Bali carried the man on his shoulders like a sack of rice. They didn't put anything in the man's mouth so it continues to shout nonsense.
"Put me down! I will give you money! or or you can tell me anything you want just release me!"
"What nonsense are you talking about sir? Your things are already my belongings it's a waste if I just left them in the ground right?"
What nonsense?! You- you are the one talking nonsense. The young man thought to himself. It is hard to reason with this girl after getting caught by the other guy earlier she shamelessly said that I am molesting her I haven't gotten near her!
Bali was holding his feet while shaking him making him drop everything in him then tied his hands and feet.
"Is it okay to offer one for the entry of the two of us?" Tein finally got a change of clothes since this person has some good textile with him but that's the only thing that looks valuable.
"The undead aren't greedy like the humans but if you don't follow their rules it's better if you don't cross paths with them."
"Please, please I beg you let me go don't give me to those things!" the man cries but he is ignored by the two.
"How do you know about this while we are traveling?"
Tein doesn't doubt what Bali is telling her but she still feels doubtful if Bali just hears it to some random people.
"Don't worry I scouted the entrance and just like what I heard, lots of travelers safely pass through the undead territory."
"If you say so..."
Inside the undead territory a scout is attentively watching the two from a high ground. After observation he can tell that the two human is going to pass their territory but the timing is off. In their castle their queen is about to give birth and their king is anxious. No one can approach their queen to verify the the entry of the upcoming travelers. Since the scout isn't intelligent and his understanding is very small he just continue his normal work to inform the queen.
The king angrily howl at the scout telling him to get lost. He walks near the veranda to order his kind to attack whoever disturb them but he stops himself when he saw the dark aura lingering near the entrance. They hate the god of death so anything dark angers them but surprisingly when he saw the dark aura he felt that it is a blessing coming to them. He instantly jump from the veranda and ran with his warriors to the entrance. He howls again telling his queen that he'd be back with a blessing for her safe delivery.
"Sh*t! this is bad Bali! I thought we're gonna be safe passing this territory but why this happened to the very first territory that we cross?" Tein whispered to Bali.
The two was immediately surrounded by the hoard of zombies. A while ago they are just quitely walking but suddenly... they are surrounded. The king of zombies howls again but this howl is different it is very deafening that the ears of the two bleeds.
"I am welcoming the two of you in our territory would you mind to come to my castle." When the zombie king howls he is able to convey his thoughts to his people. There is a special sound waves that penetrate the mind through his howl. That's why Tein and Bali was able to understand the King.
"I think a human offering is enough for a safe passage? How come a king welcome us here directly?" Bali isn't afraid of offending the undead king but he is afraid that the king may take a liking to his little sister and turns her to one of them.
The zombie warriors howl at Bali, disrespect for their king is a great offense. But without the king's order they dared not to attack. The zombie king howled shutting his people. "Don't be so alarmed young man I will accept your offering in my queens place. She cannot be here at the moment."
Without other choice Bali follows the hoard with Tein. He looked at Tein making sure if she's ok. For the girl it's her first time seeing this creatures. High ranking zombies have bluish color while low or common zombies have greyish color. Warrior zombies are not your normal zombies these things have protection in their heads the common zombies have protection too but instead of metal they're heads are covered with skulls. There are also those greenish zombies but they are very slow and they stay away from the sun while the greyish and bluish ones can walk in the day.
Wow. I can't believe I will be able to see zombies in the flesh. I need to see them all. Wait how could we understand the zombies leader and Bali said it is these zombies king? Or did we became zombies? Nah it's impossible we are not bitten by them. Argggh what's this rotting smell? Bali doesn't seemed to noticed the smell or I'm just sensitive to this. I roamed my eyesight to see where is that smell coming from surely it's not from the hoard with us.
"What are those black skeletons?" curiosity made Tein talks. If she is with Bali she became a talkative person but if there is other person other than him she suddenly become uninterested in talking. Since they are with the undead she doesn't mind and besides her curiosity is killing her.
"They are the peelers. Rogue zombies they do not follow me but they keep their distance. It's not safe if they are much in number than your group if you are traveling. They smells funny so if you smells them you should go directly to somewhere bright it blinds them." The zombie king explained patiently through his howling. "We are here. My queen."
The zombie king howled passionately.
"Are you going to feed us to your queen?"
"Tein keep quiet. Why are you like this when usually you don't talk when there is someone other than me?" Sometimes Bali really can't understand her.
"Dumb Bali they are not human. They can't talk but they howl and I can't howl so I talk." she explained as if it is common sense. She rolls her eye. "You are not a ball anymore but you are still dumb!"
"And here you are still a sh*t!"
The two of them exchange punches that hit none of them. They are so used to each other that they know each others move. They froze on the spot when the king howled loudly. Bali's feet stop a few inches away from Tein's side while her fist is just a centimeter away from Bali's temple. These two travels for four years that they grow taller and older in number but they are still kids. They travelled every place in the Red district just to make sure that there's nothing left there for them before reaching the Grey district.
"Stop you two. My queen is in labour I just want you to bless her safe delivery."
"Huh? What are you talking about? We are not a voodoo chu-chu."
Bali think for a moment. If I can sense that dark aura it's not impossible for these things not to noticed it. "I think our presence is already a blessing King. But if you wanted more I can only offer that my little sister touch the Queen's stomach."
The zombie king immediately agrees. He also doesn't have any idea how a blessing works.
"Bali what are you talking about?! We are not scammers okay!"
We might do anything to survive but we are honest on what we do! Tein thought, she doesn't sense the dark aura cause her entire being is already used to that presence without her knowing.
"It's ok you just need to touch the queen's womb whatever happens the King won't held you liable for it. Am I right King?" Bali said looking directly at the king's dark eyes. The queen howled thankful for what the king done for her and her child. She and the king have a special bond that they understand each other feels each other.
"Yes and you can pass my territory with the warriors. They will escort you to the other side. I can see that the peelers followed us here. They might be waiting for the two of you to leave."
So that's why not many people choose this road... it's because of those things.
If the dark aura that follows Tein is not what the zombie king expects we might still be able to pass through but there's a possibility that we won't make it. I remember that the zombie king said something about a funny smell but why didn't I smelled it? Tein keeps touching her nose earlier does she smells them?