Episode Eleven - Zombie (Part 2)

They cut through the forest, checking for wild predators, and creating marks to help them find their way back to the lake. Xue Long accompanied them, its claw-footed paws lacking grace as it broke every twig and branch it stumbled upon. Lars reeled in his irritation since he needed its assistance.

"Are we looking for something?" Eira broke the silence, wondering what Lars was up to.

"I thought we could ask your friend here for help," Lars admitted. "A predator's nose is a hundred times more sensitive than ours, and I hoped it could sniff out a clue." He secretly hoped that it would exceed his expectation and pinpoint the exact location of the missing corpses.

"And what are you hoping to find?"

"Corpses don't just disappear, and it's unlikely for scavengers to pick them this cleanly. They aren't the best at housekeeping." He handed the cloth to Eira, his jaw set in a hard angle. "This has chemical compounds released from days old rotting flesh, proving the corpses aren't fresh. None of what's happening makes any sense."

"You want Xue Long to sniff it out?" she fathomed.

"Yes. It would be a great help if it could help us to locate the corpses."

So far, she had only spoken a few sentences with the dragon. She had never attempted a command before. "I'll try." She waved for Xue Long's attention. "I need your help to find the owner of this cloth. Can you track it?"

It emitted a soft rumble before lowering its nose for a quick sniff. {Dead meat.}

"Yes, that's right," she nodded encouragingly. "Do you know where it is?"

{Smell is all around us. Everywhere.}

Eira's disconcerted expression had Lars frowning. "What is it?"

"Xue Long claims that the smell is everywhere." Her brows slanted in confusion as she dramatically inhaled, trying to pick up a scent. "Do you smell anything rotten?"

Lars's mind latched onto the real message. "It's scenting the chemical composition of rot! The putrescine compounds!" Lars was amazed by its advanced olfaction. "Unless it's nearby, we can't catch the scent, but your friend here can."

Eira had no clue what the heck he was saying but, she guessed he was satisfied with the results.

A disturbing rustle had them straightening to attention and she held out her reaper, her senses on high alert. Even Xue Long was growling and hissing intensely. The air thickened, and that's when the putrid scent of rotting flesh hit their noses.

Eira instantly gagged, covering her nose with her sleeve. "Oh my God! What the hell is that smell?"

Lars grimaced. This was indeed the scent of decaying flesh. Had they stumbled upon the corpses' new location. Did someone or some people truly moved them? But what was the reason for it? "Get ready. We're not alone." He braced himself for the emerging figures behind the tall bushes and trees.

The moment their attackers materialized, Eira swore nothing had ever surprised or sickened her more at their identities.

---------------

WHACK!

"Is it a good idea to camp here by the lake?" Koga groused, as he hammered the makeshift tent to the ground. "It feels like open season and stray predators could just wander by for a drink."

"Just finish up the tents, Koga," Anaelle snapped in irritation, busy analyzing the lake's contents. "If you worked as much as you talked, you would have completed your task ages ago."

"That's easy for you to say," he muttered irritably. "You're not even lending a hand."

Anaelle blatantly ignored him, refusing to engage anymore.

Florian refrained from rolling his eyes at their usual cat and dog argument. He wondered if these two dense idiots were ever going to realize they were attracted to each other. Suddenly, the fine hairs on his nape stood on end. Cautiously, he reached for the blade strapped to his boot and straightened to his full height. "Heads up, guys. I think we've got company." Sensing a presence creeping from behind, he didn't hesitate to sink his weapon into the fucker's chest.

"What the hell are those things!" Koga dropped his tools and hastily withdrew his reaper, Shisui. He poised the glinting tip before him as a shield and stumbled back at the army of the...undead?

Florian was both shocked and disgusted by the inhumane corpse before him – the skin ashen and scaly, gaping flesh displayed rotting entrails, and its face appeared melted. An eyeball was missing, while the other was clouded. It didn't even make a sound when he stabbed it repeatedly. Only then he realized it was completely unaffected by his attack – its receptors were already dead.

