𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐎 𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐒 𝐢𝐧... '𝑶𝒖𝒕 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒍𝒅!'

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

...He could still remember that fateful evening.

The moon was hidden behind thick, smoggy clouds that clogged up the sky, and the surrounding woodland had fallen into comfortable quiet; birds roosting in the safety of the winding pine trees, hungry foragers shuffling through dense bushes and undergrowth, and chittering insects trilling and scuttling away in the darkest, dampest parts of the forest.

He had gone to get some peace and quiet, far away from the town's bustling nightlife and the stress-inducing occupants that resided within. It was about dusk when he had arrived hours before, and now, it was well into the night. A slight chill enveloped the dark trees, but he continued on his peaceful hike through the forest, occasionally pausing to take in the scenery.

Yes, it was a good night. Peaceful.

Keyword: 'was'.

Whether it was the sudden roaring from the skies, the shaking of the very ground, or the fact that every animal in existence had quickly - and loudly - fled the area, he was unclear of what had startled him first. It had happened so suddenly, and he jumped about a foot in the air at the foreboding event while swarms of shrieking birds flooded the sky and the more land-capable animals trampled past him.

In a dazed stupor, he looked up at the sky. And his eyes had widened, in fear or awe, he didn't know.

The clouds had parted, and the sky was aflame.

And he could see a flurry of burning wings, enrobed in violent flames, being thrown from the sky.