The forest around me was alive with danger. My heart slammed against my ribs as the ground shook beneath my feet, the air heavy with the sound of trees snapping and crashing behind me. I barely had time to process what was happening. I was being hunted by a creature straight from the deepest shadows. Its massive, segmented body slithered with horrifying speed, like some monstrous thirty-legged centipede. Each of its thirty legs, thick as tree trunks, clawed at the earth, leaving deep gouges in its wake. Its maw—a gaping, grotesque circle lined with spirals of jagged teeth—opened wide, dripping thick, corrosive saliva that burned through everything it touched.
I dodged past a tree just as the creature's acid splattered against the bark, instantly sizzling into smoke. My skin prickled from the heat, and I felt a searing pain as a few stray drops landed on my arm. I let out a sharp cry, my hand instinctively covering the burn. The pain was intense, like someone pressing a hot iron against my skin. But I couldn't stop to tend to it—I had to keep running.
I pushed through the dense forest, vines hanging low from the towering trees, swiping at my face and shoulders as I ran. My lungs burned, each desperate breath coming out in ragged gasps. The sound of the centipede crashing behind me was deafening—trees snapping like twigs, the ground trembling with every monstrous step it took. It was relentless, and no matter how fast or far I ran, I could feel it closing the distance.
The vines clung to me, wrapping around my arms and legs like they were alive. I cursed under my breath, swiping at them with one hand while trying to keep my footing. The last thing I needed was to trip now. But as I pulled one particularly thick vine from my waist, an idea sparked. I didn't have a plan before—just the instinct to keep moving—but now, as ridiculous as it sounded in my head, I thought I might actually have a chance to fight back.
I spotted a sharp rock sticking out of the ground ahead, jagged and worn. Without stopping, I grabbed it, wincing as its edge bit into my palm. My eyes darted around, searching for anything I could use to reinforce my desperate idea. A fallen branch lay just a few feet away, thick but not too heavy. Perfect. I skidded to a stop, dropping to one knee as I grabbed it. The creature's screeches roared behind me, but I forced myself to focus.
My hands worked fast, adrenaline sharpening my movements. I tore at the vine, wrapping it tightly around the pointed rock and the end of the branch, tying the two together with frantic, jerky knots. My fingers trembled, slick with sweat and dirt, but I kept going. The vine stretched and groaned under the strain, but it held. By the time I was done, the makeshift spear looked crude, almost laughable. It wasn't much, but it was something.
The centipede's roar reminded me how little time I had. I darted behind a thick tree trunk, pressing my back against the rough bark. The forest fell eerily silent for a moment, the air thick with tension. My heart hammered so loudly I was sure the creature could hear it. I needed a distraction—something to buy me just a few seconds.
I reached down, grabbing a small, smooth stone from the ground. My arm trembled as I tossed it toward the left, aiming for a cluster of bushes. The rock clattered against a tree before landing in the brush, and the sound shattered the oppressive silence like a gunshot. I held my breath, peeking around the trunk just enough to see the centipede. Its enormous body twisted toward the noise, its thirty legs moving in eerie, synchronized rhythm as it skittered toward the bushes. I watched it closely and thats when I noticed something strange. This centipede had tge same light green vein running through it shell , same as Radamar that time he was going to kill me. I didnt have time to ponder the connection though.
This was my chance.
I crept out from behind the tree, clutching the makeshift spear so tightly my knuckles turned white. My breath came in shallow bursts, each step feeling like it took an eternity. The creature's back was to me, its segmented body heaving as it scanned the bushes for its prey. I tightened my grip on the spear, aiming for the vulnerable spot where its shell met its exposed joints.
This has to work, I thought. I had no other choice.
I lunged forward, driving the spear down with all the strength I could muster. The sharp rock struck the centipede's shell with a sickening clang, but instead of piercing through, the spear bounced off, the force jarring my arms painfully. The creature froze for a split second before whipping its massive head around. Its glowing eyes locked onto me, filled with a seething, almost sentient rage.
"Oh, no," I whispered, stumbling back as the creature roared, the sound so loud it rattled my teeth. The centipede lashed out, one of its legs slicing through the air. I barely managed to duck, feeling the rush of wind as it narrowly missed my head.
I turned and ran, abandoning the spear as I sprinted through the underbrush. The forest seemed to close in around me, the vines and branches clawing at my face and arms. Behind me, the centipede gave chase, its segmented body crashing through the trees like a battering ram.
