Chapter VII: Storm

She sprinted down the stairs as another bolt of lightning struck down a building across the street. She could hear a woman screaming on the fourth floor as another roll of thunder went piercing her ears.

"Run."

"Run away from that place. Hurry."

The whispers kept coming. Her tear ducts are now swelling, but she had to remain calm. She couldn't understand what was happening and thinks that maybe she was starting to go crazy, but she knew she had to be collected and placid. Sprinting her way out of the building's back exit, she could hear the guy from the maintenance team ordering the tenants to stay calm and stay indoors.

"Don't listen to them, just follow my directions. Quick."

This time, Luna thought about the people inside. Andrea was even inside. Her mind was rammed up with fear and concern for her safety and for everyone around her. She just couldn't leave them alone, she lived there for three years and even though she doesn't interact with them that much—only casually, she can't let them stay there and face the unknown danger that was coming with the storm. Her mind was struggling to remain focused and calm, but she couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of her.

"Who the HECK are you?! Stop invading my mind! What's going on?? Show yourself!," she shouted in anger. Her voice was trembling with frustration and her body was shaking so bad as another rumble of thunder shook the ground.

Without waiting for a response, she headed back inside the building.

"Am I going crazy. Was it just me talking to myself?"

"No, Luna. Listen, we don't have much time—"

She stopped in her tracks, caught off-guard.

"H-how did you know my name? What d-do you mean??"

"You are not crazy Luna, just follow my directions. Get out of there, NOW. Danger is coming with the clouds. We don't have much time."

"Fuck you, I'm not leaving those people inside."

She ran to the lounge area as fast as she could and saw Andrea. She was briefing with the maintenance team about the generators and broken glasses.

"Oh, Luna! Hey c'mere," she called her as soon as she saw her running towards them.

"Andrea!," she exclaimed, gasping for air. "We should let everyone out of this building, now! We have to evacuate everyone to a safer area. It's dangerous staying here and people might get hu—"

"Hey, hey, hey Luna. Calm down," Andrea stopped her. "Go back to your flat and just relax. Okay?"

"But, Andrea... I'm serious. We really have to go out and find a safer place. You saw how those lightning bolts struck the ground. You have to TRUST me, we should go out and find some safer pl—!"

"Return to your flat now or I'll call the other guards and drag you up there. You're causing panic to the other residents here and what you're suggesting may only bring more harm to everyone," she commanded, her voice filled with annoyance. A few residents in the lounge area grunted and agreed in response to what Andrea said as they look at Luna with bewildered faces.

"Get out of there Luna. No one will believe you. GET OUT OF THERE NOW BEFO—"

A loud crackle of thunder shook the entire building as another bolt of lightning struck the ground, this time, on the pavement of the street infront of them. The power went out again and everything was dark. Andrea turned on her radio and called some of the maintenance team for assistance with the power.

"Luna. Run. NOW."

Gasping for air, Luna blindly went to the back exit again and grabbed her bike. She didn't understood what was happening. Nothing was making sense to her. The voice kept telling her to get away as fast as she could and she did. It was giving her directions; turn left, just run straight ahead, don't look back it'll just slow you down. Her body was so exhausted at this point now, that her knees started to wobble beneath her.

The ground shook as another loud roar of thunder rolled from above. She never looked back, afraid of what she might witness from behind. Heavy rain started to pour down, soaking her hair and clothes with cold water. She could faintly hear debris falling behind her as she sprinted her way away from the place.

"Turn to your left now Luna."

As she was about to pivot her way to the left, she saw that it was a dark alleyway between two tall buildings. She looked at her watch and saw that it was already ten minutes past midnight. Her anxiety grew and swallowed her that she started sobbing. She felt scared. The darkness reminded her of something she despised a long time ago. She held her hand to her chest as she felt her breathing quicken, as air tightened around her lungs. Her knees gave up that made her slump to the ground. She wished she was just dreaming. Maybe she was just dreaming.

"I want to wake up, now. Please..."

Just then in the middle of her misery, a huge shadow formed behind her, blocking the light coming from the gas station across the street.

The hairs on her back stood, giving her a chill that embraced her whole body. She slowly turned her head behind her and what she saw made her body turn pale, filled with fear.

❇❇❇

"Yeah! This is fun!"

"Look at all those normals shrieking and shouting in pain, General! We'll be having lots of gold and power with this!"

The young general just shook his head watching the orc make fun of the normals below. They were riding a flying warship above the clouds, concealed with magic by his wizard lieutenants. Four elder wizards were also gathered at the front deck, reading out spells for summoning The Storm. Big bolts of lightning struck down the skies as each paper of spell burned after their incantations.

"General Lucãs!"

A tall, middle aged man with dark sideburns walked briskly and approached the young general standing behind the rails. He gave him a sharp salute and then spoke.

"90% infrastructure destroyed General. Should we proceed to the next process?"

The young general looked beyond, his gray eyes sharp and devoid of emotions.

"Yes," he replied shortly.

The ship suddenly shifted and it's crew came bustling around. The levers from the sides of the ship were slowly lowered as it started to descend and eventually landed on top of the tallest building in the city. A giant supervising the crew shouted commands as it guided the others to their stations.

"Proceed to the next action! Collect the souls!"

❇❇❇

Rain started to pour heavily as orcs and giants came down from the ship. They hustled their way out of the tall building and slaughtered every normal they could find. They collected their souls, placing them in a cell-like bag as the normals just start to disappear, turning into white orbs of energy. The normals couldn't see them, leaving them defenseless and without any idea what was upon them.

Laughing hysterically for another feast they are taking, they hurriedly scattered themselves into the streets of the near-barren city.

❇❇❇

She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A seven-foot tall being, almost humanoid, was standing before her. His skin was green, and his body was built up like The Hulk, all muscular and weirdly contorted. The corners of his mouth went up to a smirk, showing his sharp, dirty canines inside. He was carrying a cell-like bag, and she could see some white orbs floating inside it. She gulped.

"Luna, please calm down."

She couldn't. A big, weird, and not to mention, SCARY being was infront of her. She couldn't think straight. Unconsciously, she turned her eyes slowly to her right and saw a similar being walking towards their direction. Panic was starting to overwhelm her. She felt like she could faint any moment now.

"Luna!," the voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Please listen to me. Those beings are truly... idiotic. Just calm down and follow my instructions. Trust me."

The green being infront of her started to grunt. It spoke of something she couldn't understand.

❇❇❇

The orc had just finished swooping down the last soul from the gas station. He and his comrade, Schnek were incharge of this whole area. As he was about to walk forward, he saw a figure slumping down a few steps away from him.

"A normal!"

"Lucky me," he thought as he licked his lip. "Another soul added to my capsule."

As he approached the tiny normal, it slowly turned it's head towards him and stared at him with it's eyes wide open. He was startled.

"Can it see me?"

He just stood there for a couple of minutes observing the normal that was slumped on the ground. It was still sitting there, eyes wide open. He saw it move it's eyes towards Schnek, who was slowly trudging it's way towards us.

He couldn't believe it. No normal could see them, for they are wrapped with incantations from their best wizards.

Burning out from his curiosity, he leaned and started to speak.

"Hey you, normal! Can you see me?"