It didn't take long before the river dipped out of sight behind us, winding back the way we came. Honestly, I didn't mind. It was nice just talking. We bounced from Henry's powers to what everyone else might end up with, and at some point, Henry claimed that if he put a couple of points into Strength, he could get a better six-pack than me. The confidence was unbelievable.
Ella teased him nonstop, of course, but the annoying part was that he might not be completely wrong. He'd slimmed down a bit without even trying. Nothing dramatic yet, but enough to be noticeable if you were paying attention.
It made me wonder what I'd look like if I ever got a core. Poison abilities sounded useful, sure, but the second the thought crossed my mind, a cold shiver crawled up my spine. My brain flashed to the visions, the pale faces gasping for air, the way they stared right through me. I didn't know how I'd handle having that kind of power. My body clearly didn't either; every hair on my arms stood straight up.
I tried to shake it off, push the thought away, but the chill didn't fade. If anything, it settled deeper. My skin prickled, the cold clinging to me like it refused to leave.
Something was wrong.
Just then, something flickered at the edge of my vision, coming in fast. My instinct screamed at me to dodge.
Heeding the warning, I dropped low, barely managing to avoid a massive boulder that tore through the air above my head, slamming into a nearby tree with a thunderous crack. The impact split it clean down the center, sending splinters flying as the trunk collapsed in a heap.
The ground trembled beneath my boots. Something was coming—something big.
Before I could shout a warning, the underbrush exploded outward. A hulking creature barreled into view, rising above us like a nightmare given form. It moved on two thick, powerful legs, its massive body a grotesque mix of fur and armored hide. Four glowing eyes fixed on us, their unblinking stare cold and inhuman. Its arms hung low, each one ending in clawed hands, and disturbingly, embedded in each hand was an eye that pulsed with eerie energy.
We froze for half a second. That's all it needed.
One of its eye-hands lit up with a sickly glow, and another boulder ripped itself from the ground. Shooting straight toward Henry with terrifying force. He barely had time to dodge as it clipped his shoulder, sending him sprawling with a cry of pain.
Amelia moved first.
Her gun was out in a flash, the crack of the shot slicing through the air. The bullet struck one of the creature's eyes square on, and it roared, a guttural sound that shook the canopy above. But she wasn't done. Her second shot followed, then a third, each aimed with surgical precision.
The beast reeled, one of its palm-eyes blinded, ichor leaking from the wound. But it was far from done.
It shrieked again, flailing wildly, its claws tearing through the forest. Trees were ripped from the ground, branches hurled like spears. Every impact sent shockwaves through the soil, knocking us off balance and pelting us with flying debris.
I didn't wait. This was my chance.
Charging forward, I gripped my knife tightly, eyes locked on the beast's leg. If we couldn't outgun it, maybe we could cripple it.
With a slash, I drove the blade into the joint just behind the knee, but its hide was thicker than I thought, with the blade sinking in maybe an inch or so.
"Dam it, not deep enough," I hissed, but I had no time as the creature howled and twisted toward me.
A claw swept low, carving a trench in the earth where I'd stood seconds before. I ducked, rolled, and scrambled out of reach just as another blow crashed down behind me. In my peripheral vision, I saw Owen and Benjamin dragging Henry out of the open, scrambling for cover. Ella stood nearby, shouting orders, trying to direct them through the chaos.
I darted right, angling for another strike, but the beast anticipated me this time.
It turned with terrifying speed, its massive arm cleaving through the air in a brutal arc. I dove to the side as the attack missed me by inches.
However, the force of the strike sent debris crashing into me, the shockwave rattling through my bones.
I slammed into the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath clean from my lungs. I tried to move, but the creature was already on me, its claws flashing down.
On instinct, I threw up my arms just in time to block a lethal slash meant for my chest. Pain erupted as the claws tore through muscle and skin, raking deep into my forearms. The force of the blow sent me flying, my body skidding through the dirt. Blood flowed freely, hot and thick, painting my arms in crimson streaks.
But I couldn't stop.
Adrenaline surged through my veins like fire, keeping me moving even as the edges of my vision blurred with pain. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to my feet, legs trembling, heart pounding like a war drum. I locked eyes with the creature as it reared back for another strike.
