Rin held her breath, her small hands pressed over her mouth. In her chest, her heart beat a thousand times per minute, threatening to burst free with each palpitation. Tears brought on by terror and despair welled at her eyes. Around her cold darkness coiled, twisting closer and closer.

They cowered, as the town around them rioted in the screams of agony and chaos. As the monsters stalked the streets and drenched the cobble in blood. As the endless painfilled cries quieted to dying whimpers and silent gasps of unspent breath. As the monsters pacing and scratching and howling became the life of the little town.

The only warmth in her world was a rough hand on her shoulder. It radiated strength, though the arm it was attached to trembled.

They hid between the stove and the back wall, hidden in the darkest shadow her sister had been able to find. Her sister crouched beside her, one hand on Rin’s shoulder, one hand on the hilt of her sword. She watched what remained of the doorway with unflinching eyes. She was Rin’s last defender.

Silently, they prayed that they would go unnoticed in the chaos. Silently, they prayed that the beasts beyond their fragile hiding place would leave without finding them. Silently, they prayed that the creatures would fill themselves on others.

Silently, a shadow loomed in the doorway.

Her sister clutched her close. A desperate prayer that the shadow would move on without them. A forlorn farewell if it did not.

A black snout passed over the boundary of the room with a primal snort, followed by the pad of claws on wood.

Her sister pushed her away slowly, putting a finger to her lips, a valiant sadness in her eyes.

The beast, stalked forward, eyeless sockets glowing a ghastly green. Its body had the basic form of a hound, if a hound was to be five feet tall at the shoulder. Its legs were elongated like a spider’s and its back arched...