Apocalypse: King of Zombies

"What the hell is going on with these guys?"

The Lizardfolk Chieftain frowned, deep in thought, completely baffled. Could it be… they got eaten by some mutated beasts on the way?

But that didn't make sense. This whole area was Lizardfolk territory. The Clan Stronghold was nearby—it should've driven off any invading monsters. The route should've been safe.

Unless… something happened to the Stronghold too.

That thought made the Chieftain's old, scaly face twist with even more worry.

"..."

Under the cover of night, monsters tore each other apart in the darkness. From outside the village came the occasional bloodcurdling howl—feral screams, ghostly wails—echoing through the trees. He had no idea what was really going on out there.

For the Lizardfolk Chieftain, this night felt like the longest of his life. Every second dragged on like an eternity.

The Voidborn Undying were still in the village, and he'd sent out several Lizardfolk Runners to deliver messages—but none of them had returned. Not a single one.

As the hours crawled by, the sky finally began to lighten. A pale gray crept over the horizon.

The howls and shrieks outside slowly faded into silence.

Dawn had come.

The morning sun rose bright and golden, casting its light over the forest, chasing away the shadows and breathing life back into the land.

Ricky, Veyra, and the others stirred from their sleep. It had been the best night's rest they'd had in a long time.

Everyone looked refreshed and energized.

"Master, are we heading deeper into the Xenorift continent now?" Ricky asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Yeah," Ethan nodded. "But first, let's check out the Lizardfolk's Clan Stronghold."

With that, the group packed up their gear, grabbed their weapons, and fell in behind him.

Ethan led the way to a massive, ancient tree, where the Lizardfolk Chieftain was already waiting. The old lizard looked exhausted, his posture hunched. His green face somehow seemed even older than before.

"Sun's up," Ethan said. "Time to take us to your Clan Stronghold, right?"

The Chieftain's face twisted like he was trying to pass a stone. "My lord… maybe we shouldn't go just yet. I've got a bad feeling something's gone seriously wrong over there."

"What kind of 'something'?"

"I don't know!" the Chieftain cried, slapping his thigh in frustration. "I sent a bunch of our people to report in at the Stronghold last night. None of them came back. Not a word."

"I see…" Ethan paused, thinking. The Lizardfolk were near the bottom of the food chain in Xenorift. It wouldn't be surprising if something had wiped them out.

The Chieftain nodded furiously. "Exactly! If the Stronghold's been overrun by other monsters, it could've turned into a full-blown nest by now!"

"No problem," Ethan said casually. "I'll just wipe them all out for you."

"..." The Chieftain's face went blank, a dark cloud hanging over his head. That's your solution? Just kill everything?

Gee, thanks…

But since Ethan insisted on going, the Chieftain couldn't exactly say no. He gave in with a sigh and agreed to lead them there. Before they left, though, he gave orders to Kragg to gather every Lizardfolk warrior in the tribe and come along, ready to provide backup at a moment's notice.

If something really had happened to the Stronghold… maybe there was still a chance to salvage it.

"Move out!"

With the Chieftain's command, the Lizardfolk warriors sprang into motion, darting through the dense forest with agile, practiced movements. Leaves rustled and branches swayed as they passed, the sound of their movement forming a low, steady murmur through the trees.

Ethan followed at a relaxed pace, eyes scanning the surroundings. This was the same path the Lizardfolk Runners had taken the night before.

The air still held a faint metallic tang—blood. And mixed in with it, the scent of something else. Something… familiar.

He glanced to the side and spotted a few strands of thick, sticky fluid hanging from a tree branch, glistening as they slowly dripped down.

"Just as I thought…"

"..."

Before long, they reached the outskirts of the Clan Stronghold. The strange scent in the air had grown stronger—thicker. Ethan could sense it now: there were a lot of creatures up ahead.

Behind them, Ricky and the others moved cautiously, eyes sharp and alert.

They were deep in uncharted territory now—places few humans had ever set foot in.

Everything around them felt strange and new, like stepping into a forgotten world.

"Master, what's going on up ahead?" Ricky asked, glancing around. "It seems pretty quiet. Doesn't look like anything's wrong."

"I've told you before," Ethan replied without turning his head, "don't trust what you see on the surface. Sometimes, the things that fool your eyes aren't just illusions."

"Oh?" Ricky's eyes widened, his mouth forming a perfect O.

He could practically feel the knowledge bomb incoming…

Over ten thousand Lizardfolk warriors stood silently behind them, like statues rooted to the forest floor. The air was thick with tension.

The Lizardfolk Chieftain's brow was furrowed, his gaze locked on the distant outline of the Clan Stronghold.

From afar, they could make out the tall wooden palisades, and the silhouettes of Lizardfolk guards patrolling below.

"Looks… normal," the Chieftain muttered. "Maybe I was just being paranoid?"

He hesitated, taking a step forward as if to go ask—but something made him stop. He turned to Kragg instead.

"You. Go check it out."

"Huh?" Kragg blinked, caught off guard. But he couldn't exactly say no.

Fine, I'll go…

He rolled his shoulders and swaggered forward, trying to look casual. As he got closer, the guards took notice.

Several pairs of glowing yellow eyes turned toward him in unison.

Kragg felt a chill crawl down his spine under their gaze.

One of the guards called out, "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh… I had a few buddies come here last night to report in," Kragg said, trying to sound calm. "They never came back, so I figured I'd come check if something happened."

"Ohhh, nothing happened," the guard replied with a grin, slinging an arm around Kragg's shoulders. "Our master caught a massive mutated beast—thing's bigger than a mountain. They stayed behind to feast on the meat."

"For real?" Kragg's eyes lit up, and he started drooling uncontrollably.

"Of course it's real," the guard chuckled. "Buuuut…"

"But what?" Kragg asked, confused.

The guard's smile twisted into something cold and cruel. His face contorted, and suddenly—

"You gotta be the meat first."

CRACK!

The Lizardfolk's face split open down the middle, peeling back into four grotesque flaps like a blooming flower.

"Holy shit!"

Kragg froze in horror. He tried to back away, but the arm around his shoulder had already changed—no longer a limb, but a slick, writhing tentacle.

It coiled around his neck like a serpent, tightening fast.

Then the creature's gaping, four-part maw lunged straight for his head.

"Mother of—!"

Kragg's eyes bulged as panic set in. He couldn't breathe. His limbs went numb.

But just then, a sharp psychic blast tore through the air like a steel spike, slamming into the creature's mind.

"GRAAAHHH!"

The monster shrieked in agony, its body convulsing violently.

Kragg didn't waste the chance. He ripped free and bolted, stumbling as he ran back toward the others.

"Chieftain! Help me!"

But it wasn't over.

All around, the other "guards" dropped their disguises, revealing their true forms—twisted, monstrous things with splitting heads and wriggling appendages.

They let out inhuman screams and charged after him.

Ricky and the others stared, wide-eyed, as the horror unfolded.

Suddenly, Ethan's earlier words clicked into place.

"Damn… he was right," Ricky muttered.

...