Lector lifts a finger to adjust his sunglasses and says, "Okay boys, time for a little introduction. The last one was pretty hasty. I am Lector Gonzalez, the Flame Marshall."

The only woman among them unfolds her legs and says, "Welcome everyone. I hope you are having a nice time here. I am Vanya, the Control Marshall and this is Pulkit."

Pulkit, silent and scarred, remained enigmatic.

Akash thinks in disappointment, "He was the one I wanted to know the most about and she just said his name"

Pulkit sat there in silence. His face was covered with scars. He was distinguished by his outfit, a checked green and black haori coat accompanied by a patch pocket dark purple, almost black suit with a white shirt.

Akash stands up, "I am Akash"

Vanya smiles and replies, "Oh I very well know who you are boy". Her voice was a just like a sweet nectar for the ears.

Vanya proceeds to sit on the edge of the table and says, "So, Soham already briefed you guys about Raezi. Let me tell you why you are here. To get strong. Strong enough to fight Raezi"

Avyan's eyes widen up in shock. Anirudh sits there, staring into the darkness once again. Akash shouts in a frightened voice, "Bu-But how? Isn't he all that super-powerful?"

Vanya smiles again, "I am sorry, I got ahead of myself. Look over here"

A map suddenly appear on the table. Avyan leans back to take a proper look and says, "Yeah, I thought this was an odd table. This has a display as well."

Vanya continues, "This is the current map and census of infiltrated areas. The red marked have the highest number of undead and almost no surviving life there. The yellow zone has a decent number of zombies and some independent people and groups also live here. The green zone is where you find no zombies. By no I mean absolute zero. These areas are safe for even children to roam around freely."

Akash thinks and points out, "How are you so sure of the green safe-zones?"

Vanya replies, "Because I cleared them myself."

Lector lifts his hand and says, "Aren't you taking a little extra credit?"

Vanya sighs and replies, "Yeah, I mean the three of us."

Avyan thinks, "But how? How can every zombie be annihilated. They are good at hiding in the daytime and they can't possibly find every last zombie even at the night."

Avyan says, "This simply isn't possible"

Vanya replies, "Darling you don't know what's possible"

Avyan nods his head in disagreement.

Vanya continues with a stick in her hand pointing at the map, "As you can see, these green areas are inside or territory only. There are a few yellow regions as well as a couple of red ones but the 95% of our territory is free of the infected."

Akash interrupts in between, " Why can't these zombies just enter the green region from the surrounding yellow or red regions."

Vanya replies, "We do not let them. Our army is stationed at these region borders which prevents any incoming undead. Now getting back, we got a letter from Raezi. Here it is on your screen- "

"To the Esteemed Monarchs of Our Time,

Greetings,

I write to you from the shadows, where I have dwelled and bided my time. As you read these words, I urge you to ponder the macabre intricacies of our existence. Have you ever wondered how long it takes for the marrow of a human bone to liquefy under the precise application of pressure? Or perhaps, you have considered the sound of a heartbeat slowing to a halt as the body is consumed part by part? Or have you ever heard the crying voices of the dying? They show their true self just before their divine demise. The courageous turn into cowards, begging for their life, the motivated turn into hopeless beings waiting and shouting, begging for a quick death.

These are but idle musings, the kind that occupy my thoughts as I prepare for my grand return. For, you see, I have transcended the boundaries of life and death. I have risen from the abyss, and with me, I bring the echoes of the damned. I am no mere revenant; I am Raezi, reborn and empowered beyond your comprehension.

I come bearing gifts of dread tidings. Among your subjects, you will find familiar faces absent.  They are with me now, unharmed but enveloped in the same shadows that herald my return. Their safety is assured, for now. I call the boys.

I have emerged from the depths with a purpose, a vision of the future that no monarch could envision. The tides of fate are turning, and I am the force behind the shift. The walls of your strongholds are not as impenetrable as you might believe. I urge you to inspect your borders closely, for they shall soon bear witness to my arrival and the upheaval I bring. Besides, I have left some gifts for you at your border, my liege.

Prepare yourselves, esteemed rulers. The time of reckoning is at hand. I come not with mere threats, but with the certainty of change. The world as you know it will crumble, and from its ruins, I shall rise supreme.

Until we meet,

Raezi"

Avyan stands up in shock and fear, "What is happening?"

Anirudh and Akash are also shocked to read the bold letter.

Vanya stands, walks and stops behind Anirudh's chair, she raises her hands and rests them on his chair and says, "Lector and I were sent to inspect the border and we found-"

Lector speaks up, "We found dead men. Our men, the soldiers of the Dry Monarch. Their heads hanging on poles. From above, the formation of poles read, 'A BEAUTIFUL START'. There were about 300 dead soldiers. However, Raezi did not kill them, Vanya was nearby, if Raezi would have been there, she would have sensed him. It was something else that killed the soldiers. We believe there are more creatures that are dwelling under our noses."

Vanya continues, "Now where you come in is, that the 'absent familiar faces' the letter is talking about is Avyan, your grandfather, Ishan's brother and Akash, you sister. Raezi has himself called you boys. Therefore, we brought you here for your own safety."

As Avyan finished reading the letter, his hands trembled, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced at Anirudh, whose eyes were wide with shock, his jaw clenched tightly. The air in the room seemed to grow thicker, suffocating them with the weight of the revelation. He gripped the edges of the chair so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The mention of his grandfather sent a wave of panic through him, and the grotesque imagery Raezi used made his stomach churn.

Ishan's face contorted with a mix of anger and disbelief. "This... this can't be true," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His initial shock gave way to a burning anger, his fists clenching in rage.

Avyan's mind raced, each word of the letter echoing in his thoughts. He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. "We need to... we need to figure out what to do," he stammered, his voice cracking. He looked to Akash, searching for some sign of reassurance.

Akash sat in stunned silence, his usually confident demeanour shattered. He stared blankly at the letter, as if hoping the words would rearrange themselves into something less horrifying. The sophisticated language and chilling content made his skin crawl, and he could feel a cold, creeping dread settle into his bones. He swallowed hard, trying to find his voice. "How... how do we even start?" he finally managed to say, his voice thick with emotion. Vanya kept her hand on his shoulder to console him.

Lector rises from his chair and keeps a step on his chair, bends forward, places his face on his hand an rotates it, "Now, who's ready to get stronger?"