Chapter 7 - Rise of the Undead

Silence invaded the city at the moment the two moons turned red, not even the sound of crickets chirping could be heard. The only noise Trint heard was his own heartbeat thump faster. There was something evil in the air that could be felt throughout the city.

In the distance sounds of panic erupted and broke the silence that had arrested the night. The noise woke Trint from his own fear and before taking the time to think he was already running with Melody dragging behind him. She was still locked in fear unable to shake the feeling free.

Rushing down the roof Trint almost tripped but thankfully his quick reflexes had saved him and Melody. Back on the ground, Trint made his way toward the library were his father and uncle had been. Though before he ever got there his father appeared and without saying a word grabbed Trint and Melody.

The next moment the two of them were sitting in a safe room along with his mother, brother and his uncle's family. Trint wanted to ask his father what was going on but he and his uncle disappeared after securing the door.

"Mom, what's going on?" Asked Melody with a shivering voice. Melody's mother was just a regular person and so her world view was quite small and so with a shake of her head, she answered. "I am not sure honey, but whatever it is I am sure your father and uncle will be able to handle it. So just sit still and wait everything will be okay, we will be okay."

Mary sighed at the answer that Kathleen had given but she decided to leave the topic at that. It was better not to worry the children, some times ignorance was bliss.

Trint though was not a fool and so when he saw his mother's reaction to the answer Melody received he knew the situation was dire.

Father be safe. Thought Trint as sat and waited in silence.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

On the other side of the city, mist-shrouded the world, all that touched the mist was bathed in a bone-chilling coldness. From the mist came shadows that moved with odd and creepy gaits. The bodies slowly spread out into all directions and as if they were some sort of magnet the mist seemed to follow them.

Hiding within a side street a group of hoodlums coward in fear as they held their breaths. Near them sat a woman whose clothing had been torn revealing her silky skin and the parts that only her lover should see. Tears soaked her face as she shivered in fear along with her attackers. A moment ago her fear and tears had come about due to them and the horrible situation she was about to face. Yet, in the next moment as if the world had somehow turned upside down, her fears no longer came from the hoodlums, a new enemy had appeared before her.

When the moons had turned red the world had seemed to freeze for but a moment. Her attackers and herself were all frozen in fear at the change in the moons. The momentarily frozen reality broke when shadows followed by an eerie fog appeared at the entrance to their alley.

At the entrance to the alleyway crept forward a horde of mangled bodies. A stench fouler then any smell the group had ever smelt before assaulted them. The shadows that covered the street seemed to grow darker and colder as the two groups faced each other.

One of the guys who moments ago relished in the enjoyment of harming and scaring others began to pee as he looked into the eyes of the creatures that approached.

"Goddess if you spare me from this fate, I promise I will turn my life around. I will never harm another soul so long as I live!"

"Goddess save me!"

Each of the corrupted fools began to pray and cry as they watched the abominations grow closer. This is was too much for them to handle and even with their hardened personalities they too began to break down.

But no matter how much they pleaded the things from hell continued to draw closer toward them. It was ironic they had been a nightmare to many, and many had begged and sobbed for someone to save them. Yet, never had it happened for their victims and now the heavens were giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Seeing no hope in surviving the leader of the group began to panic, "I can't die, these fools can die but I have too many unfulfilled dreams!"

Fire lit in his eyes as his desire to live ignited, this was not going to be the place he died. Not to some damn abomination hidden away in a back alley.

"Shav lir ta rezil..." Rhythmic sounds echoed in the alley as the leader of thugs began chanting.

Magic circles appeared in the air in front of his hands as he willed the tiny amount of mana he owned to its maximum strength.

The others were filled with hope for a moment as they watched their leader ready a spell. Though it was a short-lived hope as they realized their boss was eyeing them as he cast the spell.

Ice began to creep up the underling's legs freezing them to their spot. The ice created chain links that wrapped tightly around their bodies.

This was the boss's notorious Ice chains water spell, though they were made of ice and looked fragile they were definitely not.

"Fuck you Rezian, you think to use us as bait? If I am to die you will be joining me too!" Hollering like a lunatic the thug pulled out a scroll, as soon as the scroll appeared the Rezian knew he was in trouble.

Scrolls were no laughing matter, they could be used by pretty much anybody even those who could not practice magic could activate the lower leveled scrolls. But even though they were tools that anyone could use, they were still useful and pretty much very hot commodities. This was due to the number of resources needed to make a single scroll on top of the fact that the spell that was inscribed would not lose much of its power.

This spell was most likely his subordinate's life-saving investment that he was now being forced to use.

