Thane:(mind) Note to self... Ask for a weapon from the goddess... Second note to self... Beat that woman to death with it!

Six feet in the dirt, Thane was struggling as he tried digging his way out of the dirt which was softened by the zombie chains which dragged him into this predicament.

(Bmf)

He pierces a hand into the surface where he feels someone grab and help drag him out of the dirt.

Thane:(spits dirt)

???: Are you alright?!

Thane: I've been better...

Dusting himself off, The champion of death glances at his savior.

Quite a basic-looking blond man in blue clothing and light armor with a spear.

(Necrotic hunter: Hunter Dewbit)

Hunter: You seem quite calm for someone who was just buried alive...

Thane: I only do the panic act in crowds so I don't feel like I'm missing out...

Hunter: Uh-huh... Wait... Those cloths... That's the symbol of Azrei on your tunic.

Thane: I'm the new Champion of Death. Thane. Hi. Did you see-

Hunter: You're the champion of death!?

Thane: Yeah... I just said that.

Hunter: The real Champion of Death!?

Thane: No, I'm an actor- YES I'M THE REAL CHAMPION!

Thane:(pulls out compass) I would ask if you know which way she went, but I got it handled...

Letting the compass guide him, Thane heads out to hunt Gaudy with Hunter following him.

Hunter: Since you obviously had an encounter with that witch, that means that the goddess isn't on her side...

Hunter: Which means you're here to help us!

Thane: "Us"?

Hunter: My village, she's made her residents there. She's taken it under her control by using the corpses of our loved ones from our graveyard!

Thane: Ugh...?

Hunter: I've been doing my best to fight her, but I'm simply a man.

Hunter: You're a champion! I know together we can stop her!

Thane: Uhm... Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Do you have a spare weapon?

Hunter: Don't you have a god weapon?

Thane: I'm actually supposed to get a weapon- I mean...

Thane: I'm still new. So I haven't gotten one yet.

Hunter: Oh... Then I see why you were buried alive...

Hunter: How are you going to defeat her then?

Thane: I was thinking...

Thane:(strangling gesture)

Thane: Or...

Thane:(slits throat gesture)

Thane: Maybe even...

Thane:(boxing gesture)

Hunter: If only it was that simple...

(Opening Theme)

Thane and Hunter arrived at the edge of a village.

Hunter's village.

Thane: Is this your village?

Hunter: It is...

Zombie citizens walked around with the living.

Hunter: She has the whole village under her thumb, using the corpses of our loved ones to keep us obedient.

Thane: They all seem... Happy?

Hunter: Some are...

Hunter: A chance to be with lost loved ones is something most would do anything to get.

Thane:...

Hunter: The issue with bringing back the dead... Their puppets to whoever brought them back.

Hunter: Their bodies are rotten, so diseases are spreading...

Hunter: These Zombies are slowly killing us-

Thane walks out of the forest to enter the village.

He immediately gains the attention of everyone around due to his clothing having the symbol of Azrei on it and it is in the style of Champion gear.

Thane walks up to a child with her zombie grandmother.

Child:(hides behind grandmother)

Staring down the zombie grandmother, Thane became deep in thought as to what he should do.

Azrei is a Goddess. A goddess who said the undead is wrong. And the gods are always right in his mind.

But there is something good about letting the living meet the people they would otherwise never meet again.

Thane:....(raises fist)

Hunter: What are you doing? Let's go!

Dragging the Champion away from this scene he made, Hunter takes Thane to his home.

(Slam)

Shutting the curtains, Hunter peeks out the window to see if anyone was watching.

Hunter: You can't just attack one of the zombies!

Thane:(looks around) Why not?

Hunter: They're still the corpses of the village's loved ones. And attacking one will alert the witch.

Thane: If it attracts her, then good. And the Goddess probably wants all these zombies gone one way or another.

Hunter: There has to be a better way...

Thane: Listen, my options are limited.

???: Dad?

Thane:?

Hunter:!?

A young woman enters the room from the kitchen with a knife.

Hunter: Abby...

Thane/Abby: Who's this?

Hunter: Abby, this is the Champion of Death. He's here to stop the witch.

Abby: What!?

Hunter: Champion, this is my daughter... And this is her house.

Abby: Yes it is. Now get out, both of you.

Hunter: Abby, the Goddes of Death is unhappy. The Witch is going against the gods!

Abby: The gods didn't do anything for Mother. So why should I care what they like?

Hunter: Abby!

He rushed over to whisper to her.

Hunter:(whispers) Not in front of a champion...!

Thane: Hey, do you guys have something to drink?

Abby: You aren't getting my wine.

Thane: I was thinking about water. You must drink a lot for wine to be your first thought.

Abby: Just get out!

