Zombies Unleashed! by Nick Eliopulos

Author:Nick Eliopulos [Eliopulos, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2024-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Benjamin’s pickaxe broke through solid ground, and a great rush of water surged down. But he was ready for it. Swimming upward against the current, he stopped the flow with a few well-placed blocks, ensuring that Bobbie and the others wouldn’t be swept back down into the pit.

He took in his surroundings, and he realized he’d emerged in the tunnel they’d been walking through when the flood had overtaken them. That had obviously been Hatchet and Flip’s doing, all in an effort to force the party into their trap. It was cleverer than their usual plot, but it was just as merciless as he’d expect from the pair.

When Benjamin had been Logan’s eager young apprentice, Hatchet and Flip had been Logan’s lieutenants. At first, Benjamin had admired their fearlessness and their skill. He’d been so eager to learn from them.

But as the days had marched on, it became increasingly clear that they’d had little interest in teaching him anything. They only wanted someone to do the tedious parts of an adventurer’s job—managing their inventory, mending their armor, cooking their food. Benjamin had worked hard for them, and he’d never complained, not once! But that only made them demand more of him and offer less in return.

It had broken his heart a little bit, but he’d held out hope that Logan, at least, was crafted of kinder stuff, and that Benjamin’s steadfast loyalty and competence would be rewarded.

He was still waiting. But he sure wasn’t holding his breath.

Bobbie emerged from the hole behind him, followed by Johnny and the villagers. “What’s the plan?” he asked her, and then he wanted to kick himself. Why was he still following other people? Why did he find it so difficult to act on his own initiative?

Maybe it was because the last time he had done that…an elderly adventurer had died. No one had said it out loud, but Pigstep Peggy’s demise was at least partially Benjamin’s fault. He’d chosen the wrong moment to defy Logan, and the consequence had been an utterly chaotic battle. The very battle that had forced Peggy to summon a Wither.

So the Wither was Benjamin’s fault, too.

Maybe the Overworld would be better off if he just stopped making decisions altogether.

“This way,” Bobbie said, and the group followed her around a corner. But they were too late. The battle was over.

Benjamin was only mildly annoyed that Logan had won.

“You guys take the long way around?” Logan asked. “You missed all the fun.”

Hatchet and Flip scowled. They stood with their backs to the wall, hands on their heads, and their weapons had been laid down at Logan’s feet. He held his sword out, but casually, as if he truly doubted he would need to use it.

“But it was two against one!” Benjamin said. “How—?”

“I taught them everything they know,” said Logan. “Including that whole flooded deathtrap we just crawled out of—the Obsidian Bucket was one of mine. Although I don’t remember sharing that particular design with anyone.”

“I don’t remember you sharing much of anything.

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