Zombies Attack!

by Mark Cheverton

“You think there are still magical items hidden there?” Watcher asked.

  “My dad and I searched all of its rooms and halls and found everything we could. But who knows … maybe there are still items hidden away.”

  Suddenly, the rattling of bones filled the air. Blaster skidded to a stop and held a hand up, calling for silence.

  “Get to the shadows.” Blaster donned his black leather cap and disappeared into the darkness.

  Watcher and Planter both moved into a dark shadowy patch and crouched. Drawing his bow and an arrow from his inventory, he notched the shaft to the string, then peered into the darkness.

  “The sound came from over there,” Planter whispered into his ear, pointing off to the left.

  Watcher could feel her breath against his neck.

  Turning, he peered into the forest. His keen eyes searched the shadows, using the edges of his vision to look for movement. Everything seemed still; Blaster had disappeared, the skeleton had stopped moving, and the animals in the forest became gravely silent.

  The quiet was unnerving.

  Turning his head slowly, Watcher scanned the shadows, look for any kind of … and then he saw it, the glint of light bouncing off a polished stone. A bow creaked in the distance, likely belonging to the bony monster. Turning, he drew his arrow back and then fired. The arrow streaked through the forest, then struck a tree right next to the skeleton.

  “Did you hit it?” Planter whispered.

  Watcher didn’t reply. Instead, he pushed his friend to the ground just as an arrow zipped by over their heads. Quickly standing to his feet, Watcher drew another arrow and aimed, but now the sound of startled screams filled the woods. The skeleton was shouting out in pain as it tried to escape, the clattering bones filling the air.

  “The skeleton is trying to run away,” Watcher whispered. He tracked the sound with his bow, estimating the speed and distance. “Blaster must be chasing him.”

  Watcher aimed ahead of the monster, far enough to put an arrow in a tree right in front of him, then released the shaft. He could hear it whistle through the air, then thunked into the trunk of a tree. The clattering of the bones stopped when the monster skidded to a stop. Suddenly, the sound of blades scraping against bones filled the air. The skeleton yelled out in pain and fear, then grew silent.

  Scanning for movement, Watcher peered into the shadows, looking for more threats. He thought he heard the crack of sticks and the crunching of leaves, but saw nothing in the shadows. And then suddenly, Blaster was at his side.

  “Don’t worry, I got him,” the boy said as he removed his leather cap and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. “He tried to get away, and was moving pretty fast, but then he stopped for some reason. After that, it was all over for him.”

  “Good,” Planter said. “I hate skeletons. I’m glad you were there, Blaster.”

  Watcher wanted to mention it was his first shot that had directed Blaster to the monster. He also wanted to brag that it was his second arrow that had stopped the skeleton from fleeing. But Blaster was already on the move, heading for the ancient watchtower, Planter following close behind. Sighing, he followed the pair, his eyes still scanning the darkness for monsters.

  They moved in silence through the woods, passing from an oak forest to one filled with tall spruces. The dark green leaves were not as closely packed together, allowing the sky overhead to peek down on the travelers. As they marched, the sun kissed the western horizon, casting out orange rays of light that pierced through the gaps in the foliage. It splashed warm orange and red light on the surroundings, creating a magical scene. To the east, the sparkling faces of the stars emerged from behind the blue curtain of daytime, slowly advancing across the sky as the tiny pinpoints of light pursued the square face of the sun. Watcher was about to comment on the serene beauty of the scene when Blaster stopped right in his tracks.

  “We’re here.”

  Before them stood the top of a tower made of mossy brick and stone. The structure was capped with alternating rings of quartz and obsidian, the black and white circles making a bull’s-eye that pointed up into the dark sky. Beacons hung on the side of the circular tower, casting light upon the colored windows. Around the tower, huge craters scarred the forest floor, as if a storm of meteors had pummeled the land.

  “What’s with all the big holes in the ground?” Planter asked.

  Blaster smiled. “My dad asked me to unearth more of the structure. So I did the thing I enjoy the most.”

