Endless despair.

In Detroit, Michigan, panic-stricken crowds sprinted through the streets, desperate to escape the hordes of infected individuals who jumped and attacked, biting into the necks and bodies of anyone in their path.

A family of four - a father, mother, and their two 10-year-old sons - fled through the streets, their feet pounding the pavement in unison with the hundreds of other terrified people around them. The air was filled with the haunting sounds of screams, wails, and anguished cries as the city descended into chaos.

Above, a helicopter careened out of control through the sky, its rotors spinning wildly as zombies clung to its exterior. The aircraft plummeted towards the ground, crashing into a building with a deafening impact, erupting into a raging inferno of flames.

Rubble rained down onto the streets, adding to the chaos as panic reached a fever pitch. Thousands of people stampeded through the streets, their frantic footsteps pounding the pavement, while blood flowed freely, staining the concrete.

The family of four sprinted through the mayhem, dodging and weaving through the crowds, but suddenly, one of the children stumbled and fell to the ground. The other child let go of his mother's hand and rushed to his brother's aid, just as the mother's anguished cry of "NOO--" was drowned out by a massive explosion in the distance. The father instinctively shielded his wife and children with his body, as a dust-filled tsunami swept through the streets, obscuring everything from view.

As the dust finally began to clear, a loud, ominous sound echoed through the streets. The father slowly opened his eyes, and his face paled as he took in the sight before him. People were staring up at something in the air, their faces filled with terror.

Thousands of zombies were impaled on the walls of the buildings, their blood dripping to the ground like raindrops onto the pavement of the streets. Black spider webs stretched between the buildings, and the zombies' blood flowed through the webs, converging towards their centers. At the heart of one such web stood a person, clad in dark attire that obscured their features. Their eyes were hidden behind crimson glasses, making it impossible to discern their gaze. The person stood motionless, gazing out at the streets as the blood of the thousands of zombies impaled on the walls of the buildings trickled towards them.

As he moved, the shadows danced across his form, revealing a person clad in a red and black shirt, paired with pants of the same dark hue. His hands were tucked into his pockets, and the blood that flowed through the cobwebs seemed to be drawn to his shadow, where it was absorbed without a sound. He crouched down, his eyes scanning the thousands of people in the streets below. The passersby cast him a variety of glances - some fearful, others curious, a few doubtful, and a handful hopeful. Their emotions were palpable, but the person in red and black remained impassive, his gaze sweeping the crowd with an air of quiet intensity.

"Time to eat, I need protein!" He smiled, his eyes gleaming with excitement, and stood up. From the spider webs, dozens of tentacles emerged, writhing and twisting like living serpents. One of the tentacles shot out, piercing the chest of a nearby man and lifting him into the air. The man's body was suddenly absorbed into the tentacle, his blood bursting out in a gruesome explosion that splattered the ground. But most of the blood was quickly absorbed by the tentacle, leaving behind only a faint stain.

The people around him screamed and ran for their lives, but Lucius just sighed and raised his hand. A tentacle snatched a nearby car, lifting it off the ground and hurling it at the fleeing crowd. The car crushed several people, and the tentacles quickly absorbed their bodies, adding to the growing pool of blood. Lucius smiled, his eyes closed in rapture, and opened his arms to the sky.

"Yeah... that feels good..." he muttered, his voice barely audible over the sounds of chaos and destruction. The tentacles continued to rampage, bursting through walls and ceilings to claim the people hiding inside the buildings. Lucius's smile grew wider, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly hunger.

Lucius sat in the shadows, watching with a smile as the tentacles wreaked havoc around him. They tore through cars, ripped up the ground, and slaughtered the people, leaving behind a trail of blood-stained streets. But Lucius just sat back, enjoying the chaos, as everything seemed to be going his way.

But then, something caught his attention. He heard a distant rumble, and looked up to see a fleet of helicopters and army cars approaching. He smiled, seemingly unphased by the sudden arrival of the military. With a casual jump, he landed on the ground and stretched, his movements fluid and relaxed. He continued to walk calmly through the streets, his hands still tucked into his pockets.

As he strolled, he suddenly sprang onto the roof of a car, and began jumping from one vehicle to the next. He moved with an almost supernatural agility, his movements swift and precise. But just as he was getting into a rhythm, a loud crash echoed through the air, and something slammed into his face at high speed. He clenched his teeth, feeling a searing pain, and quickly grabbed whatever had hit him. His mouth was on fire, and his teeth felt like they were shattering, but he ignored the agony. And then, he looked at what he had caught, and smiled. It was a sniper bullet.

"Well, since you want to play it that way..." he muttered, his smile growing wider.

