Diana noticed that something was off from how Tomas was acting, but she didn't think much of it.
She continued her walk as she looked at the ruined buildings outside their shelter.
It was during this stillness of the night, when the forge was cold and the shelter silent, that her thoughts would drift to the family she once knew.
She thought of her mother and her step-brother...
Before the apocalypse had begun, both of her parents had already died, and she was left with her step-brother, whom she had rarely talked to...
They were like two ships passing in the night, only acknowledging each other's presence when the tides of family gatherings forced them into the same harbor.
And now, in a world where every day could be their last, Diana wondered if those missed opportunities would remain just that—missed.
She found herself whispering his name into the darkness, a single word laden with questions and what-ifs.
"Shane..."
After muttering this, she shook her head as she also didn't want to look for him since the man wasn't looking for her either.
Anyway, she finally felt sleepy and thought of returning to her room.
However, as she was about to do so, the silent night was pierced by a sudden, desperate cry, jolting Diana from her contemplative silence.
Her heart raced as she sprinted towards the source of the commotion...
As she rounded the corner, the scene that unfolded before her was one of horror and disbelief. Tomas, the guard she had just spoken with, was no longer the man she knew.
His face, once hidden in shadow, was now a disturbing flesh filled with infection while his eyes glowed with a feral hunger.
She recognized the man easily because of the shield and the pants on his body. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine as she realized that if she stayed there for a long time, she would be the one targeted by Zombie Tomas!
Indeed, she had been conversing with a ticking time bomb, unaware of the danger lurking beneath Tomas's concealed visage.
'But the zombification took a long time as well... I wonder why is that...' Diana mused as she slowly retreated. In any case, she saw that there were already several people hurrying to subdue the Zombie.
Herman's craftsmanship was evident in the blade's every curve and edge, a masterpiece forged for this very moment.
Eldric moved like an experienced warrior, his presence a beacon of hope in the encroaching death!
The blade hummed through the air as he waved it in front of the zombie!
With a swift, fluid motion, Eldric intercepted Tomas's lethal advance, the Kris Blade finding its mark in the creature's grotesque form.
Sssshhhlick!
The sound was sickening yet satisfying, as the blade cleaved through rotting flesh and severed the sinews that bound the monster to its unholy existence.
Eldric's strike was powerful, and for a moment, time stood still as the Zombie's momentum carried it forward before collapsing in a heap of lifeless decay.
Thud!
Diana, her breath coming in ragged gasps, looked up at her savior.
Eldric's eyes met hers, a silent understanding passing between them.
They were survivors and fighters, and in this moment, they were victorious.
The shelter, though scarred by the night's events, would live to see another dawn.
And as Diana watched Eldric wipe the blood from his blade, she thanked her once again...
"Is that the weapon Herman made for you?" Diana asked.
"Yes... He gave it to me just a while ago... It's an Exceptional Grade weapon... He also gave me a few accessories." Eldric replied with a smile.
He was thankful to Diana since she was the one who permitted his entry to meet Herman.
After some thought, Eldric spoke and revealed his true purpose for coming here.
"To tell you the truth, the Zombie that I'm about to kill isn't a Tyrant Zombie... It was called Flesh Puker Zombie."