The Reaper’s Sacrifice

"Hello Master" The reaper said in a raspy voice as it took a bow of respect.

"What the fuck is going on?, I'm so confused right now" Rash said with shock as he wiped his eyes and looked again to see if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Dom, how did you do that?" Christina asked with mixed feelings, at the moment her mind was in a mess from trying to piece together what was happening.

"Look at its head, it's that symbol" Tasha exclaimed as she drew everyone's attention to the reaper's forehead where a dragon tattoo like the one which was imprinted on his arm could be seen.

"I feel a sort of connection to it, I think it's because of the tattoo" I said as I tied the strange phenomena to the tattoo, it was all connected in a way that he didn't understand and he knew that even the reaper couldn't explain.

"What is that tattoo and how powerful is it to be able to bring a creature from a kid's imagination to life, it sounds dangerous" Rash said with a frown and this thought was something that they all agreed on.

"All the energy from the zombie killings was used in granting the reaper speech" I said with a glance at the tattoo which had dimmed even though he still felt enhanced.

"Then can you make me like super po…ARRG" Rash suddenly screamed in pain in the middle of his speech, he fell to the ground clutching his leg.

"Rash!" Tasha shouted as she grabbed him and tore off the cloth covering his injury only now discovering his pale appearance.

"URRRG" She immediately turned around as she puked in disgust and horror.

"Damn, how is it?" Rash asked in pain.

"OH shit" I said with horror as he grabbed his mouth.

"It's bad isn't it, fuck, I'm gonna die" Rash said as he peeked at the injury and almost fainted as he saw the wriggling purple veins that moved like they had a life of their own, they extended from the hole where the flesh could be seen rotting as the rot spread slowly, a bulge could be seen around the injury moving up and down underneath the flesh.

"Fuck, reaper take it out" I yelled as the reaper bowed and glanced at the injury.

"Hold him down, Rash this is going to sting a little" I said as he pinned Rash to the ground.

"Wait just wa…AAARRRRGG" A loud scream echoed through the floor as a tentacle shot out of the reaper's mouth as it clasped itself onto the injury.

Rash struggled in pain while we tried to hold him down as the purple veins on his leg could be seen receding at a speed visible to the naked eye, the bulge tried to move away but was sucked into the tentacle.

The tentacle disconnected itself from his leg as purple mixed with black blood flowed out of the injury onto the ground while Rash groaned as his originally pale appearance disappeared and was replaced by a rosy one as his sweat fell onto the ground.

"You will be okay after a quick rest" I said to Rash who nodded weakly as he lay in Tasha's arms.

"Now we need to think of a plan" I said to Christina who nodded as they walked over to the now tame reaper.

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Meanwhile somewhere else, the current events had just thrown someone into a fit of anger.

"Arrg, why did they have to side with the one opponent that we are currently having problems with" The shadow screamed out in anger as he slammed its hands onto the table causing it to shake.

"That guy, he's the one I want, since you guys want to play it that way then we'll play it that way, take all of them, I don't care how you do it, just capture all of them, but don't kill them and take special care of this one" The shadow said as it calmed down, behind it, the spider creature screeched lightly as it stared at the screen in anger then pointed at the screen showing I and the others before releasing an ear-piercing screech.

SCRREEEECHH

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"So we storm their base which is the control room then as the reaper fends off enemies there, we enter the control room and finish off the shadow, that should make the zombies disoriented and go back back to their dumb state, that way they will be easier to kill…" As he was talking, I suddenly paused as he strained his ear.

"What is it again?" Christina asked with a frown as she remembered what had happened the last time he did that.

"Can't you hear that?, it's getting closer" I replied as he heard the sound getting closer.

"ScccrRRRCHH!" An inaudible sound at first sounded but with time it grew louder and soon the whole squad heard it.

"That is the spider" Rash muttered weakly as he heard the sound.

"But it's louder than usual" I said with a frown.

"What is that?" I asked as he bent down.

"What is what?" Christina also asked.

"Place your hand on the ground, don't you feel that?" I asked as he placed his palm on the ground.

"Hmm, the ground…, it's shaking" Christina said with her hand on the ground, she could feel the ground vibrating slightly but the vibrations grew stronger with time.

"What is it?" Tasha asked in confusion as she also started to feel the vibrations.

"Uh Rash, can you stand?" I asked as he rushed over to Rash who nodded weakly as I helped him up.

"I what do you hear?" Tasha asked again.

"I don't even know but I don't think we want to be around to find out" I replied.

"I need you to make a hole here" I instructed the reaper who nodded as it moved backward, raised its tentacles into the air, and brought it down.

BANG

The ground collapsed as a huge hole made its debut before them, but at that moment, the intensity of the ground tremors suddenly increased by a fold.

"Woah" Tasha said as she tried to stay steady on the ground.

"Holy.." I said in shock as he finally identified what was causing the tremors.

"I think I finally know what's causing the tremors" Christina said as she pointed at the door some distance away from them.

RUMBLE

Zombies of unknown amount rushed through the hallways, they were so plenty that some of them were even touching the wall, the whole hallway was suddenly packed with zombies at once.

"Behind us" Rash said weakly as they turned to meet the same sight behind them.

"Fuck.." I cursed as he looked down below where some zombies could also be seen.

"We're surrounded from all sides, what do we do?" Christina asked as I glanced at the reaper, that simple look said it all.

BANG

The reaper swung its tentacles at the ceiling above the zombies from both sides, this caused it to crack as it fell onto the zombies, crushing them but even this didn't stop their advance because as some fell, others replaced them, they were like a swarm of wasps.

