Chapter 37: The Breach
The night was supposed to be peaceful.
Ordinary.
Despite the unease festering beneath the surface, the city still clung to the illusion of security. The streets hummed with the murmur of late-night merchants, weary travelers, and distant laughter.
The glow of rune lamps flickered along the paved roads, casting elongated shadows against towering stone buildings. The scent of roasted meats and sweetened wine drifted from open taverns, mingling with the crisp night air.
And then—
The world shook.
A thunderous tremor rippled through the city as a violent shockwave slammed into the outer defenses. The once-sturdy walls groaned under the assault, cracks splintering through ancient stone like veins of impending ruin. The protective runes, carved deep into the fortress-like barricades, pulsed with frenzied light—fighting, straining—before flickering erratically and dying.
Then came the sound.
A howl.
Not the distant call of a lone predator in the wild, but something deeper. Something guttural. Ravenous. It reverberated through the air, sending a chill through every spine, sinking into the bones like an unshakable omen.
Screams followed.