Peni and Amy, both combat trained, suggested using the group of a dozen or so zombies' stupidity and slow, lumbering speed against them by forcing them into a larger group by circling around them and then having Ice use her natural, draconic ability to freeze the remaining group. Whilst doing so, Ice and Emmy tired of all the work and just started shooting them instead. After taking out several of the obviously weak creatures, the rest were felled by hand.
After searching the bodies, they discovered that, like the old woman, there were no visible wounds on the bodies. They piled the bodies in the still raging fire and laid them to rest. As the sun was rising, they now walked the remaining half mile to Small Town. The once quaint village looked ominous as the group approached.
The small town of about twenty buildings sat among a large outcropping of volcanic rock that looked blasted over the town as if a massive wave of magma dashed against the town and froze in mid flight. The town's buildings sat empty with doors ajar except for the town's general store. The group cautiously approached the shop and tried the door, which was locked. Noting this for later, they searched the remaining buildings before moving on to the mill.
The town's grain mill sat in the very farthest end of the village, up a small, winding path. As they approached, they could hear the loud "BANG" of the piston dropping. The dust from the mill was suffocating the group as they approached, but the door was locked. Emmy attempted to pick the lock to the mill, but nearly broke her tools in the old lock and decided against trying. Instead, Peni borrowed the steel mace that Amy used and smashed the door in two furious hits.
The group called in cautiously, but after no reply and no zombies, only the "BANG" of the piston, the group decided to venture inside. Peni and Amy went in first, though they could see nothing in the cloud of grain dust. They slowly, cautiously moved toward the BANG of the piston, and latched the heavy tool so it would no longer crash down and create more dust. The girls turned to the exit, but instead of light saw instead several large shadows moving towards them.
Amy called out to the others and tried to grapple the first shambling monster that came to her. Peni took the more direct approach, swinging wildly, but missed and was instead greeted by a rotting fist to the shoulder.
Ice was the first to respond, but not having seen which way the others entered she got turned around and instead faced a bare wall. Moana and Emmy rushed in to help and fired in the general direcrion of Amy who was trying to hold the zombie still. It overpowered her and she fell over the mill equipmentioned behind her, the undead falling atop her. Peni and Moana dispatched the other creature when Ice returned to rescue Amy, with the help of her sister.
The frantic teens fled out of the stifling mill and rested, waiting for the dust to settle. They were given no respite, however, as a female zombie rused out of the mill towards them. Clearly stronger than the rest, this one swung broken, sharp fists at the girls as they surrounded it. Despite the clear danger it presented, the girls were unharmed as they hacked it to pieces.
When the dust settled enough to be considered safe, the group walked back into the mill. They were shocked to see most of the floor gone, collapsed around a trap door thst was miraculously intact. This led to a hole, narrow but big enough to fit them, that curved down in the darkness. The team opted to avoid the cave for now, instead choosing to investigate the shop in town.
Emmy knocked lightly on the shop door, but received no reply. She attempted to look through a window, but they were shuttered from the inside and all she could see was floor. The talented rogue took out her tools and tried to pick the lock, but unluckily broke her tools. Peni decided to break down the door and smashed the wood by the door latch.
He then jumped back, startled, as someone knocked on the other side of the door. Amy bravely knocked again, but received no reply. Peni banged loudly on the door, after which something smashed against then other side. This was no knock, but a determined effort to escape. The girls backed off to the square, preparing to meet this new foe when it showed itself.
After only a few loud crashes, a massive undead burst through the shop door. Easily seven feet tall, this monster held a cleaver in one hand and a hammer in the other. Much of its face had been eaten away and it's features were insistinguishable. It stood, eyeing the group for a few moments before it took a deep breath and roared with a ferocity the youngsters had never seen. The shielder maiden, Peni, trained to act as a sentinel I'm the face of danger was frozen in her tracks. Moana, who was already shaken from the days events, simply fled to a nearby home to hide.
Amy, Emmy, and Ice braced for the attack. Ice hurled bolts of magical energy at the creature,but it did not slow. Amy swung her mace, but the massive beast brushed aside what would have been an otherwise fatal blow. Emmy tried to snipe the creature, but it seemed unstoppable. Emmy dodged it's wild swings, when Peni came back to her senses and joined the fray. Alternating between protecting the smaller, weaker rogue and attempting to fell the creature, Peni struck two mighty blows in succession to the beasts skull. Without slowing, the group swung their clubs, fires their crossbows, and weaved their spells until finally the creature fell to one knee. Peni laid a final blow to its head, which then exploded into a gory display of brain and skull.
Breathing heavily, the girls stood triumphantly around their kill. They let out a cheer of victory, but it was cut short by a chittering sound from inside the monster. An insect like leg jutted out of the creatures keck stump, then another. A blackened, bloody mess of a creature pulled itself out of the deceased behemoth and spread it's wings. Amy screamed as she swung at the new threat, but a shower of sparks and light blinded the group. When their vision cleared, the thing had already flown above the craggy stones and disappeared.
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