I stood at the entrance and glanced at the group beside me. They nodded, and I stepped back quickly as the undead—now what we chose to call them—charged in. They surged past us, driven by their insatiable hunger. But we didn't flinch. There was nothing to fear; we knew how to kill them. As long as we avoided their bites, we'd be fine. Still, the terror of some of our comrades was palpable, and a few were bitten in the chaos.
We fought hard, pushing through the throng. As we cleared the last of them, we made our way to the armory and paused, taking a moment to catch our breath.
"Alright, Knights, are you ready?" Adgar shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.
"Yeah!" they chorused back, the enthusiasm sparking a renewed sense of purpose.
"Louder!" he ordered, his eyes scanning the group for any hint of hesitation.
"Yeah!" they shouted again, and I felt a surge of adrenaline. The undead began to retreat, sensing their impending doom.
"Go!" I shouted, and the recovery team dashed toward the other direction, ready to assist those who needed it most.
We fought against the relentless tide of undead, one after another, using our aura to dispatch them. The numbers were overwhelming, and though we were at a disadvantage, we pressed on. Each swing of my weapon felt like a desperate prayer, a plea for survival in this chaotic nightmare.
…
After a grueling battle, we gathered the remaining armor while others attended to the fallen. We needed to reach the towns and save as many people as possible.
"Are the horses okay?" I asked one of the trainees, urgency creeping into my voice.
"Yes, the barn was locked. We cleared out the undead there, so that place is also safe," he replied, relief washing over his features.
"Let's pack up and go," I said, strapping on my armor with swift efficiency.
"Cady," Alvin called, rushing toward me. "Are you leaving too?"
"Yes. You'll stay here with the others while they clear this place," I said firmly, knowing he wouldn't be ready for the dangers ahead.
"You're my knight! You can't just leave me here," he protested, desperation etching his features.
"You're safe here. Besides, I don't want to babysit while I'm trying to save lives," I countered, my patience wearing thin.
"You can't leave me here!" he insisted again, his voice trembling slightly.
"Look," I said, scanning our surroundings for any sign of impending danger. "I have to go somewhere important."
"I'll go with you," he declared, determination sparking in his eyes.
"It's far and unsafe," I replied, my tone firm.
"Doesn't matter! I'm safe with you. I just don't want to be here alone," he said, looking around as if the shadows might spring to life.
"Your Highness, I can't take you with me. I'm looking for someone," I explained, hoping to reason with him.
"Is this person more important than your duties?" he asked, a hint of accusation in his voice. I felt annoyance bubble beneath my calm exterior.
"He's more important than this empire," I replied, pushing past him, my resolve set. I needed to find Elton; I had to know if he was safe. I remembered the rumors of him heading to a remote area weeks ago, and I was determined to find him before going anywhere else.
…
The horses surged forward, galloping with urgency. My group was en route to the magic association's headquarters, while Adgar set off toward the nearest town.
The roads felt eerily quiet, tension hanging in the air like a heavy fog. Suddenly, the undead sprang from the bushes, launching themselves at us. The horses whinnied and bucked in distress, chaos erupting once again.
I dismounted, determined to protect my horse, Bean, and fend off the attackers. With every strike, I felt the adrenaline surge through me as I fought valiantly. After sending Bean off to safety, I joined my comrades, slashing through the horde.
"Go!" I shouted, urging them to mount their horses and flee. They obeyed, but I could feel the tide of undead growing, their numbers swelling like a dark wave.
Just as we were nearing the magic association's headquarters, I sensed a powerful presence approaching. Before I could react, it landed with a thunderous crash, sending shockwaves that blew us away, me included.
"Hang on!" a voice called from behind me. In an instant, a figure appeared, flames erupting from their hands and incinerating the undead in a brilliant blaze. I blinked, struggling to regain my footing, and when I looked up, I saw Harold Rinehart standing there, his eyes always closed, yet somehow aware of everything around him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, surprise flickering across his features as he dropped me to the ground.
"Oh, it's you," I replied, catching my breath. "I'm here to see the master."
"He's not available at the moment," Harold said, his tone serious.
"The empire is in crisis, and he's not available?" I asked incredulously, frustration bubbling to the surface.
"He was summoned by his majesty, the emperor. We haven't spoken to him since he left," he replied, his demeanor cool.
"So you're in charge now?" I asked, a mixture of skepticism and curiosity in my voice.
"You can say that," he replied nonchalantly.
"Then I need to tell you something, but keep it to yourself," I warned, leaning in closer, lowering my voice.
"What?" he asked, intrigued.
"The imperial palace was the first to be attacked. The imperial family narrowly escaped, but I believe the lady who attacked us poisoned people to turn them into monsters," I disclosed, my heart racing with urgency.
"She came here too, but no one knows why. She's looking for something… something dangerous," he admitted, his expression darkening.
"What is it?" I pressed, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on me.
"The Nail," he said simply.
"The what now?" I furrowed my brow, trying to comprehend.
"The Nail is what it's called. It is a concentration of magic that was put into the nail of a corpse thousands of years ago during a great war. The corpse was buried on the major road, and a mage controlled the nail, using it to kill those who passed through it. That's how they massacred a lot of people," he explained, his voice grim.
"That magic concentration—how did they come about it?" I asked, unease creeping into my gut.
"That's a story for Rinehart only," he said, turning to leave.
"I'm sure we don't have the luxury of keeping secrets anymore," I countered.
"I'm sure you can guess," he replied with a cryptic smile.
"They used people," I said, realization hitting me like a thunderclap.
"Yes, but not Cecians," he confirmed.
"That doesn't make it okay!" I exclaimed, frustration boiling over. "We know what we're fighting. Find the mage and kill her; hopefully, this will stop," I urged, mounting Bean once again.
"And where will you be?" he asked, a hint of skepticism lacing his tone.
"I'm going to find someone," I replied tersely.
"Who could you possibly be looking for at this time?" he pressed, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"None of your business," I said, nudging Bean forward, but something held us back, an invisible force tugging at my reins.
"What if he's dead?" he asked, a trace of concern creeping into his voice.
"That idiot won't die easily. He won't dare," I snapped, determination propelling me forward.
"Let's go together then," Harold offered, matching my pace with ease. Mages really loved showing off.
"No, thank you," I replied, forcing Bean to halt once more.
"We can find the Nail and your brother at the same time," he insisted. "We're the only ones who know; it would make sense for us to work together," he added, his tone persuasive.
"My priority is finding Elton," I reiterated, my voice firm.
"Fine by me," he relented, frustration evident. "Then let's head back first. If we're going on an aimless hunt, we need supplies," he suggested.
"That's true," I agreed reluctantly. I didn't fully trust him, but having another capable ally could be beneficial. If he tried anything funny, well, I'd just have to kill him.