Seven Chances

Prologue

The rain poured in steady beats. The first rain after the driest month of the year splattered the once dry ground. The moon shone over the distant fog of the night, light barely penetrating through the fog's barrier. The sound of heavy breathing and hushed whispers could be heard if you listen closely. Seven ghost-like figures walked quietly through the dark, disguised in the shadows of the night.

"They know we're here..."

The wind roared over their heads as the rain hit them relentlessly. The mud splattered ground slowing them down. Seven shadows stood aimlessly on top of a distant hill, looking around despite the darkness that covered the land in its shroud. A strike of lightning lit up the land, exposing the ghosts' location. A rickety house stood in the distance, barely stable but still standing on its posts, the ghosts took shelter there. The house creaked with old age as the wind pushed against it. The house's old and slightly destroyed walls were not enough against the storm or any other force.

"We can't stay here..."

The front door was locked and so were the windows, everything was locked, except the back door. There wasn't a single source of light in the room. They all stood there, panting from exhaustion. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, momentarily showing the expressions of fear and anxiety on most of their faces. The shadows were stalking towards them quickly, looks of triumph on their faces.

"You have to leave... We'll hold them off... Go. Leave. Right. Now. That is an order."

The air turned tense as a few agonizing moments passed by until only three of the ghosts remained. Fighting was pointless, they knew that, but they were willing to give the others a chance to escape. After a few minutes, they left the safety of the house. They were face to face with their mortal enemies, three against seven; it was never a fair fight to begin with. No one dared to move, not yet. They waited for the first move. The rain and wind surrounded them. The air was cold and thick with fog, the moon's light disappearing behind a dark cloud, engulfing them in darkness.

"You all should've surrendered when we gave you the chance... But you didn't... Instead... You all chose death."

Then the first move was made. No one ever saw or was witness to that battle. Stories say that fourteen mystical lights came from that area; the sound of battle was heard before those lights appeared. No one was ever able to find the reason for those lights. After many years, the stories were written down as myths and legends, forgotten by the modern world.

"Let's meet again, shall we?"