Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

Chapter 279: Story 279: The Revenant’s Gambit

The chill of night hung over the deserted town as Damien and Mira cautiously approached the broken remains of an old cathedral, rumored to be the hiding place of a powerful revenant—one of the undead generals loyal to the Zombie King. A source in the underground had tipped them off: eliminate the revenant, and they’d strike a deep blow to the King’s defenses.

"Are you ready for this?" Mira whispered, her eyes darting to the shadowed corners of the building.

Damien gave a curt nod, his senses on high alert. "This isn’t just another zombie. Revenants are stronger and nearly impossible to kill. We’ll have to be smart."

Inside, the cathedral was a haunting relic of a forgotten era. The moonlight filtered in through shattered stained-glass windows, casting eerie colors on the cracked floor. They crept forward, their footsteps silent, until a guttural growl reverberated from the shadows. A towering figure stepped into view, its flesh hanging loosely, stitched together with barbed wire. The revenant’s eyes glowed with an unnatural intelligence as it scanned the intruders, a cruel grin spreading across its decayed face.

"You should not have come here, mortals," it rasped, its voice like gravel.

Damien and Mira moved in unison, splitting apart to flank the creature. Mira drew her crossbow, aiming at the revenant’s weak spots, while Damien held his blade poised for a strike. They had barely begun the assault when the revenant leaped with unexpected speed, swinging a spiked club that sent Mira crashing against the stone wall.

"Mira!" Damien shouted, charging at the revenant. His sword struck true, slicing into the revenant’s shoulder, but the creature only snarled, unfazed. It grabbed Damien’s arm, squeezing with bone-crushing strength, and threw him across the room.

He landed hard, his vision blurring momentarily. Desperation flared as he struggled to his feet, glancing toward Mira, who was already back in the fight, her eyes blazing with fierce determination. She unleashed a flurry of crossbow bolts, some piercing the revenant’s torso, slowing its movements.

"Damien, the heart!" she called, her voice strained but clear.

In revenants, the heart was the seat of their cursed magic. Without hesitation, Damien sprinted toward the creature, dodging its massive swings. In one swift move, he drove his sword deep into the revenant’s chest, piercing its heart. The creature froze, its eyes widening in shock before it crumbled to the ground, its body turning to dust.

The silence that followed felt deafening. Damien breathed heavily, his hand still gripping the hilt of his blade. Mira joined him, a hint of relief in her expression.

"It’s done," she said softly, looking down at the pile of ash that had once been their foe.

"Just one more step," Damien replied, determination in his voice. But even as he spoke, he knew the challenges ahead would only grow more dangerous. This battle was won, but the war with the Zombie King loomed larger than ever.