Fin charged at the dragon, dagger ready. Its massive skull turned toward him, tracking his movent.
"Don’t get cocky!" Jolly shouted, deflecting a bone shard with her sword. "This thing’s killed twelve Hunters already!"
"Got it!" He leaped, aiming for the creature’s leg joint. His dagger connected, but barely scratched the surface. "Damn, this thing’s tough!"
The dragon’s tail whipped around. He ducked, feeling the wind rush above him.
Sam slamd his damaged shield into the dragon’s foot. "We need to target the sa spot together! Follow my lead!"
He nodded, falling in line with their strategy. The three of them darted around the creature, attacking in sequence. Fin’s strikes grew stronger with each hit, the zombie’s mana flowing through him.
Twenty minutes in, he was drenched in sweat. The dragon seed unstoppable.
"It’s not slowing down," he gasped, hands on his knees. "It’s like—"
A flash of green caught his eye. A thin, almost invisible strand of energy stretching from the dragon into the distance. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing things.
"What the—"
The tail crashed into his chest. Pain exploded through him as he flew back, smashing through a collapsed wall. He hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop.
"Carver!" Jolly’s voice sounded distant through the ringing in his ears.
He pushed himself up, ribs screaming in protest. Blood trickled from his mouth. "I’m okay," he mumbled, eyes fixed on the string of mana again. It pulsed, drawing his attention like a beacon.
Sam appeared at his side, hauling him up. "Stay focused, kid! This isn’t the ti for daydreaming!"
He nodded, but his eyes kept returning to the mana string. It was leading sowhere—leading to...
"Juliana," he whispered, sudden realization hitting him.
The dragon reared back and roared, not with sound but with pressure. The shockwave slamd into them, sending all three tumbling across the battlefield.
When Fin looked up again, his blood ran cold. The dragon’s skeleton was changing, veins spreading over the bones like a web. Not zombie veins—real ones, pulsing with life. Muscle tissue began forming in patches, wrapping around its fra.
"It’s rebuilding itself," Sam said, voice heavy with dread.
Nearby, the bodies of fallen Hunters began to twitch. Green wisps rose from them, drawn toward the dragon like smoke to a chimney. With each soul it consud, more flesh appeared on its bones.
"Crap, this is bad," Fin said, eyes locked on the mana string stretching toward the horizon. The zombie’s power inside him resonated with it, drawing him toward it.
"We need to hit it harder!" Jolly shouted, gathering her strength for another assault.
"No," Fin said, clarity settling over him. "That’s not the answer." He pointed in the direction of the mana string. "It’s drawing power from sowhere—or soone."
"What are you talking about?" Sam demanded.
"Trust ," he said, backing away from the battle. "Keep it distracted. I think I know how to stop this."
Jolly gave him a hard look. "If you’re running—"
"I’m not," he cut her off. "There’s a connection. I can see it because of—" he hesitated, "—because of sothing that happened earlier. Just give ti."
Sam nodded grimly. "Go. We’ll hold it as long as we can."
He turned and ran, following the mana string. Each step made the connection clearer—the zombie’s power had changed sothing in him, letting him see what others couldn’t.
The string led him through ruins, over debris, toward the outskirts of the city. His body ached, but he pushed on, driven by certainty.
"Hang on, Juliana," he muttered. "I’m coming."
Behind him, the dragon’s roar shook the earth, and the mana string pulsed brighter.
He ran, each step carrying him faster as his body tapped into the power he’d absorbed earlier. The string grew brighter, pulsing with urgency as he approached its source.
He finally reached a clearing where the string ended. Under a withered tree lay Juliana, motionless on the ground. Beside her sat a zombie unlike any he’d seen before.
It stared at him without moving, as if he posed no threat whatsoever.
There was no ti to waste. He charged forward without thinking.
’It’s just a stupid zom-’
The sensation hit him instantly—like his head being severed from his body. No actual wound appeared, but the phantom pain dropped him face-first to the ground.
"Huh?" He touched his neck in confusion, fingers finding only unbroken skin. "I thought... what the hell?"
He looked back at the zombie. It remained seated, unmoving, but Fin could feel it now—a power that dwarfed anything he’d encountered. This wasn’t so mindless zombie.
This guardian was far more dangerous than the dragon itself.
"It’s not even trying," he muttered, cold realization washing over him. If this thing was rely the dragon’s servant and this powerful, the dragon would be unstoppable once fully rebuilt.
"Crap, what now?"
The zombie tilted its head slightly, empty eyes fixed on him.
Fin pushed himself to his knees, mind racing. "Hey! Let her go!" he shouted, trying to sound braver than he felt.
No response. The zombie didn’t even acknowledge his words.
Juliana stirred slightly, her face contorted in pain. "F-Fin..." she whispered, though her eyes remained closed.
"I’m here." He inched forward carefully, watching the zombie for any reaction. "Just hang on."
The zombie’s hand tightened around its katana handle—a warning.
He stopped.
Direct attack wouldn’t work. He needed another approach. His eyes tracked the mana string flowing from Juliana into the distance.
"You’re draining her," he said, the pieces clicking together. "That’s how the dragon’s rebuilding itself, right?"
The zombie remained motionless, but sothing in its posture suggested affirmation.
Fin took a deep breath. "What if I offered myself instead?"
The zombie’s head turned slightly, showing interest for the first ti.
"I’ve got plenty of mana," he continued, seeing an opening. "Stronger too, after taking down one of your friends back there."
He extended his hand, channeling the zombie energy he’d absorbed earlier. Green light flickered around his fingers.
"See? Better fuel for your master."
The zombie rose in one fluid motion, faster than Fin could track. Suddenly it lood over him, empty sockets boring into his soul.
Fin held his ground. "Let her go. Take ."
The zombie’s blade flashed—not attacking, but severing the connection between Juliana and the dragon with one precise cut.
The mana string dissipated like smoke.
Juliana gasped, color returning to her face as she sat up suddenly.
"Fin?" Her eyes widened. "Behind you!"
Before he could react, the zombie’s cold hand gripped his shoulder. New mana strings erupted from his body, connecting to the distant dragon. Pain lanced through him as his energy began draining away.
"Should’ve seen that coming," he grunted, dropping to one knee as weakness spread through his limbs.
The zombie stepped back, resuming its seated position with sword across its lap.
Juliana crawled to him. "What did you do?"
"Saved you," he managed a weak smile. "Not my smartest move."
"We need to break the connection," she said, voice steady despite her exhaustion.
He shook his head. "Can’t. Not without ending up like the other Hunters." He looked toward the distant battle. "But maybe we can use it instead."
"What do you an?"
"I’m connected to it now," he said, a plan forming. "Which ans I can pull instead of just being drained."
Juliana’s eyes widened with understanding. "That’s suicide."
"Maybe," he grinned, despite the pain. "But I’ve got so experience with this sort of thing."
He closed his eyes, focusing on the mana strings flowing from his body. Instead of fighting the drain, he reached along the connection, stretching his awareness toward the dragon.
The zombie watched impassively as Fin began his desperate gambit.
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