  “You used TNT?” Watcher asked.

  “Exactly.” Blaster nodded. “I detonated explosives around the tower, then kept going down until I found the bottom of the structure. Once I reached the base, I found a huge part of the building that was completely buried. This wasn’t just a tower; it was a gigantic structure with buildings stretching out in all directions.”

  “Did you search it all?” Planter asked.

  The boy nodded. “We searched what we could, but it’s really dark down there, and there were lots of traps built into the floors and walls. In some places, sand and gravel had fallen in to block the passages. I still have no idea if we disarmed all the traps down there.” He glanced at Watcher, then Planter. “That means you need to be careful down there and stay close to me.”

  They both nodded.

  “OK, come on.” Blaster led them down a series of steps that had been carved into the edge of the excavation. “I marked the path to the bottom with redstone torches. Just stay on the path and you’ll be okay.”

  It was slow moving down into the hole, the drop from the edge at times sheer and fatal. They carefully followed Blaster, the young boy traversing the trail with practiced ease.

  As he descended, Watcher examined the tower. It was built out of stone bricks, some of them cracked while some had the green luster of moss-covered blocks. At places along the side of the tower, colored windows of yellow and purple and white sparkled in the light of the moon that was just clearing the eastern horizon. Glowing beacons hugged the side of the tower, casting light across the structure. A grid of iron bars ran along the corners of the blocks that made the cylindrical tower, giving it a rugged look, as if it could endure for centuries … which it had.

  Jumping down the path, Watcher moved from redstone torch to redstone torch, the path likely impossible to follow without the glowing sticks. They took a switchback, following the rough-hewn steps in the opposite direction. This brought the main building into view.

  “I can’t believe the size of that building.” Watcher was stunned.

  “Yeah … it took a lot of TNT to excavate it all.” Blaster smiled. “It was fun.”

  Connected to the huge tower was a gigantic structure topped with an ornate roof, the pattern across the top of the building made of complicated designs and multiple colors. It was magnificent.

  “What do you think the ancient wizards used this for?” Planter asked.

  Blaster shrugged as he leapt from block to block.

  “I heard my dad say it was once the tower for one of the strongest wizards.” Beads of sweat trickled down Watcher’s brow, the salty moisture clinging to his reddish-brown hair. “He thought the tower itself somehow magnified the wizard’s power, but I don’t understand how that could be possible.”

  “I don’t think anyone knows much about the wizards from the ancient times,” Planter said.

  “I wouldn’t mind having one of those wizards here, right now,” Watcher said. “I bet they could just teleport us right to the tower entrance.”

  Blaster chuckled. “Careful what you wish for. Those wizards are gone for a reason. Maybe they caused more trouble than they were worth. Besides, we’re almost there.”

  After three more leaps, Blaster reached a set of brick steps that led to the floor of the structure. They sprinted down the steps and stopped at the entrance of the huge cylindrical tower.

  Watcher gasped as he gazed up into the building in wonder. Colored light streamed in through the stained-glass panes that
decorated the walls, the beacons on the outside of the building driving the vibrant display.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.” Watcher glanced at Planter. She had a stunned expression on her soft face. “It’s—”

  “Breathtaking.” Planter sighed after completing his sentence.

  “Come on, let’s get the stuff.” Blaster moved into the room, ignoring the colorful windows set in the walls. Instead, he stared down at the ground.

  “What are you looking for?” Watcher asked.

  “We hid the cache, in case bandits found this place,” Blaster explained. “It’s buried under one of these blocks.” He walked slowly across the floor, then stopped. “I think it’s right here.”

  The boy removed his leather cap, then pulled a pick axe from his inventory and started to dig. Two adjacent blocks shattered under his tool, revealing a wooden chest in the floor. He reached down and flipped open a chest.

  “Let’s see what we have in here.”

