In the dead of night, Everstar Town seemed to be shrouded in a dense fog, its shadows quivering with unrest, harboring souls that would not be still. Amid the ruins of the town stood a headless skeletal knight, poised on a shattered stone staircase. His entire form was as silent as a statue, timeless and motionless, as though time itself had lost meaning for him.
The headless figure was clad in battered armor, its plates coated in rust and dark stains as if once drenched in blood. His body was covered in cracks, and with each movement, there was a faint sound of bones creaking, a subtle aura of decay and death emanating from him. Slowly, he raised the lance in his hand as if making a silent vow, his lowered skeletal hand trembling slightly in the night wind, as if responding to a distant horn's call. Unseen, his "gaze" fixed upon a direction within the town, where faint signs of life were moving swiftly—the intruders' tracks.
Although he had no head, no eyes, the headless knight could sense the vitality of human souls, a red glow amid the desolation that was impossible to ignore. Drawn by this energy, he was compelled to move forward. Each step echoed with the weight of metal clashing, merging with an eerie chiming that created a chilling melody.
Thud—Thud—
The chime resounded within his lifeless chest, like a summons, as though urging him to fulfill his millennia-old hunting mission.
He drew closer, honing in on those living souls, his lance trembling as though it could no longer wait to pierce flesh and draw that vibrant life into an abyss. His steps were unhurried but carried an irresistible force, and the shadows of the entire town seemed to follow his movement, surrounding those uninvited guests like a rising tide.
"…Found you."
If he had a head, a cruel smile would surely have formed on his lips. These intruders bore an unforgivable scent, disturbing his thousand-year slumber. Now, he would drag each of them into the abyss with the mercilessness befitting the dead.
Ray Quinn held his breath, cautiously concealed in the shadows atop a rooftop, his gaze fixed on the approaching horde of zombies. These creatures were more terrifying than anything he had seen: their skin was a sickly gray, their tattered clothing smeared with rotting blood and scraps of flesh, their mouths dripping with black ooze, and their hollow eyes filled with an insatiable hunger. They prowled the streets, like predators drawn to any hint of prey.
"Damn…" Ray muttered under his breath, realizing he needed to proceed carefully. A single misstep would mean being swarmed by these zombies, whose numbers and strength could drag him into a bottomless pit.
Scanning his surroundings quickly, Ray planned his next move. To avoid drawing attention, he would need to move across the rooftops, using the height to stay out of sight. But as he took a step, a loose tile shifted, slipping with a barely audible sound.
The faint noise immediately drew the attention of a few zombies. They turned their heads toward him in unison, their decayed mouths opening as they let out low, raspy growls. Ray tensed, swiftly drawing a small knife from his belt, prepared for combat. His movements were precise and calm, his gaze steely and alert, a display of instincts sharpened by years of survival.
One of the zombies lunged toward him, its movements crude and stiff, its blood-stained claws reaching out. Ray's eyes narrowed, stepping back to dodge, simultaneously plunging his knife into the zombie's head. The zombie tilted its head slightly, emitting a dull sound before collapsing lifelessly.
But more zombies were approaching, seemingly enraged by their comrade's death, swarming toward Ray. He swiftly retreated, agilely flipping over the edge of the rooftop and slipping into another shadowed spot, pausing to control his breathing and minimize his presence.
At that moment, his gaze caught sight of a familiar figure darting along the rooftop's edge in the distance—a fleeting shadow he recognized instantly. Ray's eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope—it was Nina! He tightened his grip on the knife and leaped over the obstacle before him, moving quickly toward her.
In the next instant, a zombie claw swiped from the side. Ray spun swiftly, his blade flashing as he slashed through the zombie's arm. It let out a sharp wail, grayish pus spraying into the air. Without hesitation, Ray drove his knife deep into the zombie's eye socket, pushing it off the roof.
But this didn't deter the horde; it only incited more attackers. Ray's gaze turned icy, his wrist skillfully rotating the knife, his movements fluid and unyielding as he took down one zombie after another. His form flitted through the darkness like a hunter merged with the night, silently guarding his sole objective.