My chest burned, the pain in my side from earlier searing with every step. My muscles screamed in protest, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. Each step felt heavier, each breath harder to take, but the sound of the creature tearing through the forest behind me kept me going.
Behind me, the massive centipede tore up the earth, snapping branches and knocking down trees like they were twigs. I glanced back for a moment and immediately regretted it. The centipede's grotesque, spiral maw loomed closer, its acidic spit splattering the ground and leaving blackened patches in the soil.
I lunged to the side, ducking under a low-hanging branch. Just as I straightened, one of the centipede's legs slashed through the air, catching my side. The blow knocked the wind out of me, sending me sprawling to the ground. I gritted my teeth as pain shot through my ribs, warm blood trickling down my skin. I forced myself up, clutching my side and wincing at the sharp sting. The cuts were deep, but there was no time to dwell on the pain.
My mind raced for a plan. I spotted a cluster of large rocks nearby. It wasn't much, but it was something. I grabbed a rock and hurled it at the centipede, aiming for its one eye in the center of it's head. The rock struck with a dull thud, but the creature barely flinched. I picked up another rock and threw it, hitting it square in the face. It paused momentarily, its segmented body writhing, before its glowing eyes locked back on me.
"Come on, you ugly bastard!" I shouted, my voice raw. I grabbed another rock and threw it with all my might. "You want me? Let's go!"
The centipede roared, the sound like the rumble of an earthquake. It surged forward, its thirty legs tearing into the ground, snapping roots and branches with brutal force. I could feel the ground tremble beneath its weight, every step a reminder that it was closing the distance.
This is insane, I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. Just days ago, I was living a normal life. Now, I was taunting a nightmare creature, hoping to buy myself a few more seconds. I had no idea how to truly fight it, but there was one thing I knew—I had to survive.
As the monster lunged again, one of its massive legs grazed my shoulder. I barely managed to twist away, but not before the sharp edge of its claw sliced through my shirt, leaving a gash across my skin. Pain shot through me, but I forced myself to keep moving. Blood trickled down my arm, warm and sticky, but the adrenaline surging through my veins kept me going.
The forest blurred around me as I ran, my muscles screaming from the effort. My only advantage was the dense trees, which slowed the centipede's relentless charge. I grabbed onto a thick vine and swung myself to the side, narrowly avoiding another swipe from one of its legs. The creature's roar echoed through the forest, its frustration clear.
"I can't believe this is my life now," I muttered under my breath, a bitter laugh escaping me despite the terror. "Running from monsters in the middle of a mythical forest? Seriously?"
I pushed forward, gritting my teeth as I swung from another vine and hit the ground running. The sound of the creature crashing through the underbrush was deafening, each roar vibrating through the air. Every time I thought I was gaining ground, I'd hear another tree collapse, reminding me of its unyielding pursuit.
But I had one plan left. I remembered seeing a cliff earlier—a sheer drop that might be my only chance to stop this thing. If I could lure the creature to the edge, I might be able to trick it into falling over. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was all I had.
I veered sharply to the right, feeling a fresh burst of pain in my side as the movement aggravated the wound. The cut was deeper than I'd realized, and blood soaked through my shirt, making my movements slower. The centipede closed in, its acidic saliva splattering dangerously close. I stumbled, nearly losing my balance, but caught myself against a tree.
Come on, Jeremiah, focus! I urged myself, pushing the pain aside. The sound of the centipede's approach was like thunder, its heavy body crashing through the forest. I had to keep moving, keep it focused on me until I reached the cliff.
"The centipede wasn't slowing, and neither could I. For once, I wasn't running out of fear—I was running because I wanted to survive. No, I needed to survive. I wasn't just trying to escape; I was thinking, planning. Every step wasn't just about evading the monster—it was about outsmarting it. I wasn't the same scared kid who cowered in the cave or flinched when faced with Kofi. Not anymore."
Just as I thought I couldn't run any longer, I burst into a clearing, my feet skidding on the uneven ground as I approached the cliff's edge. My lungs burned, each breath ragged and painful, but I had no time to rest. The sheer drop yawned before me, a dizzying chasm that seemed to stretch into darkness itself. My heart pounded in my chest, a wild, desperate rhythm. I turned quickly, scanning the area with frantic eyes. I had to make this work—I had no other choice.
That's when I saw it. A thick vine, tangled among the branches of a nearby tree, dangled over the cliffside. The idea struck me hard and fast, adrenaline surging through my veins. I wrapped my hand around the vine, tugging sharply to test its strength. The vine held firm, its rough texture digging into my palm. Good. It was strong enough to hold my weight, at least for a moment.
