After everyone was ready and armed with an assault rifle, we began our ascent into the darkness.

  Everyone used the flashlight attached to their gun to illuminate the area ahead, making sure nothing was waiting for us.

  The mention of Stalkers put all of us on edge. Raven’s wariness of them was also a sign of how dangerous they are.

  Even with the light from my gun, I had my hand flashlight in a place where I required seconds to grab it if the need arose.

  Neither of us had bought glow sticks or flares, as neither of us had expected to venture into a place such as this.

  Even Raven had only prepared flashlights and spare batteries.

  We moved deeper into the cave. It has already been more than half an hour since we began.

  Throughout that time, we kept the following formation:

  Roosevelt and Leo were on the front. They illuminated the ground and the lower part of the walls.

  Lily and Rich were a few steps behind them, shining the ceiling and the upper ends of the walls.

  I was in the middle and shone arbitrarily, searching for potential hostiles in the gaps the others left.

  Raven was in our rear and solely focused on our rear. He had it the hardest, but he volunteered to take this crucial role to keep us safe.

  Despite our relatively tight formation, I knew we possessed many weaknesses. Nonetheless, we couldn’t do better with so few people.

  I wasn’t the only one who noticed it, as many of my compatriots showed signs of restlessness along the way and it only worsened the longer we lingered. I also felt that way and couldn’t blame them.

  From time to time, we made marks on the walls. They had many purposes, but the two main ones were to help us if we decide to go back and prevent us from going in circles.

  If we found no other exit or a clue of one existing, we would need to backtrack to our initial start and the marks would have made it way easier.

  The inside of the cave was dark and wet. The humidity could be felt in the air. Numerous stalactites hung from the ceiling while parts of the ground had pointy stalagmites.

  If we weren’t in the potential danger of ambush and instant death, I might’ve stopped and looked at the scenery.

  It wasn’t every day that I could see such beauty.

  We have been scouting the place for hours due to our slow approach. It was safe, but at the same time, very exhausting and slow.

  Along the way, there was close to no talking.

  An exception was when Raven made it clear he wasn’t delighted with our pace, but according to me, slow and steady wins the race!

  Rushing in blindly was too risky.

  The only way to tell the time was with my watch. Two hours passed with no undead encounters.

  “What was that sound?” Leo asked, his tone showing he was on edge.

  “Your paranoia. Don’t panic. Keep your sanity,” Raven replied.

  “Is our rear safe?” I asked without having the leisure to look at him.

  “Yes, nothing to report as of yet.”

  “I think something moved in the shadows!” Leo exclaimed.

  “So annoying…”

  “There is nothing worrisome, Leo. Keep your cool,” Roosevelt tried to calm Leo.

  We entered a path in the cave where the space was tight. We were forced to move one in line.

  Neither of us realised this small path was filled with life until it was too late…

  “What is that?” Leo exclaimed.

  Most of us were already tired of his false alarms and began to ignore his warnings.

  This time, however, soon after he spoke, numerous small creatures flew over our heads, giving off small screeches.

  “Get them off, get them off! AAA!”

  When I realised we were attacked, it was too late. The things had already got near me. We didn’t have the time to shoot them!

  I waved fiercely with my arms in the air, trying to disperse the numerous monsters above me.

  When I lost all my hope, I realised they were gone.

  “What happened?” I asked, unable to understand what had just transpired.

  “Bats. Lowly bats made you lose it. I have no words. Next time, at least don’t scream so much! My ears!” Raven said, his tone showing palpable annoyance.

  “Those were bats?”

  “Yes, let’s move on.”

  We exited the narrow path and continued.

  The false alarm made me realise there wasn’t such a need to be on edge.

  After more time passed…

  “What was that noise?” Leo asked.

  After the incident with the bats, this was the first time he raised an alarm.

  “Relax. Nothing is here with us. Probably another bat,” I replied.

  I decided that panicking at the slightest sound was unnecessary and tiring.

  “Hold! Be on guard! Prepare for engagement!” Raven exclaimed.

  Raven’s orders broke my nonchalance.