He maneuvered across rooftops, dispatching each approaching zombie with calm precision. Only one thought filled his mind—he had to find Nina and ensure her safety. The zombies' footsteps grew closer, but he ignored them, focusing solely on the familiar figure he finally saw leaning helplessly against a wall, trembling as she waited for rescue.
"Hang on, I'm coming!" Ray whispered with unwavering resolve, quickening his pace, a reckless determination sparking in his heart.
Glimmers of talismanic seals lit up the night with a faint golden glow, shooting toward the zombies like precise blades. As the talismans touched the zombies' skin, they emitted a blueish smoke and a sizzling sound, releasing a burnt odor. The zombies' faces twisted under the talismans' assault, their rotten arms attempting to shield themselves, but they were powerless against the spells' corrosion.
Ethan Hess stood in the shadows, his gaze calm and sharp. With a flick of his wrist, he released talisman after talisman, each one finding its target among the zombies. His movements were swift and precise, honed through countless battles, allowing him to exploit every second with deadly accuracy. When the horde surged toward him once more, he quickly leapt back, landing on a higher ledge to survey the decaying horde below.
The zombies let out a low, hungry moan as they lunged toward him, their gaze fixated on him as if he were a living feast. Ethan's expression remained cold, his lips curving slightly in faint confidence. Smiling grimly, he drew a slender knife from his sleeve, the blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight. This was a silent yet fierce confrontation, as he single-handedly fought dozens of undead creatures, his form as fluid as the wind. Under the golden glow of his talismans, the bodies dropped one by one.
Ethan's sharp gaze caught a shadowy movement on a nearby rooftop. Instantly, he cast a talisman, a beam of golden light shooting toward the figure. The other person reacted swiftly, flipping backward to dodge the attack and landing steadily. Ray Quinn panted lightly, momentarily shaken by the ambush before looking up with a frown at Ethan.
"Ethan?" Ray said softly, his tone carrying disbelief, mixed with surprise.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings without relaxing his guard. "This isn't some safe tourist spot. Do you know what you're dealing with?"
Ray shrugged, a trace of helplessness in his voice. "How could I have known I'd run into such creepy things? I'm looking for my friend. She's missing, maybe even trapped somewhere in this town."
Ethan's expression softened slightly. "The girl… she's safe for now. I've placed her in a secure spot."
Ray blinked, his tension easing with a hint of gratitude. "You found her? Is she alright?"
Ethan nodded, his tone calm. "For the moment, yes. But the ominous energy in this town is growing stronger. We need to get her out quickly."
Ray took a deep breath, some of his anxiety subsiding, though a frown creased his brow. "I can't leave her alone here. Take me to her."
Ethan considered for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I'll lead you to her. But be prepared—there's more danger here than just the undead. Whatever happens, stay calm. Don't let yourself get distracted."
Ray nodded resolutely. "Don't worry; I won't slow you down."
As Ethan and Ray navigated through a narrow alley, preparing to accelerate toward their next safe point, a heavy sound of hooves suddenly echoed ahead, accompanied by a chilling presence, as if a storm from the depths of hell was about to descend. They halted instantly, their eyes wary as they looked in the direction of the sound.
Through the mist, a towering, eerie figure slowly emerged—a headless knight, clad in ragged black armor, covered in battle scars like a ghost from hell. The knight held a dark red longsword, its blade emitting an eerie crimson glow as if soaked with the blood of countless souls. Despite lacking a head, the knight's figure remained motionless in the mist, exuding a bloodthirsty aura, as if gazing at them.
Ray cursed softly under his breath. "This place really has everything creepy in it."
Ethan gripped his talisman tightly, his gaze cold. "Be careful. This one isn't an ordinary undead."
The headless knight seemed to sense their presence, suddenly raising his sword and charging at them. The ground trembled, and a cloud of dust and decay surged toward them, as if to engulf them. Ethan reacted swiftly, sending a flash of golden light from his talisman toward the knight's chest. Yet, the talisman only produced a wisp of smoke on the knight's black armor, causing him to pause briefly before he continued his relentless advance.