"You fucker if you had such a valuable item you should have let us know, I would have been able to help us escape." Replied Rezian as his fury reached the sky. He would never have betrayed his brethren if he thought there was a way for them all to survive. But now it was too late, though the abominations moved very slowly there was no exit and he was the only one that could escape using his magic. Yet, if he knew, they could have made an escape but now was too late for regrets.

Two giant scythes of wind sprung forth and sped toward Rezian. The spell was directed toward his legs, the thug who cast it desired his boss to have slow and painful death just like them.

Unable to avoid the spell Rezian realized his point of view was changing as the world grew larger.

"AHHH! Fucking hell..." A bloody scream echoed out into the night as Rezian fell to the ground.

His legs fell to the side while a puddle of blood began to pool around his body. Screams continued to escape his mouth unabated his mind had forgotten the situation he was as its focus was squarely on his loss of body parts.

"Rawwr..."

From the other side of the alley came the dreadful noise of a demon, the blood had ignited a passion in the lifeless bodies that slithered toward them. Now they came like a tempest with their maws opened wide spewing sickness from their gaping holes.

Soon the wails of one became many before all was quiet again in the small alley. Though more and more cries of pain followed soon after turning the quiet night into a hellish orchestra.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"What manner of evil is this?"

Standing on the roof of a nearby home, a man garbed in fine clothes gasped in horror. Across the way was the entrance of the fifth ward this was the outskirts of the city designated to for those of lower status. Mostly those who could barely make a living and degenerates lived in this ward.

That was not the worst part about this particular ward, in fact, the real reason for its shambled countenances was due to the massive graveyard that connected to the ward. No other ward had a graveyard connected to it, they all used the church's gravesite that laid to the west of the city on top of a hill. That gravesite was much nicer and better kept, while this one was meant for those who could not afford the cost to bury themselves in the main site. Along with those from the slave battles or criminals who had no one to come claim their bodies.

Now this once unsightly area not only became the center of attention to the rest of the city. But it also turned in to something much worse then it had once been before. If the man could describe it in words to him it was like the nether world had opened its gates and took up residence here.

As far as the man could see were tons of mutilated and half decomposed bodies that scuttled to and fro throughout the streets. Screams would echo out into the night's sky constantly harmonizing with the low skin-crawling moans that would surround the undead.

"I must find the necro who orchestrated this!" Growled the man as his eyes began to glow. Mana began to seep from his pores dancing in the air, swimming through the sky as he scanned the area looking for the evil mastermind.

While the man scanned the ward two men drew closer and landed on the same roof.

"Eziek can you explain what's going on?" Questioned one of the men that had joined the mage.

Drawing his mana back Eziek eyed the newcomers, "Apparently we have a brazen necro playing games in our city. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the bastard so thankfully you two showed up." Replied Eziek before turning back toward the ward that was falling into chaos.

He massaged his temple as he took in the situation, they needed to act fast or all would be lost. Things could have been easier if he found the bastard responsible since killing the necro would weaken the undead and stop more from being born. Now things would get messy and more danger would be in store for the city if they could not contain this. Thankfully the barrier he had cast was still holding up else the situation would have already made a turn for the worse.

"Brom, Zorin thankfully the two of you showed up so fast. I will need you two to head inside the barrier and try to help all those still alive." Looking both of the men in the eyes Eziek made his request. There really was no other way around it, at the present moment he had to stay where he was to maintain the barrier and let others in. Else he would have been the one to push forward and save the wretched souls inside.

"Ha... If Inquisitor Eziek has a request this broken warrior, of course, will heed it." Answered Brom as he smiled at the man before him.

There were not many men that Brom respected but those who could reach Eziek's strength were definitely those he would respect.

"Now, now Brom stop kissing ass and let's go help those poor people." Remarked Zorin as headed towards the barrier.

Brom shook his head and smiled as he followed his friend.

Eziek willed his mana and an opening in the barrier materialized before the two. As they passed through the barrier closed behind them ensuring the safety of the rest of the city.

"Keep an eye for that damn necro, if you can kill that bastard we may end this quicker." Yelled Eziek while he regulated his mana withing his body.

The barrier was a costly technique that drained a ton of mana and at the moment he had a major leak of mana due to this barrier. Of course, that was because it was spread out all around a city ward, any other mage of lesser strength would never be able to replicate this size.

Soon the two disappeared into the maze of streets time was not on their side and so the two had split up before darting into the abyss.

Seeing the two on their way Eziek waited for others to show up. There were quite a few experts that called Woruc home and though they were slower to the party, they would without a doubt show up.