"Target its eyes and hands!" I shouted, my voice ragged but sharp. Disable it or die, that was the only option.
Amelia moved like lightning, diving out of the way as the creature hurled a boulder the size of a small car. It shattered against a tree where she'd been standing just moments before. She hit the ground in a roll, raised her weapon, and fired.
The shot hit home, right in the creature's right eye.
A sickening squelch. Then a deep grinding howl as the beast recoiled, blinded on one side. It staggered, stumbling just long enough.
Now.
I sprinted forward, ignoring the screaming protest of my torn muscles. The creature's guard was down and entirely focused on Amelia, leaving its wound wide open. I drove my blade into the exposed flesh, burying it to the hilt. It howled again, dropping to one knee with a thunderous crash, the force rattling the ground beneath us. We were close. So damn close–
Without warning, the earth beneath me erupted. A jagged spike of stone burst from the ground, impaling my leg in a single, blinding instant.
Pain like I'd never known screamed through my entire body.
I collapsed with a strangled cry, the world around me shattering into white-hot agony. Blood gushed from the wound, warm and wet, pooling around me as I struggled to breathe.
The creature loomed overhead, one massive hand raised to crush me where I lay. I could see the fury burning in its remaining eye. It was going to end me.
Desperation took over.
I rolled to the side just as the hand came down, slamming into the ground like a meteor. The shockwave hit like a punch to the gut. My leg screamed, every nerve on fire, but I forced my body to keep moving. I couldn't die here. Not yet.
Gunfire erupted again. The creature twisted toward her, distracted for just a heartbeat.
It was all I needed.
I bit down on the pain, shoved it deep, and pushed myself upright. The world tilted and spun, a haze of dizziness threatening to take me under. But I stayed standing. Somehow.
With one last, desperate surge, I threw myself at the creature's back. My hands latched onto its rough, matted fur, my fingers digging in for grip.
I barely managed to hold on as I drove the blade into the creature's neck. The resistance was greater than I'd expected, its flesh thick and sinewy, like trying to stab into stone wrapped in muscle. I gritted my teeth, forcing all my weight behind the blade until it sank deeper. The creature let out a guttural howl, its body convulsing beneath me in rage and pain.
Then it spun fast. Too fast.
I clung to the embedded knife like a lifeline, using it to stay anchored as the world blurred around me. But before I could regain control, the earth answered the creature's fury as a jagged stone erupted from the ground and slammed into my side.
The impact knocked the wind from my lungs. As I felt my ribs shatter from the force, blinding me from he pain of it all. And in that instant, my grip faltered, and all my weight was wrenched down on the knife.
And then I heard it… A sharp, shattering sound echoed through my ears.
I looked in horror as the blade shattered under the strain. The steel fractured, splintering apart in a burst of shards. The broken handle remained clenched in my hand, useless. A heartbeat later, the creature bucked violently, launching me from its back like dead weight.
I hit the ground hard. The world became a blur of leaves, dirt, and pain as I tumbled uncontrollably. I finally slammed into a tree, the impact jolting through my spine like a bolt of lightning. A scream tore from my throat, blood leaking down my face, dripping into my eyes.
Darkness curled at the edges of my vision, warm and inviting. But I couldn't give in. Not yet.
Through the blur, I saw it–the creature was still moving, as it crawled toward Amelia. She scrambled back, frantically patting her belt, searching for another magazine. A stone spike burst from the earth at her feet, narrowly missing her, forcing her against the thick brush.
Move! Get up!
You can't die here, DAMIT!
MOVE!
I screamed at myself, dragging in a ragged breath as I rolled onto my stomach. Every inch of my body screamed in protest, but I forced myself to stand. My legs wobbled under me, the pain in my side threatening to drop me again. But I moved anyway, stumbling, limping, gritting my teeth against the pain.
The creature had its back turned as all its focus was on Amelia. It didn't see me coming, as I charged.
My run was more of a stagger, but adrenaline drowned out the pain. I threw myself at its back once more, grabbing onto the tangled fur as it shook beneath me. My injured leg flared with agony, but I refused to let go. Not now. Not when we were this close.
