Chapter 137 – An Invitation of Blood and War
Five days had passed since the appearance of the unknown zombie forces at the city gate. Sylvia had spent those days preparing her core army, organizing scouts, and reinforcing the city’s defenses. No longer did she idle on the castle balcony sipping black tea or engage in long, leisurely conversations with Sofia in the castle gardens. Her focus now was fixed entirely on one thing: the Third Zombie King.
The once-quiet nights in the city were now filled with activity. Bonfires burned along the outer walls, illuminating rows of high-rank zombies standing in formation. The humans a living in the settlements watched the military preparations with a mix of awe and unease. No one dismissed Sylvia’s existence as mere myth or rumor anymore. The Dark Queen, the ruler of the undead, was real... and now, she was preparing for war.
In the main war chamber of the black castle, Zark stood beside a round table covered in world maps and intelligence reports. Across from him, Sylvia sat with her chin resting on one hand, her eyes scanning the terrain lines and enemy movement markers.
"The last scouting unit has returned, my Queen," Zark reported. "They’ve confirmed the enemy’s base location: the ruins of a city in the north, once called Ygraim. It lies at the foot of the ice mountains, and it’s now overrun by zombies and new constructions."
"Ygraim..." Sylvia murmured. "It used to be a trading city before the first outbreak."
"Correct," Zark continued. "It has now become the stronghold of the Third Zombie King. They call it the Throne of Bones."
Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "How dramatic. Fits the narcissism of creatures like him."
Zark gave a slight nod. "And beyond the location, we’ve received reports from three telepathic zombies who infiltrated the outer ranks. They managed to capture fragments of thoughts and conversations among the King’s servants."
He raised his hand, and a wave of telepathic energy resonated through the air. Whispered voices echoed faintly in Sylvia’s mind mental fragments connected to her subordinates.
"The King won’t wait long. If the Queen does not come, we’ll burn her black city..."
"He wants to wed her, but also prove his dominance..."