The young woman remained silent, torn between disbelief and relief. She tried to respond, but no sound escaped her constricted throat. The words seemed to elude her in the face of the unreal presence of this enigmatic man.
With a fluid gesture, Harold approached her and reached out a hand to help her up. His benevolent warmth seemed to transmit a hint of courage through her frozen skin.
"Thank you," she finally managed to articulate, her trembling voice still betraying the aftermath of her past terror.
A smirk formed on Harold's face.
"I'm just someone who intervened at the right moment," he replied with reassuring calmness. "You shouldn't stay here. Take this path, it's safe."
As he spoke, he pointed her in a direction through the dilapidated alleys.
The young woman, still shaken by the horror she had experienced, gazed at Harold with a mixture of grateful admiration and curiosity.
As the young woman caught her breath, her gaze settled on the mysterious man who had saved her from the clutches of the monster.
Her gratitude was immense, and she felt the irresistible need to know her savior's name.
Her lips parted to form a few words, but before she could utter them, a sudden crash was heard.
Dull and menacing rumblings filled the air, vibrating through her entire being.
She looked up, horrified, to find another group of monsters approaching them.
Terror ignited her already weary body, and she felt anxiety mingling with her previous gratitude.
The situation seemed desperate, but Harold showed no sign of hesitation.
With a graceful movement, he positioned himself in front of the young woman, ready to face this new threat. His dark eyes revealed determination, while a cold smile spread across his lips.
The monsters were closing in quickly, their grotesque and deadly silhouettes against the moonlight.
Suddenly, Harold attacked, displaying a power and mastery beyond comprehension.
His movements were fluid and precise, crushing the monsters' heads with devastating kicks.
Each impact resonated like thunder, breaking bones and causing dark blood to spurt into the darkness of the night.
The young woman, rooted in place by the violence of the scene, couldn't look away.
It was both dazzling and terrifying, a macabre ballet performed by a supernatural force.
'So this is what a mage is?'
When the last creature was rendered powerless, Harold turned to the young woman, wiping the blood from his boots with a negligent gesture. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, she saw in his eyes the promise of future victories.
Without a word, he darted towards other parts of the city where other monsters still lurked.
The young woman stood there, bewildered and safe, her heart squeezing with a mixture of gratitude and regret.
'I forgot to ask him his name after all...'
*OTHER SCENE*
The situation was critical, chaos reigned.
The tension was palpable in the air as the police faced the mass of humanoid monsters.
The creatures, with their scaly skin and dark eyes, moved with frightening agility, dodging gunfire with disconcerting ease.
Bullets seemed to bounce off their grotesque bodies without leaving a mark.
The police, struggling to maintain a cohesive position, did their utmost to push them back. Screams of terror echoed in the air as officers frantically shot at the monsters, desperately trying to find their weak spots.
But the bullets seemed to get lost in the embrace of the darkness that enveloped these demonic creatures.
The commanding officer, with fierce determination in his eyes, surveyed the situation, concerned by the violence and ferocity of the enemy.
He knew they were overwhelmed, that their firearms proved ineffective against these supernatural monsters.
He took out his walkie-talkie and contacted his superiors to give them an accurate report of the desperate situation.
"Here's Sergeant Nyggs, we have a critical situation," he said in a grave voice. "We are completely overwhelmed by these monsters. Our firearms are almost useless. We need an immediate deployment of a warden unit to contain this threat as soon as possible!"
His voice trembled slightly, not only reflecting the urgency of the situation but also his unwavering determination to protect the population.
He waited for a moment with a mix of apprehension and hope, hoping that his superiors would respond favorably, aware that every second counted.
Then, a deep, authoritative voice finally replied.
"Sergeant Nyggs, we acknowledge the situation. Two warden teams have already been deployed to reinforce your ranks. Hold on until they arrive."
A hint of relief washed over the commanding officer. Reinforcements were on the way, help was coming.
But as he prepared to relay this crucial information to his teams, a wave of energy swept through the scene.
The monsters were swept away like leaves in the wind, and a man in a shirt and trousers made a triumphant entrance.
He wore a rumpled shirt and trousers, giving the impression of a ridiculous appearance for a hero. Yet, his fiery gaze and frivolous smile indicated that he should not be underestimated.
The fight against the monsters had been intense, frightening, but with the arrival of this mysterious being, a glimmer of hope now shone in the hearts of the police officers.
The man obviously wasn't one of the wardens called by the chief, but he possessed the same power that united them all.
A mage.
The man greeted the authorities in a light voice tinged with mockery.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you seem to be having trouble keeping control around here," he quipped.
The commanding officer, visibly annoyed by this flamboyant entrance, approached with determined steps.
His stern gaze met the man in the shirt and trousers as he tried to conceal his irritation.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he growled, seeking to regain a semblance of authority.
The frivolous man looked at him, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Oh, you're the boss? I've just come to admire your desperate efforts," he replied teasingly.
The commanding officer struggled against the urge to put him in his place, reminding himself that any help was welcome on this chaotic night.
"Listen, I'm not going to ask you if you have any kind of permit; we need all the help we can get. If you have the ability to help us, go ahead, but don't underestimate the monsters. They're more powerful than you think," he declared, sounding unconvinced.
The man in the shirt and trousers raised an eyebrow, a glint of defiance in his eyes.
"You underestimate me, Mr. Officer," he retorted, before turning to the remaining monsters with a determined air.
In a surprising manner, every movement of the man seemed imbued with supernatural grace and agility.
His fists and feet whirled through the air, striking the monsters with disconcerting precision. Each blow was swift, powerful, and the monsters were reduced to dust in his wake.
The police officers watched, dumbfounded, as the man in the shirt and trousers displayed his exceptional talents.
The monsters were now nothing more than a distant threat, a shadow of what they had been.
The man had managed to push them back with disconcerting ease.
Suddenly, Harold, with tousled hair and torn shirt, appeared in the midst of the melee.
As the officers looked at him in astonishment, the commanding officer instantly recognized him.
"Captain Tehell?!" he exclaimed, surprise tinting his voice. "But how... I thought he had been dismissed..."
Harold, with a hard and cold look, quickly cut off the commanding officer.
"That doesn't matter anymore," he replied, his icy tone resonating amidst the sounds of battle. "I'm no longer officially on duty, but that doesn't stop me from acting when duty calls. Moreover, there is a much greater threat approaching another area. You need to inform the hierarchy."
The police officers, bewildered by the appearance of the man in the shirt and trousers and now faced with the unexpected return of Captain Tehell, were torn between confusion and the respect they felt for the man who had saved them.
"Thank you, Captain Tehell," the commanding officer managed to say, regaining his composure. "Two warden teams are already on their way. I'll inform my superiors right away!"
Harold simply nodded, his coldness temporarily dissolving to make way for a glimmer of approval.
He then turned to the man in trousers who accompanied him.
Without a word, they understood each other. Then, they strode purposefully into the uncertainty of the danger that awaited them.
The commanding officer, regaining his senses, quickly gave his directives to the officers, galvanizing their forces. They knew they had to focus on the task at hand.