[ WP ] Years after the paranormal and the supernatural take over the world , the last remaining humans discover a way to fight back .

One lone Shade skittered across broken concrete and wreckage. A long shadow trailed behind as it searched round abandoned vehicles and further along the street. 
 
 `` The damn thing is aimless.'' 
 
 Behind the roof top sniper, Jebediah stood. His left hand was glowing with bright light. 
 
 `` Do it.'' 
 
 A shot rang out. There was a trail behind the bullet, the guideline lasted for moments and ran straight to the Shade below. Longer than the light lasted the noise rang over and over. It was too loud for the forsaken city. Buildings, including the one the men stood on, blurred shifting, and rebar cracked. The two men did n't move, one prone the other standing tall. 
 
 *skrrrrrrrrrrrrrchh* echoed from the street below. 
 
 `` Is that how one of them dies? Have you ever seen one die?'' 
 
 Jebediah had seen many of them die, by his own talents, but the young sniper had not. 
 
 `` Lets go'' 
 
 Jebediah did n't waste words now that they were essentially out in the open. Back down the fire escape and into the get away car was their next move. 
 
 It took a few moments for his sniper to get his gear back into the black matte briefcase. A transparent hand swept through the sniper's case as he shut it and got up to move. 
 
 Jebediah's boots clamored down the ladders one by one, followed one level above by the sniper. 
 
 A black mass threw itself noiselessly at the fire escape, landing just above Jebediah who was descending, and darkening everything in the vicinity. The Shade had a ragged tear in its shadow exterior and something putrid and real was leaking out. 
 
 `` Damn you!'' Jebediah fumbled his revolver out of his side holster and managed to get a round cocked. The sniper's leg was caught by the Shade and he tried desperately to back away to gain any ground on the monster taking his leg. 
 
 *Bang* *Bang* useless metal went into the Shade and Jebediah knew he had made a tactical error. Immediately he dropped from the ladder and landed hard on his rear on the bottom of the corrugated metal. 
 
 The Shades darkness was advancing on the sniper. Jebediah was almost too late, but groaning in pain his left hand glowed brightly casting away the Shade ink and his bullets trailed lumens of light as they tore through the phantom holding his ally. 
 
 The deafening noises of the gun and the Shade faded with the final bullet and in the air it fizzled away into nothing but a small black mess, at odds with the size of the shadows that had darkened everything around them just moments ago. 
 
 `` Can you move?'' Jebediah asked as he tried to do the same thing. 
 
 The sniper was clearly mortified. He needed time to figure out that he was still alive. Jebediah could give him maybe a minute. 
 
 Gun reloaded and holstered Jebediah reached into himself, finding the source of his light and drew it into his hands and released it out into the street. Ghosts that flittered around moaning chose new directions to languish in. A zombie lost its direction and fell into trash. Inside a glass window tentacles beat on the glass and then vanished from Jebediah's sight. 
 
 As the supernatural enemy became seemingly disoriented the sniper at last got up and got moving. 
 
 `` Holy shit. Thanks.'' 
 
 `` Save it for later'' Jebediah replied. 
 
 On the last rungs of the fire escape Jebediah took a breathe and made the short jump down. The pain would fade he told himself, he was still alive and had to keep going. The sniper fell next to him, just a little unsteady. Arriving at the parked vehicle Jebediah used a remote to turn it on and unlock it. His right hand held the door handle as his left was poised. He opened the door quickly and thrust his glowing light into the interior. Nothing waited inside. 
 
 `` Check the trunk.'' 
 
 The sniper went to open up the trunk, but Jebediah stopped him. He handed a heavy flashlight to the sniper and got in the driver seat. After leaving his sight for a moment, and an opening and closing trunk later the sniper got into the passenger side. 
 
 *Clunk* went a dent into the side of the car. And Jebediah spun the vehicle away, not looking back. 
 
 They were relatively safe, the path they came in through was n't obstructed as far as Jebediah could tell. 
 
 `` Hey. I think we're clear. We're safe.'' 
 
 When the sniper did n't say anything, Jebediah prompted him again. 
 
 `` I said we're out of the haze and can think about tomorrow. You can tell me your name now.'' 
 
 A blink later, `` Lance, short for Lancelot'' 
 
 `` Like the knight?'' 
 
 `` Not really.'' 
 
 `` Hum. Do n't be dour son, this war we're fighting needs few true knights.'' 
 
 `` Yea.'' Lance agreed. 
 
 Jebediah thought on the long ride back. He knew that the encounter with the Shade was necessary, all of the fighters who stood a chance on Earth now, the ones with Talents and Abilities had to be survivors. Humans who were nearly drawn out of this world had something changed inside. Some key, and it could be turned for good, or for bad. 
 
 Jebediah reached inside himself with his left hand, it was gloved to hide how grotesque it was. It had been bitten by a vampire and cut by a butcher monster, long ago. From it he could reach the other side of the darkness, the light, and take it and use it. 
 
 `` Lance, when we get back, we're gon na take a look at your body, your leg especially. It's probably going to be stark white or ashen due to the Shade attacking you.'' 
 
 Lance's face was drawn into a grimace. He was brave enough to come on the trek, but now it did n't seem like it had paid off. How desperate were you to save your family, that you would willingly go into a city at night, and with a man who could n't guarantee your safety and refused to take your name? 
 
 `` We're going to work on it, and see if you can make something. Something good to protect your family. Your big gun is worthless without a Talent like mine.'' 
 
 Lance nodded. And Jebediah hoped he understood. If Lance could fight the darkness and keep it at bay like Jebediah could, then this whole excursion was a leap forward for the fight for humanities survival. Lance could protect his family and the dozens of others holed up around the city. 
 
 Then Jebediah would move on to the next patch of humanity that was struggling. He would keep them moving forward, fighting back, it was his mission. There were more now, ones he had trained and others who developed on their own. He kept the key kept turning to the light, and there was hope inside him. 
 
 

