Chapter Thirty-Five: No Deal

THIRTY-FIVE

The zombie staggered forward, lifting an arm that had more of the rotten roots winding around its arms. Roan could see how they dug and traveled through the preserved skin until it reached the wrist before emerging out in a wave of tiny tendrils that sprouted out like lace cuffs.

“Leave this place. That is all that is needed. I can do the rest.” It rasped out as it staggered closer. Roan felt cold sweat thread down his back as he looked over the place. His mind stirred as he tried to piece everything together.

“They’re called anomalies. It’s the corruption of a lifeforce. I’m certain that the reanimation was supposed to happen, but this sickness thing doesn’t look right. They wanted the cleansing amulets which are stuffed full of cleansed life energy. When she ate it she seemed to wake up and grow more alert. Now she seems more puppet-like. So what’s not part of the encounter?” Roan stepped back a bit, giving himself more space as he looked over the lines of corrupted anomalies.

“No, the corruption is part of the storyline, or the interaction or whatever this is supposed to be. But, is this thing part of it? Taking over them? That doesn’t seem right. Then is this something else, not the corruption?”

“I don’t think we can clear this level without doing this,” Darren said, sounding suspicious. Roan nodded in approval, it was much better to be suspicious than not to be.

“I will open the doors. You will walk free. All will walk free.” The thing staggered even closer, but Roan looked beyond it. That patch of blackness was growing across the stalk, widening with every moment. Roan slowly started edging toward that block of darkness.

HIDDEN QUEST GENERATED

STOP THE ESCAPE ATTEMPT

REWARD: 2,500 CREDITS

Everyone stopped what they were doing as the quest generated for everyone at the same time. Roan burst into motion, not hesitating as he shot toward the mushroom. He reared back the hammer so that the spike would lead as he aimed at the spreading tide of darkness in the glowing mushroom.

Undead jerked to life, their waving hands grasping for him as Roan was forced to a halt. He swung not for the stalk, but for the closest of the grasping zombies. Its head exploded in a wave of black gore as it staggered to the side. Fetid air rushed over him, the smell of rot and disease, instantly turning his stomach.

Roan gagged, heaved twice as he backed up. His eyes stayed locked on the undead as its legs folded and it slumped to the ground. Root tendrils speared out of its ruined skull, weaving together fragmented pieces of bone and gathering slimy matter together.

“Noooo!” the voice howled as the rest of the party launched forward by greed. Blades sliced apart necrotic flesh and tossed aside the shambling undead with ease. None of them stayed down though. Roan could see where this was heading as the undead were slowly encircling them as the small group charged inward.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Taoya! We’re being encircled!” Roan warned as he smashed the same undead again. More bone and gore showered him, but the undead didn’t die.