Chapter 44 - The End

'Brave or stupid?'

Zera leaned towards stupid, panting and grunting with effort as she dodged the tentacles that the super mega zombie kept waving towards her and her friends.

No matter how many times she chopped off a fleshy tentacle, it regenerated. The whole idea of cutting it into pieces was pointless. But she was not about to give up.

Halfway through the path toward the super mega zombie, Zera tried not to gag with a closer look at its enormous body. The tentacles attached to its belly had her grimacing. 

To fight off nausea, she busied her brain, thinking of a way to be able to plant the grenade in between its heads.

She might have no choice but to use the tentacles as leverage.

Zera shook her head vehemently.

"Gross," she muttered, slicing her way towards the super mega zombie. All the while, she was waiting for Jaspreth to use his cannon. It would obliterate another wave of the horde. 

She would need that kind of distraction for the super mega zombie. That way, she would be able to explore her options in taking it down.

Option number one entailed her setting off the grenade and throwing it toward the enormous creature. Fingers crossed, she would pray to all the divine beings she could for the grenade to make it in between its head.

Or, she could risk having it mad, letting its tentacles surround her and pull her just enough for her to make the climb on its somewhat slippery body. There was a ninety-five percent accuracy that she would be able to splatter its brains all over the ground.

The remaining five percent was for her failure to do the climb.

Option number three was to get its attention and hope it would scoop Zera up with its dirty hands and draw her close to its mouth. 

She could then throw the grenade before she would be swallowed alive.

Option number four involved herself curling into a tight ball while she let the super mega zombie swallow her and set the grenade off inside its belly.

Zera crossed out option number four almost immediately. Aside from the gagging at the idea, there was a probability she wouldn't be swallowed whole. The zombie had jagged teeth. It could easily slice her flesh into bits.

When she watched it munch on its minions earlier, the scene before her gave her a mental image of what would happen.

"Ew," Zera muttered. Before she could set off the grenade, she might have been nothing but broken bones and diced flesh.

"Okay, options 1, 2, and 3 only." Zera swung Jaspreth's sword, beheading the zombies on the way. 

The super mega zombie was drawn to the sound of the rapid firing caused by her teammates.

The enormous monster was distracted enough, but Zera didn't want to take her chances. She shouldn't underestimate it, or it could be a fatal mistake on her part.

"Ugh," she mumbled, trying to pick the best option to pursue. Her best chance lies in options number 1 and 2. Option number 3 was very risky. 

"Damn," Zera muttered. Zeroing in on the monster, Zera glanced back at her friends. They were all very exhausted.

Clutching the only weapon she had, Zera was readying to make a choice when the ground beneath her feet shook at random, making her lose her momentum.

Not to add, Zera also dropped the sword in her hand. It skittered a few feet away from her. 

"Nooo!" Zera silently cried. She immediately got herself back on her feet. 

Shea tried to run for it only to jump back with one yikes when two tentacles came for her. One in front and the other at the side.

"No way?" Zera said sarcastically, watching the sword a few distances away from her. "Great," 

Now she was left with nothing but her daggers.

"Z!"

Astherielle's voice echoed from a distance. Zera didn't have to ask why she was screaming. Behind her, the super mega zombie had risen to its full height. Debris from the building it had emerged from rained by its feet.

"JAY!" Zera called out. "It's now or never!"

Finally making up her mind on what to do, Zera crossed her fingers and wished for a miracle.

"Alright! At the count of three, Z!"

"Just do it!"

Zera dodged another aimed attack by the super mega zombie in time to gut the zombies, who made a beeline towards her using the only weapon she had left.

It had Zera thinking that this stage had basically given them three options for a weapon because of this specific reason.

"For," Zera panted, kicking zombie number one before dancing around to crack zombie number two's head off. She groaned at the sickly crunch before its head fell to the ground, followed by its body. "Crying out loud! Hyah!" 

The next set of zombies that came for Zera all fell to the ground, headless. She either plunged the dagger into its neck before breaking it or broke it directly, kicking the head to ensure it won't suddenly snap its mouth towards her.

"Z!" 

Staring at the super mega zombie, Zera listened to the thunderous boom as Jaspreth let loose another bullet with bluish fire.

Taking her chance, Zera ran, dodging zombies and tentacles left and right, and finally did the treacherous climb. 

Grossed out but clinging to the zombie flesh anyway, Zera used her daggers to make it towards its head, watching for anything the super mega zombie would do to her.

Puncturing it simultaneously, Zera was barely holding up. The gravity was pulling her down, and the slippery flesh wasn't helping.

On another note, a tentacle had made its way toward Zera. The super mega zombie had begun squeezing her, wrapping her on its thigh.

"HOLY CRAP!" Zera exclaimed, slicing the tentacle off of her. She grunted with effort as she pushed forward. She was covered in sticky goo, and Zera didn't like it. 

"Ah, to hell with this!" Zera reached for the grenade safely tucked on her belt. She pulled the pin, plunging her dagger higher, and heaved herself up. 

Swinging her other hand, which was holding the grenade, Zera aimed for the monster's head.

She took the time to leap away from the monster, covering her face as she rolled to the ground.

BOOM!

The ground shook beneath her feet.. Despite her arms shielding her face, Zera closed her eyes too and waited for her doom.