Chapter 11: Killing Last Thick Zombie and Sudden Meeting

Chapter 11: Killing Last Thick Zombie and Sudden Meeting

The steel pole-wielding Thick Zombie thundered towards Zorvax, its roars cutting through the air like a siren call of the damned. The ground vibrated under its weight, and dust rose around its form like a shroud.

Zorvax stood ready, his daggers catching the dim light of the forsaken city. "Come on, then," he coaxed in a low, rough tone. "Let's see what you've got."

The zombie swung its weapon, a pole that looked more like a girded beam, with such force that it would have leveled a lesser opponent. Zorvax, however, danced away with a fluidity that belied his rotten appearance.

"You're slow," Zorvax taunted, the words scratching their way out of his throat. "And I'm not just any zombie."

He ducked under another swing, feeling the rush of air as the pole whooshed over his head. "I've fought smarter zombies than you," he said, almost conversationally, if one could ignore the context of their deadly ballet. Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

The Thick Zombie, a mass of decaying muscle and rage, could only respond to Zorvax's maneuvers with guttural bellows. It swung its heavy pole wildly, each heave a blind yet dangerous attempt to connect with anything that moved.

"Is that all you've got?" Zorvax taunted, darting away from a particularly aggressive swing. He watched the creature, reading its body language, predicting where the next lumbering strike would land.

The zombie, incapable of strategy, didn't reply with words but with another roar, louder and more ferocious than the last, as if to affirm its single-minded intent to destroy.

Zorvax smirked, his confidence growing with each successful dodge. "Come on, then! Show me your strength!" he jeered, egging the creature on, his voice echoing through the empty cityscape.

The zombie's swings became more frantic, less coordinated, its roars now tinged with the frustration of repeated failure. Zorvax, agile and precise, waited for just the right moment.

"There!" he exclaimed as the zombie's arm tensed in preparation for another strike. Zorvax lunged forward, his daggers aimed with lethal precision. The sharp blades cut through the air, sinking deep into the zombie's skull with a satisfying thunk.

The impact of the blades sent a shockwave through the creature's body. It let out a roar so intense that it seemed to shake the very air around them. It wasn't a sound of triumph but one of agony as it thrashed wildly, its limbs flailing in an uncontrollable frenzy.

Two of the survivors, clad in what looked to be homemade armor, were barking orders at a woman who stood with them. "Quickly, use your power," urged the first armored man, his tone desperate, his armor clanking as he gestured frantically.

"Yeah, we need it now, or we're done for!" the second man joined in, his voice echoing off the broken walls that surrounded them.

The woman in the middle, her face smudged with dirt and exhaustion, seemed to hesitate. Zorvax watched her closely, a flicker of empathy stirring in his chest. "What can she do?" he wondered out loud, a rarity for him.

Reluctantly, the woman lifted her hands, and Zorvax watched in wonder as a shower of lights cascaded from her palms, surrounding the two men and infusing them with energy.

"Support powers, huh?" Zorvax murmured, an intrigued smile twisting his lips. "Not something you see every day."

The transformation in the two men was instantaneous. The one who had demanded the power now sported nails that looked as sharp as knives, while the other's legs bulged with newly enhanced muscles.

"Clever," Zorvax admitted, watching as the newly empowered men turned back to the fray, their confidence renewed.

He leaned against a broken wall, content for the moment to observe. "A nail enhancement and a leg enhancement," he repeated to himself, his voice a low rumble. "Survivors are getting creative."

The girl's eyes followed the men as they charged back into the battle, her expression a mixture of fear and determination. Zorvax could see the strain the power exertion had taken on her.

"Interesting group," he said, half to himself. "But what's their story?"

He decided to keep watching, his curiosity piqued by this display of human resilience and adaptation. "What'll they do next?" he wondered, settling in to find out.

The girl, watching her companions engage the zombies, seemed to sag with relief. Her part, for now, was done. Zorvax noted her slump, the small movement not lost on him. "She's the key to their survival," he realized. "For now, anyway."

So Zorvax stayed hidden, a silent observer of the unfolding drama. There was much to learn in this new world, and every survivor, every battle, had a lesson to offer. He just had to wait and watch.