Shane's heart raced as he gazed upon the imposing figure of the Innalim. The creature's golden eyes locked onto Shane and Alice, its body tense and ready to strike again.
Alice's breath hitched, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her knife. Fear and determination flickered in her eyes. "What do we do, Shane?"
"Uh...hey there, pretty kitty" Shane quavered, edging away as the Innalim regarded them. "Feeling hungry? Look, we've got food!" He pointed at the slain arbbit's carcass. The large feline remained unmoved.
In an instant, Shane grabbed Alice's hand, and they bolted into the dense undergrowth. Though Alice couldn't fully grasp the danger, she could sense the urgency in Shane's actions.
"Innalim?" Alice gasped, panting beside Shane. "What's it doing here?"
"I don't know, maybe its those mines that the Arxians are setting up. From what the chief general said, they've been setting up a lot of them" Shane propelled himself forward. "Come to think of it, I think I saw it earlier...wait, does that mean..."
A chilling thought crept into his mind, fear gripping his heart. "Shit".
"What is it?" Alice demanded.
Shane scowled, clenching his jaw. "We've been marked since the start".
As the Innalim fixated its golden eyes on Alice and Shane, its lithe body tensed, muscles coiling like springs ready to unleash their stored energy. With each step, it moved with uncanny grace, its large paws barely making a sound against the jungle floor. Its lithe figure allowed it to weave through the undergrowth with astonishing agility. As quickly as Shane and Alice escaped, the beast was already upon them.
A hungry, guttural growl rumbled from the Innalim as its horn started to glow. The same, eerie whistle emanating from it.
Shane let out a silent curse, racking his mind, trying to find any way to get out of this dreadful situation. As he was running, he was going through all the information he had about the creature.
'Due to its natural affinity with the wind, the legendary beast is incredibly swift. It has a very basic attack pattern, charging up its horn with energy and then unleashing it, propelling itself forward with extreme speeds. It is an ambush predator, its tactics usually consist of it waiting for its prey to drop their guard, then attacking' Shane rapidly recounted. 'It usually resides in the jungles far north of Andreia, it propels itself with its flat tail and has a strong sense of smell'
His mind raced as the whistling was quickly reaching a climax. By chance, Shane's eyes darted to an odd growth on the ground. What he saw were mushrooms, lined with a peculiar yellow and green coloring.
Shane's lips quivered, curling upwards. 'Eureka!'
Filled with new conviction, Shane pulled the still confused Alice towards the direction of the fungus, picking up a handful as they ran for their lives.
As they sprinted through the dense undergrowth, Shane's mind raced, his heart pounding in rhythm with their hasty footsteps. The adrenaline coursing through his veins sharpened his focus, and a plan began to take shape in his mind. He glanced over at Alice, her wide eyes reflecting a mix of fear and uncertainty. He tightened his grip on her hand and shouted over the chaotic symphony of their escape.
"Alice, follow my lead! We need to use these mushrooms to our advantage!"
Alice's brows furrowed, but a glimmer of trust replaced her confusion. "Mushrooms? How?"
Shane spared a quick glance back at the pursuing Innalim. Its relentless pursuit showed no sign of slowing down, and the high-pitched whistling grew even more piercing.
"When the Innalim charges, it relies on its incredible speed, but it has a basic attack pattern. I've seen these mushrooms before—they release a spore that can disorient its senses momentarily!"
With a newfound understanding, Alice's grip on the handful of mushrooms tightened. "So we use these to slow it down?"
"Exactly!" Shane affirmed. "When I give the signal, throw the mushrooms towards its path. We need to time it perfectly."
They continued their mad dash through the labyrinthine jungle, adrenaline-fueled instincts guiding their every move. The Innalim's relentless pursuit pushed them to their limits, but they refused to yield. Shane's mind raced, calculating the precise moment to deploy their makeshift defense.
The shrill whistle reached a crescendo, announcing the beginning of the end.
"Now, Alice!" Shane's voice rang out as he and Alice ran down particularly narrow path between the dense foliage.
Alice reacted without hesitation, flinging the mushrooms with all her might into the path behind. The small, yellow-green fungi burst open in a cloud of spores, creating an ethereal mist that hung in the air. The Innalim charged forward, its massive form barreling through the mist with unerring determination and horrifying speed.
As the mist enveloped the legendary predator, its lightning-fast charge faltered. Shane and Alice skidded to a halt, watching in awe as the Innalim stumbled, its movements becoming erratic. The creature's once-confident stride devolved into a series of disoriented leaps, its coordination disrupted by the spores.
"We've got a moment," Shane breathed, his relief palpable. 'Seems like that extra sensitive nose did him in...'
But they couldn't afford to waste any time. The disorientation would be temporary, and the Innalim would soon recover. Shane let go of Alice's hand, blushing after realizing how long the two were in contact.
"Let's keep moving. We need to find a way out of this jungle before it regains its senses."
They navigated through the harsh thickets, the echoes of the Innalim's frustrated roars serving as a constant reminder of the danger lurking behind them. The jungle had tested their mettle, both of them now fully aware of the true terror of this first test. If this was a fraction of what was going to happen to them, the two of them shivered at thought of the future.
***
As the sun began its descent beyond the horizon, a mesmerizing transformation painted the canvas of the heavens. The cerulean expanse, once so vast and serene, surrendered its tranquil hue to a fiery metamorphosis. The transition was gradual, yet its impact was profound.
Shane and Alice sprinted through the dense undergrowth, hearts pounding and breaths ragged, a glimmer of hope beckoned them. The oppressive jungle seemed to relent, unveiling a narrow clearing ahead. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. The air itself felt lighter, the sounds of the jungle momentarily muted as they burst forth from the green labyrinth.
Their sprint slowed to a breathless jog as they emerged into the wide clearing, eyes widening in awe at the sight before them. Nestled at the edge of the clearing stood a cozy oak cabin, its sturdy walls a stark contrast to the wildness of the surrounding jungle. A faint wisp of smoke curled from the chimney, a silent testament to the presence of life within.
Before the cabin's entrance, a figure stood with an air of stern authority.
Duncan Callahan, his presence emanating a gruff and unyielding demeanor, surveyed Shane and Alice with a gaze that seemed to pierce through their very souls. His eyes, weathered and experienced, held a depth of knowledge and history that hinted at the burdens he carried.
A moment of silence hung in the air, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant calls of jungle creatures. Duncan's gaze remained fixed, his expression unwavering as he sized up the two newcomers. It was a scrutiny that seemed to lay bare their every thought and emotion, leaving Shane and Alice feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Finally, with a curt nod, Duncan broke the silence. His voice, like the creaking of old wood, carried a weight that commanded attention. "Took your sweet time, didn't you?" he grumbled, his words laced with a rough edge. "You've got a lot to learn if you're going to survive out here."
Shane and Alice exchanged glances, a mixture of relief and uncertainty washing over them. They had reached their destination, but Duncan's presence cast a shadow of apprehension over their newfound safety.
Swallowing their nerves, Shane spoke up, his voice a touch shaky but resolute. "We... we didn't exactly plan on encountering an Innalim on the way, you know."
Duncan's lips curled into a brief, almost imperceptible smirk. "Life's full of surprises, lad. Best get used to it." With a deliberate turn, he pushed open the cabin door, revealing the dimly lit interior. "You've got a lot to learn, and it starts right now. Get in."
As Shane and Alice stepped over the threshold, the oak cabin seemed to swallow them whole, its interior shrouded in shadows that danced in the flickering candlelight. The door closed behind them, leaving the jungle behind and ushering them into a new chapter of their lives, guided by the gruff mentorship of Duncan Callahan.