The night was deepening, growing heavier and more silent with every passing moment.
The city had fallen still. The only thing breaking the quiet was the ice-cold patter of rain outside.
A warm yellow light flickered from a second floor window. Everything seemed peaceful.
TAP..
A stray drop fell from the ceiling, hitting Shiboku's forehead like a needle.
His eyes snapped open. His breath caught in his throat—a sudden, sharp chill blooming in his chest.
He touched his forehead. Wet.
He looked around, his heart beginning to thud. The room was normal. A crumpled newspaper lay on the bed where he had drifted off. The light was still on.
He glanced at the ceiling. It was perfectly dry.
"I'm losing it..." he whispered, exhaling a long, shaky breath.
He stood up to switch off the lamp. But before his fingers could reach the cord—
Click–
The lamp died. Total darkness swallowed the room.
He looked out the window. Every light in the city had vanished.
The electric streetlights were gone. Even the old fuel-lamps on the iron poles were out.
A power cut?
Shiboku turned to go back to bed.
CLOP…CLOP…CLOP…
A heavy, metallic rhythm. The sound of hooves.
Horses? Now? In this rain?
He reached into his drawer, acting on instinct. He struck a match and lit a candle. A small, trembling flame lit the room.
He crept to the window.
Near the city border, the wind was howling. Suddenly, something flashed—like a crack appearing in a wall of glass.
For a moment, even his breathing felt out of place.
Out of the shadows, horses emerged. They were jet black.
The riders wore heavy, oversized coats. In the dim glow of their own lights , metallic symbols glinted on their shoulders. Their faces were smeared with blood. Some looked wounded.
Behind them, they dragged bodies—corpses wrapped in stained cloth.
Rain washed over them, carrying streaks of crimson into the gutters.
Shade Guardians? At this hour?
The city was deathly quiet. Only the rain spoke. Tap, tap, tap–.
One of them stopped. He pulled his horse around.
The city was a black hole, except for one thing.
A single window was glowing on the second floor.
He raised his hand. A thin, piercing beam of light sliced through the dark, hitting Shiboku's window directly.
His breaths shortened, scraping against his throat. His fingers trembled around the candle, wax dripping over his knuckles.
Without a second thought, he crushed the candle flame between his bare fingers.
The beam lingered, searching the glass for a few agonizing seconds.
Finally, the horses moved on.
Shiboku stood frozen in the dark. His heart was thumping wildly. Smoke rose from his burnt fingertips, but he didn't feel the pain.
He closed his eyes and forced his breath to slow.
Tweak–
The power returned. The city took a breath.
Everything was normal again.
He opened the window slowly. The rain had slowed to a drizzle.
Down in the gutter, a jagged piece of metal lay wedged against the stone. It caught a stray spark of light, its sharp edges stained with clotted blood that the rain couldn't wash away.
Next morning.
The radio crackled to life, breaking the morning silence.
Shiboku bolted out of his room and hurried down the stairs, his footsteps echoing against the wood.
The smell of breakfast hit him first. In the kitchen, his mother was busy at the stove, the rhythmic sizzle of a pan filling the air.
His father sat at the small wooden table, already fully dressed in his traveling gear, leaning in toward the radio with a focused expression.
Everything looked normal.
The announcer's voice was crisp:
"...After a two-week lockdown, the Energy Shield is finally opening for the supply corridor. A light infantry of Shade Guardians will escort travelers to other cities…"
Two weeks?
Shiboku froze on the last step. If today is the first time in two weeks... then what did I see last night?
His father looked up, adjusting his coat collar. "Finally," he muttered, nodding toward the radio. "They're finally letting us through. I need to head out soon."
Shiboku stared at his father's prepared bags, then at the steam rising from his mother's cooking. If the Shield was closed... those riders couldn't have been here.
Sudden
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Three sharp, heavy hits against the front door. The house went still.