Fire crackled at Ash's feet, dancing as a chilling breeze swept through the surrounding ruin. In a day long gone, this city had been full of life. Now, it was only a shell, an empty reminder of what it used to be.
Ash let out a heavy sigh from beneath his mask. He had made camp on the roof of an abandoned cafe and was eating his evening meal, a meager serving of dried meat. It had been quite some time since he had a decent meal, but he learned long ago not to dwell on such thoughts.
At his side, Ash's sword rested with the rest of his gear. Normally, the blade was strapped to his back, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Tonight, however, he was hoping for some quiet, some rest. It was a hope that was generally ill-placed.
The stars were sparse that night, hidden by dark clouds looming in the sky. Nothing stirred in the ruins below, the eerie silence pervading the air. Ash's eyes narrowed, peering through the sockets of the bone mask covering his face. Gray figures skittered about in the distance, darting between the rubble littering the cracked streets. His teeth clenched together and his jaw tightened. Tonight was not going to be peaceful after all.
With practiced speed, Ash put out his fire and strapped his sword to his back before glancing back at the streets ahead. "Damn," he muttered, his hand remaining on the hilt of his sword. The figures had vanished.
Ash stood completely still, his lightning blue eyes closing. The silence of the night filled his ears as he took a deep breath in, holding the air in his lungs.
Five seconds passed. Nothing.
Ten seconds passed. Nothing.
Twenty seconds passed. His ears began to ring.
Slowly, Ash opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by ghastly creatures. Their skin was a pasty white, the color it once held now faded. With empty white eyes, they watched Ash, their long, thin tongues licking sharp teeth. Like the city surrounding them, they were shades of what they used to be.
Ash began to draw his sword and that was when they attacked, leaping forward with fangs bared. His heart pumped wildly, blood rushing through his veins. Time seemed to slow, the beat of his heart reverberating through his mind like a thunderous drum. Moonlight flashed across the blade of his sword as it left its sheath before gliding through the flesh of the first wave of creatures. Pitch black blood spewed from their wounds as they crumbled to the ground, but the fight was far from over.
More creatures were scaling the building, closing in on Ash. He was surrounded on all sides, leaving no room for error. Like rabid wolves, they pounced, jumping foward as they gnashed their teeth. Every swipe of Ash's blade met its mark, taking the nightmarish shades down one by one. After what felt like minutes had passed, a pile of corpses laid at Ash's feet, twitching as the last pulses of life faded from their bodies.
The masked man was about to sheath his weapon when a final creature scurried onto the rooftop. Unlike its counterparts, its skin was a dark black and spikes of bone jutted from its body. From the edge of the rooftop, it looked over the horrific scene before locking eyes with Ash. The man stood silently, holding his gaze with the monstrosity as blood dripped from his blade.
Ash's ears began to ring again when the shade opened its mouth, revealing several rows of gnarled teeth. It was speaking to him, although what was being said was impossible to know. When its twisted mouth closed, Ash sheathed his blade, his eyes never leaving the creature. Moments passed in silence before the shade took one last look at its fallen brethren and disappeared from the rooftop.
Sighing again, Ash kneeled down and lifted his pack, slinging it over his shoulders.
There would be no sleeping that night.
