The creature bared its teeth, its eyes fixed on me, ready to attack at any moment. Its jaw snapped shut, and I barely managed to dodge out of the way in time. But in doing so, I had unwittingly shifted my position, and the creature had ended up biting at the wall behind me instead.
"Why?" I demanded of Tessia, gesturing frantically towards the door. "Why aren't you running away like I told you to?!"
Tessia stood her ground, her eyes fixed on me with an unwavering determination. "Because I don't want you to die!" she shouted back, her voice filled with emotion.
Why was she being stubborn? I thought to myself, gritting my teeth in frustration. It was difficult to persuade Tessia to leave. She was just as determined to die for me as I was determined to die for her. But I couldn't let her do that. I had to do everything in my power to protect her, even if it meant sacrificing myself.
As the monster brought down its muscular legs, I managed to dodge by a hair's breadth. The creature was terrifying, with sharp claws and teeth that could tear me apart in an instant. But I refused to back down. I had to keep fighting, even if it seemed hopeless.
The creature charged towards me once more, its eyes blazing with fury. I knew I had to act fast, or it would be too late. With a quick thinking, I grabbed the sheets off the bed and threw them at the monster, hoping to cover its face and buy me some time. Although the sheets didn't do much damage, it was enough to distract it for a few precious seconds.
I made a run for the door, pulling Tessia behind me. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my palms were slick with sweat. But just before we were about to step outside, I hesitated.
As I stood there with Tessia, my heart racing, I realized I had to make a decision. If we were going to escape, we had to leave this room. But the thought of stepping outside was terrifying. I had always been a shut-in, afraid of the unknown world beyond the safety of my familiar surroundings. The hallway that had seemed short before now seemed impossibly long, stretching out before me like an endless abyss. The fear inside me threatened to paralyze me.
But I knew that I couldn't let my fear control me. Tessia's safety was at stake, and I had to be brave for her. I took a deep breath and looked out at the hallway once again, determined to make my move.
Just as I was about to step forward, the creature suddenly stirred. It reached out and grabbed the sheets that were covering it, slowly revealing itself to us. I knew I had to act fast.
Without a second thought, I pushed Tessia out of the room and closed the door behind her.
"Eh? Brother?! Brother!" Tessia's voice came muffled through the door, and I could hear her pounding on it.
I felt a pang of guilt for leaving her behind, but I couldn't risk her getting hurt. I turned my back to the door and faced the creature, my heart racing.
The monster was now standing in front of me, and I could feel its hot breath on my face. It was towering over me, its eyes blazing with fury. I took a step back, my mind racing with what to do next. I looked around the room for anything that could help me, but it was empty except for a few scattered books.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Maybe I could reason with the creature? I lifted my hands up in a placating gesture. "Hey, calm down. We don't have to fight."
But the creature only let out another screech, its muscles tensing as it prepared to lunge at me.
"You won't be able to chase Tessia," I said, my voice unwavering. The creature rushed towards me, its eyes blazing with fury. It seemed to be getting angrier by the second, as if my words had provoked it even further.
Without hesitating, I looked towards the bathroom and made a run for it. The creature followed me, its heavy footsteps echoing throughout the room. I could feel its hot breath on my back as I reached for the bathroom door handle, but just as I was about to close it, the monster's claw stopped me from doing so.
"Grrrrrr..." it let out a low growl, and its one good eye peered in through the gap in the door. Its gaze was filled with malice and hatred, and I knew that I was in serious trouble.
I pushed the door with all my might, but the creature's enormous strength prevented me from closing it completely. I could hear its claws scraping against the wood, and the thought of it breaking through filled me with dread.
I racked my brain for any possible way to escape the inevitable death that would come if this creature got inside the bathroom with me. The small, confined space left me with no room for maneuvering or any kind of defense. It was over for me once it got in.
But then, a thought occurred to me. I remembered reading about a spell that could shoot fire from my hand. With trembling fingers, I muttered the incantation, "By the power of fire, let my enemies be consumed! Through this spell, I am able to shoot fire from my hand. Let that fire be my weapon, that it may accomplish as much work as I desire. Fire, I command thee—Flame Shot!"
To my surprise, a burst of flames erupted from my hand and struck the creature directly in the eye.
"Grrrrrkkkkk!!!!"
It let out a deafening screech of agony and released its hold on the door.
Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I quickly shut the bathroom door completely and leaned against it, panting heavily with relief. For a moment, I thought I was safe.
But my relief was short-lived. Suddenly, the creature let out another ear-piercing screech and burst through the wall, still screeching in pain.
In a panic, I searched my mind for any other spells I could use against this monster. I remembered a spell I had been practicing for months, hoping to never use it in a real-life situation.
"Burning fire, I command thee to come forth, but harm me not, nor travel farther across all the earth. Thus, all shall burn at my will, as it is commanded—Ablaze!"
As I recited the spell, I could feel the heat building up around me, the air thickening with smoke. Suddenly, flames erupted all around me, consuming everything in their path, including my beloved books.
"Guh...!" I couldn't help but clench my teeth in frustration. My precious books, gone in an instant.
But there was no time to mourn. The creature was still screeching in agony as it burned, its body slowly being consumed by the flames.
I turned to run, hoping to make a quick escape. But just as I was about to make a considerable distance away from it, the creature swung its tail, hitting me square in the stomach. A horrible metallic squeal pierced my ears, causing me to wince in pain. The impact lifted me off the ground briefly before I slammed into the wall, bringing my flight to an abrupt halt. The impact was so intense that all the air in my lungs was forced out, and I slid down the wall in a heap, gasping for air.
The monster swayed for a moment before locking its gaze on me. However, due to the smoke and my blurred vision, I couldn't be certain.
I tried to lift myself up, but my feet had given up on me, and I collapsed back to the ground. Desperately, I tried to crawl away, but the monster was too quick for me, and it stomped towards me, blocking my every move.
Slowly, the monster brought its head towards me, opening its mouth wide as if preparing to devour me whole. I closed my eyes, waiting for my imminent demise. But then, something sparked in my mind, a vivid image of Tessia's lifeless body and something standing on top of it.
With a sudden burst of energy, I opened my eyes and saw Tessia charging towards the monster with a toy sword in hand, determined to save me. "No! Stop it, Tessia!" I cried out in desperation, knowing that the monster was too powerful for her to defeat.
Despite my warning, Tessia continued to charge at the creature, her determination and bravery admirable but ultimately futile. With a swing of her toy sword, she attempted to strike the creature, but it was clear that her efforts were in vain as the blade merely bounced off its tough exterior.
The creature swiveled its massive head to look at Tessia, its eyes narrowing in on her small form.
"Kyah!"
Suddenly, its tail lashed out and grabbed Tessia, causing her to let out a high-pitched scream. The tail's grip tightened around her, and she struggled to break free, her tiny body wriggling in a desperate attempt to escape its grasp.
Despite her valiant efforts, the creature's hold on Tessia was too strong, and she began to sputter and choke under the pressure of its tail. The creature gazed at Tessia with a hungry glint in its eyes, clearly relishing the opportunity to feast on her small, defenseless form.
As I watched in horror, the image of Tessia's lifeless body floated into my mind once again.