Kael remained perfectly still behind the towering stone pillar, forcing himself to slow his breathing. Every instinct told him to run, but the moment the System identified the creature before him, he understood that even a single careless movement would mean death.
The Void Fang Alpha stood motionless in the center of the chamber.
Its massive frame dwarfed the corpses of the Void Rats scattered across the ground. Black fur covered most of its body, but patches of dark crystal protruded from its shoulders, spine, and legs like natural armor. Every slow breath it took echoed through the cavern.
Its golden eyes swept across the battlefield.
Searching.
Judging.
Hunting.
Kael tightened his grip around the crude stone dagger.
The System's warning still lingered in his mind.
Recommendation: Escape Immediately.
"I would," he muttered silently, "if it wasn't blocking the only exit."
The Alpha lowered its head toward one of the dead rats. It sniffed the corpse before opening its jaws and swallowing it whole.
Crunch.
The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the chamber.
Kael swallowed hard.
That could have been him.
The beast devoured another corpse.
Then another.
Within minutes, nearly half the rats had disappeared into its stomach.
"So that's why there were so many..." Kael thought.
"The smaller ones were its prey."
A sudden realization struck him.
The Void Rats hadn't been the rulers of this territory.
They had been food.
The Alpha suddenly froze.
Its ears twitched.
Kael's heart skipped a beat.
A single drop of blood fell from his injured arm onto the stone floor.
Drip.
The sound was almost inaudible.
Yet the Alpha heard it.
Its massive head turned slowly toward Kael's hiding place.
The golden eyes narrowed.
For several agonizing seconds, neither moved.
Then the beast took one step forward.
The cavern trembled.
Another step.
Kael slowly backed away, keeping the pillar between himself and the monster.
His breathing became shallow.
His mind raced.
He couldn't fight.
He couldn't outrun it.
There had to be another way.
"System," he whispered.
"Scan."
Blue lines spread across the Alpha's body.
This time, more information appeared.
Void Fang Alpha
Rank: E
Status: Healthy
Weaknesses:
Left hind leg (Old fracture)
Eyes
Inner mouth
Threat Level: Extremely High
Estimated Survival Rate:
Direct Combat... 0.3%
Kael frowned.
"Zero point three..."
Those weren't encouraging odds.
His eyes drifted toward the creature's left hind leg.
It walked normally.
The old injury wasn't obvious.
Still...
It was something.
The Alpha suddenly released a deafening roar.
The sound slammed into Kael like a physical force.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
The beast charged.
Kael threw himself sideways just as enormous claws tore through the pillar behind him.
Stone exploded in every direction.
Fragments struck Kael across the back, but he ignored the pain and kept running.
The Alpha turned with frightening speed.
Despite its enormous size, it moved faster than any monster Kael had ever seen.
It lunged again.
Kael rolled beneath another swipe.
The claws carved deep trenches into the stone floor.
His crude dagger was useless.
His stone weapon would shatter long before piercing the beast's crystal-covered hide.
He needed something else.
The chamber shook as the Alpha continued its relentless pursuit.
Kael sprinted between the massive pillars, forcing the larger creature to constantly change direction.
Every sharp turn slowed it slightly.
Not enough to escape.
But enough to stay alive.
For now.
The monster roared again and slammed its shoulder into another pillar.
This time the ancient stone cracked.
Kael's eyes widened.
The pillar wasn't indestructible.
He looked upward.
The ceiling rested upon dozens of similar supports.
An idea formed instantly.
It was reckless.
It was dangerous.
But it was better than waiting to die.
Kael grabbed a loose stone and hurled it toward the far side of the chamber.
The Alpha ignored it completely.
Its eyes never left him.
"So much for that."
The beast charged again.
Kael ran directly toward one of the largest pillars.
At the last possible second, he dove aside.
The Alpha couldn't stop.
Its enormous body crashed into the pillar with terrifying force.
A thunderous crack echoed throughout the cavern.
Chunks of stone rained from above.
The beast staggered backward, shaking its head.
A smile appeared on Kael's face.
"It worked."
Not enough.
But it worked.
The pillar leaned ever so slightly.
The Alpha growled.
Its patience had vanished.
No longer trying to corner its prey, it attacked with pure aggression.
Each strike shattered stone.
Each missed bite left deep gouges in the cavern floor.
Kael's body was reaching its limit.
His breathing became ragged.
His legs felt heavier with every step.
One mistake.
That was all it would take.
The Alpha leaped.
Too fast.
Kael twisted his body, but not completely.
Its claws raked across his chest.
Blood sprayed across the stone.
The impact sent him crashing against a nearby wall.
His vision blurred.
Pain exploded through his entire body.
He struggled to stand.
The Alpha approached slowly.
Confident.
Its prey could no longer escape.
Kael coughed blood.
His stone dagger had slipped from his hand during the impact.
He was completely defenseless.
The beast stopped only a few meters away.
Its jaws opened.
Rows of razor-sharp teeth glistened beneath the violet light.
"So..."
Kael whispered between heavy breaths.
"This is how it ends."
The Alpha lunged.
At that exact moment...
A loud crack echoed from above.
The pillar the beast had weakened finally gave way.
Thousands of tons of ancient stone collapsed toward the monster.
The Alpha looked up.
Too late.
The ceiling came crashing down.