The Undead

Kayda stood at the edge of the clearing. The shadows from the tree's hid her from sight as she looked at the scene unfolding in front of her.

Within the clearing, the sounds of swords crashing and the occasional cries of monsters filled the air in such a morbid way that it made one shiver in fear.

But the monsters before her seemed off.

The large monsters crashing into the camp consisted of a large sentry like beast with a head covered in bone-like armor and a mane flowing from its neck all the way down to its tail which flourished around the camp, hitting anyone who let their guard down.

With its sharp claw like hooves raised, it trampled down upon the dirt, raising up plumes of dust and shaking anyone who stood near.

Another monster that stood nearby looked like a large crane with sharp feathered claws protruding from its chest like some raptor. It's beak was longer than a full grown man's arm and the tip of its beak glinted sharply within the fire's light.

With a crown of feathers, it screeched. It's feathers bloomed outward like a flower, causing the bird to look twice its size. Jumping around the camp, it used its feet, to large scaled paws to swipe and balance its way around the camp.

The last two monsters looked to be almost identical. They were a pair of ferret looking creatures the size of a saltwater crocodile.

Leathery armor ran from the tip of its nose to its long tail while two large fangs protruded from its lips with a snarl. Their short webbed paws quickly made work around the camp while snapping their fierce teeth at anyone who came close.

Kayda had seen all three of these monsters before. The bone headed sentry was a bone deer. The large bird was a type of crane griffin called the cronos and the two scaled ferrets were called the scaled water mink.

Each of these creatures were known to be passive creatures that would usually be pretty benevolent unless provoked.

So seeing them in such a frenzy state was quite baffling.

But what was even more bazaar was seeing all these creatures here together.

The boned deer lived deeper in the forest, so she could understand if it had wandered all the way here, but the cronos lived in the mountains and the scaled water mink lived in swamps. Which there wasn't one within at least a ten mile perimeter.

So there was no reason that they would show up here.

Looking into the group, Kayda saw as Trave and Ottan defended one another from the two scaled water minks while Nick, the lone archer, was holding off the cronos while Jacksan, who must have came back earlier, was fighting head on with the bone deer, and failing miserably.

Everyone one of them was fighting to survive within the chaos.

Only minutes before they were sitting around the fire, relaxed and at ease.

But when the monsters came, it was as if the world had suddenly fallen into a strange dream state. As if they were in a nightmare.

How could the world be flipped upside down within mere seconds?

They didn't even have time to breath when it happened. And all they knew now was that they were fighting for their lives.

As Jacksan brandished his sword against the bone deer, he clashed with the beast as it narrowly missed him by a hair as it butted its ram like horns towards his torso.

Seeing a chance, he raised his sword high above his head before swinging down with all his might towards the bone deer's head.

When his blade connected with its skull, he felt all the blood in his body run cold as it dropped to his feet.

His sword was dropped to the ground with a dull thud as he held his wrist in immense pain.

The early strike he had tried to deal connected with the bone deer's steel like head. The force he had used had a huge backlash as it traveled back up the sword and concentrated on the joint in his wrist.

Jacksan yelled out in agony but the bone deer continued to persist onward. It's large black eyes zoned in on him as it snorted.

Seeing that he couldn't fight anymore, Jacksan turned around and started to run.

The bone deer, hot in pursuit, neglected to look at anyone else but it's target as they ran around the camp in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

As Kayda watched, she stalked around the edges of the clearing. Only showing glimpses of herself as she paced like an impatient leopard.

As she waited silently, her target had finally appeared.

Mr. Gerad was avoiding all the chaos by sneaking through the edge of the clearing like her. He was slowly making his way towards the carriages while trying not to draw attention.

But Kayda had noticed him at once.

Without wasting a second more, she quickly made her way through the trees like a silent prediditor.

Trave and Ottan were out of breath and panting as they looked down upon the two scaled water minks that were prowling around them.

Their jaws snapped at them with a bone chilling force while every once in a while, a forked tongue would stick out of their mouths and lick their jaws in anticipation.

They couldn't let their guard down for a single second or both beasts would pounce.

As they both looked wearily at the monsters before them, blood trickled into Trave's eye from and earlier injury.

During the surprise attack, he had been knocked down by the bone deer and ended up cutting open his head.

The wound had started to close earlier but all the sweat the covered his body must have caused it to reopen.

While one of his eyes vision was hindered, out of the corner of his good eye, he saw rapid movement. Afraid that it was another monster, he dared to take a peek but was only able to catch a glimpse of silver.

Dew to his moment of distraction, both scaled water minks pounced and Trave and Ottan were instantly pulled back into a heated battle.

Mr. Gerad tried to stealthily make his way back to the carriages while inwardly cursing.

What in the world is happening? The monster attack wasn't supposed to happen until the last day! Why are they here now?!

With a furrowed brow, he paused and looked at the monsters attacking the camp. Each and everyone of them where out to kill.

He froze there for ten minutes, wondering if he should just abandon his merchandise instead of risking his life.

He was a greedy man, but he valued his life more than money. Watching the heated fights, he decided to risk it. It wasn't very likely they would notice him with each monster zeroed in on an adventurer.

Slowly, he made it to the carriages and tried to board one in an attempt to escape.

Right before he could prepare to desert everyone else, he suddenly felt a dangerous blood lust from behind him.

Shocked, he whirled around, trying to find the source of bloodlust. But when his eyes scoured the area, he couldn't find a thing.

Was he mistaken?

Looking down at Mr. Gerad from the top of the carriage, Kayda sneered as she watched him jump around like a frightened rat.

She had made it to the carriages a little while before Mr. Gerad.

Earlier, when she had stepped into the circle of carriages, she had instantly felt that something was off.

Walking out from the shadows, each coachman that she had seen from the day before stepped out in unison, coming within Kayda's sight.

The unusual way they synchronized their every step and movement caused Kayda to get goosebumps.

As she looked over them one by one as they stood there, she could feel her blood run cold.

Each and every one of them were emotionless. At first, you wouldn't be able to tell anything was wrong if you didn't look closely. But when you did, you would notice that every one of them had a milky veil that seemed to have covered their eyes.

And earlier the other day when she had arrived, she had noticed their hands as well. Their nails were black, as if then flesh underneath them had been rotting away.

Those coachmen that had stood before her weren't alive.