The Zombie Tournament

Act 36 : Militistaro

“Now, which one of you is Zeno Gunnar?” She glared.

The Queen of Frandemulo stares to them all, mind-to-mind, while putting her inquisitiveness across many of them up close. She laid a menacing grin to their group by the minute of her encounter against. A simple query to answer, truly, but a layer of presumption was hidden behind. The young knight has been involved into destructions in consequence to his father’s overwhelming power. Deino Gunnar was there in the first survival battle, plummeted buildings and skyscrapers into smithereens by pure strength. Zeno Gunnar has no idea if one of them was the Queen’s behalf or if it is an investment of their city to preserve.

Yet, it is never became one and only reason for their summoning. Who knows if the cape earlier was one of the city’s national treasure, the young knight contemplated within his mind. He analyzed the Queen’s door and looking at its no-handle panel. No windows appeared inside the space of her room, to add of their position at the middle-row of the hotel’s floor.

Yes, there is no way to run. He has to swallow any circumstances in knight’s honor anyhow.

Queen Aldana the fourth stands up from the chair. A mark of talon embossed the head of her throne alongside a number of red circle underneath. The label was engraved above a brown-ish cushion, which was acted as the place for someone’s neck to rest. She raised the bottom of her dress to stroll across the side, having difficulties to maintain her grapple to the floor a few times, then subsequently letting it loose by the frustration she had afterwards.

“I will tear this up if it is not a million to purchase, my goodness.” She groaned,”How is it? Do I have to make a conjecture for this trivial matter?”

Juno Rumondor cleared his throat,”I suppose you have to state the terms and reason for the request, My Queen.” The captain bowed slightly, looking down to the marble below the feet. Queen Aldana seemed a little bit disgruntled to speak up. To her thoughts, there would be no man that risked themselves to argue before her once. Nobody will be brave enough to question her demand, let alone playing around and being cheeky afterwards.

She laid an enigmatic smile to the captain ahead,”Ensure yourself privileged, peasants. There is no man under my wing who will survive by such meandering attitude before me.” The Queen warned,”If nobody of you is Zeno Gunnar himself, I will have to dismiss.”

“It is me. What do you want?”

Zeno Gunnar arises in the middle of the Queen’s wrath. There are no further playing by the tag with this, as the young knight rumbled within the mind to oppose such animosity from her side. It will be over in a flash to deny her demand. No way for second opportunity to come up soon after.

To do or not to be. A choice has to be selected before everything turned against them in seconds.

“So, it is you after all....”

Out of the blue, Queen Aldana goes down to her knees. A charismatic fragrance of the city’s highest fades away from her figure. It is rare for a sole monarch to lean down before her peasants, and she was whimpering softly down under.

She wraps her palms to the young knight’s thigh,”I have no other way to spell it out, Zeno Gunnar. My child has been kidnapped to Militistaro. You’re the strongest among many contenders of the game, and I behest your help to rescue her.” The Queen sobbed. Being confused of the upside-down situation, Zeno Gunnar could lay no response other than a note of acceptance from his nod.

“I will never guarantee of such insurmountable request, but I’ll go there to take her back.” He patted the Queen’s shoulder a few times. It seemed as if the Queen has been under his control, for the young knight to put an insolence on her back without concern.

However, the monarch laid no protest to his actions. Queen Aldana wipes her tears away and embraced him tight shortly after,”Thank you so much, Zeno Gunnar. I will grant you all five times more than this petty contest’s prize.” She assured.

---

Because of Queen Aldana’s sudden quest, theif plan has also been in dire need to change. They have different purpose at this moment. Zeno Gunnar has to fulfill his promise and rescue the Queen’s only child in Militistaro. Yet, they are still required to complete the registration of their group to the next stage of the survival game. Therefore, Juno Rumondor splitted up their group once more. This time around, Zeno Gunnar and Tanya Rushdi are in a group of four. Frank Terino and Damon’s combination will assist them whenever it is deemed to be in their warfare against unknown enemies around.

(tap-tap-tap)

Their group has to run within a shortcut passage and walking down the mountain slope to the east of Frandemulo. The mountain range spans from the northernmost area of the pentagon fortress to Gastamo of the southwest. On their country’s map inside the wristwatch, they have no need to run across Altagrada, Gorand Industries’ host city and the sworn foe of their sponsor in overall.

“Here, hungry boy. A dose of chopped-up leg at your service!” Frank Terino shoved a plate to his aide’s rumbling stomach,”How about you, lovers down the river? Wanna have some toes?”

“No way, fatty. I’ll better eat chopped rocks than smelling rotten feet.” Tanya Rushdi replied.

The young knight, on the other hand, laid no shadowing answer to their humble-toned teammates of the game. He is more into one blonde-haired lass on the side, chuckling to nonsensical hubbub that they have talked to each other for awhile.

Of course, Damon’s human side still felt sorry for his current owner’s dejection. He shares a half of the minced thigh for Frank Terino on the other plate and handed it down to the man’s lap afterwards,”Here, I would never be here without you, Frank.” He said, furling a smile to the cheek.

