It was just another dark night in the forest.
Kara seemed hypnotized by the dancing flames in front of her. The silence and shadows had enwrapped everything, and the small campfire made by her own hands looked like salvation in the horizon. The snapping of the burning wood was the only sound around. The rogue tightened her blanket around her red-haired head and sighed.
— I hate this silence. It's nerve-racking.
None of the two men close to her answered the comment. Hashan was standing some meters away from her, in a state of full concentration, trying to spot any suspect movement inside the gloomy forest. With slow movements, the warrior whirled the edge of his blade on the ground, mumbling something inaudible. He seemed completely lost in thoughts, making Kara wonder if his patrol was being effective at all.
Not far from Kara was sitting Corister, resting his back against a bulky tree. The young mage seemed completely focused on his spell book, covered with leather and strange drawings. Kara could hear him whispering strange mystic words from inside his red hood, while his nimble fingers seemed to draw figures in the air. Kara turned her eyes to Lea, Corister's familiar, begging for some company. The green-glowing pixie was sleeping over a large leather bag, beside her master. Her smooth wings were moving up and down, together with her breathing.
The rogue surrendered. In a quick movement, she reclined her body to the side and closed her eyes. Her muscles were aching because of the long journey they were on. The road to Highmoon seemed to get longer day by day. And it was definitely that forest. The strange atmosphere was affecting the whole party in a subtle way. Only Kara could actually feel that. During her lonely childhood in the distant Moonshaes she was taught to listen and understand the nature. But that place seemed poisonous, permeated with silent and disturbing evil.
Lost in thoughts, Kara slowly fell asleep.
Her rest lasted for few minutes. The rogue was suddenly awaken by a creepy, inhuman moaning. The strange sound burst from the deep forest, and it was enough to put the whole party on its feet.
Breathing fast, the rogue instinctively grasped her bow and an arrow from the quiver, targeting her projectile to many directions. Corister seemed calmer, but equally dismayed. Taking hold of his dagger from his belt, the mage told the frightened Lea to hide on the top of the tree. Hashan turned to what he judged to be the origin of the sound, sword drawn.
The horrified party then found out what was coming. Many zombies were limping in their direction, their hands raised, trying to reach for them. The rotten flesh mingled with dirt and tatters disgusted Kara, who managed to throw her quiver on her shoulder with a quick movement. An only arrow would not be enough at all.
Kara and Hashan moved backwards, getting close to Corister and the campfire. The undead kept on moving forward with slow pace, thirsty of blood. Kara gasped and armed an arrow. Corister moved his hand, asking her to hold fire.
The mage closed his eyes and started mumbling in an unknown tongue:
Fedrit Oegmund Jbadirt Kostum Paektra…
Corister raised a hand in the air and a pale blue glow started to emanate from his fingers. The energy focus grew stronger until take the shape of three shining projectiles. Kara couldn't wait. The fear was taking over her.
Suddenly, the sound of her arrow ripped the silence of the night. Hashan cried with fury and threw himself over the zombies. His blade immediately knocked down two of the monsters, as Corister's darts were aimed on one of them. The creatures groaned, but there were more of them coming out of the darksome woods. Kara's arrows were flying without control, she was able to make many of them fall. Corister was busy conjuring another spell, when he felt the sharp teeth of a zombie piercing his shoulder.
It's the end — He thought, feeling the pain invade his body with the speed of lightning.
But the mage was surprised when the monster fell beside him, stunned by a large branch fallen from the tree beside. The mage looked up for a moment and spotted Lea waving to him, from among the leaves. That was enough for him to be thankful for having a familiar.
The battle didn't last for long. There weren't many zombies and soon the forest was as silent as before. The group could not linger to leave, or more beasts would appear briefly. Corister packed their belongings into a leather bag, while Kara put the campfire out. A few moments later, the three companions were crossing the dark forest, moving among the trees with haste under the moonless night.