โDamn it, damn itโฆ How far is that thing going to chase me!?โ
Lieutenant Colonel Yakov Schwizen of the Kingdom Armyโs Intelligence Division was sprinting with all his might. It was just before dawn, and the corridors of the detention facility, still unlit for the hour, echoed with his desperate footsteps.
โHaah, haah, haahโฆ!โ
If he didnโt keep running, it would catch him.
That thing wrapped in countless layers of bandages, like a mummy, clinging to him like a shadow, relentlessly closing in.
โฆBut surely, by now, heโd lost it after running so hard.
He glanced back over his shoulder as he continued sprinting.
As he thought, the shadow of the mummy was nowhere to be seen.
He exhaled a sigh of relief and muttered under his breath,
โKiwi Alayaโฆ! Why was that guy controlling zombies? Could he be more than just a mere Dark Healerโฆ?โ
After catching his breath, Schwizen scanned his surroundings.
He was on the third floor of the detention facility.
Escaping the zombie was a relief, but he had strayed far from the location where the clergy were stationed.
โIโฆ I have to go backโฆโ
Schwizen turned to face the corridor he had just come through. The path ahead was pitch black.
โโฆโ
He found himself unable to take the first step.
โIs anyone there?!โ
He called out into the darkness, but as expected, there was no reply. Odd. Even at this hour, a few Kingdom soldiers should have been standing guard.
โฆCould it be that they were all alreadyโฆ!?
โNo, no way! That canโt be!โ
Schwizen shouted to steel himself and finally forced himself to take a step forward.
Itโs fine, itโs fine.
Nobodyโs chasing him anymore.
His squad was waiting for help. He had to get back to the clergy quickly so they could vanquish those cursed zombiesโ
โHuh?โ
Schwizenโs eyes widened.
Several meters ahead, the lantern-like magical light fixture on the corridor wall flickered. With a sharp โpop,โ it briefly glowed pale blue, only to extinguish again. The light pulsed irregularly, casting an eerie, flickering glow.
โW-Whatโs happening hereโฆ?โ
Each pop of sound coincided with the light turning on and off, as if beckoning Schwizen forward.
โItโฆ itโs a trap, isnโt it? It has to be!โ
Schwizen shouted, though he wasnโt sure who he was yelling at. He simply couldnโt suppress his voice.
โIโm not going! I know itโs a trap! Thatโs right, Iโll just take a detour. If I go around to the corridor on the opposite side and turn the cornerโโ
Suppressing his ragged breathing, Schwizen turned his head toward the other path.
Peeking around the corner of the wall was the face of the mummy he had been fleeing from.
โWh-Why are you behind meee!?โ
In a split-second decision, Schwizen stepped forward and began sprinting full-speed down the corridor where the flickering magical lights had earlier made him hesitate.
There was no other path left to take.
From behind, he could hear the heavy, dragging footstepsโthudโฆ thudโฆ thud.
The mummy was closing in.
โAhhh!โ
He let out an incoherent cry, running with all his might. The magical lights on the walls flickered on one by one in sync with his movements, as if they were deliberately refusing to let him escape.
โDamn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!โ
Reaching the end of the hallway, Schwizen turned the corner at full speedโonly to slip. Losing his balance, he fell sideways to the floor.
Yet, there was no pain.
Instead of hitting the hard ground, he had landed on something softโsomething alive.
โUghโUAAAAHHH!โ
Beneath him was a person. A Kingdom soldier. His neck was grotesquely twisted, his head rotated a full 180 degrees, with his chin pointing toward the ceiling.
โUghโฆ ughโฆ ughโฆโ
Trying to escape the soldierโs bloodshot, wide-open eyes, Schwizen crawled backward on his hands.
Squelch.
His hand landed in a warm, sticky liquid. It was bright redโblood.
โUwaaah! Uwahhh! Uuuuugh!โ
Realizing that the slippery substance covering the floor was blood, Schwizen felt bile rising in his throat. Yet, the sound of the mummyโs footsteps continued to echo from behind.
โNo, noโฆ no!โ
โฆI canโt die like this!
Wiping the blood off his hands on his uniform, Schwizen kicked off his blood-soaked boots and started running again.
โSomebody! Help! Anybody!โ
He pounded desperately on every door he passed, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.
But no one responded.
Clatter!
