The group rushes at me like a wave, trying their best to bite my neck or deal enough damage for the infection to spread.
At this point, I don't have many options. They are fast. Way faster then those mindless ones that charged at us on the street.
I don't even attempt to nock another arrow onto my bow.
It would take way to long.
The creature closest to me, just a few feet away lunges at me like a wild beast. All I'm able to do is twist my body to the left, narrowly dodging the attack.
I quickly turn to the infected, grabbing the revolver from the holster on my military vest, firing a bullet into the creature's skull.
I turn just in time as the next one lunges, blasting it's brain with another bullet.
With 4 bullets left, I aim to the closest zombies, trying my best to create as much distance as possible.
I fire again, watching as another body violently jerks back, crumpling over like a ragdoll.
Another one attacks from my left side, lurching at me with great speed. I bring the revolver up but it claws at me, its hands swiping at my face.
I fire point-blank, the gore exploding across my face and shoulder.
Turning back toward the rest of the crowd, I repeatedly pull the trigger.
Bang
Bang
Click
Click
One infected falls yet the revolver is out of ammo.
My chest heaves.
I take one shaky step back as my brain attempts to find a method of survival.
Then, just as another infected surges forward-A shimmering golden panel flashes into the air in front of me, glowing like a goddamn divine sign.
You have slain or have been involved in the death of an immense number of infected. The chancellor has decided to reward you with a new weapon.
I hesitate for a moment, cursing the chancellor. Thinking about it now, he probably set this bullshit up. There had been no attacks on the town until I got there, and he's been giving me the perfect reward at the perfect times. First the grenades, and now this? What the hell.
For some reason, I can't help but wonder if he is just calling me weak, or if he is merely expressing his favoritism.
Yet, as the next infected lunges forward, I realize that I have no time to dwell on such thoughts, and dropping my bow, I quickly press the redeem button, not even glancing at both the picture nor the description of the weapon.
In front of me, the infected leaps-claws outstretched, jaw unhinged.
At the same time, something solid begins to form in my right hand. A hilt-heavy, metallic, alive with heat.
In the corner of my eye, I spot the sparks outlining some sort of wierd curved blade.
At this point, I don't think to much, my body just acts.
I swing the weapon, not like how one might swing a sword, but kind of like how one might swing a bat or an axe.
The sparks scatter as the blade completes mid-swing, the air whistling as its edge cuts a tight arc. The curve sings as it follows through.
The infected doesn't even scream.
Its upper body tears clean from the lower, split like warm meat. The torso sails through the air, landing with a thud. The legs stagger forward a step, then collapse.
It was like it hadn't figured out it was dead yet.
The rest of the infected seem to pause for a moment as I look down at my weapon.
It was definitely a sword, yet its blade was wierdly curved, sort of like an axe. Its blade was made of metal, iron, perhaps even steal. Either way, it was definitely sharp, one sidedly heavy, and clearly deadly.
Looking up, it was not the infected making the first move, but I.
I lunge forth, raising the weapon above my head.
The nearby infected seems to be caught off guard as I step in, closing the distance, and dropping the blade downward with all the strength in my body, aiming to cleave it in two.
It's head slices open like a coconut, the blade contjnuing to bite deep through flesh, bone, muscle, and gore, only coming to a stop as it reaches the creatures bowels.
Retracting my blade blade from the creatures body, I watch as it slowly falls, its body peeling open kind of like a candy wrapper as its blood and guts flood out.
The rest of the group now begins to charge at me once again, yet only about eight seem to remain.
One claws at me but I lean back just in time, protecting my precious face.
I swing my weapon upward, the infected's blood spraying in arcs as its hands fly through the air, landing wetly behind it. The infected barely has any time to react before I twist my hips, swinging the curved blade in a circle and decapitating the creature, its inky black blood washing over my face like a shower.
Turning to the left, I kick an infected to the ground, bringing my sword down like an old wood chopper.
Behind me, one jumps at me, but it's loud screech ruins its surprise.
I am able to quickly turn and raise my sword, allowing the infected to awkwardly pierce itself on the edge of the sword like a horse to a stake.
The last 5 all charge at me at once. I raise my weapon, trying to keep my distance. I try to poke at them like how one would with a basic ion blade or a hyper straight sword.
With a wierdly curved sword like mine that kind of replicated an axe with only one sharp side, it's quite obvious why that was infective.
Feeling the heat from the fire on the back of my neck, I realize that I can't let myself get cornered like this.
In an act of desperation and foolishness, I start swinging my sword wildly, allowing for an infect to jump up and tackle me down.
Its jaws open as it bites down, aiming for my shoulder. Luckily, it merely bites into my vest, its teeth not sharp enough to pierce through.
I raise the hilt of my weapon, using it to smash the head of the infected.
It doesn't budge, continuing to clench onto my vest like some sort of leech.
I grab its wet, loose, and goopey turquoise neck, pushing it away from me as it continues to clench onto my vest.
I manage to awkwardly stuff the curve of my weapon between us, shoving its edge against the creatures neck.
I strain as I shove my boot against the creature's gut, its teeth still latched onto my vest like some overgrown tick. Its gums peel back from the force, but it won't let go. My blade's curve digs into its neck from the side, slicing deeper with each push, but at this angle, I can't get the leverage.
The rest of the infected above me have approached. At this rate, I once again thought that it was over for me. That I would die and lose during the second round.
But it seemed like luck was on my side.
Boom.
A single thunderclap splits the air like judgment.
In the corner of my eye: blood, bone, and brains spray across the dirt. One of the infected drops like its strings got cut.
Boom Boom Boom.
Three more shots, clean, deliberate, and thunderous. Each one slams through an infected, tearing them open mid-charge. Blood sprays. Bodies collapse. And then-
A crack of boot against flesh.
The thing latched to my chest is suddenly kicked clean off me, flying back like a sack of meat.
It hits the ground hard and doesn't even get the chance to rise.
My savior steps over me, slamming her cleaver down into the infected.
"Damn, you really almost died."