Forerunner

San Francisco-2025

The city is dark, however it is not silent. No, it is far from it as screams of horror and battle cries are flung toward the skies. A lone projectile, flaming debris from a ravaged abode, is tossed into the sky. The resulting explosion was the only illumination in the city of shadows as it cast it’s fiery glow upon the armies facing off on two sides of the city. And as the last flames of the explosion died out they flared again and, as if lighting a fuse, the noise exploded a thousand-fold as creatures of night and shadow descended upon the armies of mortal men.

Screams of pain contended with howls of pleasure for room in the night sky as the beasts of nightmares feasted on the flesh of warriors. Shots were fired. Spells were cast. And words of hate were thrown back and forth like grenades from a soldier’s bloody hands. The protectors of man fell, and rose again by the hands of dark forces long forgotten by the minds of mortals. Man tried to fight back, to resist, but it was futile. Winged gods tore their fragile planes asunder with tooth, nail, and flame. Beasts of the night tore at their armies and cast them asunder as the undead tore at their flesh and devoured their souls.

Man tried to fight, only to have their armies crushed with ease.

Man tried to flee, only to have their hope torn and flayed like their flesh.

Man tried to negotiate, only to be slain by the tongues of ancients.

Man tried to live, only to be hunted one by one.

Man tried.

And tried.

And tried.

Man failed.

And, with heavy hearts, and tired minds, Man took all they had, and locked themselves away for one thousand years...