  Blaster pulled out some chain mail, a stack of arrows, swords, food, some potions, and a full set of iron armor. Blaster took an iron broadsword for himself, then handed all the arrows to Watcher. Planter took the chain mail and draped it over her shoulders, Watcher did the same with a second set of the armor. After he distributed the food and healing potions, Blaster closed the lid and put new blocks over the opening.

  Watcher glanced around the room as he adjusted his new armor. Glancing up at the windows, he saw that the pattern of colored panes looked strange.

  “Anyone else notice that the colored windows sorta look like a person?” Watcher pointed to the pattern of purple and white panes.

  “If that’s a person, then what’s that above them?” Planter pointed to the yellow and black windows on top.

  “Maybe some kind of gold and black hat,” Blaster said. “That’s kinda weird. You think it means anything?”

  Watcher shrugged, then turned and glanced at the wall opposite the entrance. The white and purple windows no longer formed the image of a man. Instead, the purple made the vague shape of an arrow pointing down.

  “Blaster, these windows look like an arrow, pointing down.” Watcher moved closer to the wall. “See it?”

  Blaster shook his head, his dark curls bouncing about. “I just figured the ancient wizards messed up on the pattern.”

  “Not likely. This can’t be a mistake … it’s a message.” Watcher moved closer to the wall and stared down to where the colorful arrows pointed. “I bet there’s something under here.” He tapped his foot on a moss-covered block. “Can you dig it up?”

  “Well … I guess.” Blaster hefted his pick and stood at Watcher’s side. “I doubt there’s anything there. My dad and I searched all these rooms and passages a hundred times.”

  “Humor me.”

  Blaster shrugged, then swung his pick at the block in question. After four hits, the cube shattered, revealing a dark glowing block underneath. After three firm strikes, that block shattered as well.

  “Well, I’ll be creeper … look at that,” Blaster said.

  “What is it?” Planter asked. “What’s there?”

  “Another chest, but this one is an ender chest,” Blaster said.

  “An ender chest?!” Watcher was stunned. “I’ve never seen an ender chest before.”

  “Then I guess today’s your lucky day.” Blaster put away his pick and moved back.

  Watcher peered into the hole. The ender chest was black in color, but had green stripes along its sides, and a golden latch holding it closed. He reached down and flipped the lid open, then jumped back, unsure what was going to happen … nothing did. Moving cautiously forward, Watcher peered into the dark box. Inside were two items, both glowing with an iridescent purple hue.

  “What’s in it?” Planter asked.

  Watcher reached down and removed the objects. One was an enchanted sword like none he’d ever seen. The other was an enchanted shield.

  The blade was made of a shining, mirror-like metal, but had an iron handguard and iron handle. A small, perfectly-shaped diamond was imbedded in the guard on both sides. The blade was not wide, like a normal sword—rather, it was narrow and lightweight. It cast a wide lavender hue on the three companions, its magical enchantment pushing back against the darkness.

  The shield sparkled with some kind of magical energy. The front was colored a deep, forest green, with stripes of white radiating out from the center. A ruby-red gem was mounted at the center, the precious stone appearing ominous and powerful.

  “You should use these.” Watcher handed the blade and shield to Planter.

  With the shield held up high, Planter swung the sword through the air, a huge smile on her square face. The blade seemed to whistle, leaving behind a glowing trail of white spots in the air, as if it actually split the air molecules in half.

  “I love this,” she said.

  “Then you should keep it.” Watcher smiled, seeing her joy.

  “Agreed,” Blaster added. “You needed a weapon, and now you have one.”

  “But I didn’t find it, Watcher did … It should be his.”

  “No,” Watcher said, shaking his head. “You need a weapon, and this longsword will be perfect for you. It’s lightweight, maybe because of its enchantment, and seems to fit perfectly in your hand. I want you to have it. Besides, you know I’m no good with a sword, and what am I going to do with a shield? I need both hands to fire my bow … that’s enough for me.”

  She looked at him and smiled. His heart felt as if it leapt up to the stars.

  “Okay, but it needs a name.” Planter paced back and forth. “I’ve heard that every great sword needs a name, and I’m gonna name this one Needle, because it’s so thin and sharp.”

