TheLittlePenmen

Captain Elizabeth Vinea - an officer with the 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron has been tasked with a retrieval mission.

Her team of four, are two occupy the ruined township of Lycoa and unearth the entrance to a demonic gate reportedly located underneath the now devastated city.

Reports indicated a relic from within the gate is to be retrieved at all costs.

"Intel's here and there, not much to go on, I know. Nevertheless, I'm entrusting this mission to you Cpt. Vinea. We need bodies on the field, and we need them immediately." The Colonel handed over the mission brief to the saluting officer.

"Understood, Colonel, we depart for Lycoa at once." 

"Godspeed."

The captain left with her new orders in hand, the colonel - once the doors to his office were close: snickered, and begrudged:

"...Damned demons...what could they be plotting now..." before continuing on with his desk-work.

**I will be posting this story on RoyalRoad.com**
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We Who Aren't They

There was a clear struggle inside of the building.

The lieutenant kept his eyes on the entrance, apparently on hair-pins with the amount of anxiety he began exhuming. 

I simply closed my eyes. And stood still trying to make sense of what was happening inside. I listened:

Wooden chairs being flung around. Glass shattering. Walls being struck with blunt objects. Pots asunder. Metallic rattling. 

The ghouls were absolutely restless. Doubtful even a fortress could stop their blood-lust. Piece-by-piece something was definitely being picked apart.

When the only means of protecting yourself against the abyss... is slowly crumbling before you.

All alone in a room. Nowhere to go. No where to run. You hid...but they found.

In no time at all, you know they'll barge right in. You try so hard to keep calm even when everything is going to shit!

<em>Don't make a move. Be quiet and silent -</em> you tell yourself.

Maybe they'll overlook your presence for something else!

Maybe! Maybe! Just maybe! A valiant hero will step in: slaying the foul beasts with one fell-swoop!

This wishful thinking, just like the makeshift barrier, is totally dismantled when you finally see them.

When you meet the gaze of a demon, and they meet yours. That's when-

"Captain!" The lieutenant immediately turned to me, flustered in what he just heard.

Added to the cacophony of howls, with vivid sharpness, were now screams. Those of a woman's.

Stare Into The Abyss