Deep within a dimly lit chamber, a giant figure sat on a throne expertly sculptured of stone. A golden crown rested on his head. He tapped a long, decaying finger on the armrest. A deep, guttural sigh escaped from his mouth. "Patience, my love," he soothed.
Another giant shrouded figure, in a tattered silk dress and cloak, rose from her throne beside him. "Patience? Our baby daughter is out there, alone in a hostile world. She should have returned by now," she complained with a distressed tone.
"You gave her a mission to complete. She will not fail. After all, she shares our strength and resilience," the sitting-down figure reassured with a chilling confidence.
The female figure turned her back to him. "Still, I'm going. The thought of her facing the dangers of this world alone," she murmured with sorrow and walked through the dark exit.
The sitting-down figure sighed and relented. "I wonder where Kain has gone. It's only a matter of time before our family reunion, and I got this for him," he muttered. He glanced down at his lap.
A tiny, unique shield, compared to his size, lay there. Energy radiated from it.
In the meantime, Stark, Matteo, and Hafen walked beside the plateau and ventured through the Dark Depths.
"We should follow that trail of destruction," Hafen signaled to a path of broken trees and a disturbed trail. "There. That must be it," he added.
Matteo walked along the devastation and shuddered. "It must be really big and scary," he commented.
Stark's expression hardened. "It doesn't matter how big it is. We'll take it down," he declared and placed a hand on the claymore on his back. He looked ahead as the path led back to the top of the cliff. "Let's go," he commanded.
At the very top, a cold wind and a foul stench swept over them.
Baby Zombie Prince slept on a jagged throne of rock. His oversized head fell to one side, and a thick line of drool slid down his chin.
All around him, the bulky zombie guards stood with a menacing scowl.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo hid in a nearby bush and spied on their targets.
"That's a big zombie," Matteo pointed out, and his grip on his rapier tightened.
"I think that's him, Baby Zombie Prince," Hafen deduced with a whisper. His eyebrows rose in disbelief.
"He's not appealing to look at. Let's go," Stark remarked with a disgusted look. Eager to fight, he clenched a fist and stepped forward.
"No, Stark," Hafen warned and pulled him back. "There are a lot of them. We need a plan," he urged.
"What's the plan? Ambush them," Matteo questioned.
Hafen nodded and analyzed their positions. "We'll split up and attack from different angles," he strategized.
"Got it," Stark and Matteo affirmed in unison.
Vines suddenly erupted from the ground and wrapped around the legs of the zombie guards.
The zombie guards stumbled and fell to the ground. They roared in frustration, and their powerful arms broke free of the vines. They scrambled back to their feet.
"What was that," one of them groaned.
Stark jumped from the bushes with a mighty swing of the claymore. "I've got you," he taunted with a grin.
The vines regrew and strengthened. They tripped and ensnared the zombie guards.
Matteo leaped out and rushed towards one of them. He stabbed it in the back and tackled it to the ground.
The zombie guard shuddered. The wound smoked as if it were cooked from within.
Matteo pulled the rapier out and stood proudly.
Instantaneously, another zombie guard picked him up. He grasped his foot and flung him into a boulder. "Humans... Pathetic... Worthless... Underserving," he grumbled with a stammer.
Matteo winced in pain and struggled to his feet. He rubbed the back of his head.
Looking down on him, the zombie guard introduced with a stutter, "We... The royal guards." Instantly, his head snapped repeatedly in different directions, and his eyes stared into the distance.
An entourage lurched and gathered around him, standing menacingly. Together, they roared, "We... Protect... Prince Kain!" Their collective voices echoed with a singular purpose.
Meanwhile, Hafen leaped from a high branch and descended upon the monstrous infant. He brought his katana down with a fluid motion. "For our home," he declared.
In an instant, a zombie guard intercepted and blocked with his bare arm. He didn't even flinch. He twisted and pulled Hafen's katana with his other hand.
The katana fell to the ground and slid to the edge of the cliff.
In the air, Hafen attempted a kick on the zombie guard's waist.
The zombie guard caught Hafen's leg and slammed him into the dirt below.
Hafen crashed and coughed up blood. His vision blurred.
A thick plume of dust rose into the air.
A large foot suddenly stomped on Hafen's stomach, pinning him in place. "Stay down... Human," the zombie guard growled with disdain and pressed harder.
Hafen groaned in pain and reached for his katana. "My telekinesis," he murmured.
The katana shook and hovered in the air. It flew back and landed perfectly in his hand.
Hafen slashed across the zombie guard's chest. A slash of water emerged from the blade and sent his adversary stumbling back.
