Apocalypse: King of Zombies

LORN stared at the Star Map tablet like his life depended on it, eyes wide and unblinking. That slab wasn’t just a relic—it was the key to unlocking the Gate of the Star Domain. With it, he could summon his entire race to descend upon this world, and even reach the core of the universe itself to uncover its deepest secrets.

”Hand it over!” he barked.

”Sure thing...” Ethan replied casually, like he was agreeing to pass the salt at dinner. Then, without warning, he wound up his arm and hurled the tablet with full force. It spun through the air like a meteor, trailing a dazzling tail of light as it shot off into the distance.

The thing moved fast—blink-and-you-miss-it fast.

”You son of a—!” LORN’s face twisted in panic. He hadn’t expected Ethan to just chuck it like that. But there was no time to think. Like a dog chasing a frisbee, he launched himself after it in a blur of motion.

Ethan didn’t even glance back. He simply vanished on the spot, gone without a trace.

LORN was fast—damn fast—and he was closing the gap with the tablet quickly. As it came within reach, his eyes lit up with manic excitement. He leapt, arms outstretched, ready to snatch it from the air.

But the moment his fingers brushed the surface, something felt off. His hand passed right through it—like it wasn’t even there.

”What the hell...?”

His eyes widened in disbelief. The tablet flickered, dimmed, and then—boom—shattered into a thousand glowing fragments, dissolving into the night sky like fireflies scattered by the wind.

It was beautiful, in a haunting kind of way.

But it was also fake. Just a psychic illusion, conjured by Ethan.

Realizing he’d been played, LORN’s face twisted with rage. He’d chased nothing but a mirage.

He spun around, eyes scanning for Ethan—but the man in white was long gone.

”You deceitful bastard! You dare trick me?! After him! Now!”

...

Night deepened, and thick clouds rolled across the sky.

But the darkness didn’t bring silence. Instead, it echoed with the roars of the undead and the cries of humans locked in battle.

This night was destined to be anything but ordinary.

At the summit of Mount Elbert, the war had reached its boiling point. Humanity’s strongest fighters had all been thrown into the fray, and the Zombie Kings were showing up one after another.

It was, without a doubt, the bloodiest, most brutal battle since the apocalypse began.

The first human to start faltering was Robert—the edgy teenager with a chip on his shoulder and a sword in his hand.

Night had fallen, and he was surrounded. Several Zombie Kings had him pinned down, and his stamina was running dangerously low.

Leading the assault were Dexter and Titus—two of the Crimson Count’s most powerful adopted sons. And now, they’d teamed up to take down one lone human.

”Dexter! Titus! Hurry up and finish him already!” Sophia shouted from the sidelines, playing cheerleader with a sadistic grin.

Nearby, Ravena—still nursing a wound from Robert’s lightning katana—gritted her teeth in fury. She hated him with every fiber of her being. But thanks to her vampire physiology, the gaping hole in her side was already knitting itself back together at an alarming rate.

”Give me five minutes,” she growled. ”Then I’ll kill him myself.”

In the thick of the fight, Robert’s face was locked in focus. His katana blurred through the air, moving so fast it was practically invisible.

Titus and Dexter attacked from both sides, claws and blades clashing against his sword in a relentless rhythm of steel on steel.

”Dad’s already reached the summit,” Titus rasped. ”We need to wrap this up.”

”Yeah,” Dexter nodded. ”Let’s finish this.”

They were struggling, that much was clear. Even two-on-one, Robert wasn’t going down easy. But they kept talking, trying to throw him off his game with casual banter.

Robert’s eyes flicked toward the mountaintop now and then.

The energy up there was insane. Every time Mia and the Crimson Count clashed, shockwaves rippled across the battlefield, shaking the very ground beneath them.

”Can we really hold the line...?” he wondered, doubt creeping in.

The fight had already raged for over twenty-four hours. If it dragged into daylight, his powers would weaken significantly.

And then... things would get a whole lot worse.

Titus caught the flicker of distraction in Robert’s eyes. ”You’ve got the balls to daydream in the middle of a fight? You’re dead!”

He lunged, claws slashing straight for Robert’s throat.

Robert reacted instantly, swinging his katana to block.

CLANG!

The impact rang out like a bell. A jolt of force surged through Robert’s arm, numbing it. If his blade hadn’t been forged from meteorite steel, it would’ve snapped in two.

Titus noticed the weapon’s strength and grinned. He clamped his fingers around the blade, gripping it tight, refusing to let go.

Robert’s brow furrowed. He yanked hard, trying to pull it free.

But Titus barely flinched. His hand trembled slightly, blood oozing between his fingers—but he didn’t loosen his grip.

”Damn it...” Robert cursed under his breath.

Then—whoosh—a gust of wind behind him.

A chill ran down his spine.

Dexter had vanished from his flank—and now, his claw was inches from Robert’s back, ready to strike.

”Squelch—”

Robert felt a sudden chill tear through his back, followed by a searing wave of pain. His coat split open with a loud rip, and blood gushed out in thick, hot streams.

In a desperate move, he yanked his katana free from Titus’s grip, finally breaking loose from the monster’s claws and stumbling back to gain some distance.

”Nice one, Dexter,” Titus said with a nod of approval.

Dexter grinned, baring his fangs. ”Nah, it was all you, big bro. You kept him locked down.”

Off to the side, Ravena and Sophia watched with smug satisfaction. Seeing Robert bleed like that gave them a twisted sense of joy. Let this human feel the pain, they thought. Let him learn what it means to cross the Vampire Race.

Robert’s wound burned like hellfire, and his vision started to blur. He shook his head, trying to stay conscious, trying to stay on his feet.

”Looks like I’ve got no choice... I’m gonna have to go all in,” he muttered under his breath.

He braced himself to charge again, but his body betrayed him. His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed.

Dexter’s grin widened. ”You forget about the mutant virus? With my SS-rank strength, your body’s already breaking down.”

”Even if it is... I’ll still fight,” Robert growled, voice tight with pain but full of resolve.

”Robert...!” one of the nearby humans called out, worry etched across their face.

”I’m fine,” Robert cut them off sharply. The Lightning Blade in his hand sparked to life again, crackling with raw energy. Without hesitation, he lunged back into the fray, charging straight at the two mutant Zombie Kings.

He wasn’t just fighting for survival—he was fighting for something bigger. For his father’s legacy. For humanity’s future.

But the two Zombie Kings were barely breaking a sweat now. With Robert’s body weakening, they moved with ease, landing blow after blow. New wounds opened across his arms and chest, each one carved by razor-sharp claws.

BAM!

Titus’s fist slammed into Robert’s gut like a wrecking ball. The impact sent him flying like a ragdoll, his body twisting through the air before crashing into a rocky cliffside.

CRACK!

The stone wall shattered on impact, and Robert crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Cough, cough!

He coughed violently, blood splattering from his lips as he slowly pushed himself up from the rubble. His face was pale, his body trembling, and a dark red stain spread across his mouth.

He was a mess—barely standing, barely breathing.

But the worst part wasn’t the pain. It was the virus.

The mutant strain was eating away at him from the inside, corrupting his cells, poisoning his blood. His vision was almost completely red now, like he was looking through a film of blood. Everything was distorted, smeared, and pulsing.

And yet... his eyes never left the enemy.

He stared down the two Zombie Kings with unwavering defiance. Even as his body screamed for rest, his spirit refused to break.

The other humans nearby stood frozen, watching in silence.

Their hearts pounded in their chests.

Is he... really going to fall here too?

Is Robert... going to die in this battle?

...