Thunder crashed!

The boom echoed out through heaven and earth as the clouds roiled. It sounded like there were invading gods launching attacks from above. Sometimes the thunder came as muffled booms. In other cases, it sounded like a string of explosions that dragged the citizens of the city out of their deepest dreams. Lightning pierced through the sky, ripping apart the darkness of night. It was almost like the sun, obscured by the dark clouds, had a fleeting chance to illuminate the human world below.

At dawn, the rain came down harder.

The wind grew in intensity, like a howling giant whose cries reached the most distant corners of the city. It almost vied with the thunder.

A figure walked along the street holding a black umbrella, barely visible thanks to the sheets of rain.

Rainwater smacked loudly into the umbrella, and seemingly in defiance of the obstacle, ran in rivulets down the sides. Only by struggling to fall to the ground below could the drops of water reunite with their companions on the street. That...