The ground trembled beneath me, a reminder that the centipede was closing in. I turned back to face the tree line, hearing the crash of branches and the violent snap of trees breaking under the force of the creature's charge. It was coming fast, its massive body bulldozing through the forest like a runaway train. My muscles tensed, every part of me aware of the looming danger, but I stood my ground, my body coiled like a spring.
I wrapped the vine tightly around my wrist, securing it with both hands and as I tightened my grip on the vine, the ring on my finger began to glow faintly, pulsing in time with my racing heartbeat. The rough fibers of the vine bit into my skin, the pressure reassuring in its discomfort. I gritted my teeth, my entire body thrumming with nervous energy as I waited. Each second stretched into eternity, the anticipation thick and suffocating. I could hear the centipede's roars growing louder, its guttural screech reverberating through the clearing. It was close now—so close that I could almost feel its acidic breath burning the air.
I stole a quick glance over my shoulder at the abyss below. One wrong move and I'd be the one falling, not the centipede. My palms were slick with sweat, my heart hammering so hard I feared it might burst from my chest. I knew I was gambling everything in this one move. It had to work. It had to.
The creature's roar tore through the clearing, a deafening, primal sound. My body screamed at me to run, but I forced myself to stand still, holding my ground until the last possible second. The thirty-legged monster burst through the trees, its massive, segmented body barreling toward me with terrifying speed. Its spiraled maw was wide open, dripping acid that hissed as it hit the ground. Its glowing eyes blazed with a furious hunger, each one locked squarely on me.
"Come on," I muttered under my breath, my voice barely audible over the roaring in my ears. "Come on…"
The centipede lunged, its massive legs slamming into the earth with the force of an earthquake. I waited a heartbeat longer, feeling the ground shake beneath me, then I leaped.
The vine creaked ominously, each sound a dagger of doubt in my mind. My palms burned, and my arms trembled, but I held on. Below me, the abyss stretched endlessly, a cold wind howling from its depths as if taunting me. My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out the monster's roar for a fleeting moment. One slip, and I'd be joining it in the void.
For a split second, I felt weightless, the wind rushing past me, my body arcing over the abyss. The sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying—like flying and falling at the same time. The darkness of the chasm yawned below, and for a breathless moment, I felt as if I were hanging between life and death.
Behind me, the centipede didn't have time to stop. It crashed forward, its enormous body plowing over the cliff's edge like an unstoppable freight train. The sight of it tumbling over the edge was both surreal and terrifying—an unstoppable force hurtling into the void. Its spiraling maw snapped wildly in midair, a furious, ear-splitting screech escaping its throat as it realized too late what had happened.
But as I swung back toward the cliff, I saw something that made my stomach drop. The creature's back legs, thick and muscular, dug into the rocky cliffside with a brutal strength. The sheer impact sent chunks of stone flying, but the centipede held on, its legs embedding deep into the rock. My heart sank as I watched, helpless, as the centipede twisted its segmented body, using the leverage of its rear legs to cling to the cliff. It wasn't falling—it was climbing.
I landed hard on solid ground, my feet slipping in the loose dirt. I stumbled, nearly falling, but managed to catch myself. There was no time to waste. I heard the centipede's enraged screech behind me, but I didn't turn around. I knew what was happening. The creature was clawing its way back up, its massive body heaving as it dragged itself over the edge with frightening speed.
My legs were already burning from exhaustion, but I forced them to move, propelling me forward with every ounce of strength I had left. I sprinted away from the cliff, my lungs screaming for air, the adrenaline making me lightheaded. Behind me, I heard a final, bone-rattling roar, but I didn't dare look back. I knew the centipede was still coming, relentless in its pursuit.
I pushed forward, my feet barely touching the ground as I ran. The forest blurred around me, branches whipping against my face, the underbrush tearing at my legs. I could still hear the centipede's furious screeches in the distance, a chilling reminder that it wasn't over yet. But I kept running, driven by a single, desperate thought: I had survived this long, and I wasn't about to give up now.
If this was my life now, I'd face it head-on. I clenched my fists, feeling the dirt and blood mix on my skin. I wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.
The creature roared again, its segmented body writhing as if in agony. It wasn't just hunting me—it was desperate, driven by something darker. The glow of its acidic saliva reflected the same unnatural energy I'd seen in Radamar. Was this thing created by him? Or was it another unwilling pawn in his game, twisted by the magic of this cursed realm?"