Chapter 5: The Undead Army

Phoebe’s POV

Hearing Sophia’s sharp cry, I immediately spun around. My breath hitched, forcefully watching her heart being ripped out of her chest. Blood flowed heavily from her mouth, in a steady, unstoppable gush. She fell to the ground, her body lifeless. Sophia was the only person who had welcomed me here, and she was gone, just like that. The fact she wasn’t an omega and was killed so easily sent shivers to my spine. The creature which looked like a walking corpse ate her heart in a blink of an eye. It turned towards me, its chilling gaze locked onto mine. Without a second thought, I sprinted, my heart racing so fast, it almost flew out of my chest. I kept running in zig-zag, as my eyes darted around frantically in search of an escape route.

My body moved with unnatural speed. One an omega was never meant to possess. Surging hands erupted from the ground, grabbing my ankles. Unknown strength flooded through me. I kicked the hands and grabbed a log of wood which was once heavy and was now weightless in my grip. I swung the log against its head, repeatedly, till its brains were completely smashed. My limbs trembled like a leaf, my forehead covered in sweat despite the warm air. I rested against a tree, trying to ease the tightness in my chest.

Before me was the boy with silver hair, he had used his brutal strength to kill the undead, tearing them into shreds. I was awed by his agility, strength and flexibility. The way his body moved so flawlessly like a snake was impressive. He locked his gaze on me and walked slowly towards my direction. Each step made my heart hammer against my ribs. Was it fear? Or something else? He swallowed hard before speaking. “Hey, are you okay”? His voice, a low, gentle murmur. I could only stare, unable to say a word. He continued “We have to get going. Remember this is a contest”. He extended a hand. I felt a wave of electricity surged through me as I took his soft and slender hands into mine. He felt…safe. He felt like home and that baffled me further. Taking my hand, he pulled me up. Then, a dead, heavy silence followed. Time seemed to stop, as we both couldn’t take our eyes off each other. “Ahem. Am I interrupting something?” Eric’s voice, laced with a familiar yet hostile edge, snapped us out of the trance. He scrutinized us with narrowed green eyes, a flash of something unreadable flickering across his face. His usual playful nature was absent, replaced with a cold intensity. He glared at the silver headed boy and turned abruptly, disappearing into the forest.

Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to tremble violently. The earth cracked open, revealing intense darkness that seemed to swallow the light. From the depth, monstrous undead figures emerged, their forms twisted and grotesque. Their eyes burned with an insatiable hunger. The silver headed boy's face went pale as a beam of sweat formed on his forehead.

“Run!” He roared, his voice barely audible above the growing chaos. We tried to flee but we were surrounded by the monsters. He kept killing them, but the army of the undead was endless. They kept coming back. One of them lunged at me, but he appeared in a flash, fighting them off and shielding me with his body. They were even more formidable than the previous ones we faced as they were harder to kill. I wished I could help, but I was too weak. With time, his reflexes and movement slowed, obviously worn out from exhaustion. I had to do something, and I had to do it fast.

That was when I noticed. One undead figure never came forward, just stayed within the shadows, observing. A chilling thought came to my mind. “Look, there’s one that isn’t attacking. Maybe if you could kill it, all these might end,” I gasped. He paused, a flash of realization flickering across his face. With renewed adrenaline, he fought his way towards the figure. I also joined in, fighting the reviving army of the undead, creating an opening. The leader of the undead was taller, its eyes looked more humane, shining with wisdom. Its gaze was fixed on us, a cruel smirk playing on its lips. More undead swarmed up, trying to shield it. Then the silver headed boy shifted into a magnificent black wolf with silver furs.

His wolf lunged at the leader of the army of the undead, raising its hands, and a wall of shadows erupted, attempting to block the wolf’s attack. But the wolf was restless, tearing through the shadows with its sharp claws, regardless of the injuries it sustained. The leader stumbled back, caught off guard by the ferocity of the wolf. The wolf took the opportunity to dig its claws into the monster’s chest, while simultaneously aiming for its head. It used its mouth to bite off the leader's head. A binding light erupted, and the remaining of the undead crumbled into dust. A deafening silence descended, and the silver headed boy shifted into his human form, collapsing into my hands. His stark naked body was covered with blood, making my body tremble as I held him closer to me. The world seemed to shrink, his face ashen, his breathing too shallow. I gasped, realizing I could barely feel his pulse. With sweaty hands, I drew him closer, tears streaming down my face. I closed my eyes, and immediately, I felt a strange energy flowing from me into him, an unstoppable force. His breathing steadied, and his pulse returning, but each moment, I felt myself slipping away slowly. I didn’t know what was happening, but I wanted it to stop. I opened my eyes to see the colour restored on his face. The world tilted, and darkness swallowed me.