The sun had completed its ascent, casting its warmth over the very silent boulevards of Seraphland. Evan walked slowly, feeling the lightweight of his backpack resting on his shoulders. The smell of fresh bread moved through the air and the soft sound of leaves added to the stillness around him.
It was one of those quiet days when everything felt okay. No stress, no surprises. Just a moment of peace that felt real.t.
It was one of those rare days when everything simply flowed—no rush, no twists, no shadow of worry.
His mother, Elena, was probably home preparing the food for lunch. The smell of herbs and warm bread slipped out through the windows. Somewhere nearby, his little sister Sophie and his younger brother Luca were playing in the garden. Their laughter rang through the air. That pure innocence filled the scene, an innocence only children possess. Evan smiled at the sight.
"Evan! Come look at this!" Luca shouts, his voice brimming with excitement.
Evan quickly approached, smiling as he walked toward the garden.
Luca had found something interesting, as always. Sophie, more cautiously, watched her younger brother. A mix of tenderness and worry was on her face as they kneeled near a bush.
"It's a hurt bird,"
Sophie whispered. Her voice was full of concern as she looked at the tiny creature Luca held carefully.
The little bird trembled. Its wings were limp from the fall. But its eyes reflected a strange calm, as if it had already accepted its fate. Evan kneeled beside them, gently ruffling his sister's hair.
"We're going to help it, right?" Luca asks, almost pleading.
"Of course," Evan replies, smiling as he carefully took the bird with steady hands.
"We'll take it to the vet and fix it up."
Evan smiles as he watched them. His heart swelled with a simple, unshakable joy. This was his world. The sound of his siblings laughing. His home's warmth.
But then out of nowhere a deep deafening roar shattered the peace. It seems like the sky itself was splitting open. The ground trembled beneath Evan and he could feel his chest tightening with fear. Everything that had been so calm just moments before suddenly seemed to fall apart. A strange crackling sound rumbled above. They all froze. They stared upward, confused and scared.
The crack appeared first in the sky. It was a wound that split open rapidly. Blinding light bled into the atmosphere. The air grew heavy. It felt weighed down by some unseen force. From the rift emerged shadows. Grotesque creatures. Beings of nightmare that did not belong to this world. Their skin looked like molten obsidian. A suffocating heat dripped from them, scorching the air. Their eyes were as red as blood with no pupils in sight. A stench of sulfur strong enough to be smelled from meters away. Their claws were long and sharp. Every step they took sounded like metal scraping against metal making the ground tremble. A trail of smoke and ash followed them.
"Sophie! Luca!" Evan shouts, desperation gripping his voice.
Sophie gasped. Her eyes were wide with childish terror. She clutched Luca's hand tightly. Luca's face, usually bright with joy, had contorted. It was a mask of pure fear. His small lips trembled without a sound. A monster emerged from the fissure. Its colossal body burned with malevolence. It wasn't flesh and blood. It was something else—something unnatural, dark, and wrong. Its claws were as long as blades. Its breath is hotter than fire. Every step it took made the earth tremble. The surrounding people began to scream and flee in terror.
Without thinking, Evan acted. He moved on pure instinct. One unbreakable thought: protect them. The rift widened. More monsters began to pour out. But Evan didn't stop. He couldn't. He wouldn't let that thing near his family. He looked down at the fragile bird. It remained cradled in his hand. In a swift but gentle motion, he kneeled. He placed the bird carefully in Luca's hands.
"Take it," he says urgently. His eyes locked onto Luca's.
"Protect it. Protect each other. Run!"
"Come on, Luca!" Sophie urges through tears. Her voice was breaking as she grabbed her brother's arm. She pulled him toward the house.
Evan's heart clenched at the sight of her fear. But he knew she had to be strong. The monstrous creature paused as its massive glowing red eyes fixated on Sophie while she pulled a trembling Luca towards the house. A low guttural growl rumbled in its chest, clearly signaling that their fleeing figures had caught its attention. Sophie tugged harder on Luca's arm, her small face twisted with terror. The creature tensed, its colossal body shifting as if preparing to chase them. With a bone-chilling roar, it began to turn its gaze and its immense bulk in their direction, ready to strike down everything before it its grotesque body tensed, ready to strike. With a bone-chilling roar, it raised one massive claw. It was ready to strike down everything before it. Evan's heart raced as adrenaline flooded his body. He looked around for anything to protect them. His gaze fell upon the garden. A shovel leaned against the fence. He grabbed it with both hands. He gripped the worn handle tightly. In a burst of desperation, Evan swung the shovel in the air. He hoped to catch the monster's attention. It worked. The creature turned its gaze toward him. Its hunger was palpable.
"Run!" he shouts one last time. His voice was hoarse. His breath shallows.
As his siblings fled toward the house, Evan stood his ground. He raised the shovel in front of him. It was a pitiful shield against the monstrous force. The monster lurched forward. Its claws crashed toward him. The world blurred around him. A deep, burning pain tore through him. But before he could react, the ground beneath him cracked open once more. Another rift. This one swallowed him whole without warning. It pulled him down into a chasm of light and darkness. As he fell, the last thing he heard were Sophie and Luca's screams. They grew distant. Then, silence. And the void swallowed him.