The zombie upper torso withered on the ground, it's face contorting in grotesque spams, even cleaving in half didn't killed it. Black blood oozed from its cleaved wrist. Sunlight shone on it like the shimmer of a cascading waterfall.
Kazuki took a step back, mana still dancing along the blade's edge.
"I did it!"
The training montage wasn't wasted. He actually managed, to pull it off. He could now puff his chest and say with chin held high that he could take out anyone by himself.
Just then Lillan stood beside him giving him a look. "Congratulations, you finally did something, since we left." She fired a frost lance straight to the zombie chest and froze in on the spot.
Kazuki rubbed his nose with a finger. "You gotta admit, I was cool, right?"
She huffed, turning her head to the front, as if no longer interested in his chit-chat. "Even if you were, saying it out loud makes you look lame."
He gave the frozen corpse a satisfied nod. "Rest in pieces." And followed after her. Flicking the mana edge off the dagger like it was some dramatic anime move. The shimmering blade fizzled out with a soft pulse.
"So... what now? I say, let's bask in the glorifying moment. The birth of new warrior. The man of mans. Kazuki—"`
"—chicken lord." she cut in, then continuing . "And If you don't shut up your crap than, I'm sticking dagger in your mouth."
Kazuki immediately slapped both hands over his lips. "Mm-mm!" mumbling behind the fingers.
Lillan raised an eyebrow, her frosty dagger still humming softly in her palm. "Smart boy." He gave thumbs up, while his hands still glued to mouth.
She sighed, dagger dissolving melting into a mist. "Jokes aside, we need to figure out our next move. We don't have food and water and have no idea how many of these are wandering around." She signaled to the zombie impaled to the ground.
Kazuki finally lowered his hands. "Right.", he narrowed his eyes, his hands on his chin like a strategist in a war council. "We could head back... or keep exploring. This place might have supplies assuming zombies and fungi haven't eaten them already. "
Lillan crossed her arms. "Heading back means another full day through the wood and no proper destination or time limit and no idea when we would reach another civilization... and let's say our condition isn't exactly top tier right now."
Kazuki nodded, head bobbing up and down, like an enthusiastic bobblehead. " Thousand percent agree."
Lillan ignored him. Her focus turning to rest of crumbling ruins. "We find supply and maybe stay here for a night. Let's sweep the village clean."
They moved to the crumbling hut, the first of which they'd seen when they entered. Its roof carved in, barely held together. The doorway was hung askew. They moved in, only thing they found was old furniture broken and scattered, what might have been a table once was now just a trio of splintered legs. A small shelf hung at the crooked angle, still holding ceramic jars.
Opening the jars they found out most of them were empty, the only one—the last of which had a black powder. On another sniff they identified it as spice.
"One man's rotten pepper is another man's—seasoned victory." Kazuki declared, drooping it into his inventory with pride.
They moved to the next hut in lane, in which they found two bodies lay sprawled against the wall. They were out cold, instead of poking like last time Lillan froze them and then did a search around, finding out nothing. They moved to next one. This happened with most of huts on the first lane. So, their spoils were: Black pepper and dozen frozen zombies.
They moved to the deeper part of the village. Most of the huts were the same—empty, broken and ageing out.
Kazuki yawned dramatically, his hands to the back of his head. "This is boring. We didn't even find anything to eat.". Lillan didn't answer right away. Her eyes scanning: sharp and alert.
"Boring means safety." She muttered eventually. Not taking her eyes off path ahead. "You should be thankful."
"Yeah, right." He kicked off the pebble on the road. It bounced off, disappearing in the underbrush. "I'm so thankful."
Then a sharp shriek cut through the air, from the narrow path ahead, three figures charged ahead. Arms flailing, mouth twisted into snarls. Flesh of chunks were clipped off from there parts of body. Exposing bones and muscles. Ther eyes filled with primal hunger locked onto Kazuki and Lillan as if most delicious cuisine in the world.
"Oh hell, yeah." Kazuki drooped into a stance, his dagger materializing in his hands with flash of blue light. "Finally, some action."
Then a circle materialized mid-air, it's edge oceanic hue. Complex shapes and runes twisted and turned inside it like puzzle constantly rearranging itself. The temperature dropped in an instant—nearby dirt road and vines frosting over.
FWOOOSH!
Fiver spears erupted from the magic circle, whistling through the air like vengeful banshees. Each one found it's mark with chilling precision. Impaling the charging zombie's mid-strike.
SHLUNK! SHLUNK! SHLUNK!
The undead recoiled backwards, slamming onto the dirt road. Ice spread rapidly from impact points, freezing limbs, torso, and finally, there whole head, locked in seconds. Silence returned in few seconds as if zombies charging just few moments ago was mere an illusion.
He turned to her, arms flailing down dramatically, voice laced with mock betrayal. "No fair! You should've left some for me!". To which she huffed, flipping her hair to the side. Moving forward not taking part in his nonsense.
He stood there sulking. "I had cool move planned. I was going to go shzz and then goo BAM..."
A chorus of shrieks rang through the air—one from ahead and another from behind.
Kazuki froze mid-bam, his eyes tracking the sprinting zombie which barreled in from the side path. "Not today, Meat missile!". Determined not to be outdone by Lillan again, he dashed forward, mana sparkling across the blade. Then burst into full glow as he slashed clean through the zombie's midsection.
SHHNK!
Drops of black blood splattered, across his shirt and cloak. "Eugh—seriously?! Disgusting!" He recoiled, hopping back. The upper half of the body kept twitching. Dragging itself forward with arms.
Kazuki's mouth scrunched up. "Persistent little—fine!"
He brought the blade down again.
SHK!
Then again.
And again.
And again.
SHK! SHK! SHK!
Chopping it into four neat pieces, just to be on safe side. Even then it twitched.
He stood over the remains, eyes spasmed. "Stay... down"
From way up ahead a loud voice rang out. "Need help?" Kazuki looked at the writhing pieces of hands crawling, legs dragging and a tongue lazily flopped out of a half-severed mouth.
He shouted back, "Nah, I'm fine."