Wish

Chapter 7 || Those Born of Darkness

"H... huh...?" Talo groaned. He woke up, his back against his home's wooden door. He snapped to cognizance as he realised what he was just doing. "Crap, no, I fell asleep!" he said in a panic. He stood up in a hurry, then fully registered where he was. His body untensed, even if just by a bit.

"I'm... I'm home. I'm fine. Yes! I didn't have any god forsaken dreams, hell yes!" He felt so grateful, so thankful that he didn't have another nightmare from the depths of darkness in his mind. But that excitement soon faded when he felt... something off. He didn't know what, but something just felt... wrong.

Wondering what it was, he went outside. It was dead of night, moonlight dancing through the small gaps in the leaves above him. Stars glistened blissfully, bringing a simple yet calming joy to Talo. But there was still something off. A dread creeping around the folds of the foliage, stalking Talo's moment of happiness, ready to strike. "Maybe I should- wait... is that... is that mist?"

Mist began to spread around the entire area. In the sky, on the ground, absolutely everywhere. "By Evenis, what the hell is going on?!" he uttered, somewhat panicked. He started to back up, thinking of what to do. For now, it seemed best to retreat back to his home. There, he could try to figure out what was going on... or hide and cower in fear and confusion. Either or! He rushed back through the door, closing and locking it behind him. He stood there, trying to figure out what was going on with the minimal information he had. "Why and how is there so much mist?" he questioned.

He had never seen it like this before, and it came out of absolutely nowhere! What was going on? His train of thought was broken when he heard something outside. He wasn't sure what it was. All he could hear was something approaching his home. Fear sent a swift chill down his spine, as he quickly went to his door to make sure it was locked once again, and pushed the curtains in front of the window to stop anything from seeing inside. Then, he went to the side of the door. If it somehow got in, he would ambush it, using a small blade he made of light at that moment. Better safe than sorry.

Listening closer, he still could not tell what it was. But he knew he had heard those kinds of footsteps before. He just didn't remember them yet. Holding his breath, tension keeping him on edge, he waited. He waited until they stopped, assumedly, right in front of his door. Posing his hand with the small blade held, he was ready to attack at a moment's notice... knock. 'Knocking? Why?' he thought. Knock knock knock.

He untensed himself, ever so slightly, more intrigued than scared now. 'Wait... is the thing outside even trying to hurt me? Why am I so on edge?' He realised his strange inclination to be ready for something bad to be out there and questioned it in his mind. Besides maybe the mist, there was no reason to worry. However, he did not hesitate thinking for long. Something was telling him, whatever was outside, was not friendly. He felt it, he just knew it. However, it did not stop him jumping when the knocks turned from a small tap to an absolute beating on the door.

 The small, calm knock knock knock's transformed into monstrous BANG's against the wood. Trying to calm his now panicked breathing, he readied his knife once again, for if whatever was outside knocked the door down or broke the lock, he'd have to wait for it to come inside and slice at it's back, (if it was dangerous) or if it waited outside, he would very quickly turn the corner and stab at it. Now, he forced himself to hold his breath, anxiety itching throughout his entire body. The aggressive banging on the door had halted, but Talo's fear did not.

He still was ready with his blade, however, it began to falter in form, for it was a more complex spell, and even then, realistically, it'd only last one single slash. After the mist subsided and whatever was outside left, Talo promised himself he would get his own sword, one truly his, one he would have with him at all times. He focused his ears to listen for even the smallest of sounds, and was swiftly rewarded for it.