Sylvara's Rebirth A New Dawn for Abel novel Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Kicking the Head**

Sylvara halted mid-step, an unsettling chill creeping down her spine, as if icy fingers were trailing along the nape of her neck.

A sense of unease washed over her; she could feel the unmistakable presence of someone breathing just inches behind her.

“Thanks for the compliment. I think I smell pretty good too,” she quipped, attempting to mask her fear with humor.

The voice that answered her was gravelly, each word punctuated by a harsh gulp. “You smell so good. I want to bite you.”

So, he thinks I’m food.

She couldn’t help but admire his audacity.

“Fine, I think you look pretty tasty, too. You should let me have a bite!” she retorted, a smirk playing on her lips.

In a swift motion, Sylvara pivoted on her heel, her heart racing as she came face to face with a tall, menacing figure. His mouth contorted into a grotesque grin, revealing a hunger that sent a shiver through her. He lunged, his intentions clear—he was about to sink his teeth into her neck.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she swung the metal chain clenched in her hand, expertly looping it around his neck. Using the chain’s momentum, she spun behind him, her instincts kicking in.

With a powerful kick, she sent him crashing into a nearby seat, the impact reverberating through the air. Yanking the chain, she forced his head upward, her voice steady despite the chaos. “What are you?”

This creature was unlike anything human.

Not only did he regard her as a meal, but he also twisted his neck unnaturally against the chain’s grip.

No human could do that.

“You smell so good. Let me have a bite,” the restrained man drooled, his eyes glazed, completely oblivious to the pain or the danger.

Sylvara’s expression hardened as she pulled lightly on the chain. With a sickening crack, she snapped the man’s neck, a decisive action that should have ended the threat.

Yet, the man continued to utter, “Let me bite. Just one bite. Just one…”

“Zombie?”

The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. Only zombies from the apocalypse could speak with such broken necks, or continue moving after sustaining such injuries.

Just to be certain, she yanked the chain off his neck and thrust it into his chest like a dagger.

Thwack.

Black blood erupted, splattering her face with a foul, putrid scent that was all too familiar—zombie blood.

She flicked the chain deeper into the man’s chest and pulled out a smooth, thumb-sized crystal-clear orb.

It really is a zombie.

Holding the orb, she stepped back, her heart racing.

The creature, now devoid of its energy source, convulsed violently. Its nails elongated grotesquely, the broken head hanging at an unnatural angle, and a gaping hole appeared in its forehead.

A chilling chewing sound emanated from the bloody cavity, drawing her attention.

Sylvara took another step back, her eyes fixated on the grotesque sight. Her frown deepened with dread.

This zombie has evolved.

No… something’s amiss.

Beyond the energy crystal in its chest, there was something else lurking in its head.

What could it be?

Carlos snapped out of his stupor, his mouth agape. “They’re people infected by the Swarmborn. The current count is 20.”

Who is this girl?

As one of Agares’ adjutants, he had never encountered anyone in the Empire, aside from Agares himself, who possessed such formidable mental energy and physical prowess capable of crushing the heads of Swarmborn hosts.

Humans infected by the Swarmborn?

That explained their behavior—acting like upgraded zombies, they could still move even after their energy crystals were extracted.

“Where are the others?” Sylvara’s focus sharpened. She needed the energy crystals; in the apocalypse, they had become a form of currency, enhancing mental energy.

Carlos blurted out, “In the spaceship’s cargo hold. These few got past us before we could contain them.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Sylvara sprinted toward the cargo hold, urgency propelling her forward.

Carlos followed closely, his thoughts racing. Who is this girl? She appears fragile, yet she wields an astonishing power!

The path from the passenger cabin to the cargo hold was a chaotic scene, littered with debris.

Several soldiers in military uniforms rushed past them, engaging the Swarmborn hosts that had managed to escape.

Upon reaching the cargo hold, Sylvara observed a handful of soldiers firing their laser guns at the massive doors, which remained stubbornly shut.

She rushed over, her voice commanding. “Move aside!”

The soldiers froze, taken aback.

They beheld a slender, striking girl with long hair, blood staining her face, as she prepared to kick down the door that their weapons couldn’t even budge.