From behind, Anaelle lassoed it in and shredded it without hesitation. Body parts fell in cylindrical slabs of meat while Florian noted the peculiar absence of blood.

"I think we found our missing corpses." He exchanged an unsettled look with Anaelle.

"How can they still be alive?" Distraught gripped her voice.

After slaying a corpse, Koga rushed over, and the trio stood back-to-back. "These fuckers only stay dead when you hack them to pieces. It's like their body parts have a mind of its own."

More corpses materialized from the dark and they destroyed the horde in a flurry of slashes, whips, an occasional one-two punch and finally by severing off their heads. Koga whirled around at the noise behind him, only to come face to face with the Captain. Relief overwhelmed him. "Captain! Where were you?"

Lars took in the bloodless massacre. "We were attacked in the forest. It looks like these zombies are crawling all over the Oasis."

"Zombies?" The word rung familiar to Florian.

"A zombie is an old era theory whereby a corpse is reanimated to life," Anaelle summarized, a little shaken inside. "It appears it's no longer a theory."

"But what's making them come back to life?" Koga questioned, vigilantly scanning the darkness.

For once, Anaelle was at a loss for words. "I-I don't know."

A crack of lightning split the sky, followed by a peal of thunder.

Sheltering his eyes, Florian peered at the rifting sky, unable to believe what he was seeing. The heavens opened and tiny black figures rained from the sky, hitting the lake in explosive splashes.

Horror filled Eira as she realized those were bodies being dumped into the lake. What she couldn't comprehend was — who was responsible? How were they doing this? She had never heard of a technology this advanced…or alien.

Behind her, Xue Long hissed fiercely. {Enemy coming!}

Two figures emerged from the other end of the lake, alerting the team of imminent danger – one was hooded, while the other was a voluptuous, cocoa skinned woman.

"Master must be disappointed with this batch." Her voice travelled in the wind. "They were all unable to absorb the new DNA. Useless bags of flesh."

Lars's gaze narrowed at their strange conversation.

The shorter figure remained silent, watching the lake. A final splash indicated the last corpse.

"Are you the ones responsible for this!" Koga roared across the distance, breaking the silence.

The newcomers finally realized they weren't alone. Frowning, the woman folded her arms and remarked to her partner. "I thought you said the Oasis was inhabited. What are we going to do about them?"

"It's not." Came a quiet, masculine voice. "I'll leave you to take out the trash." He turned to leave but Eira stopped him.

"Wait a minute!" she called out. "Who are you people? What are you doing on the Oasis?"

He turned slightly, disinterested until he saw Xue Long — an unknown. "Is she yours?"

Eira was baffled, until it occurred to her that he was referring to Xue Long. Baring her proverbial fangs, she stepped protectively in front of the dragon. "Xue Long is a free predator. It doesn't belong to anyone."

"You are foolish to think so," he said — aloof and factual. "It seems you are ignorant about predator behaviour. What a waste that it chose you."

Xue Long growled, its displeasure obvious. {Human wrong}

"What is he talking about?" Eira glanced at the dragon, unable to catch the stranger's meaning. Why would it be a waste? "You chose me?"

{Yes. My master.}

"I am not your master," she denied vehemently, unaware the man was keenly observing their interaction.

How interesting, he thought, feeling a spurt of joy. To think that they would encounter another peculiar in the Oasis. It seemed this trip wasn't a waste of his time after all. He would report this good news to Father. Walking off, he said to his partner. "The girl is ours. Don't hurt her."

Matahari scanned the pink-haired female. Acid churned in her gut at her beauty —it was unacceptable! No one deserved to be more beautiful than she — Matahari of Ustrana. Swallowing her hatred, she knew Master Veres would be pleased to collect a new peculiar. It was part of the plan, after all — to create more like them. She had no right to complain, and she wouldn't dare to get in the way of Master's vision. Licking her lips, she unstrapped her glinting scythe. "Well then, I guess it's mealtime."