One of the doors swung open when he pounded on it. It appeared to have been unlocked, slightly ajar from the start.
Iโll hide in here!
Schwizen pushed himself into the room and quietly shut the door behind him.
โHaahโฆ haahโฆ haahโฆโ
His breathing was ragged, his heart pounding violently. His teeth chattered uncontrollably, the noise echoing in his skull.
To stop it, he bit down hard on his own arm.
โฆStay quiet. Donโt make a sound.
Holding his breath, he prayed that the footsteps would pass by the door.
Thudโฆ thudโฆ thud.
Thudโฆ thudโฆ thud.
Thudโฆ
The footsteps stopped.
Every pore in Schwizenโs body began to sweat cold.
Did it find me? No, thatโs impossible! I threw away the bloodied boots! I wiped my hands clean! And Iโm wearing socksโthereโs no way I left footprints!
Trembling, he curled into himself, clutching his shoulders so tightly that bruises began to form, and whispered a desperate prayer.
โฆOh God, please, oh merciful God! I have served you faithfully until now, living a virtuous life as your devoted servant, doing my duty for the Kingdom! Please, I beg you, save me!
After what felt like an eternityโ
Thudโฆ thudโฆ thud.
The footsteps resumed, passing by the door and gradually fading into the distance.
A minute laterโ
โHaahhhhhh!โ
Schwizen exhaled a massive breath and collapsed to the floor.
โDid Iโฆ did I survive?โ
It was a miracle that heโd found a place to hide. Surely, there was a God. Surely, He rewarded those who truly believed.
โThank you, Godโฆโ
But what kind of room was this? Could there possibly be a rifle or some kind of weapon? Anything useful at all?
Schwizen turned to look behind him.
There it wasโthe mummy.
โWh-?!?โ
In his shock, Schwizen jumped back, hitting his head against the door.
The window at the far end of the room was open, letting in a gust of wind. Had the mummy come in through there?
There was no time to think.
The mummy reached out.
โUghh! Aghh! AAAHHHH!โ
Schwizen wrenched the doorknob open and bolted back into the corridor.
โWhat is this? What is this?! What the hell is going on!?!โ
The mummy was still pursuing himโor so it felt. But he couldnโt look back anymore. He didnโt even know where he was running now.
โI donโt want this! No more! Why wonโt it just kill me?!โ
Tears, snot, and drool poured down his face as he ran.
He even wet himself.
Nothing made sense.
He couldnโt understand the zombieโs behavior. If it wanted to kill him, it could have done so at any time.
โฆCould it be? That zombieโฆ maybe it canโt kill me?
Schwizen stopped and turned toward the mummy with a deranged smile.
โThatโs it! Thatโs gotta be it! You canโt kill me, can you?! Thatโs why all you can do is try to scare mโโ
Grab.
The mummyโs hand closed around Schwizenโs neck.
It slammed him into the corridorโs window.
โHuh?โ
The next moment, Schwizen was airborne.
The window shattered as he was thrown from the third floor. Falling backward, he braced for death.
โฆIโm dead.
Or so he thought.
โGah!?โ
Instead of the hard ground, his back hit something softerโheโd landed on the roof of a military truck.
โIโmโฆ not deadโฆ? Ugh!โ
He had landed badly. One arm felt dislocated or broken, and his leg might have been sprained. Blood from a gash above his eye stung as it dripped down.
But he was still alive. He could still move.
Descending from the truckโs roof, Schwizenโs eyes widened in disbelief.
โThe keysโฆ theyโre in the ignition?!โ
Climbing into the vehicle, he quickly turned the key.
The engine roared to life.
โYes! Iโm out of hereโagh?!โ
A sudden flash of intense light and a deafening boom paralyzed him.
Looking out the windshield, he saw a massive figure cloaked in darknessโan officer of the Demon Nationโand a hero bathed in holy light, clashing in midair. The shockwaves from their battle were obliterating the surrounding buildings.
โIโVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!โ
Schwizen slammed on the accelerator.
โIf I stay here any longer, Iโm dead! Iโll definitely die!โ
He sped off, heading toward the Elden South Gateโand the Kingdom beyond.
โI donโt want to die here! Ellieโฆ I want to see Ellieโฆ!โ
Ripping the badge from his chest, Schwizen tossed it into the back seat.