Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition-Chapter 427 Story : The Forbidden Passage

The team stood before the ancient door, its sinister design etched deep into the crumbling stone. The carvings seemed to writhe in the flickering torchlight, skulls dangling ominously above as if warning all who dared approach.

"This isn't just a door," Shadow said, her voice low and steady, "it's a challenge."

Ghost stepped closer, running his gloved hand over the sigils engraved in the wood. "These symbols… they're wards, but they've been tampered with. Something—or someone—has already tried to break through."

Rook scanned the surroundings, his grip firm on his weapon. "We don't have time to stand here guessing. Whatever's inside could be the key to ending this nightmare. Viper, find us a way in."

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Viper knelt before the door, her blade sliding effortlessly into the ancient grooves. "The mechanism is old, but functional. It'll take a moment to bypass—"

A sudden gust of wind rushed past them, extinguishing the torches and plunging the area into near darkness. The faint glow of Shadow's night scope revealed movement in the distance. "Contact, ten o'clock!"

The team snapped into action. Ghost and Shadow took defensive positions, their weapons trained on the shifting shadows. Bulwark stepped forward, his heavy weapon humming as it powered up.

"Rook, we've got incoming," Ghost reported, his voice calm despite the tension.

Rook nodded. "Hold them off. Viper, make it quick."

The figures materialized from the gloom—shambling humanoids with twisted limbs and hollow, glowing eyes. They moved with unnatural speed, their guttural growls echoing off the stone walls.

"Open fire!" Rook commanded.

Bulwark unleashed a torrent of firepower, his rounds tearing through the first wave of creatures. Shadow picked off targets with precision, her sniper rifle cracking with deadly accuracy. Ghost darted between cover, his suppressed pistol taking down stragglers before they could flank the team.

Viper worked frantically, her hands a blur as she manipulated the ancient mechanism. "Almost there," she muttered, beads of sweat forming on her brow.

One of the creatures lunged at Rook, its claws swiping dangerously close. He parried with his combat knife, driving the blade deep into its chest before kicking it away. "We're running out of time, Viper!"

With a final twist of her blade, the door emitted a low rumble and creaked open, revealing a dimly lit passage beyond. A putrid smell wafted out, thick and nauseating.

"Move! Inside, now!" Rook ordered.

The team retreated into the passage, Viper slamming the door shut behind them. The muffled howls of the creatures echoed from the other side, but the heavy door held firm.

The corridor ahead was narrow and lined with skeletal remains, their bony fingers clutching at the walls as if in eternal agony. Faint torches illuminated the path, casting long, eerie shadows.

"This place feels… wrong," Bulwark said, his voice uncharacteristically uneasy.

"It's a tomb," Shadow replied, her tone cold. "And we're walking right into its heart."

Rook led the way, his steps firm despite the oppressive atmosphere. "Stay sharp. Whatever lies ahead, we face it together."

As the team descended deeper into the forbidden passage, the air grew colder, and the sense of dread intensified. At the end of the corridor, a faint, pulsating light beckoned—a promise of answers, or perhaps, their doom.

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