"How are there so many of them in one place" Tasha said in fear as they all clouded around the reaper whose tentacles smashed any approaching zombie backward.

"It's like all the zombies in the hospital" Christina remarked with a frown.

"We can't stay like this or they will keep coming, they are endless so we have to find a way to escape, hmm" I said as he looked around, as his eyes landed on the hole in the ground.

"I think I have a plan" I said as his expression lighted up.

"If I can see right, there are around 7 zombies under us, if I play my cards carefully, we can definitely take them" I explained his plan as he gave Rash to Tasha and grabbed his axe.

"What if there are more?" Christina asked as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Well I guess we'll just have to pray that I'm right" I said grimly.

"Listen, I almost lost you a few minutes ago, I'm not losing you now" Christina said as she turned my face so that their eyes met, as they did, he could see the seriousness in them.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel that but we don't have a choice, the reaper's energy isn't Infinite and the spider still hasn't appeared" I said as he grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

"Just promise me that you'll be okay" Christina said sadly.

"Okay I promise to stay safe" I replied as he pulled her into his embrace.

"Uh if you guys are going to do something then do it now" Tasha said as she noticed the zombies drawing closer.

I paused as he drew away from Christina and grabbed the axe then jumped into the hole, while in the air, he counted seven zombies around so he smiled and swung the axe at the head of the first zombie, the axe struck the head, causing it to explode before he even landed on the ground, he twisted the axe and swung it horizontally to the closest zombie.

BANG

The head of that zombie also exploded as the brain matter and blood splashed onto I who winced slightly in disgust before returning his concentration to the fight, now it was left with 5 more zombies and the distance between them was just right.

"Come and get me you stupid mofos" I taunted as the zombies screeched in anger before rushing at him.

"Woah" I ducked as a zombie's claw swept past his face, he went down and bounced back up using the moment to deliver a slash to the zombie's head, starting from its chin to its face causing the head to split into two, he then stomped on the zombie's chest sending it crashing back into an incoming zombie.

"Screech" A zombie behind me screeched as he struck its head with his elbow then turned and quickly busted its head.

"Dom quick, they're getting closer" Tasha urged from above as I tensed up grabbing his axe tightly, he threw it towards the closest zombie and then ran towards it as he jumped on it sending it onto the ground, he grabbed the axe and yanked it out of the zombie's head, the force causing the head to fly off as I attacked in quick succession smashing the next zombie on the head with his axe then quickly striking the one trying to ambush him from behind on the head.

"ARRRG" After killing the zombie, he then raised the axe and swung it downward.

SLASH

I stood up as he held the axe in his left hand, blood could be seen trickling down the axe as he made a sigh like he was holding a gun toward the still-standing zombie.

"Bang" I said with a smirk as the body of the zombie split into two parts and fell to the ground.

"Huff huff" I panted as he glanced upward through the hole.

"Danger averted" I said as he saw the relieved face of Christina staring at him.

"Now it's left with how we are going to get down, we aren't as super as you" Rash said with a smile, his condition was better now and the injury on his leg had almost healed, which even though was strange for him, he didn't take it to heart.

"I think I saw a water hose up there, it should be strong enough to support you guys, hurry" I said as Christina and Tasha quickly went for the hose and threw it down below towards me who grabbed it and tested its strength before giving them a thumb's up.

"Okay I'll go first" Tasha said as she grabbed the hose and climbed down.

"Okay I've got you" I said as he caught her and helped her down.

"Okay, who's next?" I asked as he watched Rash climb down next.

"Oh oh, we've got company" Tasha grimaced as she pointed at the far end where several zombies could be seen rushing towards them from.

"Fuck.." I cursed as I caught Rash and then glanced towards Christina who then climbed down.

"Come on come on" I muttered as he watched the zombies approach them.

"Yes" I quickly caught her as he helped her down too.

"Reaper let's go" I shouted as the reaper jumped down to meet them.

"Okay let's go run" I said as he placed Rash's hands on his over his shoulders as they ran.

"Shit they're getting closer" Tasha said as the zombies rushed towards them with vigor.

"It's okay we can make it" I said as they neared the end of the hallway, just after this hallway and a few turns was the control room.

"Huh, where's.." I paused as he looked back to see the reaper with two long and sharp spears protruding through its chest.

"Noo" He screamed as the spider stared at him with its creepy eyes and as it spat out its venom onto the reaper who screeched in pain.

"B..ye..mas..ter" The voice of the reaper sounded weakly as the next moment tentacles erupted from almost part of its body and pierced the surrounding enemies.

BANG

RUMBLE

"Let me go" I shouted in anger as he was held back by the rest, he watched as the tentacles pierced the walls around them, causing them to shake fiercely, he tried to escape their hold to go and help the reaper but they held him tightly.

"Reaper…" I said with tears as he watched the walls around the reaper cave in on them causing all of them including the spider to perish.

"I'm sorry Dom" Rash said sadly as he hugged me who felt heartache at watching the one creature he had as a friend during his childhood perish.

"Even though it tried to kill us several times before, It died a hero" I said sadly as he wiped the tears and grabbed the axe, he had to be strong for himself, the reaper, his parents, and his friends, he was the leader of their group so he had to steel his heart against losses like this, he had to stay strong and be a steady shoulder for his friends to cry on, for now, he had to become stronger.

"Huff" I sighed.

"Let's go, we have a shadow to kill" I said, he wouldn't let the reaper's death be in vain, he would direct all his anger toward the shadow.

"It's time to checkmate this bitch" I said as he led them toward the control room, now that all the pawns and knights were gone, the shadow would be defenseless.