I crouched behind a jagged boulder, my heart hammering in my chest as I peered out into the desert. The creature—if you could call it that—was barely visible, even when it moved. Its enormous, smooth body, covered in a translucent, slick membrane, slid just beneath the cracked surface of the earth, leaving a trail of disturbed dust and pebbles in its wake. The ground rippled slightly as it passed, like the earth itself was shivering in fear. Even the smallest rocks quivered, rolling away as if trying to escape the beast's path. It was nearly impossible to spot in the setting sun. If not for the dozens of glowing boils dotting its back, each one pulsing faintly with heat, it could have been anywhere, ready to swallow me whole.
I shivered, pressing my back harder against the rock. The boils glowed dimly, each one like a tiny lantern of warning, showing the creature's position as it slithered closer. They weren't bright enough to be seen from a distance, but up close, in this hellish landscape, they were all I had to go on. The light wasn't steady either—it flickered, like a dying fire, as if taunting me, daring me to make a wrong move.
But the tail… the tail was different. The light at the end of its tail wasn't faint like the boils on its back. It shone brighter than anything else in this desert, a beacon of hope—or doom—depending on how you looked at it. It flickered and danced like a torch in the night, luring in every monster and demon within miles.
And it worked.
I'd already seen three demons fall for it. They'd spot the glow, their eyes wide with hunger or desperation, and they'd charge toward it, thinking they'd found salvation in this barren hellscape. But before they could even reach the source of the light, the worm would strike. With a roar that shook the ground, its massive body would burst forth from beneath the earth, translucent flesh glistening in the setting sunlight, swallowing the creatures whole in a single, brutal motion.
It was terrifying to watch—over and over, these monsters, powerful in their own right, were reduced to nothing more than prey. They couldn't resist the lure of that light, just as the worm knew they wouldn't.
And now it was hunting again.
The ground beneath me trembled slightly—a signal that the worm had resurfaced nearby. I pressed my body as flat against the rock as I could, hardly daring to breathe. The worm's glowing boils pulsed faintly through the dirt, giving away its position as it moved toward another demon in the distance.
The tail light flickered, brighter now, almost blinding in the dim light of the desert.
Another creature, a towering demon with wings and a scorpion tail, had spotted the glow. I watched as it hovered in the air for a moment, hesitant, before swooping toward it. Its claws extended, and I could see the faint glint of hunger in its eyes. It had no idea what it was flying into.
The ground trembled harder.
The worm erupted from the earth in a burst of raw, terrifying power, its translucent body shimmering like molten glass. The sunlight pierced through its slick, almost gelatinous flesh, revealing pulsating organs that twisted and churned beneath the surface. Its gaping maw opened wide, rows of jagged, serrated teeth gleaming like knives, each one dripping with a viscous, glistening fluid that hissed as it hit the dusty ground. A guttural, earth-shaking roar tore through the desert as it swallowed the demon whole, leaving nothing behind but silence and the echo of its violent emergence.
In one horrifying moment, the demon was gone, swallowed whole by the beast before it even had a chance to react. The worm's tail glowed brighter still as it slithered back beneath the surface, leaving only the faint tremors of its retreating body behind.
I clenched my fists, heart pounding in my chest. I didn't know how long I sat here, not moving, barely breathing. The monsters/ demons were drawn to the light again and again as if they couldnt' help themselves. I wasn't like them. I didn't have claws or wings to help me. But I wasn't about to let myself get eaten by a glowing death trap. Not after all I'd been through.
I scanned the wasteland for any way out. The terrain was unforgiving—wide, flat stretches of cracked earth, littered with boulders and deep craters. In the far distance, I could make out the faint outline of a large boulder shooting out from the sand, the only cover I could see. If I could just reach it, I might be able to lose the worm.
But how the hell was I supposed to make it across without drawing its attention?
The light flickered again. I tensed. The ground trembled beneath me as the worm moved, seeking out its next victim.
Another rumble.
I pressed myself tighter against the rock, eyes darting around. The boils on the creature's back glowed faintly through the dirt, giving me just enough of a clue to know where it was. I couldn't stay here forever. If I did, it would only be a matter of time before it sensed me, felt the vibrations of my heartbeat, my breath, or the slightest movement of my foot.
Suddenly, another demon—a massive, horned beast—appeared from behind a distant outcropping. Its gaze locked on the worm's glowing tail, the light pulsing with an almost hypnotic rhythm. The demon let out a snarl and charged, just like the others.
Now.
I bolted from behind the boulder, keeping low, every muscle in my body tense as I sprinted toward the boulder in the distance. My steps were as light as I could make them, but the ground was uneven, each step threatening to betray me. I glanced back, barely daring to breathe, watching the worm as it rose from the earth once more, consuming the demon in a single, swift motion.
The tremors stopped.
Damn it.
I froze, heart pounding. The worm wasn't focused on me yet, but it was close. Too close. I could feel the faint vibrations of its body moving underground, the glowing boils pulsing through the dirt, still too near for comfort.
