"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuuuck."
My heart sank, a weight of hopelessness pressing down on me. My Qi reserves were completely drained.
I had to run.
I turned and bolted, my heart pounding like a war drum, the beast's heavy footsteps thundering behind me. Each stride sent a jolt of pain through my battered body, a cruel reminder of my injuries. My legs felt like lead, and each breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. I could feel the creature closing in, its hot breath scorching my neck.
I pushed through the pain, my body protesting every step. The beast's roars echoed across the plains, growing louder, more menacing with each passing second. My legs screamed at me to stop, but I couldn't. The sharp sting of my wounds burned with every movement, an ever-present reminder that I was running out of time. Fast.
"Come on… almost there…" I muttered to myself, desperately hoping the open plains would somehow grant me an advantage. But deep down, I knew it was a futile thought. The beast was faster, stronger, and had the advantage of knowing this world far better than I did.
The ground trembled as the creature charged toward me, its massive form slicing through the twilight. I dared a glance back, catching sight of its glowing eyes—burning with unrestrained rage and hunger. My heart sank. I didn't have enough Qi to pull off another explosive attack, and my legs were about to give out.
I stumbled, my foot catching on a jagged rock, and tumbled to the ground. Dust filled my lungs, choking me as I gasped for air, struggling to push myself back up. But the beast was already upon me, its hot breath rolling over me like a wave of fire.
My mind raced, scrambling for a plan, for anything that could save me.
But there was nothing.
I was out of time.
The beast let out a bone-chilling roar as it lunged forward, its claws glinting ominously in the dim light. My heart thundered in my chest, and all I could do was close my eyes, bracing for the inevitable.
But the blow never came.
I coughed, feeling the weight of my own body crushing me as I struggled to stay conscious. My vision blurred, and everything hurt. The beast's shadow loomed over me, its maw open wide, ready to rip me apart.
"Sigh…"
A calm, familiar voice cut through the chaos like a knife.
"Mortal, I told you, didn't I? This area is very dangerous…"
I squinted through the haze of pain, barely able to make out the figure approaching. "Oh great… I'm hallucinating again… or is that the Grim Reaper coming to claim my soul? He sure looks… disappointed."
"But you were… wait, forget it," the voice continued, sounding oddly exasperated. "Now that I'm here, let me give you a hand."
A surge of Qi pulsed in the air—powerful, refined, and unmistakably controlled. My head lolled to the side just in time to see him unsheath a sword from his back, the blade gleaming ominously in the dim light. Even in my dazed state, I could tell this was no ordinary weapon. It hummed with energy, an almost sentient presence.
"Oh great," I rasped, forcing a smile despite the agony coursing through my body. "You brought a shiny sword to a dragon-wolf fight. How's that supposed to help?"
Kael didn't respond. He moved with fluid grace, a blur of dark clothing and lethal elegance, so fast that I barely caught the flash of his blade before the beast roared in pain. A clean, effortless strike.
The beast's head separated from its body in a gruesome display of power, its massive form collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud, life extinguished in a single stroke.
I blinked, my brain struggling to process the sheer absurdity of what just happened. "Huh. Turns out shiny swords are surprisingly effective," I muttered weakly, trying to wrap my head around the spectacle.
Kael sheathed his sword and glanced down at me, an eyebrow raised. "You don't know when to stop talking, do you?"
"Call it… a coping mechanism," I wheezed, my eyes fluttering as the pain began to overwhelm me. "I mean, if I'm going to die… might as well make it entertaining, right?"
"Stop talking. You're not going to die," he said, striding toward me with a determined look.
True, my healing skill was finally kicking in, albeit slowly. I managed to sit up, rubbing my eyes, and when I looked up, moonlight spilled over Kael's face, illuminating his features.
He stood there—jet-black hair framing his angular face, his emotionless expression an enigmatic mask. He was tall and athletic, radiating an aura of strength and confidence. Clad in dark, fitted clothing that seemed to meld into the shadows, he wielded his sword with an effortless grace that spoke of countless battles.
But it was his crimson-red eyes that captured my full attention. They gleamed with an unsettling intensity, like twin rubies reflecting a hidden power. There was something almost hypnotic about them, a depth that hinted at danger and mystery. At that moment, I realized I wasn't just looking at a man; I was staring into the gaze of a predator, ready to strike.
"...….."
"I never asked, not that I could now or in the forest, but what's your name?" I asked, curiosity mingling with the pain.
"Kael," he replied, his voice steady as he assessed my condition.
"You're handsome, like very much," I blurted out, the words slipping from my lips despite the situation.
"Tell me something I don't know," he replied flatly, shaking his head slightly.
Kael stared down at me, and I could feel a hint of amusement hidden beneath his stoic demeanor. "You're still making jokes on the brink of death. Impressive, in a stupid kind of way."
I chuckled—or at least tried to. "Hey, if I'm going out… I might as well go out funny, right?"
With surprising gentleness, Kael crouched down and lifted me as if I weighed nothing, cradling me against his side. My vision blurred, but I could feel the steady rhythm of his footsteps as he carried me away from the scene of carnage. "Rest, mortal," he said quietly, almost tenderly. "You'll need your strength."
"Yeah… sure… but maybe next time… let's skip the part where I almost die… and also stop fucking calling me a mortal," I mumbled, my consciousness slipping away.
The last thing I heard before everything faded to black was Kael's quiet voice. "Next time… maybe....…, MORTAL."
As I drifted, I lastly added, "And just so we're clear, No homo."
Kael paused mid-step, a hint of amusement flickering in his crimson eyes. "Noted."
"Good, just checking," I replied, letting the darkness pull me under.