The city of darkness

After staring off into space for what felt like an eternity, Rune's attention was suddenly drawn to Miko as she moved. He turned his gaze towards her and watched as she emerged from the grassy ground. "Good morning, how are you feeling?" Rune asked, concerned. Miko let out a grunt and held her head before slowly responding, "What happened? Where are we?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Rune replied, his eyes filled with relief. "I have no idea where we are, but I'm just glad we managed to escape that horrifying forest alive."

Miko's face lit up with happiness upon realizing that their escape was real and not just a dream, although the fear of the pursuing monster still lingered. She stood up from the ground and looked around before turning to Rune. "So, you really don't know where we are?"

"Nope," Rune admitted, "But one thing I do know is that we've successfully survived that treacherous forest. The only unfortunate part is that we've lost all our supplies, which we desperately needed for survival."

Miko nodded, remembering their predicament. "So, what do we do now?"

Rune stood up slowly, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Now," he began, "We have to explore. There might be a safe place nearby. Maybe..." With that, Rune and Miko started walking forward, uncertain of their destination but determined to find a place of refuge.

As Miko and Rune continued their journey, the mesmerizing sight of endless grasslands and distant mountains welcomed them. The gentle breeze caressed their skin, while the warm rays of the sun enveloped them in comfort. After walking for some time, their eyes widened as they reached the end of the flat landscape. Before them stood a hill, and beyond it, a cluster of intriguing buildings veiled in a mysterious purple mist.

Fixating their gaze upon the buildings and the roads ahead, Rune broke the silence and voiced his thoughts, "Surely it can't be worse than the forest. There's only one way to find out." He then turned his attention to Miko, who remained silent.

Attempting to reassure her, Rune responded, "Don't worry; I highly doubt it will be as dangerous as the forests."

Miko sighed, taking a deep breath, and replied, "Well, I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

With cautious steps, they descended the steep hill, acutely aware of the consequences of a misstep. Tumbling down the slope would be excruciatingly painful.

Upon reaching the bottom, their attention was captivated by the purple mist enveloping the city. Broken-down buildings and the ethereal mist, reminiscent of clouds, barricaded their entrance.

"Do you want to be the first to go through?" Rune asked, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

"No, we'll go together," Miko replied, sliding closer to Rune and firmly taking hold of his hand.

"Alright," Rune agreed, and they commenced their journey towards the purple mist. Sweat beaded on their bodies as fear gripped them, unsure of what lay beyond the mist. They only knew of the towering structures extending out of the mist's veil and the city's roads, visible through the shroud of fog.

With their eyes closed, they cautiously made their way through the enigmatic purple mist. As they finally opened their eyes, an eerie sight greeted them: the city was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, its broken-down buildings clinging together while others lay in ruins on the ground. Road signs and stoplights emerged from the obscurity, overshadowed by rusty cars covered in overgrown grass.

"Do you know where we are?" Miko asked Rune, who appeared utterly perplexed.

"No, I've never heard of this place. I doubt anyone would willingly leave the safety of the city for such a dangerous looking place," Rune replied.

Step by step, they traversed the silent streets, the echo of their footfalls reverberating through the stillness. As they explored the desolation, Miko and Rune stumbled upon a chilling discovery: human bones scattered among the decaying vehicles, while flickering traffic lights cast an eerie glow that intensified the eerie atmosphere.

Holding each other's hands tightly, they pressed on, whispering their thoughts to avoid disturbing the ominous quietness .

As they strolled behind the decaying cars, parked alongside the sidewalk, they caught sight of the houses - some of them demolished. Peering through the windows, all they could make out was darkness, while above them loomed the mysterious purple mist that shrouded the city, depriving it of sunlight and casting everything in a somber hue.

"Let's check out one of these houses, maybe we'll find some supplies to stave off hunger," Rune suggested.

"Alright," Miko replied, her eyes darting nervously around, as the atmosphere of darkness filled her with fear.

Gradually, they approached a grander house with white walls and two windows on either side of the wooden door. They paused, gazing at it, realizing it was bigger than the other houses they had passed.

"Let's give this one a try," Rune proposed, his eyes fixated on the imposing white house.

"Okay," Miko agreed, and together they began walking toward the wooden door. With a gentle twist, Rune turned the doorknob and pushed open the door, revealing a pitch-black interior that concealed whatever lay inside.

"It's too dark to see or do anything," Rune said, sighing, while shifting his gaze to Miko, who still appeared frightened as she stared into the darkness within the house.

"Let's try a different house," Rune suggested, hoping to alleviate Miko's fear.

"Okay," Miko replied reluctantly. As they prepared to leave the house, filled with darkness, they heard a loud roar.

Immediately, Rune grabbed Miko's hand and pulled her back into the safety of the house, tightly closing the door. Listening carefully, Rune could now hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Though he couldn't see anything, he cautiously walked over to one of the windows to catch a glimpse of what was causing the deafening roar.