Chapter 7: The Undead Horde

Galien walked like a true knight through the dimly lit cave. Their footsteps echoed through the corridor, accompanied by unseen creatures. Magic stones were embedded along their route. Vito noticed how weak they were. Light stones were rejuvenated every so often or changed if they couldn’t be used anymore. They were mostly used by wealthy people who could afford the luxury. The Silver Oak Guild rarely used them and preferred torches or candles to things Greye felt were unnecessary.

“No one has been here in a long time. That the animals are still alive means there might be a separate entrance,” he suggested.

Kaelyn drew her bow just in case. “It’s still just a C-Rank dungeon. We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. We’ll be finished in an hour at most,” Galien agreed.

They reached the end of the corridor and looked out over a large room. They stood on an elevated platform with a ramp to their right. The light stones above them were just as dim, casting shadows across the area. The air was stale and almost unbearable to breathe.

Vito walked to the edge and surveyed the area. “Zombies and undead wolves. A security system? These beings don’t just appear at random; someone must have created them.” The scent of rotting flesh wafted through the air, turning his stomach. He and Matteo played numerous games where they slaughtered hundreds of undead creatures. It was such a shame he didn’t have those powerful and comical weapons with him.

A wicked smile formed on Kaelyn’s lips. “I shouldn’t have doubted you. Undead enemies instantly make this a B-Rank quest.” The creatures shuffled around, provoked by dark magic to lash out at anything their master deems a target. Her eyes followed many of them as she decided which one she would eliminate first. Kaelyn withdrew a spyglass from her supply pouch and peered through it. “The levels range between 15 and 20. They’re slow and not very smart, so we should be fine if we use a proper strategy and formation.”

Galien gave Vito a worried look. They expected weaker monsters like bats or maybe a few bears, but not a swarm of zombies. Vito’s curiosity was piqued, and he couldn’t let such creatures live so close to their home. “You’re right, we can’t let these things wander so close to home. We won’t leave until all of them stay dead.” He patted Galien’s shoulder and grinned, once more boosting his image in front of the cute archer.

“Such a fine excuse for target practice.” Kaelyn stepped to the ledge and kicked an errant rock over. The small cracking sound drew the undead creatures’ attention. She nocked an arrow and aimed at the ceiling. “Starlight Shower.” Her arrow glowed as it soared through the air. A sphere of light formed around the arrow. Numerous ethereal arrows rained down upon the undead swarm.

Some of the smaller and weaker undead fell right away, while others persisted in their advance. Hulking, humanoid beings leaped upward onto the landing and charged at the adventurers. Kaelyn leaped backward and watched Galien draw his greatsword and intercept the undead enemy.

A white aura cloaked around Galien’s body as he charged the large zombie. He swung his large sword down and cut into the rotting body. The zombie caught the sword with just one hand, just as it cut into its collarbone. Galien slowly pushed his blade down, only to halt when he saw the zombie prepared to attack him with its free hand.

Vito landed an enhanced kick to Galien’s blade, sending it through the zombie. The two halves split apart and fell to the ground. Vito drew his broadsword and stabbed it through the zombie’s head, finishing it off. “Aim for the head,” he instructed them. He saw far too many zombie series to ever aim for anywhere other than the head.

He cut an undead wolf down as it lunged at him with his knife. “Stay together. If we get surrounded, we’re finished.” Galien and Vito pressed their backs together and stood near Kaelyn to defend her as she targeted the undead at range. Her arrows pierced their heads one by one as Vito instructed. Groans and shrieks echoed through the cave as the undead prepared to make them their new meal.

Another large undead pushed its kin aside as it charged up the walkway. “Galien, up!” Vito called. He leaped into the air and landed on the flat of Galien’s sword. A strong swing from his friend launched him into the air. “Up here, you figlio di puttana!” His feet landed on the zombie’s shoulder as his blade impaled the zombie’s head. The undead brute fell backward, dead once again.

Vito recovered just in time for a smaller and faster zombie to attack him. He stabbed his knife upward, through the bottom of the zombie’s head. He kicked it back into another advancing group. Kaelyn fired off four more arrows to clear the way.

Galien used his massive strength to make short work of the zombies going for Kaelyn. Vito suspected that they knew enough to target the ranged fighter, suggesting a skilled necromancer at work.

“Hey, do you see the master?” Vito called to her.

Kaelyn peered through her spyglass again. “Yes. Level 31. Somewhere in the back, but there’s nothing alive there,” she reported. “I heard of this happening before. When a mage tries to become a lich and completely fails, they become a semi-conscious undead. For that thing to have remained here means it couldn’t leave to find a master, so the back exit might be too small for people to pass through.” She thought for a moment, a serious expression reflected in her emerald green eyes. “That means this quest would definitely rise to at least A-Rank. We can’t take on a bone lich.”

“We have to. We opened the doors, and that thing could hurt people if it ever got out.” Vito looked around and found the treasure trove on an elevated platform to the right side of the room. “Galien wanted to give you a gift, and now is the perfect time for it.” He turned to his friend, offered a confident smile, and nodded. Galien watched in trepidation as Vito left their side to retrieve the magic bow.

Kaelyn provided covering fire to help Vito on his way. He used strengthening magic to run and jump faster and higher than an average human. “So this 'quest' was just Galien’s attempt at courtship?” she asked them.

“Yes! Is it working?” Vito called back after he jumped off a zombie brute’s head. He couldn’t help but smirk at his friend’s misfortune.

“If we survive, I’ll let you know,” Kaelyn joked. Try as he might, Galien couldn’t hide the flash of pink and crimson that overtook his cheeks. He rushed at the next group that ascended the ramp and unleashed a mighty shockwave with a downward swing, cracking the ground and knocking the zombies back.