  We all froze to his words and took positions. Lily and I went to support Raven while the rest kept the other side.

  “Be on guard. Something is lurking in the shadows.”

  Neither of us spoke. In this tense silence, I could barely hear something moving.

  Nothing happened in the next few seconds. Nothing attacked us.

  “Start moving slowly. Very slowly. Keep your fingers on the triggers.”

  We continued moving in our newer formation for a few minutes, our pace slower than ever.

  A relatively larger drop of water fell on my head. I instinctively looked up and lit the ceiling above us.

  I froze in place.

  A grotesque creature looked at me with its shining eyes, saliva falling from its mouth, filled with pointy teeth.

  It stopped holding on the ceiling and it jumped, barely making a sound during the process.

  I pulled and held the trigger. The gun’s recoil forced me to lose posture, but every shot hit the Stalker while it descended. Before it landed, it was already dead, its lifeless body rag-dolling on the ground.

  My shots startled everyone.

  “They are coming!” Raven exclaimed.

  Seconds after he spoke, numerous monsters closed in on our position.

  Their small frame and agile bodies made them hard to hit. We had to slay them from afar.

  Stolen story; please report.

  “Too many!” Rich warned.

  “Mary, help them, we’ll be fine!” Lily said.

  I went to help the other side.

  Our struggle continued for a while before the enemy decided to retreat.

  I used the momentary respite to drink water and calm myself.

  We somehow managed to hold them out, neither of them forcing us into a disadvantageous melee fight.

  “Should we go back?” Lily asked.

  “Too late. They already detected us and will not let us loiter around without one of them being nearby. We must speed up before they come with reinforcements,” Raven said, pulled the trigger of his gun and took down a Stalker he detected.

  I crouched and inspected one of their corpses.

  Like most undead, small parts of their bodies had necrosis, but as they were naked, everything was visible. Their skin colour was pale white, but the darkness they used to cover themselves made them hard to detect. Their blood is red. Overall, it was something that should only exist in nightmares, not in the real world.

  “Let’s go. Raven, Lily, on my sides. We’ll have to speed up.”

  I got up and we continued, almost running.

  The Stalkers kept stalking us from our rear, but their numbers were too few for them to attempt another strike.

  We didn’t let our guard down, often inspecting the ceiling to prevent another one from attacking us from above.

  We kept moving for half an hour, the sounds behind us gradually increasing.

  After the initial confrontation, they disregarded a portion of their stealth but increased the speed of their pursuit.

  They already possessed the numbers to attack us, waiting for the perfect opportunity to end us.

  I feared that another engagement was inevitable, but I saw light at the end of the tunnel. Literally.

  From the corner of one of the paths, I could see a light from a fire.

  We followed the light source. It was better than roaming, trying to outrun creatures we simply couldn’t.

  “Who’s there!” a shout came from the lit place before we even turned the corner.

  “We were taking cover from the storm when the entrance we went in collapsed. We are looking for another way out,” I described our situation briefly as I began to amble, but I continued having my guard up and weapon in my grip.

  I saw that there were two people, a man and a woman, guarding what was behind them, dressed in clothes similar to ours at first glance.

  “Thank goodness! I thought you were Stalkers and was ready to pull the trigger,” the man replied and somewhat relaxed his hold on the gun.

  “We had to fend them off until a while ago.”

  On closer look, both of them seemed nervous and tired. I wonder what happened with them. I doubt that the Stalkers are enough to make them look so miserable and desperate.

  “Is that all of your group?” the woman continued.

  Unlike the man, she was more on guard and was eyeing us up until the last person.

  “Yes, it’s just the six of us.”

  Even with the threat behind us, I was certain the strong light would keep them away. Therefore, with the bad memories from one of our encounters with other humans flashing in my mind, I had to be vigilant and make certain the ones before me aren’t bad people.

  The last thing we needed right now was human enemies.

  “What about you?” I asked them back.

  “We were initially a group of 30. Due to reasons, our numbers were reduced to 20. By the time we got in here, the damn Stalkers took a decent chunk of the rest of us. Come in. I’ll wake up our Captain for you to have a chat with him. You are no doubt Mercenaries, eh?” the man spoke.