A sharp hiss broke the silence. My gaze whipped around to see a smaller demon, its snake-like body slithering toward me. Its eyes glowed faintly in the dim light as it flicked its tongue in the air, sensing my presence. I clenched my fists, knowing I couldn't fight—not without drawing the worm's attention.
I pressed myself flat against the sand, trying to make as little noise as possible. The demon paused, confused by my lack of movement, before slithering closer, its forked tongue flicking at the air.
The ground rumbled again.
The worm was back.
Suddenly, the light from the boils intensified. The ground erupted beneath me, the worm shooting up from the earth, translucent and shimmering. Its massive mouth opened wide, swallowing the smaller demon and the glowing lure in one horrifying instant.
I threw myself to the side, the air around me vibrating as the worm's massive, slick body erupted from the ground. The translucent skin glistened, spraying droplets of thick, foul-smelling fluid that burned the ground where they landed. The creature's body slammed down inches from where I had been, the impact sending a shockwave through the earth that nearly knocked me off my feet. My nose filled with the acrid stench of decay, and I gagged, scrambling desperately to get away.
The impact of its massive body slamming down beside me sent a shockwave through the barren ground, nearly knocking me off balance. The earth trembled and warped under the force, vibrations jolting up my legs, numbing my knees as the air thickened with the acrid scent of scorched sand.
It was now or never.
I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the searing ache in my muscles, and ran harder than I ever had. The worm's glowing boils began to fade as it burrowed deeper, but I didn't dare look back. My vision locked onto a single goal: the boulder in the distance—my last shot at survival.
Each breath burned my lungs, each stride a fresh agony, but I pushed forward. The boulder still seemed maddeningly far, yet I refused to stop, not after making it this far. Beneath the gritty surface, I sensed the faint rumble of the worm's massive body, its translucent, light-dappled form shadowing my every move. The tremors thudded through the soles of my shoes, a constant reminder that it was still there, still closing in.
And it was gaining ground.
I wasn't safe yet.
Panting, I glanced around desperately. There had to be something, anything, I could use to stay alive. The desert was mostly flat, nothing but rock and dust, but then my eyes locked on a cluster of smaller boulders scattered across the area. Some were wide,while others long, towering over the rest of the barren land, casting long shadows under the setting sun.
That's when I noticed something strange.
The worm had been moving steadily toward a nearby boulder when it stopped suddenly. It didn't go near the rock—it shifted, circling around it as if the stone itself were a barrier. My brows furrowed in confusion. Why had it stopped?
I squinted, watching the creature more closely. Its massive body slithered beneath the ground, but it gave the rock a wide berth. Even its glowing tail, which had been luring monsters for miles, avoided coming too close to the boulder's edge. I couldn't be sure, but it almost seemed like the worm was afraid of it—or at least couldn't penetrate through it.
"Of course," I muttered under my breath, the realization dawning on me. The boulders. They were too solid, too thick for the worm to break through or burrow under. It couldn't sense anything behind them because the rocks blocked its ability to feel the vibrations. I was willing to bet the worm's translucent, slippery body couldn't penetrate the dense stone, forcing it to slither around them.
A plan formed in my mind, and I didn't have time to second-guess it.
I sucked in a breath, steadying my nerves. If I could make it to the larger boulders and use them as cover, I might be able to move through the wasteland unnoticed. I'd have to be careful, though—timing was everything. If the worm was too close, it would sense me before I could reach the rocks, and if I stayed in one spot too long, I might end up trapped with no way out.
But it was the only chance I had.
I scanned the area again. The largest boulder wasn't far, maybe fifty yards ahead. It was bigger than the rest, standing like a solitary sentinel in the middle of the desert. If I could reach it without being detected, I'd have a safe spot to hide. From there, I could leapfrog from rock to rock, slowly making my way out of the worm's territory.
I swallowed hard and pushed off the ground, running low and fast toward the massive stone. The ground trembled beneath me, a deep, resonant vibration that seemed to echo in my bones. I could almost hear the faint, wet slithering of the worm's body as it carved its way through the earth, the friction creating a low, rumbling hiss. It moved like a ghostly serpent, the boils on its back pulsing more brightly, as if feeding off the fear saturating the air. I reached the rock in a few breathless seconds and pressed my back against it, heart hammering in my chest.
It didn't take long for the ground to stop shaking.
I exhaled slowly, daring to peek around the edge of the boulder. The worm hadn't sensed me. It was still moving, its glowing boils pulsing faintly under the surface, but it gave the rock a wide berth just like before. I was right. The worm couldn't—or wouldn't—get too close to the boulders.
I pressed my hands against the cool stone, trying to steady my breathing. I wasn't sure how long I'd have to stay hidden here, but I couldn't risk moving too soon. If the worm caught on, I'd be done for.
Minutes passed, and the tremors grew fainter as the creature moved farther away. Now was my chance.
