The world seemed to transform under the glittering night. The sky was clear, letting the moonlight through. Ryden liked walking at night; the peace was all he was looking for. The day's work tired him, but he was not fond of sleeping, primarily because of his dreams.
They started three years ago, and since then, every night, he could not escape it. It wasn't a nightmare, just a voice, loud and commanding, telling him bizarre stories and eerie prophecies about a world outside of their visible realm, where such creatures roamed and events occurred that were only told of in myths.
Initially, he dismissed it as a foolish vision. Still, he was soon proven wrong when it began revealing glimpses of the future—car accidents, robberies, and exam results—all with remarkable accuracy. It was at that point that he started to believe. Then it informed him about his responsibilities, the people he needed to protect, and the lands he was tasked with securing.
He was thinking of this and more when he reached a water channel, cold winds blew through his hazel hair. He realized he had walked more than usual. Suddenly a loud voice echoed through the sky,
"RUN, boy!" He looked around in a panic, realizing it was the same voice from his dreams.
"He has arrived!" it echoed again. He wasn't dreaming, was he?
"Run before it's too late." It was louder now. He was suddenly aware of the darkness around him.
He willed his legs to move and turned around in a hurry, only to come face to face with a dark figure. He could not make out his features, but his attention came to the shining object the figure was holding, he could make out a handle ending in a blunt top, and he soon realized it was a hammer, larger than the ones used by construction workers, a hammer too close to his head.