Ray Quinn quickly rolled to the side, distancing himself from the knight and drawing his dagger defensively. His eyes swept over the surroundings, searching for any advantage the terrain might offer. "Ethan, this guy's defense is insane; we won't last much longer at this rate!"
Ethan Hess observed the headless knight's movements with a calculating calm. Pulling out more talismans, he prepared a concentrated assault to keep the knight at bay. He muttered, "Do your best to hold him off. I'll try using the Exorcism Talisman when I get an opening."
Ray nodded, darting around to the knight's side, using swift steps to redirect its attacks. The headless knight swung his massive sword, its strike leaving a deep gash in the ground, sparks flying everywhere. Ray evaded nimbly, keeping his calm despite his growing unease, watching closely for an opening in the knight's defenses.
As the knight swung his sword toward Ray again, Ethan seized the moment, sending a talisman glowing with fierce golden light from his fingertips. With a low shout, the talisman shot forward, adhering precisely to the knight's chest. The headless knight's movements halted instantly, as if gripped by an overwhelming force. His body trembled, with dark fumes seeping from the cracks in his armor, accompanied by a twisted, agonized growl.
"Now!" Ethan called, signaling to Ray.
Understanding instantly, Ray drove his dagger hard into the knight's leg, taking advantage of the talisman's suppressive power. A foul-smelling, dark liquid sprayed from the wound, and the knight's form shook violently, appearing gravely injured. Yet it refused to fall, instead breaking free from the talisman's hold and, with a final burst of defiance, swung its sword in a wide arc.
The two swiftly leaped back, creating distance between themselves and the knight. Ray panted heavily, his brow furrowed. "This guy is definitely not easy to handle."
A glint of cold determination flashed in Ethan's eyes. "While it's still weakened, we strike again." He pulled out another talisman, preparing to deliver a decisive blow.
The knight's relentless malice seemed endless; though battered, it pressed forward, its armor enveloped in dark smoke, as though consumed by an abyssal darkness. It brandished its sword with formidable power, each blow splitting the ground, scattering rubble, and shaking nearby buildings to their foundations, as though they might collapse at any moment.
Ethan and Ray dodged each strike, swift and agile, but still too restrained to get close. Ray attempted to stab at the knight's side with his dagger, but the heavy black armor deflected his blade, barely leaving a scratch. Each time he tried to circle around, the knight countered, blocking his efforts with unyielding precision.
"Damn it… this thing is tougher than I thought!" Ray panted, his dagger barely effective as the knight's onslaught grew fiercer, nearly overpowering him with each strike.
Ethan felt the pressure mount as well. His talismans could momentarily restrain the knight but offered no permanent solution. The Exorcism Talisman caused only brief hesitation in the knight, failing to truly defeat it. Dodging the knight's heavy sword, he coolly assessed his options, but with the knight's attacks accelerating, he barely had a second to think.
The knight swung a diagonal slash, and Ethan narrowly sidestepped in time, though the blade sliced his sleeve, a sharp sting grazing his cheek. He bit back the pain and retreated quickly, but the knight gave him no respite, pressing forward with another swing of its sword.
"This isn't working…" Ray called out urgently, a flash of anxiety in his gaze.
Ethan cast a brief glance at Ray, his voice steady. "There must be some source that binds it. We need to find its weak point… or we'll be stuck in this endless struggle."
Just as they were locked in their grueling battle, the headless knight let out a low, furious roar, bringing his sword down with a force that sent a shockwave of dark energy rippling out from the ground. Taken off guard, Ethan and Ray were thrown backward, crashing into a wall with a heavy thud. Both struggled to stay upright, their faces showing undeniable fatigue and surprise.
Ray cursed under his breath, gasping. "This thing's a damn monster!"
Sweat dotted Ethan's forehead, but his gaze remained resolute, never wavering as he tracked the knight's every move, silently vowing not to give in. The headless knight moved forward step by step, each movement radiating a dreadful aura, as if ready to tear them apart in the next instant.