6 Death Wave
Outside of Gondraw City walls are bloody corpses piled at the warzone like wastes. The foul stench in the air is too much for anyone to breathe, and would cause one to puke due to the smell, and at the sight of redish carcass. Several of them are people who have been burned to black crisps as charcoals.
The identities of these corpses are by far recognizable with just one look at their equipment. But the result of this round have decided, and it is very grave.
A small party of ten players are walking among the dead. Some of them had a look of disgust on their faces while the rest are somewhat gloomy, for many reasons. They're from the Star Admirals guild, one of the top 3 guilds from Honor Online.
Everyone in the party is around Level 5.
"Ah, I can't take this stench anymore!" Delifierce shouted, covering his nose with his two fingers.
"What are we doing anyway?!"
"Yeah! We already finished the quest, yet we're still here in this waste? It's disgusting!" Elegant Grace pouted in distress as she looks at her shoes covered with mud and blood altogether, even her robes were stained. Some of the players agreed with Elegant Grace and Delifierce, but couldn't say anything on their behalf.
"We only finished one part of the quest. We just have to walk around here for a little longer. Plus, we're looting up treasures, so what are you complaining about?" I am Perfect berated at them.
Delifierce rebukes, "Looting my a***! Perfect, can't you really smell the air around here? It smells as shi*** as our club's bathroom!"
"This smell is just part of the game. So bear with it!"
"Bear with it? How can I bear with it?! Fu*** the loot, I don't want to stay in this place for another hour!" Elegant Grace stomped away in anger.
"Grace, where are you going?"
"Back to the city! And you can't stop me!"
"Hold up! I think I looted something!" Spotless Glass just turned a corpse over and took out an item from it.
"It's a Bronze armor!"
"Hey, I found a Silver equipment here!" A Star Admiral player holds up a leather piece shirt.
"Really?! Let me see!" Elegant Grace hastened back, but I am Perfect already got there, and took the item.
"Thanks man! Good job!" I am Perfect pats him on the back. The player looks somewhat displeased. Normally, a random player in this party would want to speak up. But he, on the other hand, stayed quiet because he can't do anything to I am Perfect due to his background.
It is the same with the guild's hottie Elegant Grace. He would've been happy if he gave the item to her instead. But on the second thought, he also needed a good equipment. When he loots something better than a Silver item, he wouldn't think about giving it to his pals either.
"Hey, that's mine!"
I am Perfect sneers at her, equipping the leather armor. "Oh Grace, you're always as beautiful and dazzling as the sun and stars. But sadly, you're not full of shine today. So finders keepers, and losers take the trash!"
"Bi***! I really want to hit your fu***ing perfect face--!"
"I like to see you try!"
"Enough! Both of you stop fighting! I know everyone's upset with what we have, but we must work together. Don't forget, we are here in order to bring the glory of our guild. A piece of Silver equipment is not worth of importance." Spotless Glass reprimanded them.
"But Glass it is important--" I am Perfect wanted to complain but receives a cold look from him.
"Do you want to embarrass the whole guild?"
His handsome face turns green at the thought. "Ah no way, of course not."
"But Glass, all of the equipment we got are all trash! Even that fu***ing dwarf's weapons are all useless shi***! How can we even take over this game with these?"
"*Sigh* I know." Even looting a high quality equipment in this bloody field is just as scarce as a hen's teeth.
Spotless Glass massages his temple in frustration, trying to think about what to do. "We still have that Level C Quest. We just have to survey the whole perimeter."
"But the rewards were only two equipment."
"Then we'll roll for them."
Obviously, he didn't include the other six players judging by his tone.
"I bet those other guilds are laughing at us right now. They may even have better equipment than us." In actuality, the guilds from Honor Online are also encountering the same issues. Even the new players, who have spawned in Gondraw City, got the trash equipment from Hermit. To avoid a fight with other players in order to save their levels, they needed to be somewhere farther away from the feuding parties while they're out here. Everyone even have the same line of thought that I am Perfect has. Of course, they didn't know that.
One player in their party shudders, "Isn't it weird that there's no mosters around here?"
Everyone turned, staring at the player who in turn, panicked.
"I-I mean, didn't we hear a battle going on when we first spawned in the city?"
"Why would we even fu***ing care about what you say?" I am Perfect shouted angrily, making the player whimper.
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
"Sorries are just excuses!"
"But Perfect, don't you find this strange?" Spotless Glass suddenly spoke up, catching I am Perfect off guard.
Even the player gasped at his response.
"Wait, you agree with this guy?"
"Just think about it. When we got the quest, the battle ended quickly."
"So?"
"Nothing happened to the city. No end of the world thing, nor a victory celebration has occurred. From what that NPC told us, the Dark Army just came in small numbers. Yet, the Alliance have more casualties and the Dark Army retreated just like that. Something doesn't add up."
