The night was rowdy, a stark contrast to its earlier mood. The once-open windows loudly banging on the sides were now tightly shut. The clanking sounds of boots were also long gone; only the loud screams of death and anguish remained.
The gentle breeze blows atop the walls and into the streets and houses, bringing burned ashes and the stench of rotten flesh. Unfortunately, the intensity only became much worse as a ginormous tower of flame erupted on one of the sides of the towering walls. It was followed by a loud explosion, and a blast of waves reverberated through the surroundings.
The wind that was pushed by back by the blast forced itself into the streets and into the residences. Windows and doors from residences that were near the blast were forced open as its trembling inhabitants were terrified by the sudden event.
Everybody heard it. They did not know what transpired, but they knew what was about to happen. Whatever it is, whatever it may, ghouls were now pouring in to their stronghold. The Frontier that they have learned to love and hate, is about to fall, after all a breakthrough had transpired.
There was a chance if it was a normal night, but this was no ordinary night, it was The Night of the Twilight Of The Red Moon, where ghouls are more intelligent and strong, even more than the day. Such breakthroughs are a death sentence to all.
Fear and dread grab ahold of their flimsy hearts, as they started to take in the situation they found themselves> They could not believe it, they want to deny it, but there is no escaping out of that explosion, after all, ghouls do not make explosions when they die. Then that could only mean that through the chaos, a TNT was unknowingly lighted up and exploded. Serves to only mean how desperate the fight and situation was.
After the realization, they began to panic. The images and items they use in prayers were simultaneously dropped. All hell broke loose, anger and fear took control, they ripped the image of their gods and screamed in fury; they destroyed items of worships and called it useless and cursed the god that has abandoned them.
When the anger subsided and fear was the only left, they begun to pack their belongings, intending to move out of the stronghold, under the guise of darkness. Whilst some barricaded their doors in hopes of a rescue from a nearby settlement, but how far was the nearest settlement? Would somebody even make it out?
Whether they make it out or not does not matter. What matters is that they survive and live for another day, so they poured their all into what they were doing with a fervent desire to live. A person's desire to live is the most dangerous at times when it matters the most.
Their bravery can be commended. Even when their fear took control, they were still able to think rationally, something not all could do. Maybe because they have lived in The Frontier for a very long time, they expected it to happen any day. It is just that they were blinded by relative peace.
One by one, each family that wanted to get out took the risk and moved out from their residences, with them the belongings they brought. Behind them, a silhouette of a person moves about, looking and tracking the family's movemnts as well as surveying the numbers of family members. It found that its target had enough; it was delighted.
The ghoul from the shadows came out and charged at the unsuspecting family.
A family of five were moving about, the father and his son, with swords at their hips, and their mother with her two daughters. With their belongings, which include baggage of clothes and money, they plan on making it out of the stronghold and hopefully make it into another settlement. They had two men who could fight, and the women knew how to defend themselves too, but even so, they did not let it get into their heads as the ghouls of this night were stronger than their usual selves.
Unfortunately, as they were running, a sudden gust of wind passed by them. They stopped in their tracks in confusion, but when they looked around, they were horrified. Their poor mother was now headless, tears have begun to fall, and anger started to rise from their mind, especially from her husband.
The head fell to the ground lifelessly, with an expression of confusion evidently scribed on her pale and pristine face. The husband screamed in anguish, but his son tried to pull him back to continue running; the two daughters were also scared, trauma present on their faces.
The father wanted to mourn for his wife, but he had to save his remaining family; unfortunately, as they were about to continue running, a ghoul with hands stained with blood, licking it with a screwed-up expression, all the while staring at the family, came out of the shadows and presented itself.
Emotions flared up, and the father became enraged; he brandished his sword and charged at the ghoul. He swung his sword, but the ghoul merely dodged. Pissed and enraged, he began swinging mindlessly. By now, he had forgotten the training he had done just for this exact moment. As if mocking him, the ghoul merely dodged.
Having enough of the fight, the ghoul strode forward in quick succession, swung its arms, and stabbed his chest. He was shocked, and soon, regret came into his mind. He looked back and saw the traumatized faces of his sons and daughters.
The ghoul pulled back, and in his hands was a beating heart. The ghoul offered the heart to the family, to mock them, but it smirked and opened its mouth to the horror of the family members.
Unable to see the current situation transpiring, the son, the remaining person with a weapon, looked at his eldest sister, and said.
"Amelia, you must run, you must live!" Her brother muttered to her, and with that, he pushed her back.
Amelia heard her brother. She was frozen in fear, but her younger sister tugged her arms; she looked at her and stared. She broke out and returned to reality; she must not let it get to her; there's still her younger sister; they must survive. With that, she took her younger sister's hands and ran off.
While she gained distance, she could hear her brother's scream echoing from afar, and soon, just a few hundred kilometers from there, a shadow appeared before her.