Gaja's breath caught in his throat.Through the drifting smoke, he saw Duma lying motionless on the cracked arena floor—twitching, smoking, barely breathing.
"Duma…" Gaja whispered, eyes widening.His heart slammed against his ribs.That wasn't a normal injury.That was a death blow.
He took a step toward him——but a massive shadow blocked his path.
Vorran lunged forward, teeth bared, rage burning across his face.
"Running already?" the orca snarled."You think I'll let you flee to your little friend?"
Gaja's fists clenched."Move," he growled, voice deep and shaking with barely restrained panic."He needs medical attention now."
Vorran laughed—a harsh, choking sound."Then die first and go join him."
He threw a wild swing, forcing Gaja back.Gaja blocked, but his eyes kept darting past Vorran…
back to Duma…back to the golden-furred Sentinel who wasn't moving.
"DUMA!" Gaja roared, aura flaring.
On the other side of the arena—
Kongu's eyes snapped toward the lightning pillar's fading smoke.He saw Duma's twitching body.He saw Voltis sprawled beside him.And he saw Gaja trapped against Vorran, unable to move.
"Damn it," Kongu muttered, fists tightening.
Varga slid beside him in a burst of wind, eyes sharp, breathing hard.
"Kongu," Varga said urgently,"Go. Get Duma out of there. Take him somewhere safe.I'll handle this."
Arbokh hissed, hood flaring wide as he blocked their path, fangs gleaming.
"You?" he scoffed, venom dripping from every syllable."You think you can fight me by yourself?"
Before Varga could answer—
SHNK!
A dagger stabbed straight into Arbokh's ribs from the side.Arbokh gagged, eyes bulging as blood sputtered from his mouth.
Vail materialized behind him, hood shimmering back into visibility, eyes narrowed.
"By himself?" Vail said, twisting the blade."Keh… don't forget about me."
He leaned close, whispering by Arbokh's ear.
"It's a 2v1, snake."
Arbokh roared in pain, tail lashing as he staggered.Blood dripped from the wound Vail carved.His hood trembled with fury.
"I'm tired of you, chameleon…" Arbokh snarled, voice dropping into a guttural hiss."You're getting on my DAMN nerves."
His aura erupted.Black obsidian scales crawled across his skin.His body swelled—muscles stretching, bones cracking, fangs lengthening.
In seconds, the cobra hybrid was gone.
What towered over them now was Jormungandr—massive, armored, radiating pure killing intent.
The ground shook beneath his weight.
Vail's pupils shrank."…Oh hell."
He vanished instantly, cloak flickering into invisibility.
But Arbokh didn't need to see him.
FWOOOM—!!
A massive tail swept across the floor—too fast to dodge.It caught Vail mid-step—invisible or not—and slammed him into the wall with a deafening crack.
His camouflage flickered violently as he collapsed, coughing blood.His vision blurred. His fingers twitched weakly.
Arbokh loomed over him, coils tightening, shadow swallowing the lane.
"Pathetic," the serpent rumbled."Time to finish you."
He surged forward, jaws stretching wide—fangs dripping venom—moving at a speed no creature that size should possess.
Vail could barely lift his head.
But before the killing strike landed—
FWOOOM—!!
Two figures crashed in front of him.
Kongu and Varga.
Both braced themselves against the charging titan.Stone cracked beneath their feet.
Arbokh's eyes widened as his jaws met their combined defense—not Vail's throat.
"Kongu?!" Varga shouted over the impact."You were supposed to go!"
Kongu didn't budge.Didn't blink.
His massive arms shook as he pushed back against the serpent's skull.
"Sorry, Varga," Kongu growled, voice tight, trembling with emotion and rage."I can't leave you alone."
Arbokh lunged again, coils striking like a collapsing mountain.
Kongu and Varga braced—
BOOOOOOM!!
The collision shook the entire arena.The impact launched them backward, boots dragging across cracked stone.
Dust exploded around them.
Kongu steadied himself, shoulders rising.
"…Besides—"
He glanced to his left.Someone was missing.
Varga followed his gaze.
The place where Duma had been was empty—only a faint shimmer hanging in the air like heat distortion.
Then—
A fading "keh keh keh…" echoed through the smoke.
Varga's eyes widened."That laugh…"
Kongu exhaled through his nose, almost a resigned sigh."He's always in the right moment," he muttered.
Waraabe had vanished again.
Kongu and Varga exchanged a quick glance—a silent agreement.
Varga tightened his stance, wind swirling faintly around his claws.
"Kongu," he said quietly, eyes locked on the towering serpent hybrid,"Now the real fight starts."
Kongu cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders, aura flaring."Yeah," he growled."No more running. No more holding back."
Arbokh lowered his massive head, pupils narrowing.
"You two still believe you have a chance?"His voice rumbled like thunder."How adorable."
Elsewhere in the arena—
Falko blurred forward, wings flaring, talons carving the air like blades.
Liora darted back, wings scattering glittering dust—but not fast enough.
Falko's claw slashed her shoulder, sending her spinning.She recovered instantly.
They collided mid-flight in a flurry of feathers and shimmering wings—but Falko was faster.
Every slash.Every dive.Every spiraling strike.
Falko dominated.
Until—
A tiny delay.A numb whisper crawling up his fingers.
He frowned.Liora noticed.
Falko blitzed again—aiming for her throat—but his arm stalled for a fraction of a second.
Liora slipped past with ease.
Another numb pulse crawled up his arm.His wings felt heavier.
She smiled, almost pitying.
"You're wondering why you're slowing down," she said softly."Even though you're faster… even though you should be overwhelming me."
Her wings fluttered—a faint shimmer of green dust drifting through the air.
"My poison isn't as strong as Arbokh's," she continued."It won't paralyze you in a second like a cobra's."
"But give it time…"Her eyes hardened."…it still shuts down your body all the same."
Falko staggered mid-flight.The advantage shifted.
Liora surged forward—now she was faster.
A deafening CRASH erupted through the arena.
Kongu and Varga were smashed into a stone wall, bodies cracking deep into it before collapsing to the floor.
Both hybrids groaned, forcing themselves up.
Varga didn't wait.Didn't breathe.Didn't think.
He charged on pure instinct—fangs bared, claws glowing with wind—
leaping straight at Arbokh's throat.
He bit down—but his teeth couldn't pierce the obsidian scales.His claws scraped uselessly, sparks flying.
Arbokh didn't even flinch.
Kongu roared and leapt into the air, both fists raised—Arbokh lifted one arm.
One.
He caught Kongu mid-air like a toy and slammed him into Varga, smashing both together.
The impact exploded into a massive shockwave.
Arbokh's enormous shadow fell over the hybrids as they struggled to rise.
"Two insects…"He leaned forward, fangs dripping."…against the WORLD SERPENT?"
His pupils narrowed into deadly slits.
"Don't make me laugh."
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. INSTINCTBOUND is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.