  “Yes, we are. Lead the way.”

  “Private, hold the line while I’m away. I’ll make sure I’m fast. I’ll come running on the first gunshot I hear.”

  “Yes, Corporal! Be fast. I don’t know if I can keep my sanity if I’m alone for too long,” the woman lamented.

  “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  We followed the man and entered a cavern.

  “Sorry about her earlier. Being on guard duty in this situation makes people go nuts.”

  “It’s fine. We understand.”

  Most parts of the cave were lit, with torches or bonfires scattered around.

  We walked, passing by a patrol of two sentries, one of whom yawned, before arriving at one of the fireplaces and saw a group of five soldiers sleeping.

  “Captain, we have encountered other humans,” he gently pushed the shoulder of the highest-ranking officer and spoke in a quiet voice, making sure the rest didn’t wake up.

  I found the opportunity to take a better look at their wear.

  From their clothes, I could see that there were no Mercenaries.

  The soldiers had similar clothing to ours, forcing me to mistake them for Mercenaries in our earlier encounter.

  All combat uniforms looked the same, with a few minor differences here and there. Military ones include the rank of the soldier, whereas Mercenaries don’t have ranks.

  What stood out and differentiated them, making me believe they were soldiers, was an emblem – a red oak leaf on the shoulders.

  The place we were going to was called The Spearhead. It’s one of the few settlements staying strong in the parts of the Continent where the influence of the King is strong.

  The place is a beacon of hope, surviving constant sieges from the undead and serving as the base where part of the stronger Canadian forces are stationed to guard. It’s a base of operation deep into enemy lines.

  Although my knowledge of military matters is limited, I know that Canadian soldiers who wear a red oak leaf on their shoulders are those who reside in The Spearhead. They are an elite unit!

  Only settlements that have been operational for years or were in a crucial location have well-known names. Others, like our meeting point with Raven, a place with little to no value, weren’t worth remembering.

  They could be said to be nameless places that the people will forget about.

  Meeting these soldiers was such a delight! It meant we were close to our destination!

  This disaster might prove to be a great gain for us.

  My plan was to arrive at The Spearhead, wait for a supply convoy to deliver its goods and return to the safer parts of Canada while we leave with them. Afterwards, the mission was as good as finished.

  After the man who had just awoken was informed and regained some sense, he walked towards us.

  “Greetings. I am Captain Olivier. Let’s move somewhere where our talk won't disrupt the rest of my squad. We were on the run for a long while now and are all exhausted,” he whispered.

  The soldier who led us had already started returning to his post and was nowhere to be seen.

  Olivier walked and we followed him.

  He’s tall and has a muscular build. His dark hair is short and his eyes are dark brown.

  After walking for around a minute, we stopped.

  I thought this was the place and started talking. I’d better make a good impression.

  “Good day, Captain Olivier! My name is Mariana, but please, call me Mary. This is my party. They are Lily, Leonard, Richard, Roosevelt and Raven.”

  He nodded.

  “You seem to be in an awful position. What happened to you?” Raven asked.

  “We were a scout group of 30 strong from The Spearhead. We got ambushed by a horde a few days ago. Ten of my men and women had fallen before we managed to escape. We were on the run since then, barely having the time to take a break. By luck, the acid rain started and we hid in a cave-like place. The horde didn’t follow us into the rain. We had some light injuries, but it was still better than losing our lives.”

  He said while changing the bandage on his left arm. It had a yellowish colour and some blisters.

  I’m so glad we didn’t stay long in the rain!

  “Are 30 soldiers not a large amount for a simple reconnaissance?”

  “Usually, it would be overkill. But every party that had been sent with fewer than 10 soldiers never returned. Something strong is using guerrilla tactics against the fortress and the soldiers outside the walls. A group with your numbers would be in danger. I fear that I shouldn’t be sharing more with you about this matter.”

  “I’m glad you found shelter from your pursuers,” I said while smiling, making an attempt to lighten the ever-darkening mood.

