The handymen, who had been watching the battle with a mixture of fear and hope, were overtaken by sheer terror upon witnessing the two captains of the hunter teams fall together. Their screams of fear echoed through the clearing as their bodies trembled in terror.
Only now, in the face of death, did they realize that fleeing from the very beginning would have been the wiser choice. They had stayed, clinging to the hope that the skilled hunters would be able to handle the monstrous adversary. But that hope had been shattered as they watched their captains meet a gruesome end.
Even Lyra, who was perched on a tree with her bow drawn and arrows ready, knew that their situation was dire. Her calculating eyes followed the panicking handymen as they scattered in fear. She hoped to hide her location from the injured beast, letting it focus on the chaos below. But her well-laid plan began to unravel.
Lyra felt the cold gaze of the wounded beast upon her as it slowly lowered itself, concealing its exposed and injured chest. Its eyes burned with murderous intent, and its slow, painful movements were soon replaced by a terrifying sprint.
Lyra paled as she realized that the beast considered her the greatest threat. It wouldn't stop until it had claimed her life. With haste, she pulled the string of her bow hard and released two arrows, hoping to defend herself. But at this point, the beast had no intention of dodging.
It charged forward, allowing the two arrows to stab into its body. Lyra's cry of pain was harrowing, a sound that sent chills down the spines of the handymen still running for their lives. It signaled the death of their last line of defense, and the terrifying truth settled in.
They were going to die!
As the handymen fled in sheer panic through the dense and ominous forest, the relentless beast pursued them with chilling efficiency. Its movements were swift, agile, and utterly merciless, leaving a trail of gruesome carnage in its wake.
The first victim never stood a chance. With a mighty leap, the beast closed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Its massive claw struck like a bolt of lightning, slicing through the air, and then through flesh and bone. The unfortunate handyman was reduced to a lifeless, mangled heap within an instant.
The second victim's fate was equally gruesome. The beast pounced with a ferocity that was horrifying to behold. Its jaws snapped shut around the fleeing man's torso, crushing bone and flesh with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed from the horrific scene as the beast tossed aside the lifeless remains, seemingly without effort.
In a gruesome display of power, the beast continued its relentless pursuit. Handymen were caught and devoured one after another, their screams of terror and pain serving as an eerie soundtrack to the massacre. Limbs were torn asunder, bodies were crushed, and lifeless forms were strewn across the forest floor.
The beast's methodical and efficient killing spree was a terrifying testament to its sheer strength and predatory prowess. The handymen's desperate attempts to escape were futile, and the forest had become a nightmarish hunting ground where the hunters had become the hunted.
—
Xavier and Travis ran through the forest with every ounce of strength in their bodies, but the sounds of dying handymen were growing alarmingly closer with each passing second.
Xavier, who possessed a better physique and endurance, led the way, his breath controlled as he pushed himself to the limit. He couldn't believe that the relentless beast was closing in on them despite the head start they'd gained earlier. He voiced his disbelief to Travis, "I can't believe that thing is catching up. We ran ahead of the others."
Travis, already gasping for air and struggling to keep up, tried to respond but couldn't find his breath. He wondered if Xavier's recent home workouts had given him an edge in speed and agility. His thoughts raced, and he desperately wanted to voice his concerns to Xavier, but his panting breaths betrayed his exhaustion.
Suddenly, a sharp snapping sound cut through the air. Travis' distracted mind failed to notice a root sticking out of the ground, and he stumbled and fell hard.
"Xavier!" he called out, his voice a mixture of fear and desperation, reaching out as if asking for help.
Hearing his friend's cry, Xavier immediately halted and turned to look back, concern etched across his face. He saw Travis on the ground, struggling to get up, and stretched his hand out towards him, determined to help his friend back on his feet.
However, in the blink of an eye, something descended from above, crashing into the spot where Travis had fallen. The impact raised a cloud of dust, obscuring Xavier's view and causing his heart to race with dread.
As the dust settled, time seemed to slow for Xavier and horror washed over him as he beheld the gruesome sight before him. The beast's massive form was now upon them, and it had bitten down on Travis' neck with terrifying force. In an instant, it pulled, tearing the head from the body with brutal efficiency.
Xavier stood there in shock, his mind struggling to process the horrifying reality. Despite their efforts to run ahead, the beast had not only caught up but had claimed Travis's life in a merciless display of power.
The implication was clear, everyone they had left behind must be dead, and the nightmare in the forest was far from over.
Xavier stood frozen in the aftermath of the horrific sight. Travis's severed head lay at his feet, and a whirlwind of memories flooded his mind, moments of laughter, shared experiences, and friendship.
He met eyes with Travis's lifeless head, and the pain and shock in those cold, unseeing eyes made it even more difficult for Xavier to endure.
His heart, heavy with grief, shifted to a seething rage as his gaze turned toward the beast. The creature stood a mere tens of meters away, a towering monstrosity that had taken his only friend from him. Xavier's eyes blazed with a newfound determination, and his hands ignited in flames, a manifestation of the power surging within him.
In a voice heavy with wrath, Xavier spoke, his words a vow and a declaration of vengeance. "I will take your life for killing my only friend." His words were like a battle cry, a proclamation of his intent to face the creature head-on, no longer willing to run and hide.
The flames erupted around his hands, and his eyes glowed with power as he prepared to confront the beast. The forest was filled with an eerie silence, as if the very trees and creatures around them held their breath, anticipating the clash that was about to unfold.