Elegant Grace frowns, wanting to voice out more complaints. Until she felt something-- or someone staring behind her back. Startled, her head turns to the source, finding a black hooded figure.
"Guys."
Everyone glanced at her call, only to discover the figure who was fifteen yards away from the group. The mystery person have a lean body and is wearing shaggy black clothes. The pointy hood have shadowed the stranger's face, preventing them from identifying its gender. But they saw two strands of white long hair coming out from the hood, so they thought it is a woman.
What they didn't take note is the crooked staff in her hand. On top of it, lies a green jewel glowing in purplish hue, letting out an eerie chill. Only Spotless Glass can feel it, he is shivering to the bone.
"Who's she?"
To answer their question, system interfaces flash before their eyes.
---
Dark Necromancer Niadamar
Lvl: ???
HP: ???
---
[System Announcement: Dark Necromancer Niadamar used Death Wave.]
Shi***!
They just now realized it isn't a female!
But what is more important, he already casted a spell!
"Run back to the city!" Spotless Glass didn't hesitate to retreat. Cowering in fear, he ran away without waiting for anyone.
That guy's level is unknown, even his HP is hidden too. It can only mean one thing, they have encountered a super powerhouse. He might be in the same level as that Sigurd guy.
Everyone followed him without second thoughts.
The Dark Necromancer lifts his glowing staff, muttering curse incantations, before slamming it onto the ground.
*Rumble*
The earth shook in a frenzy as a giant purplish wave is formed. Like a tsunami that has been unleashed, it moves forth more than a mile radius. Even Gondraw City is bathed by the spell as it went further out to the land.
As the party sprints towards the capital, a random member lost his footing and fell.
"Ah!"
Something grabbed his ankle.
Looking over his back, he is terrified to see a certain carcass. A hand.
It's actually a corpse!
On its face with rotten flesh and dried-up blood, is a sinister grin which bares most of its teeth.
He tried attacking it with a club, but the damage he made is only a mere -1.
It wasn't that his equipment is useless. He just bought this from a merchant and its stats were better than Hermit's weapons. Only then, to his horror, a certain system interface explained why.
---
Undead Alliance Soldier
Lvl: 13
HP: 1399/1400
---
He is no match against this zombie. It's eight levels higher than him!
The undead soldier bit his ankle hard, then tears his foot off from his limb as blood gushed out from the wound like flood. He screamed.
Fu***!!! He never experienced such pain before. This is worse than slicing your fingers with a knife!
Seconds later, more of its kin join in. The first bit on his arm, the second went for his stomach, and the third have already teared off his other leg. More and more zombies came to feast. They're endless!
And the poor player could do nothing but be eaten alive by these deceased cannibals as they tear his flesh apart.
"Someone help me!"
But no one is there. Not even his party members pay a heed to his plea. The monsters continues to consume more of his flesh. With that, he instantly died. His level decreased by one.
The dead have been risen.
---
Undead Alliance Archer
Level: 12
HP: 1300/1300
---
Undead Alliance Berserker
Level: 14
HP: 1500/1500
---
Undead Alliance Wizard
Level: 13
HP: 1400/1400
---
*Ding!*
[System Announcement: You have completed the Quest (Scouting the Warzone). You received 3000 EXP.]
System Announcement: You received the Quest [Escaping the Undead] (Quest Level: C)
Quest Description: You must run from the evil clutches of the dead!
Everyone didn't pay attention to it. But if they did, they would've hastened their speed as they could.
It is easier said than done.
More corpses came to life. Jumping themselves up, they chase after their prey with an insane agility like madmen.
A few more of Star Admiral's players were eaten to death by the overpowered zombies.
Fear and death garner in their hearts, it is something they have never felt before.
But now, they have witnessed it.
Some time later, it is only Spotless Glass, I am Perfect, Elegant Grace, and Delifierce running from the apocalypse. All of their other party members died and teleported to the capital. Although they wanted to teleport, they don't have a teleportation scroll, if they ever exist in this game. Plus, they didn't want to lose a level nor their equipment.
They are almost close to the city.
*Rumble*
Suddenly, the earth trembles once again. Another Death Wave? But the system haven't informed them about it. That's when they dared to look back.
Their faces turn pale.
Large dust are formed in thick clouds by the thousand hooves of large masses. There's one at the left, another at the right, and lastly, behind the remaining Star Admiral members. They aren't too far apart as soon as they got closer, almost reaching to the quo.
"Fu***!" They cursed.
This isn't some sandstorm! They were players!
Thousands of frantic players flee in fear, like a huge flock of sheep escaping from their doglike predators. Almost all of them are pushing one another, and tried goatscaping to feed the other to the zombies. Those who are unfortunate have their blood spilled like cans of spray paint by the jaws of the undead. Some were even stepped over by the foot of these masses before they died. Many equipment drop and are left behind. None of them have any sort of value for those things right now.
It's a giant stampede.
