Chapter 28

Step by step, Kai and Kaori move through the yomigaeri filled streets, silent prayers to whatever gods may still be keeping an eye on them. The yomigaeri were snarling, but they were as stealthy as shadows as they clung to the edges of the collapsing buildings.

Their clothes were heavy with the odor of the creatures, and their noses were filled with the sickening smell of rot and death. But, they had no room to fail. The odds were too big and the stakes too high.

They needed to figure out how to get to the market so they could restock.

They needed to make it through.

Kaori's hand scraped against a wall as they slipped through the shadows, the rough surface rubbing against her clothes. A yomigaeri in the alleyway noticed the sound as it reverberated.

The thing turned and smelt the air, its hollow eyes fixed on the two of them. Stepping forward, its movements methodical and unhurried as it tried to locate the source of the sound.

The miasma of decay and death surrounded Kai and Kaori as the yomigaeri's hot, putrid breath pierced the air like a burning knife. Their veins were filled with a terrifying mix of rhythm as their hearts pounded fiercely.

The creature crept closer, a terrible abomination, the sound of its rough, leathery skin scraping against the crumbled walls resonating in the silence.

Kai's nostrils burned from the foul stink, and his pulse raced, beads of sweat trickling down his brow. His hands moving towards his staff ready for whatever would happen next.

The tips of the yomigaeri's gnarled claws, smeared with the blood of its most recent victim, snapped against the solid ground. Kaori's confidence and her eyes, which were like pools of obsidian, never wavered, yet her pulse raced in her chest like a wild stallion.

The creature paused, its distorted expression radiating hunger. With a contemptuous smirk, it sniffed the air and swept its gaze over Kai and Kaori's figures. The terrifying moment appeared to go on forever, as the yomigaeri's foul stench permeated the air.

The yomigaeri stepped forward again, a mockery of mankind as its twisted limbs jerked and spasmed. Its damaged lips opened slowly, revealing its bared teeth and pointed to a terrible end.

Kai felt his muscles contract and his palm clench around his staff as though he wanted it to come alive, but he remained still, the chilling knowledge of their difficult position sending shivers down his spine.

With its hot, foul breath against their flesh, the yomigaeri narrowed the space between them. It was there in front of them, a tall, rotting abomination, its lifeless eyes examining the pair.

The air was heavy with the silence, which was packed with dread. Kaori's face showed no sign of fear, having survived for this long in this wretched world. But a whirlwind of horror raged deep within her.

The yomigaeri leaned forward, its breath a foul odor filling the air as its yellowed teeth parted.

Kai and Kaori could just feel the jagged fangs grazing their flesh, and the foul-smelling breath of the creature forecasted death. It felt as though the entire moment had frozen in place, a single terrifying moment that went on forever.

Kai's fingers curled around his staff sword as his mind raced, desperately looking for a way out, his determination stiffening.

The yomigaeri loomed above them, its presence oppressive, yet in Kai's veins was a fresh resolve.

He looked directly into Kaori's eyes, a quiet exchange of words. They both knew what needed to be done, therefore no words were necessary.

With great care and a slow pace, they started to back away, keeping their eyes fixed on the undead creature.

Kai and Kaori retreated cautiously, inch by inch, with a hardly audible tread. The tension in the air was so thick that a knife could cut through it as the yomigaeri's eyes followed every motion they made.

Their footsteps followed a route of withdrawal, cautiously dodging any fallen debris and maintaining that jerking and lumbering movement of the yomigaeri to avoid revealing their cover. However, the monster persisted, watching over them like a death specter.

As they arrived at the alley's mouth, the wide roadway spread out in front of them like a ray of hope. Nevertheless, the yomigaeri remained motionless, its eyes unblinking.

Gripping his staff tightly, Kai's knuckles whitened as he braced himself for impact. His eyes met Kaori's for a brief moment of understanding as they locked gazes.

Subsequently, as though hidden message had been received, they turned and ran away, their footsteps resonating against the collapsing alleyway walls.

With a guttural roar, the yomigaeri rushed at them, its limbs spasming. It followed them with the undead's unwavering devotion despite its uneven motions and uncertain strides. Like a trigger, others joined in the chase.

Breathless from trying to outpace their predators, Kai and Kaori dashed down the street. The yomigaeri's howl echoed through the ruins, and even as they fled, the smell of its rotten breath seemed to cling to the atmosphere.

As they turned the corner, they were met with an intricate web of falling buildings and debris. Their footsteps reverberated off the stone walls as they rushed through the cramped corridors.

With the yomigaeri close following, they could feel the chills running down their spines from the terrible sound of their roars echoing off the walls.

The ruins came alive with a furious clamor of moans, grunts, and shuffling footsteps as the yomigaeri gave chase. Desperate to seize their escaping victim, the twisted abominations fell over each other.

The creatures tripped, clashed, and trampled over one other, sending shudders down the street with the sound of cracking bones and shredding flesh. Their tattered clothing and withering limbs caught on broken pipes and shattered glass as they smashed into walls and stumbled over rubble.

With their gazes moving side to side in search of an escape route, Kai and Kaori resumed their dash through the streets that resembled a maze. The noise of those after them became more intense and desperate, as if the yomigaeri were driven into a ferocious rage.

When Kaori abruptly noticed a little opening between two run-down buildings, her eyes brightened with promise. "That way!" she exclaimed, scurrying over to the aperture. Kai trailed after, struggling to keep up with his feet banging against the cracked sidewalk.