I scanned the area again, plotting my next move. A smaller cluster of rocks lay ahead, not as large as the one I was hiding behind, but big enough to provide cover if I could reach them. Beyond that, the terrain sloped slightly upward, and in the distance, I could see the faint outline of a forest on the horizon. It was still a long way off, but if I could make it there, I'd be out of the wasteland and, hopefully, out of the worm's territory.
I waited, muscles tense, watching the glowing boils beneath the surface as the worm circled farther and farther away. When the tremors faded completely, I pushed off the rock and sprinted toward the next cluster of stones. The sun beat down on me, sweat dripping down my forehead, but I didn't slow down.
The ground trembled again just as I reached the next set of boulders, and I threw myself behind them, my chest heaving. The worm was closer this time, but it still hadn't sensed me. I was safe. For now.
I stayed there, pressed against the rocks, waiting for the vibrations to fade again. I couldn't afford to rush. The worm was fast, and if it caught wind of me, there was no way I'd outrun it. Patience was my only advantage here.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as I leapt from rock to rock, each one a brief island of safety in this vast, deadly desert. The worm circled relentlessly, its glowing tail a trap, drawing in demons and creatures far stronger than me. I watched, horrified, as one by one, they were lured by the light, only to vanish into its maw without a trace, swallowed whole. The horror repeated again and again—a gruesome reminder of the fate that awaited me if I made one wrong move.
Each time it struck, I edged forward, inching closer to the forest. The trees were still far off, dark and looming, but they offered a sanctuary that seemed worlds apart from this wasteland. Every step brought them a bit closer.
I crouched behind one final boulder, barely daring to breathe. The forest was almost within reach—a good sprint, and I'd be safe. But then the ground began to tremble, and I froze, heart pounding as the worm's glow pulsed beneath the surface. It was close. Too close. I could feel it lurking just below, ready to strike.
I bit down on my lip, feeling my pulse in my throat, as I waited for the vibrations to stop. I couldn't afford a single misstep. One wrong move, and I'd be gone like the others.
Finally, the ground fell silent, the glow fading as the worm moved further away.
This was it—my last chance. I took a breath, feeling every muscle tense. Then, I bolted, sprinting with everything I had.
My legs burned with every step as I sprinted across the final stretch of wasteland. The forest loomed ahead, dark and thick, but all that mattered was reaching it. I could feel the earth tremble faintly beneath me, but I didn't look back. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short gasps.
The tremors grew stronger. The worm had noticed.
I pushed myself harder, every muscle screaming as I neared the tree line. The glowing light of the worm's tail flickered in the corner of my eye, but I didn't stop. The forest loomed ahead, dark and foreboding, but I didn't care.
Suddenly I saw the ground vanish before me and I leap and stretched my legs as far as I could. I landed barely dodging the whole, but what rose up was another worm.
"Holy Shit!" I yelled, my lips dry and chest burning. There was two. I ran for dear life, not daring to stop. The second worm dove back into the sand and charged towards me. They were both quick but I believed myself to be faster. I ran and I ran, pushing myself passed all my limits. They appeared on the surface, the glow on its body evident.
They were inches from me now, their gaping jaws just behind my heels. I tried to summon another burst of energy, but it was hopeless—my body had already drained its reserves, like an engine sputtering on fumes. I forced myself to keep moving, lungs burning, just one step ahead of those snapping jaws. Then, suddenly, they veered sharply to the right.
I didn't slow down, even for a second. Fear pulsed through me, urging me forward. I watched in confusion as the monstrous worms shifted course, writhing off to my side. Why? What had changed? Glancing to the right, I saw their true plan unfold—they were curving around, aiming to intercept me at the forest's edge. They were smarter than I'd given them credit for, plotting and adapting with terrifying precision. But I couldn't afford to dwell on that. Not now.
It was a race, me against these relentless creatures, and the forest's edge was the finish line. I pushed harder, legs screaming, muscles on fire. The earth erupted as they surged closer, ripping apart the ground in their frenzy to reach me. My chest pounded so violently it drowned out every other sound, my ears filled with a relentless, deafening drumbeat. Sweat stung my eyes, blurring the trees ahead, but nothing—nothing—could make me stop.
The treeline loomed closer, almost within reach. Just a few more steps. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them—a writhing mass, each creature jostling to be the first to devour me. In a final burst of desperation, I dove headlong into the underbrush as the ground exploded beside me. The worm's massive body erupted from the sand, its gaping maw swallowing the spot where I'd been just seconds before.
I crashed through vines and thick brush, tumbling forward until I landed hard against a tree. Breathless, bruised, but alive. Gasping for air, I looked back. The worms writhed above the sand, twisting in frustration, before slithering back into the ground, their glowing tails flickering like dying embers before vanishing entirely.
For a moment, I lay there, heart racing, staring up at the towering trees and thick vines that shielded me. I was safe—barely—but still alive.