Day 39: New Territory
The day was oppressively hot, the red sky above them simmering like an open wound. The air was thick and heavy as Eli, Luke, Cass, and the stranger made their way deeper into the ruins. The silence that followed them had become a familiar companion, punctuated only by the occasional creak of rubble shifting underfoot or the distant howl of a creature lurking in the shadows.
Cass led the way, as always, her gaze sharp, her steps purposeful. Behind her, Eli and Luke exchanged occasional glances, their weapons at the ready. The stranger kept to herself, still new to their rhythm but learning fast. Yesterday's fight had shown her capability, but she could still feel the weight of suspicion lingering in the air between them.
Cass had told them this morning that they were moving into new territory, an area none of them had ventured into before. The creatures here, she had said, would be different. Faster. More dangerous. Eli had felt a knot form in his stomach at her words, but he hadn't voiced his concern. What could he say? They had survived this long by following Cass's lead, by fighting when they had to, and running when there was no other choice.
The ruins around them were different here—taller, more imposing. The buildings were scarred with deep gashes, as if some enormous claws had torn through them. The ground was uneven, littered with broken stone and twisted metal, making their movements slower, more cautious.
"We're entering a new zone," Cass said quietly, her voice low but commanding. "Stay close. The WrathKin here are faster than what we've seen before. Smaller, but more dangerous."
Eli tightened his grip on his knife, his eyes scanning the area. The WrathKin they had encountered before had been terrifying enough—hulking, faceless creatures that moved with brute force and raw, terrifying strength. The idea of facing something faster, something quicker than even the stranger, set his nerves on edge.
"Faster?" Luke muttered, glancing around warily. "Great. Just what we needed."
"They're smaller, too," Cass continued, her voice steady. "And their faces—if you see one, you'll know it by the look of glee. It's… unnerving."
Eli exchanged a glance with Luke, both of them unsettled by the description. The faceless WrathKin had been monstrous enough, but a creature with a face twisted into a constant grin? That was something entirely different.
The stranger moved closer, her body tense but ready. "How do we fight them?" she asked, her voice quiet but focused.
Cass glanced back at her. "You hit them fast, and you don't let them get too close. They're quick, but they're not invulnerable. If you catch them off-guard, you can take them down before they have a chance to react."
The group continued through the ruined streets, every step feeling heavier with the weight of what was coming. Eli's heart raced in his chest, the tension building as they moved deeper into the unknown territory. He could feel it—the presence of something lurking, something watching them from the shadows. His skin prickled with unease.
Suddenly, Cass stopped, her hand raised in a silent signal. The group froze, their eyes darting around, searching for any sign of movement.
Then, from the far side of the ruins, a figure darted into view.
It was small, much smaller than the WrathKin they had seen before, but its speed was alarming. It moved with a blinding quickness, its body low to the ground, its limbs long and sinewy. And its face—a grotesque mask of glee, lips stretched into a wide, twisted grin—made Eli's blood run cold.
"There!" Cass hissed, her voice sharp. "WrathKin."
The creature stopped for a moment, its gleeful face turning toward them, its eyes wide with a manic intensity. Then, in an instant, it bolted toward them, moving so fast that Eli barely had time to react.
"Scatter!" Cass ordered, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Eli leapt to the side, his heart pounding as the creature barreled toward them, its movements erratic and unpredictable. Luke nocked an arrow and fired, but the WrathKin moved too quickly, the arrow missing by inches as it sped toward them with a terrifying speed.
"Damn it, it's too fast!" Luke shouted, already reaching for another arrow.
The stranger was the first to react, darting forward with the same speed and precision she had shown before. She moved like lightning, circling the creature, keeping just out of its reach as it lunged at her with a twisted, manic energy. But even she struggled to keep up—the WrathKin was faster than anything they had faced before.
Eli watched, his breath caught in his throat, as the stranger ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding the creature's wild swipes. Her speed was impressive, but the WrathKin was relentless, its grin never fading as it pursued her with terrifying determination.
Cass moved in next, her knife flashing as she struck out at the creature's side. The blade sliced through its flesh, but the WrathKin barely seemed to notice. It whipped around with blinding speed, its claws swiping at Cass, but she was already gone, darting back into the cover of the rubble.
"We need to slow it down!" Eli shouted, his voice hoarse.
The stranger nodded, her eyes locked on the creature. She was breathing hard, her movements becoming more erratic as she tried to stay ahead of the WrathKin's attacks. "If we can corner it, we can finish it!"
Cass gestured for Eli and Luke to circle around, her face grim. "We'll trap it between us."
Eli moved quickly, positioning himself opposite Cass, while Luke readied his bow, trying to find a clear shot. The WrathKin's movements were chaotic, its glee-filled face turning toward each of them in turn, as if relishing the hunt.
But they had it now.
Cass darted forward again, her knife flashing as she slashed at the creature's side. It let out a shriek of fury, twisting toward her, but before it could strike, Eli lunged, driving his knife into its exposed back. The creature howled, its body convulsing as it tried to free itself from the blades.
Luke, seeing his chance, loosed an arrow that buried itself deep in the creature's chest.
With a final, gurgling scream, the WrathKin collapsed to the ground, its twisted grin still etched into its face even in death.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Eli stood over the creature, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His hands trembled, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The sight of that twisted grin sent a shiver down his spine, but they had won. They had survived.
Cass wiped the blood from her knife, her expression unreadable as she looked down at the creature. "Faster," she muttered, her voice tight. "Much faster."
The stranger approached, her breathing labored but steady. She glanced at the dead creature, her face pale but resolute. "They're tougher than I expected," she said, her voice quiet. "But we can take them."
Cass nodded, though her eyes remained focused on the creature. "We'll have to. There are more of them out there."
Eli exchanged a glance with Luke, the tension between them easing slightly. They had fought together and won, but the fear still lingered—the knowledge that there were worse things waiting for them.
As they prepared to move on, Eli couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The WrathKin had been fast—faster than anything they had faced before—but Cass had said it herself.
There were more out there.
And the next one might not be so easy to kill.