The Necrotic Divide

The rain poured in relentless sheets, turning the city streets into rivers of flickering neon and shadow. Jack Steele’s beat-up delivery van groaned as it hit yet another pothole. He leaned forward, squinting through the windshield as his wipers flailed in vain.

“Seriously, how hard is it to fix a road? It’s not like they’re running on zombie labor… yet,” Jack muttered, adjusting his cap. His voice echoed in the empty van, accompanied only by the tinny hum of a radio playing a cheesy pop song.

The smell of stale coffee and pizza boxes filled the van’s cabin. Jack’s shift had dragged on far too long, and exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Still, he couldn’t help but grin as he reached for the crumpled photo taped to the dashboard. It was him and his younger sister, Amy, both laughing like idiots over something neither of them could remember.

Just one more delivery, he thought, and tomorrow it’s board game night. You’re going down in Catan, Amy.

The red light ahead flickered ominously, and Jack slowed to a stop. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his mind wandering. “C’mon, green means go, red means stop, and yellow means… YOLO.” He slammed his palm on the horn, startling a stray cat darting across the street.

As the light turned green, Jack grinned. “Finally!” He hit the gas, blissfully unaware of the truck barreling through the crossroad.

The impact came with a crunch of metal and a burst of white-hot pain. For a split second, Jack’s life became a swirling mess of shattered glass, honking horns, and the briefest thought: Well, at least I won’t have to deliver that last pizza.

And then there was silence.

Delete Created with Sketch.

Jack awoke with a start, his back pressed against cold, damp stone. He blinked at the swirling gray mist surrounding him, groaning as he sat up. “Great, just great. Either this is the world’s weirdest afterlife, or I’ve been kidnapped by a goth interior decorator.”

He glanced down at himself. His delivery uniform was gone, replaced by a tattered cloak and worn leather boots. A strange book rested on the ground beside him, its cover adorned with glowing runes that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.

“Okay,” Jack said, standing on shaky legs and brushing dirt from his cloak. “Time to figure out what fresh hell this is. Step one: assess the situation. Step two: find coffee. Step three: don’t die. Again.”

The mist began to clear, revealing the desolate ruins of a village. Shadows moved in the distance, shambling forms that groaned and dragged themselves toward him.

“Oh, zombies. Cool, cool, cool,” Jack muttered, his voice pitching slightly higher. He picked up the book and flipped it open, scanning its glowing text. “Alright, magic book, let’s see what you’ve got.”

The air crackled as Jack’s fingers brushed the pages, and a bolt of wild, golden energy shot out, hitting one of the zombies square in the chest. It stumbled backward, glowing faintly before exploding into a shower of sparks.

Jack stared at his hands, then at the book. A slow grin spread across his face. “Okay. This might not be so bad after all.”

As the horde advanced, Jack raised the book, energy sparking around him. “Alright, deadheads, let’s dance. But fair warning—I’m terrible at following steps.”

And with that, Jack Steele charged headlong into the chaos, laughing like a man with nothing left to lose and everything to gain.

The first thing I noticed was the smell—a mixture of damp earth, burning wood, and something faintly metallic. The air felt heavy, as though the world itself was holding its breath. He staggered forward, clutching the rune-covered book like a lifeline.

Ahead of him, the ruins gave way to what appeared to be an abandoned church. Its stained-glass windows were shattered, and the once-grand double doors hung crooked on their hinges. Jack hesitated before stepping inside, his nerves jangling like loose wires.

“Great. Creepy church. Classic horror trope. Next thing I know, I’ll be meeting some weird…”

“Who are you?” a low voice interrupted. Jack froze.

A man stepped out from the shadows, tall and broad-shouldered with dark hair tied back in a loose ponytail. His gray eyes were cold and calculating, and a massive sword rested casually across his back. He wore battered armor that looked both practical and intimidating.

“Uh, hi?” Jack offered, raising one hand in a half-wave. “Name’s Jack. And you are…?”

“Killian,” the man replied curtly. His gaze shifted to the glowing book in Jack’s hands. “You’re not from here, are you?”

Before Jack could answer, a second figure emerged from behind Killian. This one was a woman with fiery red hair and a mischievous smile that contrasted sharply with the man’s stoic demeanor. She wore a patchwork cloak over leather armor and held a crossbow slung casually over one shoulder.

