Resonance Unbound

The death of the monster seemed to have made everyone forget the tension between the two groups as they basked in their newfound victory. Cheers erupted, people danced and drank without a care in the world. But Ezra had bigger problems to deal with—the kind that had landed him in this mess in the first place. Stealing had become part of his daily routine. He couldn't help it. Was it his fault he was a kleptomaniac? No matter how hard he tried, something always seemed to end up in his hands or pockets, often without him even realizing it.

This morning had started smoothly enough. Ezra had set his sights on a shop; confident no one would notice a quick grab. Of course, he was wrong. Again. He'd woken up with his stomach growling like he hadn't eaten in days, and desperation had driven him to make another impulsive decision. What he hadn't anticipated was being caught by four big, burly men. Negotiation? Not an option.

The first fist connecting with his jaw had made that painfully clear. For an hour, they'd taken turns using him as their personal punching bag until, thankfully, they'd grown bored and left him alone. That's how Ezra ended up lying in a dark alley, drenched in his own blood, battered, bruised, and exhausted.Still, priorities were priorities. Tapping his pockets, Ezra searched for his "hard-earned" snack, only to come up empty.

Frowning, he glanced around and spotted a glint of foil a few meters away. Before retrieving it, however, another issue demanded his attention—his clothes, or what was left of them. His trousers were hanging on by a thread—literally. Any sudden movement, and his bare backside would be on full display. "Great," he muttered, glaring at the shredded fabric. "Because being half-dead isn't embarrassing enough. Let's add public nudity to the mix". His gaze landed on a nearby corpse, and a wicked thought crossed his mind.

"You know…" Ezra mused aloud, limping toward the unfortunate victim. "I don't think there's any harm in taking a dead guy's clothes. It's not like he's going to miss them. Think of it as… battle loot. Yeah, that's reasonable."

Without a shred of shame, Ezra began stripping the body. When he was done, the corpse lay in nothing but its underwear, while Ezra stood dressed in a warm, slightly oversized outfit that felt leagues better than his shredded rags.

"See?" he said, looking down at the body. "I didn't even take everything. I left you your underwear. What can I say? I'm a man of principles." He adjusted the shirt, appreciating its softness. "By the way, this is really comfortable. You had good taste. Thanks for the donation."Feeling a twinge of guilt—not much, but enough—Ezra clasped his hands together and muttered a quick prayer. "May you rest in peace or whatever. Don't haunt me, okay? I even prayed for you."

Satisfied, Ezra turned his attention back to his snack, only to find it gone. His frown deepened as he scanned the area, spotting a faint trail of crumpled foil leading into a shadowy corner."Alright," he muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Which greedy bastard took my food? I earned that, thank you very much."His stomach growled, spurring him forward.

But as he followed the trail, his bold confidence wavered slightly. The dim lighting made the shadows ahead seem deeper, and a strange unease prickled at the back of his neck."Maybe I should turn back," he murmured, pausing for a moment.

But then his stomach growled again, louder this time. Ezra shook his head. "Nope. Not happening. I didn't get my ass kicked just to starve."The trail led him to a particularly dark corner. The air grew heavier with each step, and the shadows seemed to twist unnaturally. Ezra slowed, his instincts warning him that something wasn't right.As he crouched to investigate, his eyes locked onto something unexpected—and utterly terrifying. A pair of glowing eyes stared back at him from the darkness, unblinking and unnervingly bright. Ezra froze, his breath catching in his throat. "Oh… well, that's not creepy at all."

The outline of a figure began to emerge, barely discernible in the dim light, but its presence was overwhelmingly ominous. The air around him turned cold, pressing down on his chest like a weight. Ezra suddenly forgot all about his stolen snack. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he struggled to form words."Y-you know," he stammered, backing away slightly, "I wasn't that hungry. You can keep it. Really. I didn't mean to call you a pig. That was, uh… hunger talking."

In his panic, Ezra's foot caught on the crumpled wrapper, sending him tumbling backward. He landed hard on the cold floor, wincing as he scrambled to sit up.The creature stepped closer, its full form emerging from the shadows. Ezra's stomach churned. The thing was a horrifying amalgamation of twisted limbs and jagged features. Its molten, discolored skin stretched taut over a skeletal frame. Clawed hands scraped against the floor, leaving deep gouges in the stone. Its glowing eyes, now fully visible, bore into Ezra with an unnatural intensity."Okay," Ezra said weakly, forcing a grin. "You're clearly not a fan of sharing. Totally get it."

The monster hunched over; its glowing eyes locked on him as it let out a blood-curdling screech. The sound pierced the air, making Ezra's ears ring and his heart thunder in his chest. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but fear rooted him in place."Well," he muttered, swallowing hard. "Guess I'm dying again today. Fantastic."The creature lunged, claws outstretched, and Ezra's boldness shattered.