Chapter 9 (the transformation)

At the main gate, all civilians close to the

gate are being relocated deep into the

kingdom, but some remain, unwilling to

leave their properties.

"Everyone, please do not stand around

packing up your belongings," the guards

instructed.

Meanwhile, at the front of the gate, an

attack crashed from both sides,

overwhelming the guards.

"Ha, ha, ha. Let's destroy them." One of

the bandits laughed and said, Their

murder boosts their morale as they break

through the defense line.

The guard captain, after killing one of the

bandits, hears a young girl crying. He

looks towards the sound and sees a

young girl, around seven years old,

crying in front of a wooden house.

"Wah, wah, wah. Mummy," she cried out.

He ran towards the girl, "Young girl,

where is your mom?" He inquired,

placing his hand on her shoulder; the girl

didn't respond and continued to cry.

Just then, a bandit leaps towards the

captain, raising his axe. It's too late for

the captain to defend, so he wraps his

body around the girl, shielding her.

The bandit, about to strike him when a

sliver spear transfixed through him,

stopping him in his way.

"Are you okay?" The rescuer asked, and

the captain looked up to see his savior,

his eyes widening, "General Orion."

He shouted.

General Orion, pulling out his spear from

the dead bandit, said, "Carry the girl and

fall back while successfully evaluating

the civilians. We are going to take care of

things here."

The guard captain carries the girl on his

arm. "I'm taken my leave; please be

careful." He said, and departs.

This time, they manage to overcome

their differences as their main armies

take over.

They continue to crush the bandits.

Suddenly, King Axel dashes forward,

double-crossing general Darius.

King Axel swings his spear into the air,

slamming back an axe thrown at general

Darius from a blind spot.

An old man, 152.4 cm tall and 30.48 cm

wide, emerges from the blind spot,

behind a house on the left side of the

kingdom.

" Ha,ha,ha. What did I tell you, third

brother? We should have just gone all

out from the beginning." He said as he

stepped forward.

Another man comes out of the same

house. "You're partially right, second

brother. It's not like we had anything to

lose either way." The third brother

replied.

They both clap their hands.

"Boys, it's time for fun." They said,

uniformly.

Instantly the dead bandits begin to

stand, transforming into creatures with

pale, sickly skin, resembling living

corpses. Their eyes are dull and

bloodshot, their bodies cold.

The soldiers hearts start pounding, they

breathe rapidly, and their pupils widen as

cold sweat covers their skin.

Simultaneously, at the palace, Isabella

bounces out of the palace gate with

Drake following her closely behind.

"Hey, Isabella, can't you wait like your

father asked?" He said. Isabella quickly

turns to him, folding her arms and fixing

her gaze on him.

"Let me ask you this. If one of your

parents were at war, just like mine is right

now. What would you do?" She asked.

Trying to discourage Isabella from

leaving the palace, Drake answers the

other way around,

"I will just let it be, since it's their choice."

He responded.

Isabella frown. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't

have asked an idiot like you." She said,

turning and walking away from the

palace.

"Hey, wait, can't you just stay?" Drake

called out, following her. Isabella spots

an empty sleigh and tried to drive, but it

won't move.

"Isabela, why don't you get in the

passenger seat? I'll drive the sleigh."

Drake suggested, trying to claim her

down.

She looks at him for a moment, then

steps down from the driver's seat and

moves to the passenger's side. Drake

climbs into the driver's seat, grabbing the

rein connected to the reindeers,

"woo, woo." He mimicked the old man

from his memories. The sleigh slowly

starts to move.

Back at the gate area, all armies stand

ready, timid, unsure of what to do. King

Axel notices this, knowing that if nothing

is done, the situation may worsen.

"Everyone should snap out of it," he

urged, "since they are not humans."

They can't think or decide anymore,

which means they are weaker than

before."

He is still explaining when one of his

soldiers is grabbed by an undead, biting

and feeding on him.

This creates more fears among them.

This time, King Axel chooses to boost

their morale. "Everyone, listen to me

attentively," he commanded.

"These are not a living soul anymore. If

we don't do anything about it, your wives,

children, parents, and the kingdom itself

will be turned upside down. If you don't

want that to happen, team up and attack

in two." His words inspires them.

His two generals attack one of the

undead bandits leaders while King Axel

takes on the other. Both bandit leaders

have also transformed into an undead,

but their sanity remains intact.