“Oh, don’t scare him, Killian,” she said, stepping closer. “I’m Lila. And you look like you’ve had a rough day, Jack.”

“You could say that,” Jack replied, still clutching the book. “So, what’s the deal with this place? Zombies, weird magic… am I on some kind of twisted reality show?”

Lila laughed, a warm, melodious sound that immediately put Jack at ease. “Not quite. But you’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Welcome to Grimveil.”

Killian crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “This isn’t a place for tourists. If you’re going to survive, you’ll need to learn fast.”

“Survive?” Jack echoed, raising an eyebrow. “Buddy, I already died once today. What’s the worst that can happen?”

As if on cue, a guttural roar echoed from outside. The three of them turned toward the broken doors as a hulking, grotesque figure shambled into view. Its rotting flesh glowed with faint green light, and its eyes burned with unnatural fury.

“Oh, that’s new,” Lila said, raising her crossbow.

Killian drew his sword with a practiced motion. “Stay behind us,” he ordered Jack.

Jack flipped open the rune-covered book, a spark of gold energy crackling between the pages. “Yeah, that’s not really my style.”

The monster lunged, and the trio sprang into action, the ruins of the church erupting into chaos.

Name: Grimoire of the Undying Light

Type: Sentient Artifact

Abilities:

Bolt of Light (Active): Fires a concentrated blast of golden energy at a single target. Effective against undead.

Radiant Barrier (Active): Generates a shield of light that reduces incoming damage.

Glyph of Binding (Passive): Weakens and immobilizes undead enemies in a small radius.

Lumina’s Whisper (Passive): Provides cryptic guidance and occasional sarcastic remarks.

Bonding Effect: Becomes more powerful as the user grows in magical affinity.

The battle raged on as Jack experimented with the book’s abilities, the glowing runes shifting and changing as though responding to his will. Killian and Lila fought with practiced precision, their movements synchronized like a dance perfected over years. Trying to stay back, he doesn’t want to interfere with their fighting style, since that could hurt one of them if he got in the way. The only goal Jack had was to tryout this book and all of its possibilities.

“Is it bad that I’m kind of having fun?” Jack called out, firing another golden bolt that disintegrated a zombie mid-lunge.

“Yes!” Killian snapped, swinging his sword in a wide arc that cleaved through two enemies at once.

Lila laughed, reloading her crossbow. “Don’t mind him. He’s always like that. But you might want to stop grinning—there are more coming!”

As reinforcements lumbered into the ruined church, Jack adjusted his grip on the Grimoire. “Alright, book buddy. Let’s see what else you’ve got.”

You had better hold on to your hat then. A sound in Jacks head bouncing around as if it was out of no where. Before he could think more on it the runes flared brighter, and Jack felt a surge of energy as a new spell etched itself into the pages. He didn’t know what it would do, but he was eager to find out. With a reckless grin, he unleashed the spell, illuminating the darkened church in a blinding flash.

Jack stared at the glowing pages of the Grimoire as the last echoes of combat faded. The faint golden light shimmered and danced, rearranging the runes into a new configuration. A low hum vibrated through his fingertips as he flipped to an unfamiliar page, now glowing brighter than the rest.

New Spell Learned: Dawnflare

• Effect: Releases a burst of radiant energy that blinds enemies within a radius and purges weaker undead instantly.

• Cooldown: Moderate.

“Dawnflare, huh?” Jack muttered, a smirk creeping across his face. “Sounds flashy. I like it.”

“Quiet,” Killian barked, his sword still drawn. The stoic fighter’s eyes scanned the church for any remaining threats. Lila, meanwhile, reloaded her crossbow with a practiced flick of her wrist.

“You two always this cheerful?” Jack quipped, brushing dust from his shoulders.

Lila grinned. “Don’t mind him. Killian’s idea of fun is standing in silence and glaring at the problem until it goes away.”

“It works,” Killian replied flatly, his gaze never wavering from the broken doorway.

The faint sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed from outside. The air grew colder, thick with malice. Jack’s smirk faltered as he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“What is that?” he asked, gripping the Grimoire tightly.

Killian’s jaw tightened. “Hellwalker.”

Lila’s playful demeanor hardened. “We need to move. Now.”

The creature stepped into view, its towering frame ducking beneath the shattered archway. A Hellwalker. Standing nearly eight feet tall, its body was a grotesque amalgamation of charred flesh and twisted metal. Its glowing red eyes burned with an unnatural rage, and every step it took left scorch marks on the ground. In its hands, it carried a massive, jagged blade that seemed to hum with malevolent energy.

