Chapter 28: Forward, Heavy Weapons Guys!

In the gray hours before dawn, DeGroot Keep was thoroughly surrounded by Zombies. All the Gullywash Snipers were dead, and so were the Heavies who didn't manage to get into the Castle Halls in time before they were sealed off, including Igor. Meanwhile, the mercenaries and remaining Heavies were resting inside the Castle Halls, while King Terenti stared grimly at the thick doors that kept the Zombies from getting in.

"Those women and children below us…" Terenti said, sighing deeply. "…we've failed them."

"Not yet, King Terenti," Aonghus said, leaning against a table. "Remember what Gerald said? 'Look for me to the Eastern boulder on the dawn of the fourth day'. It'll be the fourth day since we left Rottenburg once the sun rises, and there is a big boulder near the village."

"But what are we supposed to do? Wait for him? Our numbers are less than half of what we had yesterday, and what if he doesn't show up?"

"The King is right," Matthias said as he got up from his hunched position against a wall. "If we stay here, there's a chance that the Zombies'll break in just like they did with the Main Gate, whereas if we go out and attack them now, we'd be taking a gamble on our lives depending on whether Gerald shows up with his reinforcements or not."

"Well if we're gonna die either way, then I'd prefer dying fighting Zombies than cowering in these halls," Gavin responded, glaring at Matthias.

"Is there any way out of this castle? Any secret passages or doorways that you can think of?" Aonghus asked, ignoring Matthias and Gavin's bickering.

"The only other way out besides the Main Gate is the side-entrance near the open turret, before it was overrun by Zombies," Terenti replied, shaking his head. "I'm getting too old for this."

Aonghus patted Terenti on the shoulder and said, "You may be old physically, but I know you're still strong at heart. Ever since I was a lad I've heard stories about your greatness, how you'd never give up despite the odds, and protect those you loved at all costs. Now what's say we put our faith in Gerald, and go charging out there for one last stand?"

The Heavies in the room looked at Aonghus like he was crazy, while Terenti gave him a long somber look and then to everyone's surprise, he nodded.

"Alright," Terenti said, and turned to the other Heavies in the room. "Everyone, we may not survive today, but we are still Heavy Weapons Guys! We laugh in the face of chaos, we kill our enemies without mercy, and we never back down from a fight! Now who's with me?!"

All the Heavies in the room cheered, and immediately got their weapons and fighting gear on. Terenti did the same and so did the mercenaries. Once they were all ready, Terenti ordered that the doors to the Castle Halls should be opened upon his signal, and then immediately shut after the last Heavy leaves. As for the women and children in the dungeons, he ordered that a fraction of the Heavies head down there to protect them in case the rest of them were killed by the Zombies.

"Now it's coward-killing time!" Terenti shouted, and the doors to the Castle Halls opened.

Outside, the Zombies were crowding near the doors, which Terenti shot immediately using his Minigun. As he carved a path, the other Heavies and the three mercenaries followed behind as the doors closed behind them. They managed to get through the Zombie-infested Courtyard, through the gap in the Battlements, and out onto the open field, where more were waiting. Then as the sun rose in the East, a lone figure appeared on the large boulder that stood in front of the empty village, followed by another who was larger in comparison. There was the gleam of a white robe and a steel jaw when the sun rose high enough.

"Crikey! That's Gerald and Ivan up there!" Matthias exclaimed, looking towards the boulder.

As if he heard them, Gerald nodded in Matthias' direction and then he cried, "October Fest!"

From behind the boulder appeared the Bears of Alpine with their fists pumped and ready for action.

"Forward, Heavy Weapons Guys!" Ivan commanded, and charged down the boulder to join with the others as they ran into the battlefield.

Gerald entered the field as well after he summoned Krasnoye, the leader of the Red Army Robins, and swooped down over Zombies while cutting their heads off with a Bonesaw. From there, the battle turned in the mercenaries' favor with the Bears of Alpine plowing through rows of Zombies with their clawed hands while the three mercenaries took out the Zombie Snipers, Pyros, and Spies before they reached the dungeons. Then as the rest of the Zombie army attempted to retreat, they ran into a strange mist that had engulfed the BLU fort and the grassy hills beyond. When some of the Heavies attempted to go after them, Gerald prevented them from following the Zombies by creating a magical barrier.

"If you go into that mist, you will never come out alive," Gerald warned.

Then shortly after he spoke, a series of agonizing screams and moans came from the mist, then a mass of Ghosts rose above the mist. At first, they appeared to be glowing white blobs, when they suddenly changed to resemble the Zombies themselves but fully covered in skin and healthy-looking. The Heavies and mercenaries watched as the Ghosts briefly saluted to them before vanishing into the clouds. This in turn caused the mist to fade, revealing a cloudless sky that was hazy with smoke.

"Oi, what just happened?" Aonghus asked outloud.

"It would seem that the spirits of those Zombie mercenaries had come to reclaim what was left of their souls, which was used to keep the Zombies alive in the first place, and return to the afterlife where they belong," Gerald answered, then he pointed his Freedom Staff towards the source of the smoke, which was a canyon several miles away. "Also, if you look towards Hightower, Merasmus has clearly been beaten."

The three mercenaries looked in that direction, and they couldn't believe their eyes.

"Did the Ghosts do that?" Gavin wondered.

Gerald shook his head. "I don't think so. While Ghosts may have the ability to possess a body whether living or dead, they do not have the power to destroy whole buildings. That is clearly the work of the Headless Horsemann, and I'm sure Mickey and Patten are there, too."

"Should I be concerned with the things you are saying, doctor?" King Terenti said, striding over towards Gerald.

"Not necessarily, but you will learn more about them once we get to Hightower." When Gerald said that, everyone looked at him with shock.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" Matthias responded, rubbing his ears mockingly. "You want us to go to Hightower when the bloody wizard is still there?"

"Didn't I already say that Merasmus has been beaten?" Gerald reassured. "There's no need to be alarmed, Matthias."

"But he may still have some magic left in him," Aonghus said.

In response, Gerald nodded and then he said, "I'm sure he will, but he'll have to contend with me first."

"So why are we going to the wizard's lair? Does that mean we won?" King Terenti asked.

"Yes, we have won the battle of DeGroot Keep, but there is still Gray Mann's spirit to contend with. He will no doubt be angry with Merasmus, and so we are going to Hightower in order to decide Merasmus' fate. Then from there, the battle for America will truly begin."

End of Chapter 28