Chen Ziao, a rice farmer in the kingdom of Xzia, wished his wife good bye as he went off to work in the fields. On his way he stopped at the shrine of Yazou protector of the region. After leaving his offering of fruit, he hears the noise of braking bamboo coming from the forest of Zan. Jin Xziarite, a neighbor of Chen’s, emerged from the woods.
“Good morning,” He said but Jin did not respond. His movements were chaotic and unnatural. Suddenly more figures emerged from the woods. Men, women and children but they looked like corpses. When Jin got closer, Chen could see that mouth dripped with blood and that there was a deep gash in his neck which surely had taken his life. Chen realized they were all the living dead and ran back to his house his thoughts on his family; if they hurried they could take refuge in the castle of lord Genzo. What Chen did not know is that neither he nor his family would ever leave that house, not as a free human being at least.
When he entered his house a tall white skinned stranger stood with his wife and children.
“You have a beautiful family, I was never so lucky in my life. My name is Zejebel and while you do not know it we will soon be best of Friends. For only a monster would separate a man from his family.” The man said in calm voice.
“Family, stranger you must all hurry the dead are alive are coming here.” Chen said in a panic.
“Do not fear those people, they are my family – a large family- that you are now a part of,” Zejebel spoke. Chen was hardly listening, so great was his desire to flee. He grabbed the hand of his son, but the child did not react. Chen shook the child and then realized that he was dead, like the others.
“You will have to forgive me for starting before you arrived my friend,” the necromancer said through a thin smile.
Elsewhere in the kingdom an exhausted messenger arrived at a manor house.
“Lord Gakyusha!, Lord Gakyusha!,” he called. Henshin, the grandfather of Iro and Ayako ansered the call.
“I hope you disturb us for a good reason imperial messenger, it is very late.” Said Henshin.
“I bring news most vital,” answered the messenger and held out a scroll. Henshin unfurled the scroll and read it by the light of his lantern. Horror crept across his face.
“I will warn the Imperial lord immediately, thank you for coming,” Said Henshin. The messenger bowed and then left quickly – he had many more warnings to give before the sun rose.
In the morning the imperial hall was packed, among the generals and nobles in attendance were the Imperial Champion, the imperial Lord Master Toran, Master Tsuro and the emperor himself. All were looking a great map of the lands. Lord Genzo had managed to make it to Meragi and one of his solders had been able to warn the empire. The clashes with the army of the dead left no question as to their intent, the death of all citizens of the empire.
Daijin spoke, “ I have scouts in the area, they report an army of one thousand heading southeast.” Looking at the map the imperial lord thought out loud.
“These creatures are the same that attacked the zil zircus; to get here they must have gone through the lands of the Dragon, and here to the prison of the Néhant.”
“Then we face the minions of the Néhant ,” said the emperor.
“We shall show them the power of the empire!”
“My mother arrives, make space.” Said Daijin and from his arms fell several crow feathers which formed a circle on the floor. From it emerged a being of shadow.
“Tell me Kuro, what You have learned?” Daijin asked the shadow.
“The castle lord Genzo fell; all that lived there are dead, and were made into more zombies for the army. Worse still the army also had demons and Niantic mages. I am sure that their target is the city of Shirokoya.” Kuro said.
“Shirokoya, second largest city in the empire” said the emperor.
“Can we reach the army before they get to the city?” He continued.
“We of the Crow Clan can intercept them at the entrance of the Province of Akushin,” replied Daijin.
“Akushin is my ancestral home,” said Gakyusha
“My Kobotas will join the fight.”
“As will the Tsoutaïs,” added Toran.
At the time of the battle the army of the dead marched between two great rock cliffs. The Kobotas had the high ground and thus the advantage. They set upon the dead and demons; and while they fought fiercely the enemy was without number. To make matters worse Almaria stood behind the front lines resurrecting the very undead they had just killed. A team of Demon Hunters managed to get close to the witch but she just retreated behind two demons. But when the battle was joined by the great army of Xziarite their Victory was assured. This was just the battle, the war had just begun.
From the top of a mountain, Amidaraxar, Zejebel and Almaria watched their falling army.
“as excepted they have taken the bait,”
“Excellent,” replied Amidaraxar.
“With their greatest champions here, they shall not have time to stop our next move. They shall return home to find their capital in ruin and the emperor dead,”
And with that a great portal opened and into went an army of demons.
Will the emperor survive the sneak attack?
Will Chen like his new life as the living dead?
Is Daijin’s Mom really a creature of shadows, or is Google translate messing with me again?
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