The sun sank lazily below the horizon , yellows and oranges giving way to a fiery gold eventually dragging a thick humid darkness behind it, the towns lanterns were lit  sputtering to life with a weak flickering flame  .

With weapons sharpened and armor such as the had gleaming, the night guards climbed the worn old  stone steps to take their watch , dutifully taking their posts , muscle and sinew tense   The fear of what was coming evident on their normally stoic faces. As the humid night darkened  the air grew closer all that could be heard was the occasional cough and the creak of their thick leather gauntlets as they adjusted their grip on thier swords  , it would be here soon the exact moment was not known just that it would arrive as it had the night before and the night before that.

The  head guardsmen gazed out into the darkness , across the plain and up at the peaks of the  mountains that ringed the valley …. yes , yes…. there it is he thought, a creeping shadow just darker than the night flowing over the peaks like thick honey .

“ALARM , ALARM” he bellowed banging on the huge skin drum to raise the rag tag remaints of the city , feet pounded and armor clanked as half dressed re’enforcements were ordered to the wall.

“LIGHT THE FIRES” torches were cast into the old moat which had been filled with oil during the daytimes . Flame leapt up the walls casting demonic shapes just as the things first bloodcurdling screech assualted thier ears .

Thing, he tought so apt a discription for ” it ”  .It had no solidity , no form just a dark , darker than dark , all he knew for sure was that it was deadly and hungry , how do you fight thin air, smoke, whatever it was comprised of , all that was left after it engulfed men were a bloodied steaming pile of bones.