Disease in the City of Wishes (Solo)

[Dead & Walking]

Grond and his zombie hoard walked northward through the plains of Hope Island. The sound of hawks and many other birds of prey could be heard as the zombie hoard limped towards their destination and turned any mammal they seen into zombies. Just on this trek alone, they have turned many of the local wildlife into zombies. The zombie hoard now consisted of

25 wolves
15 cats
10 dogs
5,000 mice
2,500 Rabbits
500 bears
40 cows
2 bulls
600 moose
3,000 squirrels
600 raccoons
100 skunks
10 bats

A good list if you asked Grond. Anyway, Grond led the undead army northward towards the city of Genar, nicknamed The City of Wishes. Beside him rested four children, two boys and two girls. The children had a strange mark on their arm. This mark was the mark of the protected. For the rest of their lives these children would be safe from the hoard of zombies. They would never be bit by a zombie and the mark also showed other undead that they were to not be harmed.

‘They will be good pawns later on,’ Grond thought with a grotesque smirk, his gums showed through a hole in his cheek, ‘They will work for us and build us ships. And of course be breeding stock for us.’ The children had been placed in a wagon that was attached to one of the bulls when it was turned. The hoard had been on the march for three days with no rest. The Children have been given the bread and water that was in the wagon when the bull was turned. It was about midnight when the hoard spotted the first house on the outskirts of Genar.

Grond stopped the hoard then grunted out, “There is a house ahead. We shall drop off the children after I mark the people. No one in that house will be harmed.” A moan of acceptance was heard from the hoard.

Grond then walked over to the wagon and shook the children. The children woke slowly as they complained, “Five more minutes.” or “It’s not even morning.” After a few more shakes Grond finally got them out of the wagon and on their way towards the house, with a few stumbles here and their from the little ones. Grond’s slow limp had also slowed them down. They had left the hoard as the moon had been a quarter of the way across the sky. By the time they reached the house, the moon was about half way up. Grond knocked on the door.

[Dead & Walking]

The man that opened the door was about average sized. Probably about five foot eight inches and about 160 pounds. He was shirtless with a decent amount of muscle. His bronze skin rippled with every move he made. His brown wavy hair reached his shoulders. He had a scowl on his face when he first opened the door he had a scowl on his face. However, as soon as Grond stepped aside to reveal the children behind him, the man’s scowl turned to one of understanding and invited them in. He drew a bath for the kids using a water screw that was common in the Hope cities. The water was warmed by a boiler in the basement.

“Where you guys from stranger?” he asked in a deep voice. When there was no reply he turned towards ground who had his gloved his hand towards his throat to indicate he couldn’t speak.

The man nodded and said, “yes and no questions it is then.” He then went into deep thought. “Are you from an area near here?”

Grond nodded yes.

“You are from south of us right?” the man guessed.

Again Grond nodded.

The man thought again “It’s not Gerca that is south west of us. Fom?”

Grond nodded when he said Fom.

“Ah Fom, I hear rumors that some creatures were biting people in the night. Is that rumor true?” the man asked with a hint of concern. As Grond was about to reply one of the children, a ten year old boy with brown hair and green eyes, entered the room.

“It is t-true sir,” the boy said with a quiver in his voice. “We... we are the last survivors of Fom. Th-this man inscribed a sp-special mark on us and the m-monsters left us alone. But he couldn’t h-help the rest of our f-f-family. He has been helping us since.” The boy turned to Grond, “Please mister, please mark this man. He is being so kind to us. Please mark him to protect him.” The boy broke down then and there and started o cry.

Grond looked over towards the man as the man took everything in. He turned towards Grond. “I have a family, they should be helping the other kids, will you be willing to help them too?”

Grond nodded then motioned him out of the room then pointed to the child then at the tub. The child got the message and sniffled as he started to strip to get into the tub. The man closed the door as soon as they were out.