Jack’s mouth went dry. “Okay, yeah, moving sounds good.”

“Follow us,” Killian ordered, already moving toward a side passage.

Lila grabbed Jack’s arm, pulling him along as the Hellwalker let out a guttural roar. The sound reverberated through the church, shaking loose chunks of stone from the ceiling.

“Any chance that thing’s friendly?” Jack asked as they sprinted down a narrow corridor.

“Not unless your definition of friendly includes evisceration,” Lila shot back.

The trio emerged into a small courtyard behind the church. Overgrown vines clung to crumbling walls, and the faint light of Grimveil’s perpetually gray sky cast eerie shadows. A broken fountain stood at the center, its stagnant water reflecting the ominous glow of the Hellwalker as it pursued them.

Killian turned to face the creature, planting his feet firmly. “Lila, take Jack and go. I’ll hold it off.”

“Like hell you will,” Lila snapped, raising her crossbow. “We stick together.”

“Agreed,” Jack added, flipping open the Grimoire. “Because I’ve got a shiny new spell I’m dying to try out.”

The Hellwalker stepped into the courtyard, its blade scraping against the ground with a teeth-grating screech. Flames licked along its edges as it raised the weapon, preparing to strike.

“Cover your eyes!” Jack shouted, channeling energy into the Grimoire. The runes blazed with golden light as he unleashed Dawnflare. A brilliant flash erupted from the book, bathing the courtyard in searing radiance.

The Hellwalker roared in fury, clutching at its face as the light blinded it. Several weaker zombies that had followed in its wake crumbled to ash, unable to withstand the spell’s purging power.

Killian didn’t waste a second. He charged forward, his massive sword striking with calculated precision. The blade bit into the Hellwalker’s armored hide, sparks flying as it roared in pain.

“Lila, now!” Killian barked.

Lila darted around the creature, her crossbow bolts finding weak points in its joints. Each shot slowed the Hellwalker’s movements, buying precious seconds.

Jack, meanwhile, focused on the Grimoire, flipping through its pages. “C’mon, c’mon, give me something good!”

“Jack, less reading, more running!” Lila yelled as the Hellwalker swung its blade wildly, forcing Killian to leap back.

“Fine,” Jack muttered, snapping the book shut. “Let’s go!”

The trio dashed toward a hidden exit Lila had spotted earlier, slipping through a narrow gap in the courtyard wall. The Hellwalker’s enraged roars faded behind them as they fled into the mist-shrouded forest beyond.

The group finally stopped to catch their breath beneath the gnarled branches of an ancient tree. The forest was eerily quiet, the only sound their ragged breathing.

“Hellwalkers don’t usually wander this far into Grimveil,” Killian said, his voice tinged with uncharacteristic concern.

“Lucky us,” Jack replied, leaning against the tree. “So, what’s the deal with those things?”

Lila sat cross-legged on the ground, inspecting her crossbow. “They’re rare, but when they show up, it’s never good. They’re smarter than regular undead. Stronger, too. And they don’t stop until their target is dead.”

“Great,” Jack said, running a hand through his hair. “So, we’re on its hit list now?”

Killian nodded grimly. “It will hunt us until it’s destroyed.”

Jack sighed. “Awesome. Just another day in paradise.”

Despite the danger, a small smile tugged at Lila’s lips. “You’re taking this surprisingly well.”

Jack shrugged. “I’ve already died once today. At this point, I’m just rolling with it.”

Killian sheathed his sword, his expression softening ever so slightly. “Then you might survive longer than I thought.”

Jack grinned. “Was that a compliment? From Mister Stoic?”

Lila laughed. “Don’t push your luck, Jack.”

As the trio prepared to move deeper into the forest, Jack couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of camaraderie. The forest around them seemed alive in more ways than one. Ancient trees stretched skyward, their trunks gnarled and twisted as if shaped by unseen hands. Bioluminescent moss clung to the bark, casting a soft blue-green glow, while ethereal wisps of light floated lazily through the air, like fireflies with a mind of their own. The faint sound of a distant, melodic hum resonated through the woods, a sound that was both soothing and unsettling. For the first time since waking in this strange, horrifying world, Jack felt like he might just have a shot at surviving. And maybe, just maybe, he’d find a way to make a difference.