodded at the youth.

“He’s our new corpse carrier,” said the captain. “So you’ll be seeing him a lot more around here.”

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Chloe sobbed as she chewed and swallowed another mouthful of fresh human brains. It wasn't just the fact that she was eating brains that made her so sad. It was the fact that she enjoyed it so much. It satisfied her in ways she’d never imagined possible.

She was discovering that being a zombie changed the way she viewed life. Killing the cut-throat in the graveyard had not bothered her as much as it should have, and cracking open people's skulls and eating their brains was more enjoyable than a walk on the beach at sunset or getting the highest score in a video game. This bothered her, but not enough for her to stop chewing on the oh so tender brains.

When she’d finished the meal, she covered the girl’s mutilated face with a cloth. She said a prayer for the girl to whatever god was listening in this world, and then she stripped the girl of her clothing.

Her own clothes were torn and bloody, and the girl was wearing a hooded robe and a new set of boots that were close enough to Chloe’s size. She wasn't a monster, though, so of course she'd wash the clothes before she wore them.

[Memory Extractor activated]

"Oh shit," she cursed. She’d forgotten about the strange side effect of eating brains.

A wave of images flooded into her mind like waves breaking against the rocky shore.

The girl was in a dark room, a lantern hung by the door. The walls were plastered with pictures of people. She didn't recognize any of them.

A woman wearing a scarlet robe entered the room. The girl backed away and tripped over the side of the bed. When she looked up, the woman was standing over her.

The woman stared right into her eyes. Her red lips curled up in a smile. She grabbed the girl by her hair and pulled her head back. She licked her lips with her black tongue and said, "I'm going to enjoy this."

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