Alex trudged through the arid desert, his steps deliberate as he neared the ruins where the gate lay. The sky was an unforgiving shade of blue, the sun blazing overhead, but his mind remained focused on the task at hand.
The Aqrabuamelu's warning weighed heavily on him, though his real ire was still directed at Hermes for dropping him into this situation without warning. Sand crunched beneath his boots as he finally reached the entrance to the ancient temple, a decaying structure barely standing against the test of time.
The ruins loomed before him—massive, crumbling stone walls inscribed with weathered symbols of forgotten gods. The entrance was shrouded in shadow as if daring him to venture inside. Alex took a deep breath and stepped forward, the temperature cooling slightly as he crossed the threshold into the eerie silence within.
The interior was dimly lit by rays of sunlight slipping through cracks in the ceiling. Every step he took echoed through the empty corridors, and the atmosphere grew heavy with the sense of danger. As Alex moved deeper into the ruins, he found himself suddenly entangled in something sticky.
"What the…?" Alex muttered under his breath as he tugged at his arm. It didn't take long to realize he'd walked straight into a web. The threads were thick, and strong—far more than anything a normal spider could create.
He struggled for a moment, pulling hard against the sticky fibers. It took a bit of effort, but he managed to tear free. However, as soon as he did, the ground beneath his feet shifted. He had barely registered the sound of gears turning when the floor gave way beneath him.
Alex cursed as he fell, landing with a thud in a hidden chamber below. Dust and sand kicked up around him, and he scrambled to his feet, wincing at the pain shooting up his leg. The drop wasn't far, but it was enough to leave him bruised.
"Traps. Of course, there are traps," he grumbled, brushing the dirt off his clothes. He wasn't particularly surprised—the place reeked of ancient protections—but it didn't make the situation any less frustrating.
As Alex surveyed the chamber, he noticed movement in the shadows. His eyes narrowed, and he drew his weapon, preparing for whatever was lurking in the darkness. Moments later, creatures began to skitter out from the corners—rats, but larger than normal, their eyes glowing red with an unnatural intelligence.
They moved quickly, too quickly for normal rodents, and Alex immediately realized they were stronger than they appeared. These weren't ordinary pests; they were something twisted by the gate's corrupting energy.
"Great," Alex muttered sarcastically. "Just what I needed—mutant rats."
The rats lunged at him in a coordinated attack. He slashed at the first one, his blade cutting through its thick hide with ease, but more swarmed toward him. His movements were quick and precise, but there were too many of them. They bit at his legs, their sharp teeth drawing blood, but Alex kept moving, refusing to be overwhelmed.
The rats were fast, but Alex was faster. He dispatched them one by one, focusing on clearing a path. Each strike was methodical, driven by years of experience. His hands worked almost on instinct as he navigated the space, avoiding the snapping jaws and razor-sharp claws.
Amid the chaos, a soft *ding* echoed in his mind. His status screen flickered to life in the corner of his vision, glowing with an eerie blue light. A new notification appeared:
[Survival Probability: 100% → 70%]
Alex glanced at the screen briefly, his brow furrowing in frustration. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath. He didn't have time for this kind of distraction, and the drop in his survival odds wasn't exactly encouraging.
Ignoring the notification, Alex pressed on, his focus returning to the fight. The rats kept coming, but their numbers were starting to dwindle. With one final slash, he decapitated the last of the creatures, watching as its body fell to the ground with a wet thud.
Breathing heavily, Alex wiped the sweat from his brow. His body ached from the cuts and bruises, but he was still standing. For now.
As the last of the rats lay still, Alex took a moment to catch his breath. His clothes were tattered, and blood stained his sleeves, but he ignored the pain. He wasn't out of the woods yet—more dangers were lurking in the temple, and the gate was still ahead.
"Let's get this over with," Alex muttered, steeling himself as he moved deeper into the ruins.
The corridors twisted and turned in confusing patterns, and every few steps, he encountered more traps—spikes that shot out from the walls, collapsing ceilings, even pits filled with poisoned spikes. It was like navigating a labyrinth designed to kill anyone who dared to enter.
Each step was careful, and measured, but despite his caution, Alex occasionally triggered a trap that sent him diving for cover or sprinting to avoid certain death. His endurance was being tested, but he kept moving, driven by the need to finish the task and escape this cursed place.
Eventually, he found himself standing before an imposing stone door. Strange symbols covered its surface, glowing faintly with an unnatural light. He could feel the energy emanating from the gate behind it—it was close, pulsing with power.
As Alex stood before the door, his status screen flickered again, and another notification appeared:
[Survival Probability: 70% → 60%]
He grimaced but pushed the thought aside. Whatever the system was trying to tell him, he wasn't going to let it get in his head. He had faced worse odds before.
With a determined breath, Alex placed his hand on the door and pushed it open. The air inside was thick with energy, and he could feel the presence of the gate, pulsating ominously in the distance.
As Alex pushed the stone door open, the thick air of the chamber hit him like a wave, heavy with energy and the pungent scent of something unfamiliar. He stepped forward cautiously, his hand gripping his weapon tightly, ready for whatever was waiting for him. The gate pulsed in the center of the chamber, swirling with unnatural light. But what caught Alex's attention wasn't the gate itself—it was the figure standing before it.
A tall, sleek figure with elongated limbs and skin that shimmered with an eerie silver hue turned to face him. Its eyes were dark and deep, voids that seemed to swallow light. This was no ordinary monster. Alex recognized it immediately—a high-ranking alien, far more dangerous than anything he'd faced before.
The alien regarded Alex with a curious tilt of its head. Its lips curved into something resembling a smile, though there was no warmth in it. Instead, there was only cold amusement.