The zombie guard regained his footing and stood with no emotion as blood gushed out. "Lucky," he groaned and charged.
Hafen rolled to the side and avoided a stomp. He swiftly got back up and held the katana with both hands. He swung and sliced across the chest again.
The sheer force tore through the body entirely, splitting the guard in two.
The zombie guard gurgled and collapsed with a final thud.
Other zombie guards lunged with relentless attacks.
At the same time, Stark created more vines to ensnare his opponents' legs. Then, he delivered a finishing blow with a wide, powerful swing.
His opponents crumpled to the ground.
Just then, a trio of zombie guards hurried and surrounded him. "You're... Surrounded," one of them noted and slowly closed in.
Stark smirked. "Three against one? Those are my favorite odds," he mocked. He slammed the claymore into the ground.
Vines erupted from the dirt.
The zombie guards jumped into the air to avoid them.
Stark narrowed his eyes and pointed his claymore at the airborne targets.
A series of small, sharp leaves shot out.
The zombie guards masterfully weaved between the projectiles.
One of them landed in front of Stark and displayed her long, sharp claws. "We... Rip... You... Apart," she threatened and swiped at him.
Stark sidestepped the attack and swung his claymore.
The zombie guard leaped over the attack and retaliated with a kick to the stomach. She quickly lunged and scratched his arms.
Clenching his teeth, Stark grunted and stumbled back. He clutched his bloodied arm and glared at her. "You're tougher than you look," he admitted.
The two other zombie guards landed around him.
The clawed zombie guard pointed and insulted with a slur, "Boy... Slow."
The trio advanced with a united assault. Their sharp claws extended, and they swiped to kill.
After a swift onslaught, Stark backed away and stood with scratches all over his body. His chest heaved as he panted. He held the claymore in a defensive stance, and his eyes darted back and forth.
"Don't worry, Stark," Matteo called out with his body layered with bruises. He rushed to Stark's side and thrust his rapier.
A small flame shot out and struck the clawed zombie guards.
The trio screeched as their arms caught fire. A foul smell filled the air.
Hafen leaped into the fray. He landed between his brothers and the zombie guards with a grimace. His nose twitched. "What a horrid smell," he commented while covering his nose. "Stay back," he demanded and swept low with his katana.
A small wave of water erupted and splashed against their adversaries.
The zombie guards slipped across the wet ground.
Hafen panted and narrowed his eyes. He glanced over at the monstrous infant who still slept on his throne, oblivious to the battle. "They're protecting the prince. If we want to get to him, we have to go through them. We have to defeat every single one," he explained.
"That's impossible. There are too many of them," Matteo muttered. He stared at the approaching horde, and a tremor of fear ran down his spine. He held his rapier with a trembling hand.
Stark shot him a fierce look. "We can, and we will," he proclaimed. He prepared his stance but suddenly jolted.
The cliff creaked below their feet, and a few pebbles fell into the abyss below.
Matteo looked down at the drop. His eyes widened in horror.
"We're being pushed back," Hafen noted with alarm.
The zombie guards' collective gazes burned with a singular purpose: to protect their prince at all costs.
"You... Killed... Friends... You're dangerous," a zombie guard with a particularly gruesome face snarled. He lunged forward. He drove his shoulder into Stark's torso.
Stark gasped as the air was forced from his lungs. He flew back and skidded to the very edge of the cliff. His eyes remained wide in shock.
Hafen stared in horror.
A surge of courage flooded through Matteo. "You leave him alone," he screamed and unleashed a torrent of flames from the point.
The fire engulfed and seared the grotesque zombie guard.
The zombie guard shrieked as its body was consumed by fire. He thrashed wildly and accidentally shoved Stark over the edge.
"No," Hafen and Matteo screamed in unison. Their hearts pounded in their chests.
Below, Stark dangled from a vine that grew from the side of the cliff. "Good thing these vines are stronger than they look," he grunted and hauled himself up.
"Stark," Hafen sighed in relief. He helped his brother climb back onto solid ground.
Suddenly, a chilling wail cut through the air.
Everyone froze and turned to the throne.
Prince Kain, the giant baby zombie, rubbed his eyes with fists. He glared at the commotion with fury. "Noisy... Breaking... My... Nap," he grumbled while drooling. Then, he grabbed a boulder and hurled it.
The boulder flew through the air with incredible speed and force. It crashed down against the cliff edge, and it crumbled.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen plummeted down the cliff with screams of terror.
The zombie guards approached the ledge and gazed down.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo have been pushed off the cliff. Will they survive the fall? Will they defeat Prince Kain and stop his conquest?