The moon hung high in the sky, alone in an empty firmament, with no stars or clouds to accompany it. Its pale light fell upon the city, bathing the deserted streets in a cold, distant glow.
The wind swept through the alleys, slipping between the buildings with a persistent murmur. It carried trash, dry dust, and dead leaves, whirling them up into brief eddies that dissipated against the damp walls.
Perched on the edge of a rooftop, a woman with crimson hair let the night breeze—slightly salty, carried in from the sea—play with her locks, gently swaying them.
Her legs dangled in the void, swaying ever so slightly, as she gazed at the city spread out below her. The scattered lights, the shadows in the alleys… and, in the distance, the faint reflection of the ocean beneath the moon.
Her gaze, lost in the darkness, betrayed a barely concealed boredom.
Then she turned her face slightly.
Someone was approaching.
