Without warning, the pig that exudes confidence leads the group and charges forward. Each step leaves deep imprints on the ground, the beast moving at a speed unthinkable for a pig—it reaches them.
"Kuehhk"
Without time to react, the pig rams into Undead's chest, pushing him back. Nearly losing his balance, he stabs his sword in the ground to steady himself. Yet the demon beasts don't let this opening go.
The fattest of the pigs moves at a speed only slightly slower than its leader, yet the imprints it leaves are much deeper. Buckling its legs, it leaps into the air with surprising heft.
Boom!
Dust rises as a crater forms under the pressure of the pig's fall. Prepared this time, Undead pulls his sword out of the ground and barely manages to roll to the side. Just staring at that pig, it feels like the surroundings got heavier.
Using the momentum of his roll, he lunges forward, embedding his sword in its side. The pig lets out a shriek, its muscles spasming. Undead pulls out his sword—well, he tries to. The thick muscles of the pig lock it into place with no sign of releasing it.
The confident pig seizes this opportunity and kicks Undead's side with its hind legs.
Pffffft!
Blood climbs up his throat and lurches out his mouth, seeping out the gaps through his helmet. Gritting his teeth, he yells out to Leaf. "Leaf, be useful!"
Pale-faced, Leaf barely manages to form a gun with her hand, shooting a weak blast towards the fattest pig.
It's pointless. The pig dodges. Strands of saliva stretch out as its jaw unhinges wide enough that a whole fairy could fit in it.
Without hesitation, Undead throws an arrow, managing to hit its head but leaving only a scrape. But that's good enough—using the brief distraction, he yells out to her.
"Leaf! Spin your wind!"
Unsure of what he means, she just follows his orders. A ball of wind forms, at the tip of her finger, spinning slowly before going faster and faster. The wind can't contain its shape and flattens to a disk, spinning at speeds impossible for the eye to see.
Leaf, focused on the wind, doesn't notice the forgotten third pig that lagged behind the rest. Silently, it opens its mouth and bites down.
"AHHHHHHHH"
Wings torn from her back, a river of blood flowing from where her wings should be. Falling to the ground, the disk of wind fragments, shooting out wildly, embedding itself in the pigs, ground and… Undead.
Fighting the urge to scream out, he holds the last arrow in his hand, sneaking up behind the confident pig. At the last moment, his limbs feel heavy, but this extra weight helps drive the arrow deeper into its skull.
Letting out a sickening screech, it falls to the ground, dust picking up in the wind. The fight stills as the two other pigs look at the fallen corpse. Tears of blood fall in unison as they scream out, mourning the loss of their comrade.
The fat pig rushes over to Undead, stretching out its jaw so wide that its cheeks tear. Rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth are revealed, each one aimed at his head.
Shoving his fist down the pig's throat, repeatedly punching upwards, trying to cave in its skull from the inside out. He can't help but feel a sense of helplessness. His body's growing heavier and it's troublesome to even keep his eyes open.
Yet Undead doesn't relent, even though his fist is slower, the pig can't shut its mouth due to the tear. Clawing at the inside now, the hinges of his fist catching on skin as it tears apart.
Forming a claw with his hand, he digs towards its brain, shoving his free hand into its eye. Trying to end it all the more faster, even if it's only by a fraction.
The scrawny pig ignores the weeping Leaf on the ground and charges at Undead's back. The force is so great that he, along with the fat pig, tumble forward. Now on top of the fat pig, both his arms now bash in its skull.
The weight suppressing his body lifts with the pig's death, the air lighter than before.
One pig remains, and it's practically unharmed. While Leaf is out of commission and Undead can barely move himself.
Pulling his sword out from the pig's corpse, Undead roughly holds a stance hidden deep within his memories.
Feet shoulder length apart, body stood sideways and the sword held in front. Steadying his breath, forcing his closing eyes to widen as far as they can go, he charges forward the same time the pig does.
Just as they're about to collide, Undead abandons his sword midair, jumping to the side. The pig can't stop, driving the dull sword into its own head. Yet it doesn't die. It refuses to die.
It refuses to die.
With bated breaths, blood painting its face, it charges again, bodying Undead in the chest. Even though the pig hit him, it didn't stop running, carrying him further and further away.
Gripping the hilt of the sword, he tries to drive it further in, yet the pig suddenly stops, the force causing both Undead and the sword to fall off.
Back slamming into the floor, Undead can't get his breath back. Looming over is the scrawny pig, raising its feet to crush him.
Using what little strength he has left, he can barely move his sword. Lifting it up off the ground, the pig slams its foot onto his wrist. A sickening crack sounding out. This time Undead can't hold his screams.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Taking a sick satisfaction in his pain, the pig slowly, deliberately crushes his joints. Starting from his legs all the way up to his arms.
Raising its foot atop his head, would he really die like this? To three disgusting pigs?
Resolving himself for the worst, undead knocks his head back to open his visor, managing to lift his battered body enough to dig his teeth deep into the foot, the taste of ash staining his mouth.
The pig is unfettered. It simply raises its other foot and brings it down.
Undead's vision goes dark, yet he can feel it all. His brain being crushed and spread apart. His fractured bones digging into his skin. His blood flooded his lungs.
Everything. He can feel everything.
His hearing is the second to go, the snorting of the pig no longer heard. Next is his taste, the ash no more. After his taste is his smell, he can't smell his own stagnant blood polluting the air. Finally, is his sense of touch. The agonising pain torturing his body starts to relent.
Nothingness. Undead is nothing.
In this void, the faint flickering of flames clouds his mind. 'That campfire really was warm' he thinks to himself, unconsciously reaching out forward.
As he does, he can feel the heat penetrating his armour, singeing his skin.
But… Why can he feel? Why can he hear? He should be questioning this, yet he doesn't, focusing solely on the sound of fire in front.
The fire slowly drifts away, falling into nothingness. Undead despairs, because he is now, once again, alone.
"ead… Un…" Maybe he really has gone insane, hearing the mischievous voice of Leaf even within the void.
"UNDEAD!" Ah, how wonderful it is. Maybe he's really not alone after all, doesn't he have the memories of his brief travels across wonderland?
As he looks back on that brief trip, a blast of wind suddenly hits his face, making it impossible to breathe.
Breathe? Why would he need to breathe? Mind clouding more and more as he muses this, his mouth is forced to part and gulp down fresh air.
Eyes shooting open, he looks around only to see a slightly larger than average fairy sitting on his chest, forcing wind in his mouth.
Seeing him open his eyes, Leaf's downcast face brightens instantly.
"Undead! You really did come back!"
He's not dead? Wait… didn't the same thing happen with the Helkaiser? Why can he come back from death?
Why can Undead return by death?