"As I crested the dune, I found the entirety of the desert laid before me. And there, not a day's walk from where I stood, was the fabled and ruined lost city. Like the imprint of the sun in one's eyes, I could barely see where pillars and monuments stood, where merchants sold their wares, where children ran through the streets and swam in fountains. Lit by the faint glow of the distant moon, days long since passed were re-enacted before me, and though I was in desperate need of water, I wept at its beauty.

"Then, a strange sensation overcame me, as if a heavy weight was placed on my heart. My eyes drifted upward, and I stared intently into the starless void, trembling slightly. Nothing at first, then... There! From the north, there! Black, darker than the infinite depths from which it came, a shape drifted my way. Though I had no sense of distance, or comparison for size, I knew the thing heading towards me was impossibly large.

"I threw myself to the sand and tried burying as much of my body as I could. The monstrous form came nearer, and lower, until it was apparent that it would settle in the ruined city. I watched fearfully as it was finally intercepted by the light of the moon. Though the darkness of its being did not change, I could finally discern vague details. It was roughly shaped like a bird, with an angular body and great wings. This was all I could see in detail; maddeningly, I could not determine if the creature had a head! Only a slight bump, a mere suggestion of a neck.

"The horrid thing reached the city, and began a slow, downward spiral. I shuddered at the shadow it created, for I could not see a difference between them. The bird finally stopped its descent, and perched atop the colossal temple at the south end of the city. What it did then, I'm not sure, but might be described as preening - it began a sort of shaking, twitching movement. I studied it a moment longer, but it seemed intent on staying put. This presented a problem, as my path was to lead me through the remnants of the metropolis to my destination in the bowels of the temple.

"Fine. It couldn't be helped. I dug myself out, moving to a crouch, and brushed myself off. I knew stealth would be the key to gaining access to the temple. I began crossing the desert, feeling naked in the open wasteland. It took several nerve-wracking hours to reach the outskirts, staying constantly aware of every movement of the ominous black shape overlooking the ruins. Would it see me? Could it see? When would I gain its attention and go from trespasser to meal?

"But I made it to the city without incident. Upon reaching the north end plaza, I breathed a sigh of relief. A narrow stone channel stretched before me, that had held the river which ran through the city long ago. Now dry, it was a straight road to my destination.

"I began walking down the trench, feeling apprehensive. The feeling only grew stronger the further I went. It became a physical weight, crushing me. I pressed on, hoping the anxiety would pass. Then, a sudden realization came to me, and my head jerked up sharply. I was halfway down the dried riverbed, which had put me just inside the shadow of the monstrous beast, cast by the waning moon beyond it.

"Frozen in fear, I could only stare at the dark mass. Though I could make out no features, I knew that it was aware of my prescence. The creature stirred, and then a silver glimmer appeared where I assumed its chest was located. The silvery sheen thickened slightly, then spread wide, each end climbing towards the shoulders to form the bottom half of an oval. A liquidy reflection from the light of the moon became visible over the half-oval, as the ends of the silver line began to race back together. The ends met, and I sank to my knees as the crushing power of my fears increased ten fold, overwhelming me.

"For I stared not into some strange mark on a dark canvas. No, I had truly gained the notice of this god of the void, for my gaze was now met by its own cyclopean eye! Absolute terror washed over me, and I sat quaking on the ground, helpless as the monster spread its enormous wings and took to the sky. The thing floated in tight circles above me, spiraling downward. Then, it tucked in its wings and plummeted towards the ground.

"My body frozen, my mind numb, I could not escape its descent. Its shadow spread out beneath me as its black shape blotted out the faint light of the moon. A scream ripped from my throat as shadow met shadow, and all was swallowed in darkness."