  “Shelter? This? The hell wasn’t over yet. As the entrance we entered through was angled downwards, the acid continued harming us. We had to go deeper in. Not long after we thought we were safe, we were ambushed by Stalkers. I lost two good men before we forced them to retreat. I ordered us to look for a more defensible position. The skirmishes we exchanged cost the lives of three more of my soldiers. I feel like a failure for having so many of my company lost,” he said the last part with a hard face, clenching his healthy fist tight.

  “This. Very. Bad,” Raven told me while hugging me and cuddling his face in mine from my left side.

  At least he would not sexually harass me too much to tell me something important this time.

  Olivier didn’t care about his actions, but given his state of reminiscing about the recent events, I doubt if he even noticed him.

  He was tired and sleep-deprived, but the endless worries wouldn’t let him rest.

  I can understand how he’s feeling. ‘What if we did it like this’ or ‘I should have made sure we did it that way’. Blaming ourselves for the results that lead to casualties, for every little mistake that put the lives of our compatriots in danger.

  “Them. Trust. Situation. Bad. Rain. Stops. Horde. Comes/Waits. For us.”

  They are trustworthy. The situation, whether theirs or ours, is bad. When the rain stops, the horde that was after them will come for us or will be waiting outside.

  “What are your plans?” Roosevelt asked, making Olivier snap from his daze.

  “We have to take some rest. After that, we will try to get out of here. The biggest problem is the lack of food and water we are experiencing. The rain did more damage to our provisions than I initially thought. Due to our condition, I fear we might not make it to base and reunite the survivors with their families.”

  “And to make a report,” Raven added.

  I looked at him with wide eyes.

  Now wasn’t the time for your shenanigans!

  “Yes, and to report about my failure…” Olivier replied with a heavy sigh.

  “Did you find anything noteworthy that you are allowed to tell us?” Raven probed deeper.

  “I do, but before that, I’ll have to ask you for a favour.”

  “What is it?” I asked, preventing Raven from exploiting the man’s weakened state.

  “Help me and my soldiers to go back to our base. If we try in our current condition, we’ll be wiped out. I’m ready to pay for your efforts later on.”

  “How can we help you?”

  Raven bit my ear. This time, Olivier noticed it, but pretended to have seen nothing.

  “Bad. They. Deadweight. Good for. Decoys.”

  According to him, helping them would be bad as they would slow us down. They are worth, according to him, as decoys.

  My righteous self couldn’t allow me to let them be, however! And they would be useful later on with my plan, securing our free passage.

  “We’ll do our best to help,” I continued.

  “Thank you. I will give the orders to my soldiers to get ready. Second Lieutenant Charlotte!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Tell all awoken soldiers to be ready to go out of this damn place and inform the rest when they wake up. After another shift of resting, we will begin our retreat.”

  “Yes, sir!” she replied, saluted and went off.

  She’s a woman with a thin waist, but relatively muscular for a woman's body. Her long dark hair is tied into a ponytail. Her eyes are dark hazel.

  “Due to our problem with rations, could we ask you to give us some”?

  “We will spare you a portion. How many do you need?”

  “We have about 10 days’ worth of supplies if we eat twice a day. Due to the amount of energy we will be forced to use, we need at least two meals a day. Given that we’ll need no less than 12 days to go back to base, if you could spare us at least three meals per person, it will be a great help.”

  “We will see what we can do,” I replied.

  “What about the information you had?” Raven said before we went away.

  I forgot about that. Oopsie.

  “We believe that the one leading the horde that ambushed us is a Princess. We saw a fast-moving figure looking at us from a distance. It resembled a young female human.”

  I saw the look on Raven’s face. It was the first time I saw him with wide eyes.

  ‘Princess’ is a high-ranked undead.

  It’s believed that it has a ‘high’ intellect. It’s fast and deadly with sharp fingers on the hands.

  It’s an underdeveloped version of a Queen and in the future, it will become one.

  It takes direct orders from a King or an undead that surpasses its rank.

  Princesses are rare. They are way faster than normal humans. Not much more is known about them, but meeting one in person will usually lead to death.