  “Needle it is,” Blaster said. “I think we have what we came for, now it’s time to leave. We need to get to the next village and try to warn the villagers.”

  “Agreed,” Planter said.

  Blaster closed the ender chest and replaced the block of stone, hiding its presence, then moved to the tower entrance. Planter was right behind him, Needle held firmly in her right hand. As Watcher followed, he thought about how this tower could have been buried so deep in the ground. He got the feeling that a terrible battle had happened here a hundred years ago, and the ghosts of the battle were still lurking in the dark halls and rooms of this structure. Moving out of the tower, he followed Blaster and Planter up the steps that led back to the surface, the redstone torches casting wide crimson circles of light. He stopped for a moment and looked back down upon the building. Watcher was glad to be leaving the ancient watchtower, but he knew their next destination had creatures far more dangerous than his imaginary ghosts, and the trio was heading straight for that monstrous horde.

  Swallowing nervously, he notched an arrow to his bow, and continued up the steps, toward the zombie army that had kidnapped his father and sister.

  “I’m coming Cleric, I’m coming Winger,” he whispered to himself. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do when I find you, but I’ll think of something.”

  The sound of weeping villagers filled the air. Some begged for mercy, some sobbed uncontrollably, and others just remained silent, accepting the helplessness of their situation.

  “Be quiet!” a zombie guard growled, a look of hatred on his scarred green face. “It seems all villagers do is moan and complain.”

  “Moaning … I thought that was a zombie’s talent,” one of the prisoners replied.

  The guard moved toward the outspoken NPC and struck him hard across the face. The blow knocked the villager to the ground.

  “Be wise and be quiet.” The monster glared at the fallen NPC, then stomped away.

  Two men reached down and helped the injured villager to his feet. They brushed off the dirt and leaves from his smock and continued to follow their captors, the razor-sharp tip of their swords always poking the slowest in the back. A few of the villagers fell to the ground, exhausted from the forced march and l
ack of food, but the others quickly lifted their fallen comrades to their feet. Any prisoner that could not keep up was pulled aside and never seen again.

  “Watch these filthy villagers,” the monstrous squad leader said to the other guards. “This zombie must speak with the warlord.”

  The other monsters grumbled complaints, but the squad leader ignored them and moved quickly to the front of the army.

  The zombie cautiously approached Tu-Kar. “Warlord, the prisoners tire.”

  Tu-Kar turned and looked at the monster. “What is this zombie called?”

  “This zombie is named Fo-Lon.” The squad leader stood tall and proud.

  “And Fo-Lon is concerned about the villagers?”

  “Well … umm … Fo-Lon does not want too many to die before they are delivered to Kaza.”

  “Hmm … that is a wise response.”

  “So far, three villagers have been executed since being taken from their village.” Fo-Lon glanced up at the zombie warlord, his own diminutive size amplified by the hulking commander. He held his head high in spite of being so much smaller. “The pathetic NPCs could not keep up, and their punishment was swift and complete. But many more of the prisoners are weakening. Perhaps resting for the night will allow more of the villagers to survive. If the army does not stop, then zombies will need to carry the weaker ones to keep them alive.”

  “Zombies … carrying villagers … never!” Tu-Kar snapped.

  “Yes, Warlord.”

  Tu-Kar turned and glanced at the prisoners. They were huddled together into a circle, zombies on all sides, their booted feet dragging across the grassy trail with fatigue. Many of the monsters poked at the terrified NPCs with swords or with their razor-sharp claws, keeping them moving. Some of the villagers had their arms draped over the shoulders of comrades, their feet barely moving.

  The zombie commander looked down at the smaller monster. “Fo-Lon is correct. The villagers must rest or they might all be lost.”

  Tu-Kar reached into his inventory and pulled out his enchanted chain mail. He draped the sparkling metal over his shoulders, the enchanted links glowing a soft purple. The zombie warlord felt the magical garment bond itself to him, stabbing at his HP and causing a wave of pain to crash through his body.