Cole's breath came in shallow, ragged bursts as he crouched behind the cracked remnants of a garden wall. His heart thundered in his chest, the sound almost deafening in his ears, but not loud enough to drown out the horrifying wet crunch of another body hitting the ground. Another one down.
The soft hum of tension in the air buzzed against his senses, a constant reminder of his emblem's presence—[Sound]. The ability had saved him more times than he could count, amplifying even the faintest rustle of fabric or muted footfall. Now, though, it felt like a curse. Every noise brought with it another wave of fear, each sound amplified until it seemed like the world itself was conspiring against him.
He peeked through a jagged hole in the wall, his hands trembling despite years of training and experience. In the dim glow of the moonlight, he saw her. The woman. No, the demon.