I reached for the jagged remains of my blade, still lodged in its neck. The broken edge sliced into my palm as I pulled it free, blood oozing down my fingers. My vision pulsed with every heartbeat, but I climbed higher, using the creature's twisted muscles and coarse fur for leverage.
Just one more move.
I gritted my teeth and hoisted myself up, pain screaming in every limb, until I could see its final eye staring back at mine with a furious rage shining within.
This was it.
With one final cry, I drove the broken blade into its eye.
The reaction was instant.
The creature convulsed with a violent spasm, its body thrashing in every direction. I held on with everything I had as the knife plunged deep, then with a twist the blade sank even deeper, and with the last ounce of strength my body could muster, I shoved my hand into its skull and pulled at whatever I could grab. It let out a deafening, soul-rattling roar that echoed through the trees, and then it fell.
The beast collapsed with the weight of a crumbling mountain. The earth shook beneath us as it crashed to the ground.
And I was thrown like a ragdoll.
I hit a tree, again. Hard. The impact cracked something in my shoulder, and I slid to the ground in a heap. Everything went blurry. The world tilted sideways. My body stopped listening.
But I heard it.
Silence.
For a moment, I couldn't move. My limbs felt distant, like they belonged to someone else. Every inch of my body screamed in pain. My vision blurred, and each breath was a jagged fire in my chest. I gasped, trying to focus on anything, to stay tethered to consciousness.
Blood trickled down my face, warm and blinding. I blinked hard, clearing just enough to see the creature's lifeless form sprawled across the forest floor. Its body was still, and its once-glowing eyes—those burning lights that had haunted us—were finally dark.
It was over.
But my body didn't feel victorious. It felt shattered. I slumped against the tree I'd slammed into, the bark biting into my back as I tried to steady my breathing. Everything hurt, my arms, my ribs, my leg where the stone still jutted from flesh. Adrenaline drained from me like a burst dam, leaving only the raw aftermath.
Amelia appeared in the corner of my vision, her gun still raised but lowered slowly as she took in the sight of the dead creature. Her pale face was a mirror of exhaustion and relief. She stepped closer, kneeling beside me.
"You did it," she said softly, almost in disbelief. "It's over."
I tried to nod, but even that small effort sent pain rippling through my skull. My body shook, unsteady, every breath thinner than the last. The edges of the world blurred as everything began to slip away.
Don't pass out. Not yet.
Amelia's voice rose above the stillness. "Is everyone okay?"
I heard Voices distant and muffled. Then Henry's voice, low and strained: "I'll manage."
That stubborn edge in his tone made me want to smile. But I couldn't. I just closed my eyes for a second… only a second.
Then Darkness.
"Atlas! Hey, stay with me."
The voice was sharp, too loud in my ears. I blinked. Everything was hazy. Benjamin's face hovered over mine, jaw tight, eyes wild.
"Look at the state you're in," he growled, voice strained and urgent. His hands were hovering over the gushing wound on my leg, as if hesitant to start. I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, my tongue heavy. I managed a small grunt, nothing more.
Benjamin's hands trembled slightly. "This is worse than I thought…" he muttered, more to himself than to me. "We need to get this out... damn it, I need Owen—"
Darkness…
A rushing in my ears. Distant yelling. Something tearing, then a wet sensation. A sharp jolt of pain shot up my leg, and I lurched forward.
"Hold him down!" Benjamin's Frantic voice rang out. "I have to get this out before it gets worse... Atlas, just stay with me!"
Darkness…
I was on my back now, limbs barely responsive. Someone was gripping my shoulders. I tried to breathe, but everything felt heavy… so heavy.
I slipped again.
Warmth. Then cold. Then warmth again. A breath against my ear.
"He's going into shock, move, Owen, I need pressure here–"
Darkness…
I opened my eyes again. Benjamin's face was streaked with dirt and blood. His hands were soaked. His voice had dropped to a growl, a mantra under his breath.
"Don't you dare die on me. Not now. Not like this."
Darkness…
Pain surged up my leg again like lightning. I cried out without sound, the world turning white.
Then everything collapsed into black.
Where there was no pain or sound. Just the void.
Time passed, though I couldn't tell how much. Seconds, minutes… hours? It all bled together into a shapeless haze. Somewhere deep inside the dark, I floated like a weightless stone in the endless expanse, bodiless, lost in a sea of nothing.
