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Umbra Noctis

Summary:

The last human falls. Umbra is the final human, destined to open the barrier to save monster-kind. She is unlike any other to fall. She is older, less kind, and could care less for the world. For when has the world cared for her?

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

A woman's voice blared into my ear. It startled me for just a moment. My muscles screamed to life as my slumber was halted by Mrs. Faerlander's berating tone. I opened my eyes to see her from the whiteboard, scowling at me as if I insulted her. I gave her my usual dismissive shrug and wandered my eyes away from her in disinterest. She sighed in defeat and continued teaching the kids that actually cared about Trigonometry.

Highschool was a chore. Boring lessons that seemed so important to some at the time, they vehemently studied and let it control them. In reality, none of it would matter. Sure the grade was important to some high rated college that their parents would send them to, but the actual lessons were not useful in the slightest. Ebbot was a city that raised politicians and other high ranking socialites, these kids were most likely the spawn of some politician in the government, and if they disappointed daddy or mommy they would be disowned.

I internally chuckled at the thought of one of these kids sitting next to me in a puddle of tears and snot because they didn't make a 95 in Trigonometry and daddy would take away their new car or god forbid their phone.

When I was younger I would try my best to be nice to these kids, try to be kind and forgiving. Of course, such a naive thought was quickly stamped out.

My ribs cracked as her foot kicked into my side. I coughed up blood as my internal organs were further damaged. I looked up and saw her face glinting with glee as she continued her blows.

"You fucking bitch, how dare you speak to me! I'm fucking the daughter of Rodney Vynis and a fucking nobody orphan dares to embarrass me by speaking to me!

Her shrilly voice was imprinted into my memory as she rained down hell into me. I cried long after she left me to my suffering. I didn't understand, all I wanted was a friend.

The bell interrupted my thoughts, signaling the days end as I got up from my desk. Some kids glared at me, some moved as far away from me as possible. They hated me, hated that I was nobody, hated that I could not be manipulated and thrown away. These teenagers were the spawn of demons, the spawn of beings of hatred.

I left quickly as I could. It was not smart to be caught out by many at a time. An individual was a laughing matter, but a group of these fuckers could do some serious damage with no repercussions. I hurried along to the orphanage that was my home. The old building was falling apart, the government could care less for a place filled to the brim with useless, unproductive members of society. I went inside and ignored the squealing of the younger children as I entered my room.

The room was small, slightly larger than a parking space. Enough for a bed and a tiny end table. The bed itself was torn in many places and stained beyond repair. I sat down on the edge and mentally prepared myself for tomorrow. For I would turn 18.

The orphanage would kick me out after that point and leave me to the wolves. I had nowhere else to go, nowhere to live, and no people that cared enough to take me in. I sighed and rubbed my temples in thought. I looked up and to the mountain my window faced. The white snowcapped peak glinted in beauty, the trees on its sides waved in the slight breeze, their autumn leaves floating in the wind. Of course, it was an option.

My mind ran through the other options, no matter what I would be homeless unless I sold my body to some older man. I scowled as I thought over that option and quickly brushed it out of existence. Homeless in the city is much more dangerous than living on the mountain. Of course, the end result stays the same.

Die on the streets or die surrounded by beauty and the relief of loneliness. I smiled softly as my mind already made the decision.

I quickly gathered my few possessions, a small journal, two pens, plenty of snacks I stashed over the last few months, three plastic water bottles that I would fill in the bathroom, a book on traps I stole not too long ago, and finally my last two prized possessions. Two beautiful knives, one was on the larger side, about the length of the middle of my forearm to the tip of my middle finger, and the next was a pocket knife. I quickly admired the blades as an idea rushed into my head. Why continue? I could just end it now, not go through the trouble of surviving. I contemplated the thought for a few moments before banishing it.

I packed the items into my backpack and quickly filled the water bottles up to the brim, not before taking large gulps of water myself. I then gathered the minuscule dinner the orphanage provides for us, eating it quickly as it would be the last free meal I would ever get. I took a deep breath as I exited the place that I was my home for the last 17 years and set off to the mountain.


I breathed heavily as I ascended the mountain. It took about two hours to get to the mountain base and I was three hours into the climb. My muscles screamed in agony but I bit down the pain and continued. The night was closing in and I needed to find shelter before my vision was useless. As I continued I listened to the eerily silence the mountain had. No birds sang, no animals dared to make noise. I huffed as I came to the conclusion that they perhaps did not exist on the mountain. The only thing that broke the silence was the breeze in the trees.

About thirty minutes later I found a small cave entrance. My eyes wandered around the area, trees were beginning the thin with how rocky it was and the lack of oxygen compared to the base of the mountain. I smiled as I walked up to the tiny cave, checking for snakes but found none. I explored the cave a little more, but it only went about 15 feet back. At the end, there was a hole. It had vines hanging down and above it was another hole, although much smaller. I looked over the edge and could not tell how deep it went, as it was too dark in the cave to tell. I shrugged as I went closer to the entrance to sit down and eat some of the snacks I had stashed.

I watched the sunset over the ocean, the waves glinted with a golden sheen as the crashed onto the beach. I watched as night descended and the city lights glowed far away. Exhaustion set in soon, my journey left my legs aching as my body started to heed sleep's call. I went over onto my side and faced towards the cave entrance. I grabbed my backpack and used it as a pillow. I looked to the moon, it's light almost blinding compared to the darkness that surrounded me. My eyes began to drift, allowing darkness to completely encompass me as I fell into sleep's embrace.

I suddenly found myself oddly aware. Darkness surrounded me, seemingly endless in its expanse. Was this a dream? I tried to move my feet and they would not oblige. Soon I heard a child chuckling, a peal of odd laughter that left a sudden feeling of fear in me. I looked around as much as I could in my state and found nothing.

"Over here..."

I quickly found myself face to face with a small child. Their smile was something no ordinary child would possess. It left a feeling of wrong as we contemplated each other. Their smile twisted into a sinister grin,

"Umbra, away from home... No, away from hell it would seem..."

I shuddered as my flight response screamed at me, but I could no nothing to satiate it.

"Did you ever think you would end up in a much greater hell?"

Their face turned demonic as they reached for my chest, I did everything in my power to move but I could not. It was as if my body was taut with layers of rope. Their hand reached closer and as they were but an inch away from my chest my eyes opened and I jumped into action.

I screamed as my flight response kicked into high gear, a pair of red eyes glinted at me from the cave's entrance. I grabbed my backpack and edged towards the cave's end, never taking my eyes off the sinister red eyes that bore into me. Soon, the ground vanished from under me, I instinctively tried to grab onto the edges of the hole but I was far too late. The sensation of falling entered my gut as I tried to turn over so my limbs could take the brunt of the blow I was soon to encounter. I was falling too far, there was no way I could survive this. I closed my eyes as I prepared for my death, I knew it would come, but I didn't fathom it would be this soon. I exhaled and smiled at the thought of this cruel world finally coming to an end. I momentarily felt the impact but darkness swiftly embraced me so I would not feel the pain of death.

I would soon find out the world was not so kind to free me just yet.