"Interesting," the alien said, its voice soft and slithering, yet oddly clear in the echoing chamber. "A human child wandering into my domain. How... unexpected."
Alex tightened his grip on his weapon, but he remained still, his eyes never leaving the creature. He knew this was different from the mindless monsters he was used to fighting. This alien could think, plan, and manipulate. And it had already taken an interest in him—a dangerous interest.
"Why are you here?" the alien continued, stepping closer. "Do you seek to close the gate? Do you even understand the forces at play here, boy?"
Alex didn't respond immediately. His heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his expression calm, his mind racing to assess the situation. This alien was unlike anything he'd encountered before—intelligent, and calculating. If he wasn't careful, he'd be outmatched in more ways than one.
"I know enough," Alex replied finally, his voice steady. "Enough to stop you."
The alien let out a low chuckle, the sound sending a chill down Alex's spine. "Bold words for one so young," it said, its dark eyes gleaming. "But I wonder… are you truly as fearless as you pretend to be? Or are you simply naive?"
Alex took a step forward, his muscles tense. "I'm not afraid of you."
The alien's smile widened. "Perhaps not yet. But you will be."
As the alien's cold gaze fixed on him, Alex's mind worked quickly. He remembered this creature—not in this exact form, but similar ones from Alexius's stories. These aliens were part of an invasive species, highly intelligent and deadly, with their leaders often orchestrating mass destruction. They were the same types that Alexius had slaughtered in past cycles of regression. Alexius had called them "Void Stalkers"—high-ranking aliens who commanded lesser creatures and whose cunning made them far more dangerous than brute force alone.
Alex's eyes narrowed. This Void Stalker was old, judging by the way it carried itself—calculating, yet weary. It didn't see Alex as a threat, which was its first mistake. The tension in the air sharpened as Alex prepared himself for battle. He shifted his stance slightly, keeping his weight balanced and his movements fluid, anticipating the alien's attack.
"Void Stalker," Alex said calmly, testing the waters to see if it would react to being named. He watched closely as the alien's smile faltered for just a fraction of a second, then returned. Alex had hit a nerve.
"So, you know of my kind," the alien purred, stepping forward with a slow, measured pace. "That makes this even more intriguing. Tell me, little human, why do you fight? You are weak—a mere bug in the grand scheme of the universe."
Alex remained unfazed by the taunt. His eyes never left the Void Stalker, watching for the slightest movement. "Weak, maybe," he replied evenly. "But bugs can be resilient. And some can sting."
The alien tilted its head, amused by the response but still clearly underestimating Alex. "Resilience," it mused. "A foolish trait when facing annihilation. You humans cling to it, thinking it will save you. It never does."
Alex didn't respond to the provocation. Instead, he focused on the alien's posture, the way its limbs shifted, the subtle signs of how it might attack. He remembered Alexius's lessons—how these creatures fought with precision, using their superior intellect to strike at weaknesses. But Alex was prepared. He would not be caught off guard.
The Void Stalker's smile faded, replaced by something darker. "Why fight, human?" it asked again, more insistently this time. "You are insignificant. A speck in the vastness of existence. Why resist your fate? Why struggle when you know you cannot win?"
Alex tightened his grip on his weapon. "I fight because I have something worth protecting," he said firmly, his voice steady. "Even if it's just a speck in the grand scheme of things, it's mine. And I won't let you take it."
The alien's eyes gleamed with malice. "Foolish," it hissed. "You humans are all the same. You fight against the inevitable. But no matter how hard you struggle, in the end, you will fall like all the others."
With that, the Void Stalker struck.
Alex dodged the first attack—a rapid lunge from the alien's elongated limbs—just in time. His body moved on instinct, honed from years of training with Alexius. He retaliated quickly, slashing at the alien with his weapon, aiming for its joints, just as Alexius had taught him. The alien hissed in surprise, its silver skin parting under the blade.
"You've made your choice, human," the alien spat, its voice now filled with venom. "And now you will suffer for it."
Alex didn't falter. He met the alien's gaze with a cold, determined stare. "I've faced worse," he said quietly, his voice unwavering. "You're just another obstacle."
The battle raged on, a blur of swift movements and clashing blows. Alex's mind remained sharp, analyzing the alien's patterns, searching for weaknesses. Despite the Void Stalker's taunts and arrogance, it fought with precision, aiming to wear Alex down. But Alex had learned from the best, and he refused to be outmaneuvered.
As the fight dragged on, the Void Stalker grew more frustrated, its attacks becoming more erratic. Alex used this to his advantage, capitalizing on every opening, every slight mistake. He pressed the attack, driving the alien back, refusing to let it gain the upper hand.
Finally, with a well-placed strike, Alex severed one of the alien's limbs. The Void Stalker let out a pained shriek, its dark eyes wide with shock.
"You… insignificant… worm," it gasped, struggling to maintain its balance.
Alex stood over the creature, his chest heaving from exertion, but his expression was calm and focused. "Looks like this bug bites harder than you thought," he said evenly.
The alien glared up at him, its body trembling with rage. "You think you've won?" it sneered, even as it bled out onto the chamber floor. "You are nothing. Your victory here is meaningless in the grand scheme. Your kind will fall. You will all fall."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Maybe," he said quietly. "But not today."
With one final, decisive blow, Alex ended the Void Stalker's life. The chamber fell silent, save for the fading hum of the gate's energy. Alex stood still for a moment, catching his breath and calming his racing heart.
He glanced at the gate, knowing there was still work to be done. But for now, one less alien threatened the people he'd sworn to protect.
As Alex turned to leave the chamber, he couldn't shake the alien's final words from his mind. The fight wasn't over. Far from it. But he would keep fighting, no matter what came his way.
Because he had something worth protecting. And that was enough to keep him going.