The swarm didn't move like animals.
They paused to sniff the air before they touched the ground with their paws. They didn't move as individuals, rather, they moved as collectives. Their claws scraped against concrete while their mandibles clicked in synchronized pattern.
It was unnerving.
In this ruined city, they were not prey. They were not even scavengers. They were apex predators, and they knew how to kill.
Through the broken office window Ethan saw the segmented bodies of the creatures reflecting the dim moonlight which passed the blood-colored sky. The street was covered with dozens of creatures that moved between burned-out vehicles and collapsed streetlights while their antennae twitched.
The first creature to detect the building raised its head and produced a loud animal sound. The creatures halted their movement before their mandibles started grinding while their bodies moved as one toward the partially destroyed structure.
BADUMP!
Ethan's heart slammed against his ribs.
Every survival instinct inside him urged him to flee but charging into a street full of clawed monsters without sight would result in death rather than survival. He kept his body low to the ground while taking shallow breaths while scanning the dimly visible glowing wheel.
The Shadowstep Dash remained active inside his body as a dormant energy source which felt like unused adrenaline ready to release.
~----~
[Improvised Ability: Shadowstep Dash]
Duration: 5 seconds.
Effect: Temporarily phases user's movements into semi-shadow state. Steps become silent, movement speed doubled. Light bending may distort visibility to enemies.
~----~
Five seconds. That was all it gave him.
And there were too many of them.
The swarm reached the building. The front entrance collapsed while chitin rubbed against it as mandibles destroyed concrete pieces. The creatures ascended the wall like spiders while their claws created deep scratches during their ascent toward the shattered windows.
Ethan's pulse quickened.
He frantically scanned his surroundings for any available tool or weapon he could use.
The office was in disarray with overturned desks, shattered computers, and papers scattered everywhere. A half-toppled vending machine lay near the stairwell, glass cracked but intact.
That's when an idea sparked, and he exploded into action.
He moved fast, dragging a desk toward the window as quietly as he could. Every scrape of metal against tile felt deafening. The swarm below chittered louder, antennae twitching, but none broke formation yet.
He leaned out the window.
The alley behind the building stretched into darkness, narrow but clear of monsters, for now. Too high to jump safely.
Ethan's gaze snapped to the vending machine.
Metal frame. Heavy. Loud.
Perfect.
The first creature crawled fully into the second floor, mandibles dripping acid that hissed where it landed. Its segmented body arched, antennae sweeping the room as it released a low, rattling hiss.
Ethan's muscles tensed. He took the crowbar while hoping his wet hands would not lose their grip. The creature moved nearer while its compound eyes sparked in the dim light.
Ethan brought the crowbar down onto the vending machine's broken glass when the creature was just a few feet away.
CRASH!
The sound was deafening.
The glass exploded into numerous pieces scattered throughout the floor.
The swarm paused for a moment as if taking in what just happened before they exploded with movement. The swarm suddenly abandoned their careful approached and charged toward the noise with no regard for their safety, only destruction.
Ethan didn't wait. He sprinted to the window.
["Shadowstep Dash Activated!"]
The world blurred.
Shadows seemed to peel off the walls and coil around him like smoke. His footsteps became silent, body moving unnaturally fast, like a phantom slipping between moments.
He jumped onto the desk before swinging out the window to land on the thin collapsed fire escape ledge with a loud metallic sound that normal hearing would not detect.
The swarm descended upon the office with unnatural screams as they destroyed everything in their path while searching for nonexistent prey.
Ethan descended the twisted metal structure before dropping into the dark alley which lay behind the building. He dropped to the ground while his legs protested but he kept moving forward.
The Shadowstep Dash produced a vital second of operation before he sprinted through the alley while staying close to darkness and only taking breaths when absolutely necessary.
He stopped at the alley terminus by pressing himself against the wall.
His breathing occurred in uncontrolled gasps while sweat streamed down his face.
Then the ability flickered out, leaving him human again; loud, heavy, painfully mortal.
But he'd escaped… for now.
A shrill echoing screech ripped through the night.
Ethan risked a glance back. The swarm had discovered the ruse, their mandibles clattering in rage. Some began spilling out of the windows, their legs clicking like gunfire as they dropped to the streets, antennae sweeping the air.
He had seconds before they picked up his trail.
At that moment, the glowing wheel spun again, faintly, offering another chance. Ethan's pulse quickened as he slammed his palm into it without hesitation.
DING!
~----~
[Improvisation Draw: Smoke Dust Satchel]
"A crude satchel of smoke-generating compounds. Explodes on impact, creating a dense cover for 20 seconds. Non-lethal".
~----~
A small, lumpy pouch materialized in his hand, faintly warm.
Ethan gripped the satchel tightly while he checked the corner to see what was happening.
The swarm entered the main road where they spread out to sniff while their claws scraped against the asphalt. One twitched its antennae, clicking rapidly. The swarm detected his scent which made them face the alley direction.
Ethan launched the satchel above their heads. The satchel exploded in mid-air with a muffled explosion that produced a dense black smoke which moved through the street like a living mist.
The swarm produced loud screeching sounds while clicking randomly as they dispersed their antennae in the smoke.
Ethan bolted.
WHOOSH!
He ran through deserted streets and vacant lots as he passed between destroyed cars and destroyed buildings.
He ran until his breathing became painful and his muscles started to fail. Eventually, he found safety by entering a different abandoned shop which was flooded and covered in boards. Exhausted, he collapsed against the wall with his heart racing like a military drum.
DING!
~----~
[Threat Evaded: Improvisation Points +2]
"Your cunning escape has expanded your adaptive instincts. Future improvisations may last longer or be drawn more quickly".
~----~
Ethan rested his back against the wall while his chest moved up and down rapidly. The world outside roared with a cacophony of battle, alien sounds, and human cries.
Ethan discovered a terrifying yet exhilarating truth in this flooded store with its shattered glass and dark shadows. He managed to evade a group of predators using no bullets at all. Without military training. Without anything but desperation… and whatever the hell this improvisation ability truly was.
He observed his shaking hands while the disappearing satchel left a gentle heat on his skin and he spoke to himself. "I can do this… I can survive".
As he entered a troubled sleep his last vision showed a massive figure in the distance which exceeded the swarm in size and displayed blue fissures along its armored body.
Something worse had entered the city.
And dawn was still hours away.