Lucius grasped the bullet tightly, his eyes narrowing as his gaze intensified. His irises seemed to burn with an even deeper crimson hue, and his vision expanded, allowing him to see the sniper taking aim at him from a distance. With a mischievous grin, Lucius said, "Hey, you dropped... this!" He hurled the bullet with incredible force, generating a sonic boom that dented the roof of the car beneath him.

The bullet flew at an extreme velocity, covering the distance to the sniper in mere seconds. The window where the sniper had been aiming shattered into a thousand pieces, and the sniper's head exploded in a gruesome display of blood and brain matter, which splattered through the air before he crumpled to the ground.

Lucius smiled, his expression unphased by the carnage he had just unleashed. He touched his mouth, and in an instant, his wounds healed, leaving his lips smooth and unblemished once more. He then adjusted his glasses, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw that they were unscathed. "Ugh, great glasses," he muttered. "I don't want them to get ruined... although I can make others..."

Lucius cracked his neck, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Well, since they've decided to enter my hunting ground... I should give them a proper welcome."

He crouched down, assuming a sprinter's stance, and then launched himself forward with incredible force. The air around him seemed to shudder and roar, like a contained explosion, as he burst into motion. The cars nearby were sent flying, shattered by the shockwave generated by Lucius's sudden acceleration.

In mere seconds, Lucius covered kilometers, his speed blurring the landscape around him. He leapt into the air, his gaze fixed on the nearby military personnel. A wicked smile spread across his face as he targeted a military vehicle. With a swift, axe-like kick, he struck the car, his leg connecting with a resounding impact. The vehicle crumpled, its metal body denting and then erupting into a crimson inferno of flames.

The soldiers around him screamed, scrambling to take up defensive positions. As the flames died down, a figure emerged from the heart of the blaze. Lucius stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Not bad," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Lovely day, don't you think?"

The soldiers fixed their gaze on Lucius, and one of them barked an order to fire. Without hesitation, the soldiers unleashed a hail of bullets, directing their aim at Lucius. However, instead of taking cover or attempting to dodge, Lucius simply let out a resigned sigh and began to walk towards the soldiers.

As he approached, his body started to take a brutal pounding from the relentless gunfire. His arms, legs, and torso began to tear apart, ripped by the constant barrage of bullets. Blood gushed from his wounds, spilling onto the ground as he continued to advance. Flesh and tissue began to rip free from his body, flying through the air in a gruesome display of carnage. Despite the horrific damage, Lucius pressed on, his expression unchanging as he closed in on the soldiers.

The gunfire ceased, and Lucius stood before a soldier, his eyes locked on the trembling figure. As the soldier watched in horror, Lucius began to regenerate, his wounds healing at an incredible rate. In mere moments, he was restored to his former state, his body whole and unblemished once more.

Lucius gazed at the soldier, a smile spreading across his face as he took in the man's terror-stricken expression. The soldier's eyes were wide with fear, and his voice trembled as he whispered, "M-monster..."

Lucius chuckled, his smile growing wider. "Yeah, I know. There are many monsters in this world, but I'm one of them... or maybe I'm worse." His words hung in the air, heavy with menace.

In an instant, the soldier's head flew off his shoulders, joining the others in a gruesome arc through the air. Blood spouted from the decapitated bodies, gushing forth like water from burst hoses. 

The decapitated bodies crumpled to the ground, their blood continuing to flow freely, wetting the street's surface with a gruesome, crimson sheen. As the soldiers' lifeless forms lay there, the shadows around them began to stir, as if alive. The darkness seemed to devour the corpses, consuming them with an otherworldly hunger.

Tentacles burst forth from the ground, writhing and twisting like living serpents. They swiftly targeted the helicopters hovering in the air, attacking them with ruthless efficiency.

Lucius smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement, as he stood with his hands tucked into his pockets. He squeezed his legs tightly, and then launched himself into the air, soaring towards a nearby military helicopter. He covered the distance in less than a second, and with a powerful kick, he struck the helicopter with incredible force. The aircraft was propelled forward, crashing into a nearby building and bursting through the wall. Dozens of tentacles swiftly converged on the wreckage, tearing it apart with relentless ferocity. The helicopter's destruction culminated in a massive explosion, as it erupted into a brilliant, blaze of fire.

Lucius landed on the ground, stretching his arms and arching his back in a languid motion. He reached up and grasped his glasses, which had been knocked askew, and examined them with a critical eye. Satisfied that they were still intact, he wiped them clean with his shirt and smiled, pleased with the result. He replaced his glasses and gazed out at the approaching helicopters, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the army's relentless advance.

Undeterred, Lucius strolled forward, his movements calm and unhurried. He leapt onto the hood of a nearby military jeep, surveying the chaos around him with a detached air. The buildings were ablaze, casting a fiery glow over the devastated streets. Lucius smiled, seeming to appreciate the apocalyptic scenery. "This is a pretty cool scene..." he murmured, his voice tinged with amusement.