Then something shifted.
A flicker.
Warmth crept into the edges of that endless black, and with it, pain. Dull at first, distant, like thunder rumbling miles away. Then it sharpened, growing louder and heavier, anchoring me.
My lungs stung as I drew in a breath. The air was cool and earthy, filled with the scent of blood, sweat, and churned soil. My throat felt like sandpaper. Every breath came shallow.
A sharp ache bloomed in my chest as awareness began to claw its way back in. I tried to move—just a twitch of my fingers—but the effort sent a ripple of pain down my side and along my leg were a spike of pain flared through it in a blinding radiance. I gasped, teeth grinding against the sudden onslaught. My vision flared white for a heartbeat before fading into blurred shapes.
Focus... Come on, focus…
My eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, but I forced them open, blinking slowly against the harsh midday light. Everything was dim at first, smeared and swimming with movement. My head throbbed in rhythm with my heartbeat, and every muscle in my body felt like it had been through a meat grinder.
I was lying on a makeshift bed, covered in random items that acted as a blanket, and the familiar bark of the tree I'd crashed into earlier was behind me, supporting my weight. Someone had repositioned me, clearly, but I couldn't remember when.
Bandages wrapped tightly around my arms, crisscrossing the gashes left by the creature's claws. My chest was bare and bruised, each breath a reminder of cracked or fractured ribs beneath the surface.
And my leg…
I glanced down and nearly gagged.
My right leg had a massive hole where the spike had gone straight through. The skin around it was swollen, angry, and stitched together in jagged, hasty seams. I tried to move it.
Nothing.
Not even a twitch.
A sick, cold fear crept up my spine.
Before I could spiral further, a figure moved into view. Benjamin.
He sat a few feet away, back slouched, his hands still red with dried blood. In one hand, he held the bloody spike he'd extracted, staring at it as though it were some cursed relic. His brows were furrowed, his jaw tight. He looked like he hadn't spoken in a while. Like he didn't want to break the fragile silence.
He exhaled sharply and looked over at me.
"You'll live," he said finally, voice low and hoarse. But even then, the words didn't carry conviction. They hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty.
I managed the faintest nod in response, though even that sent a ripple of pain through my chest. My body slumped against the tree, too weak to hold itself upright.
Benjamin sighed and began wiping his hands clean with a cloth. "You push yourself too hard," he muttered, more to himself than to me. "One of these days, you're going to run out of luck."
I tried to answer, but all I could muster was a weak grimace. The pain was everywhere, threaded through every breath, every beat of my heart.
Through the blur of my vision, I watched the others.
Ella was crouched beside the creature's corpse, tools in hand, her gloved fingers expertly peeling back layers of its hide. She worked in silence, eyes cold with focus, but the rigid tension in her shoulders betrayed the truth. We were all shaken.
Owen and Emily stood off to the side, whispering in hushed tones. Their faces were pale, drained of color. Owen kept glancing over at Henry, who lay nearby with his shoulder tightly wrapped in bandages. He hadn't moved much, but he was breathing steadily.
Henry caught my gaze, just for a moment. His expression barely shifted, but he gave me the smallest nod.
That single look gave me more strength than I wanted to admit.
Amelia, ever alert, moved with quiet efficiency. She checked the perimeter with sharp, practiced glances, her weapon still at the ready, though lowered. She didn't relax; I doubted she could. The weight of leadership was heavy on her shoulders, and it was written in the tight line of her jaw and the way her eyes moved constantly, even when she knelt beside Benjamin.
We had survived, but survival wasn't enough. Not out here. Not with wounds like these...
Benjamin stayed by my side, kneeling close, his hands steady despite the worry that etched deeper lines into his face. He didn't say much. He didn't have to. The flicker in his eyes, the way his lips pressed into a hard line. He was already calculating what came next.
"Henry's injuries could've been worse," he murmured to Amelia, not taking his eyes off the wound in my leg. "Fractured shoulder. Broken arm. But… that core might've done something. It was less damage than I expected."
Amelia let out a quiet exhale. Her posture shifted slightly, less guarded for just a breath.