Thane: Okay.

Zombie: So you live... False champion...?

The Zombie mother of Abby limps out of the kitchen. Gaudy the necromancer has taken possession of the corpse.

Zombie: Outside this house, my army awaits. I'll let them drag you over to me... And I'll kill you myself.

Thane:...

Thane: Hey, Abs? Are you okay with your mom's corpse being used like this?

Abby:... Mind your business.

Thane: Hunter... You raised a real bitch.

He approaches the door.

Hunter: Wait! She'll kill you if you just go out there!

Thane: It's possible... Yeah. So?

Hunter: So? Aren't you scared of dying?

Thane: No. As a matter of fact, I'm not really scared of anything.

Thane: Nor do I really have anything to live for... I'm just existing to figure out this Death stuff...

Thane: If I live, the goddess will help me figure it out... If I die... I'll figure it out through experience.

Thane: It's a win-win.

Abby:(disgusted) You're insane...

Thane: Says the girl hugging a dead body...

Walking out of the door, Thane was dragged by all the village Zombies out of town and toward Gaudy's lair.

"That's right...."

"I forgot until I said out loud..."

"But I don't find this world particularly interesting."

"I'm not suicidal... Just indifferent about living or dying."

"Work... People... Dreams... Money...I'm told these are things people live for."

"But I've come to understand it because they fear not having one, or something..."

"I definitely know it's because of fear. And I lack that... Because I'm 'defective'."

"Maybe that's why Death is a subject I'm so fascinated with. It's the forbidden topic..."

"The thing no one truly dares to commit to discovering everything about."

"Except me"

"That kinda makes me feel better about being 'defective'."

(SLASH)

Thane:?

Slashing through the zombies was Hunter. He cut straight through the faces of his past to get to Thane.

Once free, Thane helped Hunter knock a few Zombies back before the two got back to back with the now battle-ready zombies.

Thane: What are you doing here?

Hunter: Saving you!

Thane: Why?

Hunter: You made yourself an example... Had to live up to it, here.

Handing him a sword, the two begin to hack away at the undead forces.

Thane: Example?

Thane: I tell you I'm indifferent with living and dying and you go "This guy has a point"?

Hunter: I... Might have read between the lines...

(SWOOSH)

(SLash)

Thane: What lines? I was being quite literal. Are you also incapable of feeling fear?

Hunter: No... I was like you once!

(Swoosh)

(swoosh)

(Shunk)

(Whap)

Thining out the zombies, the two continue their conversation.

Hunter: A while back, I didn't care what happened to me... Until I met my wife.

Hunter: I almost fell back into that ditch when she died... But I stayed strong for Abby...

Hunter: I'm not going to let the guy who's supposed to save us, stay in that same ditch!

Hunter: Life is great pal!

Thane:...

Thane: That's it?

Hunter: Huh?

Thane: "Life is great"? Seriously?

(Swoosh)

Hunter: What? It is!

Thane: Okay, let me explain my situation... I cannot feel fear.

Hunter: Seriously?

Thane: My indifference to life and death stems from that- OW!

Getting bit by a zombie, Thane pauses for a moment to take care of that hostile before rubbing his shoulder and continuing the conversation.

Thane: As I was saying, it stems from my lack of fear.

Thane: Things are neat... But I'm completely fine with whatever happens to me.

Thane: And I think that's made me bored with life... Do you get what I'm trying to say?

Hunter: I think....?

(SLASH, SLASH)

Thane: It's fine... I'm not relatable, I know that.

Hunter: You just need to find the one... That's the only advice I can give you.

Thane: The one?

Hunter: Out there... There's someone who'll make you want to live. If not for yourself, then for them.

Thane: Like... A slave?

Hunter:...

Hunter: In the best way possible.

(Swoosh)

(Slash/Thunk)

Finishing off his side of the hoard, Thane takes a moment to ponder.

Thane:...

Thane: Thanks. I'll take into consideration what you said.

They turn to each other.

Hunter: Thanks for talking with me. It made me not think about cutting down these people.

Thane: These aren't people anymore.

Hunter: They are to me...

Thane looks down the road to see a cave.

Thane:(cracks neck) That must be where the Witch is.

Hunter: Let's get her!

(Rumble)

Thane/Hunter:?

Thane: What was that?

Hunter:(gulp)... This might be out of my league.

Thane: You can go back. You've helped more than enough.

Zombie: Yes, come home, honey...

Hunter: Jessica-

Turning around, Hunter finds the Zombified corpse running at him with a knife. With it being his wife's face, Hunter's instincts were to do nothing.

Hunter: HUGH!?

She stabbed him in the gut and bit into Hunter's shoulder.

Thane:!

TO BE CONTINED.....