Shadows of The Arcane

tars spitting light, while horns blared down streets slick with rain. The air hit her nos

tapping soft and quick. It was late, way too late for a lone woman out here, bu

ellowed pages, the hush of nobody around, it was her bubble,

chewed at her brain. A weir

s thumping, just this creepy, dead silence swallowing everything. Streetlam

"You're imagining it, Evi

he hea

tst

tching hers, ste

g strap. Alley ahead, was sketchy but it'd chop her walk hom

ered with torn gig flyers and graffiti, "Rusty 4eva" scrawled in red drips. One st

a guy stepped up. Tall

topped

ore shapes slunk out behind her, one

rward, voice oily and smirki

isted, oh

another barked, al

wallowed, throat like sandpaper, forcing word

dark and mean. "Ain't yo

wrong, screamed this wasn't about he

nd, clammy, rough, snapped

smashing bone. The guy holding her reeled, blood pour

One thug hit the ground, groaning, curled up tight. Another lunged, knife gli

eyes bugging out. This guy wasn't

llar, slammed him into the bricks so hard the air shook

ing. "J-just hired u

rip tightened,

Body spasmed, eyes rolling bac

k, choking her. Wh

ough, something else, something invisi

ted, shoes slapping aw

hit,

to her chest, gulping ai

ed, really lo

ns, beat-up combat boots. He stood loose b

. Cold as hell. They locked on hers

id a word.

it. "C'mon, yo

ug into her c

se, then back. "Those guys?

ed, hard. "

ent tight

dant dangling at her neck. Mom's

ed. "It's just

, slow, deliberat

n her gut, h

't right. He

ck, shaky. "Who

Cross." His voice was steady, but something dark l

, ragged. Run? Screa

he was why she w

down, she

e start. The rea