“No way. I accept your offer, but I’ll never take that as a yes to this.” The black-haired man denied,”Please, talk about anything other than human flesh, okay? I’m kinda lost.”

---

An afternoon flies away two hours later as Zeno Gunnar’s group continued in voyage to Militistaro. Their group reached the mini tunnel as mentioned by the wristwatch, and now venturing across the underpass with a dim source of light on the side. There are no other person to be aware off in this particular place. It is considered off-limits and too dangerous to fight around, so the zombie limiter of their wristwatch will automatically shuttered down in any event of brawl underneath. Their owners will also be penalized if any forms of attack are unleashed.

Zeno Gunnar’s white aura has detected none of such trouble, as well, so they never have to worry of their own safety below.

(tap-tap-tap)

Flows of echoes were reverberated in every step of their walk. The tunnel’s stalactites has sprinkled them with waters sometimes. Its air is quite damp to breathe, they have to inhale more for sufficient dose of oxygen from its density.

As for Tanya Rushdi, she reserved a position below her man’s embrace. There are no better place to wander otherwise. For a new couple of the group, they seemed far too clingy to each other, yet no bounds or leash was required to their group cooperation at most. In events of battle, Zeno Gunnar will bring his entire decision for Tonado fighting club’s best interests, putting his significant other in imminent danger at times.

“dum-dum-dum-dum.” Frank Terino hummed. There are no other friends for him in this newly-formed squad than Damon, the half-zombie and an enthusiast in silent-killing. Over the course of their friendship, he has told the man of many ways in backstabbing and other methods to avoid it. He also trained Frank Terino to dodge in improved fluency, considering his figure is pretty plump to bargain against speedy foes.

“So, in order for you to take advantage of your size, use your stout body for acceleration, Frank.” Damon explained by a simple backflip,”Utilize the weight to create a force upwards, and make something out from it to balance.”

Frank Terino stopped mumbling,“Really? Is it that easy?” He replied,”I never thought it will work that way.”

“Just do it.” Damon cheered,”You’ll see that it’s true.”

The black-haired curvy man felt a strain of reluctance, yet a challenge is deemed to be an honor at stake. No man in this world will forfeit a chance to overtake his own fear. Being capable of doing a backflip will surely developed everything to his demand, especially during a fight against someone that underestimated his prowess in the game.

“Hup!”

(thump!)

Nobody will learn without mistakes. Frank Terino stumbled upon his own weight and leaning backwards against the wet grounds of the tunnel. It is quite difficult to assemble something like that in a single glance. Being flexible and coordinating himself in rhythm is too much at the moment.

Yet again, Zeno Gunnar and Tanya Rushdi bats no eye to Frank Terino’s issue. They are too busy to console each other and focusing their attention to the front side of the zombie’s wagon.

“Ouch....” Frank Terino rubbed his head as he falls down to the tunnel’s floor,”It’s not like that, isn’t it?”

To the man’s insinuation, Damon nods,“Yup, you have to control your leg for it, and that’s locked up in your case.” He replied.

“Ah, I guess i’ll save it for later. Thanks, Damon.” He mustered his strength back to awake. Frank Terino realised that no concern from their teammates that ensued,”Damn, that couple sticks too much. They don’t even care about us lately.”

---

The outside world is within darkness of nightfall when Zeno Gunnar’s group got out from the tunnel. They have spent around 3 hours inside, trailing over the predestined route that was programmed by the wristwatch beforehand. Militistaro’s battle stations is in sight, complete with its unique characteristics of an army’s main city. It is a mighty barracks from afar and one green castle to affirm. Indeed, their fortitude was literally drawn in green and black stripes to resemble the pre-apocalyptic days of humanity. The day when a camouflage is more important than a strong suit, and a soul is nothing but a collateral damage to the battallion of their country.

In each edge of their fortress, any visitors will be seeing many protruding cannons at the top. Tents of auxiliaries are scattered nearby to scramble whenever a group of thugs dared to challenge their authority in this territory. There are guards in shift, assembled within four-men squad inside run-of-the-mill armor of a common warrior of the realm.

“Hm, could we put ourselves in? It seems too restrained.” Zeno Gunnar mumbled. He peeked at their defense by the long-range sight of binoculars in his hand,”What do you think, Terino?”

Hearing his name being called, a glimpse of joy beckoned to the curvy man of their group. He knows that none of Zeno Gunnar’s request of suggestion will be used, but a chance like this never goes twice for the man,”Finally, time for me to shine!” Frank Terino shrieked a bit, before suddenly a mourn of sorrow followed back to haunt him afterwards,”Damn it, I have no idea for it.” He said.

“I’ll go on spying a bit, if you don’t mind.” Damon offered,”I have blistering speed, and my battery is full, so I can go on in vigilante mode for three hours at least.”

Zeno Gunnar contemplated for a bit. He laid a finger to the chin and knocking it a few times in thoughts.

“Alright, it’s settled, then. Hope you’ll find something useful, Damon.”