The fortress doors slammed shut before the last civilian could reach the courtyard.Ștefan spun around as the enormous steel gates locked into place with a violent metallic crash. The sound rolled through the compound, followed by a deeper vibration that travelled beneath his boots. What happened?"Nobody answered immediately.Then every light in the fortress went dark. A second later, red emergency lamps flickered to life along the walls. The ground shook again. This time, something beneath the fortress roared. Children began crying.Several survivors stumbled backwards as the undead surrounding the courtyard suddenly became restless. Zombies that had spent hours standing perfectly still began turning toward the ground, their bodies tense and their ruined faces twisted with something that looked disturbingly close to fear.Magnus was the first to react. The enormous Zombie General stepped back from the central building. Ștefan stared at him. Magnus had fought a Disaster-Class creature

The argument outside the command room nearly turned into a riot when the lights went out again.“We are leaving!” The shout echoed through the damaged corridors of the abandoned military outpost.Several survivors gathered near the eastern barracks, carrying whatever supplies they could fit into bags. Some had knives. Others carried improvised weapons.A few simply stood there with frightened expressions, watching the dark corridors as if expecting the dead to crawl from the walls.Ștefan arrived with Elena at his side and Magnus several steps behind them. What is happening?” Ștefan asked.A broad-shouldered man stepped forward. He looked exhausted, with grey dust covering his clothes and a deep cut across his forehead.“You said this place was safe,” the man said. “You never said anything about ancient machines, underground laboratories, or something beneath us that can shake the entire fortress.”Several survivors murmured in agreement. The man pointed toward Magnus. “And you expect