The living dead

Nate pushed the heavy wooden door open, the creaking of the ancient hinges echoing through the silent church. The light from the foyer spilled into the room, casting a narrowing rectangle of brightness across the floor. It cut through the darkness, stretching toward the far end of the nave where Rene Laurent sat perched on his throne, elbows on his knees, eyes locked onto Nate. The faint scent of burning incense lingered in the air, mixing with something far darker—an acrid staleness that hinted at decay and rot.
Rene’s gaze was sharp, predatory, sizing up the intruder who had dared to disrupt his reign. “So you’re the one causing me so much trouble,” he said, his voice smooth, almost casual. His eyes scanned Nate from head to toe, unimpressed. “I must say, you don’t look like much from here.”
Nate stood tall, his breath steady despite the ache in his muscles and the pounding in his head from the brutal fight in the foyer. He took a step forward, the shadows of the church seeming to swirl and shift as he moved. Something wasn’t right. The darkness was alive, stirring with more than just the stale air of the abandoned church. Someone—or something—was lurking within it.
“You should come get a closer look,” Nate challenged, his voice low, his hand loose at his side.
Rene leaned back on his throne, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. His movements were slow and deliberate, like a king observing a court jester. “I have people for that,” he drawled, waving his hand dismissively. “Although… ‘people’ may be a stretch.” Rene flicked his wrist, and from the shadows, the movement began. A rustling, faint at first, then growing more distinct. The indescribable stench hit Nate’s nose just before he saw them—figures shambling forward, their steps slow and unnatural. Seven of them. Their lifeless eyes reflected the faint flicker of candlelight, their movements jerky and stiff, yet disturbingly determined.
Rene’s grin widened as he watched the creatures lurch forward. “You cost me two already,” he said, his voice dripping with mock irritation. “I barely had time to replace them.”