But then Benjamin's expression darkened as he looked back down at me.
"Atlas, though… he's in rough shape." His voice lowered. He wasn't sugarcoating anything for either of us. "We're running low on disinfectant, and with these kinds of injuries, infection's a real threat." He hesitated for a beat, then added, "The leg wound's deep, And If the bleeding doesn't slow, we may have to cauterize."
The words hit like a blow to the chest.
I didn't respond. I couldn't. My throat was too dry, my mind too fogged. But I nodded, slow and stiff. I understood what that meant. I felt it in every throb of my leg.
Benjamin's hands hovered over the wound, fingers flexing as he studied it. His grimace deepened, but when he moved, it was with the same calm precision he always carried when things were bad. He unwrapped the makeshift dressing, and I felt the sudden bite of air on torn flesh. Then came the sting of alcohol or what was left of it. I tensed, gritting my teeth against the fire spread through the wound.
Each touch was a jolt of agony. He cleaned the deep cuts on my arms next, his fingers steady even as blood still oozed in slow trails down my side. I gritted my teeth, refusing to cry out.
Amelia stood nearby, her arms crossed tightly against her chest, fingers white with pressure. And then she looked up, scanning the forest around us, and when she spoke, her voice was firm yet quiet."
"We've only got three bullets left."
They hung heavy in the silence, a grim reminder that while the fight was over, we weren't safe. Not really.
We couldn't afford another creature like that. Hell, we couldn't afford much of anything at this point.
Ella's voice broke through the haze like a crack of light.
"There's a core here," she called, kneeling beside the fallen beast. Her hands moved carefully through the wreckage of the creature's remains, eyes wide with something between fascination and unease. A faint glow pulsed from the chest cavity, dim but unmistakable.
Benjamin turned slightly, eyes narrowing. "Another one?"
Ella nodded. "Bigger than the last one, but definitely a core."
The glow reflected off her hands as she lifted it free – a compact, crystalline mass, pulsing with slow, rhythmic energy. It was beautiful…
I stared at it, my breath shallow, pain tugging at the edge of my thoughts.
This thing… whatever it was, it had power.
The core in Ella's hands pulsed brighter now, its dull gray and earthy brown hues shifting with a rhythm like a heartbeat. As the glow intensified, the energy seemed to thrum through the air itself, brushing over our skin like static before a storm.
Everyone had gathered around it, with expressions of wary captivation. Even through the haze of my pain, I could feel the pull of the thing, like gravity made of light.
Then it changed.
The glow twisted toward Amelia.
We all watched as the energy flared up in a sudden burst and the core itself began to shift, its solid shape melting into a liquid, shimmering like molten glass. Before anyone could speak or move, it flowed through the air in a slow, controlled stream, heading straight for her.
Amelia stepped back, startled, but it was too late.
The liquefied core struck her chest, but it didn't seem to harm her. It just fused with her flesh, as the glow faded into her chest. She gasped and stumbled a half-step, catching herself.
Silence fell again.
She stared at her hands, trembling slightly. Her breath came in quick, uneven gasps, eyes wide with something between awe and fear. No one moved. We were too stunned to act, still processing what we'd just seen.
Then, finally, she spoke.
"It's… giving me abilities," she whispered, voice hoarse with disbelief. "I have a stat screen. Just like Henry."
Ella stepped forward, unable to hide the curiosity in her voice. "What does it say? What kind of abilities?"
Amelia didn't answer immediately. Her eyes unfocused slightly as she seemed to navigate something only she could see. Then she began to speak, each word measured, like reading sacred text.
Amelia Grayson
Race: Human
Level: 1
Stats:
Strength: 5Vitality: 4Agility: 6Endurance: 4Intelligence: 6Dexterity: 4
Emily let out a slow breath, her voice carrying the same awe the rest of us felt.
"And… skills?"
Amelia hesitated. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Earth Manipulation… "
Ella gave a low whistle, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's incredible."
It was incredible.
But something in Amelia's expression made me pause. The edges of her shoulders seemed to draw inward, as though she were folding in on herself, lost in a storm of memories I couldn't see. She went completely silent, her gaze distant, and when Ella tried to ask her another question, but the words fell on deaf ears.