Lost in the Fog

A Chill Wind Over the Night

Izuku awoke alone. This time, instead of a forest, he was in a cornfield.

I have to not let my team down! Everyone is relying on me!

Getting to my feet, I looked to the distance and saw a few trees and a structure. Walking carefully, I headed that direction. I had passed by a generator hidden between some hay bales. When I approached the structure, I found that it was a fallen silo.

This... what happened here?

It was weathered and rusted, with the structural rings of encrusted steel looking like ribs of a long beached whale. One survivor was already on a generator, often referred to as 'gens' by other survivors. It was one he hadn't really talked to much. The grizzled old man, known as Bill Overbeck. He met him before, but didn't understand him then. However, now, he knew what to do, and immediately set to work. The gen inside the silo was already a quarter done, based on the two pistons moving, so Izuku did what he could to help repair them. The reason repairs are so efficient is because of the Entity. It didn't quite understand the world man inhabits. And so, it often got things wrong. Crows, for instance, have three eyes. Some places apparently are warped and twisted far beyond what they should have been. The rumored "Garden of Joy" was one such place, torn asunder by bending reality, while the Midwich Elementary school was something out of a twisted nightmare.

He hoped he would never have to go to those places, but he'd have to keep his mind on the current situation. The gen was starting to power up. However, he felt something was wrong, and when he turned to look back... he saw a figure. Leaning from a small wall, he was about to ask a question when Bill spoke up first. "Crap, it's Ghostface! RUN!"

It was then that he felt as if daggers had been pierced into his mind. He ran to the nearest window. It was safe. However, Bill was unlucky, as he was closer to this killer, known only as Ghostface. The killer's black robes were clearly tailored for killing, even with small leather straps floating behind him. The pale, white mask was contorted into a sorrowful expression, ironic from the joy he seemed to carry himself in. Bill was picked up, and dragged far away, kicking and struggling. A moment later, Bill screamed. And that was when Izuku noticed it.

He could see Bill's aura on the hook.

So that's an aura.

I could immediately see how it would be useful to have the ability to see them. I moved slowly, ducking out of sight as Ghostface stalked away. He used his power, and I cursed myself for not asking about the killer's powers. They were far more important. While understanding what my friends could do, it pales in comparison to anything they can do. He was about to step out from cover when he noticed a shadow move. He wasn't gone yet. The robes fluttered by, walking on the inside of the silo. I remained still as to not alert him. And soon, I was confident that he was gone. I ran over to him, and unhooked Bill, who ran away from the silo, towards a harvester. Izuku followed him up the device, a permanent feature in this area. It couldn't move, and was more like a part of the environment survivors could work with. It also gave the survivors who went to it a height advantage, giving them a commanding view of the surrounding area. As I tended to his wounds, Bill spoke to me quietly. "Ghostface can make you vulnerable to his weapon by stalking you when his power's up. If you can see him before he sees you, you can take down his power before you get a chance to do so."

"Was that the stabbing feeling?"
"You mean the panic induced headache? Yes. He will half your body's pain tolerance. It's how he's able to take people down so quickly."

"I see... I'll have to observe him some more..."

"He's elusive. He was last sighted at Ormond, which is a few realms away. He's not a fast one, normally. He must have wanted a change of scenery. He hates this place."