The Deadmen shuffled toward us, sniffing the air with grotesque faces where decaying bones peeked through torn skin. Fear was etched in the eyes of the kids watching them. Just yesterday, these creatures had been ordinary people, and now, expecting quick reactions from us seemed like a distant hope.
A low growl rumbled from the lead Deadman. Its slow pace suggested it hadn’t fully caught on to us yet. But when one at the back suddenly changed direction, I frowned. Taking on all three at once was now out of the question.
Each growl seemed to make the trees tremble. I glanced over and saw Ansol leaning against a tree, shaking uncontrollably.
The sound of rustling grass announced the approach of two Deadmen, who stopped momentarily before resuming their slow advance. The tree we leaned against was large, so I signaled the group to move sideways with each step the Deadmen took. If they turned suddenly, we might be caught, but they tended to move straight ahead, giving us a chance.
Step by step, we mirrored their movements, circling the tree. After a few rounds, we had moved halfway around, and the Deadmen were now at the spot we had just vacated.
Silence enveloped us as we held our breath. The Deadmen, dissatisfied, let out a cry and resumed their forward march. Just a little longer, I thought, and we might make it through this.
Snap! Crack!
Ansol, eyes tightly shut, accidentally stepped on a twig, breaking the silence. Her stifled gasp was loud enough for the Deadmen to hear. The situation spiraled out of control.
The growls intensified, and the Deadmen quickened their pace, their ghastly faces emerging from behind the tree. We were caught.
“Raaaargh!”
Ansol screamed, though muffled by Anhyeon’s hand over her mouth. The three Deadmen definitely heard it.
In that critical moment, I aimed my crossbow while Anhyeon shielded himself and Ansol with his left hand. The Deadman charging at us collided with Anhyeon’s shield with a loud thud.
The impact made Anhyeon stagger, but he held his ground. The Deadman only retreated a step, distracted by protecting Ansol. As another Deadman charged, I quickly adjusted my aim and fired.
The bolt pierced the second Deadman’s chest, causing it to stumble. I drew my sword from my belt.
“Anhyeon! Send your sister over here! Use this sword!”
Gritting his teeth, Anhyeon pushed Ansol toward me and reached for the sword.
“Take care of her!”
As he spoke, the Deadmen struck his shield again, but he managed to send Ansol my way. She stumbled into my arms, and I tossed the sword to Anhyeon. The sword and Ansol crossed paths mid-air. As I caught Ansol, I heard urgent voices from behind.
“Watch out behind you!”
“I know.”
A quick glance revealed the Deadman that had changed direction earlier was now charging at me. Time seemed to slow as I loaded my crossbow and aimed for its forehead. I fired.
Thwack!
The bolt hit its mark, embedding itself in the Deadman’s skull.
Ansol, who had been trembling in my arms, was now sobbing uncontrollably. I gently stroked her head and whispered, “It’s okay,” feeling her tremors subside slightly.
Anhyeon, armed with a sword and shield, was filled with fear but stood his ground. This was the attitude I hoped for from him and the others. Anhyeon was beginning to awaken to his potential.
He raised his shield, ready to attack. The best defense is a good offense, as they say. Instead of swinging his sword, he charged with his shield.
Crash! Crunch!
The impact was strong enough to hear something break. The Deadman’s chest caved in from the force. Anhyeon quickly followed up with a strike to the head, as I had advised.
The Deadman fell, its skull split open. The next one met a similar fate. Using the same tactics, Anhyeon defended with his shield and struck when the Deadman was disoriented. The sound of the sword piercing flesh was followed by the Deadman collapsing, dragging Anhyeon’s arm down with it. He quickly pulled the sword free and turned to me, dazed.
Heavy breathing filled the air. We had all been holding our breath, and now we exhaled in relief. Anhyeon’s actions were simple but not something just anyone could do. If the Deadmen had attacked someone else, they might not have been able to handle it as cleanly.
Anhyeon let his arms drop, panting heavily.
“Wow… It’s so different from hitting them with rocks.”
Of course. In a life-or-death situation, staying calm and in control is impressive. I felt something small stir in my arms and released Ansol. She rushed to check on Anhyeon.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. No bites.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t cry. It’s okay.”
Ansol’s tears fell as she realized the danger her brother had been in because of her. Anhyeon reassured her, but her tears didn’t stop. Yujeong approached, looking like she’d aged ten years, and patted Anhyeon on the back.
“Thanks for saving us. You’re pretty good.”
“Well, I couldn’t have done it without Suhyeon’s help. Here, take this back.”
Anhyeon offered the sword back to me, but I shook my head, and his face lit up.
“I think you should keep it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ve got my crossbow. Did you learn sword fighting somewhere?”
Yujeong chimed in, and Anhyeon sheathed the sword, nodding to me. Watching them chat, I felt a sense of satisfaction. Earlier, I had aimed for the Deadman’s forehead but intentionally shot at its chest.
“Seems like a good fit…”
“Hold on.”
It was then that Hanbyeol, who had helped by throwing rocks, spoke up, her face a mix of concern and curiosity. She rarely spoke, so we were all eager to hear what she had to say.
“Didn’t they swarm us after we took one down in the clearing?”
“Did… did they?”
When Yoo-jung reluctantly nodded, everyone’s expressions shifted. An-sol looked on the verge of a meltdown. Noticing his sister’s distress, An-hyun patted her back and spoke urgently.
“Shouldn’t we get out of here quickly, then?”
“Y-yeah, let’s do that. How about we head in the opposite direction from where it came?”
“Hmm… no. Let’s keep going the way we were. If we change course now, we might end up spending the night in this forest.”
An-hyun, impressively, was determined to leave the area by nightfall. If they had a mentor-student relationship, he might have ruffled his hair in approval, but for now, a nod of agreement sufficed. Despite sensing a few deadmen ahead, An-hyun’s suggestion was spot on.
With that, we quickly gathered ourselves and left the area behind.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=