He jumped down from the jeep, landing lightly on the pavement, and began to walk calmly through the streets. As he moved, his body began to undergo a transformation, his clothes shifting and flowing like a dark, liquid shadow. A black trench coat with crimson accents materialized around him, its edges fluttering in the wind.

"It seems it's time for a walk... a beautiful night walk," Lucius said, his voice low and husky, as he smiled to himself. His crimson eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement, casting an eerie glow in the darkening light.

---

"Ah...ah...Rose..." I muttered, my eyes fixed on the inferno that stretched out before me. My body ached, and I could feel blood seeping from my stomach. I clutched my abdomen, wincing in pain, and slowly struggled to my feet. "Shit..." I cursed, my voice barely above a whisper.

As I looked around, I was met with a gruesome sight: decapitated, charred corpses littered the ground, some impaled on the roofs of cars. The stench of blood was overwhelming, and I gritted my teeth to suppress the urge to vomit. I limped forward, my injured leg throbbing with each step, as I surveyed the hellish landscape. Everyone was dead, slaughtered by that monstrous creature. But was it still out there?

I gripped my gun tightly, my heart racing with fear, and scanned my surroundings. "That fucking monster, son of a...bitch..." I muttered, my anger and frustration boiling over. But my body still shook with fear, and I knew we had never stood a chance. The attack had been a massacre, with black tentacles erupting from the ground and chaos erupting all around us. Gunshots, screams, and the sound of destruction still echoed in my mind.

I gritted my teeth and reached for the necklace around my neck, pulling it out to gaze at the small green pendant. "Rose...I'm sorry..." I whispered, a sad smile on my lips. I knew I wouldn't make it, that I'd never see her again.

I continued to limp forward, my injured leg protesting with each step, when suddenly I saw him. He was sitting on the roof of a jeep, the moon casting an eerie glow over him. His clothes billowed in the wind, and his red glasses shone like embers in the moonlight.

"Oh...so you're the only one left, too bad," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Well, for surviving so long, I'll give you a painless death..." He jumped down from the jeep and began to walk towards me, a smile spreading across his face.

I gritted my teeth and turned to run, but my injured leg wouldn't cooperate. "Hey, come on...you know it's useless," he said, his voice grating on my nerves. "You're wasting something called mercy, you know?" I seethed with anger, my hatred for this monster burning brighter than ever.

I collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as I clutched at my leg. But it was too late. My leg was gone, severed from my body. I screamed in anguish, my voice echoing through the desolate streets.

"AAARRGGGGG!!" I bellowed, my pain and rage mingling in a cacophony of despair. I squeezed my leg, or what was left of it, but it only seemed to make the agony worse. "SHIT!!" I cursed, my mind reeling with the horror of my situation.

"YOU...DAMN COCKSUCKER, BASTARD!!" I screamed at the monster, my hatred and anger boiling over. But he just approached me, his expression unreadable. I grasped my gun tightly, firing at him with a desperate hope that I might somehow manage to kill him. The sound of gunshots echoed through the air, but he didn't flinch. He ignored the bullets, his body seemingly impervious to the hail of gunfire.

I emptied my clip, but it was no use. He crouched in front of me, his eyes glinting with amusement, and grasped my gun. "This is useless..." he said, his voice dripping with contempt, as he broke the gun into pieces with his incredible strength. He tossed the shattered remains behind him, his smile growing wider. "Haha...it seems you're the only one alive. Well, you'll have a reward. See you later..."

I watched in horror as a black tentacle emerged from his shadow, its tip writhing like a snake as it approached me slowly. I knew I was doomed. I thought of Rose, my heart heavy with sorrow and regret.

"Rose..." I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I watched in horror as more tentacles emerged from his shadow, snaking around the corpses of the soldiers and lifting them into the air. The bodies were then absorbed into the darkness, disappearing from sight. I felt a tentacle wrap around me, lifting me into the air as I struggled to free myself.

My body ached with pain, and I could feel the blood flowing from my severed leg. I was starting to feel lightheaded, my vision blurring at the edges. I gritted my teeth, determined to stay awake, as I saw the monster's smile grow wider.

He removed his glasses, revealing crimson eyes that seemed to glow with an otherworldly energy. "Well, thanks for the food!" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

---

I finished absorbing the soldiers, feeling a surge of energy and power flow through me. I smiled, satisfied with the meal, and turned around to put my glasses back on. "Ok, time to absorb even more," I said to myself, my eyes gleaming with excitement. "I feel like I can get something interesting if I keep absorbing more people..."

I gazed up at the moon, hanging low in the sky, and began to walk forward, my footsteps echoing through the deserted streets. It seemed like this was going to be a fun night.

"London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair lady~" I sang to myself.