The raft drifted, half-submerged in water, but they had no choice but to push forward. The river had slowed, and the eerie silence that had followed the creatures' retreat was almost worse than their growls. Jason, Carter, and Maria exchanged nervous glances. The tension was palpable, and none of them dared speak above a whisper.
Jason looked at the torn edge of the raft, still dripping water into the boat. "We're not gonna last much longer like this," he muttered, his voice low.
Carter kept his eyes on the horizon, his grip firm on the oar. "We just need to make it a bit farther. There's no turning back now."
Maria glanced at Zhang, still unconscious, his body slumped against the supplies they'd gathered. His chest rose and fell steadily, but he hadn't stirred since they left the campsite. The sight of him made her heart clench, but she held onto hope that he would wake up soon.
Suddenly, Maria's gaze shifted, and her eyes widened. "Look," she whispered, pointing ahead.
At first, Jason didn't see it—just the thick fog that seemed to roll off the water. But then, as they moved closer, something massive loomed in the mist, barely visible through the haze. It was enormous, its silhouette towering over the treetops, yet it moved so silently that the only sound was the soft ripple of water around them.
Carter's grip tightened on the oar. "What the hell is that?"
The shape became clearer as they drifted nearer. A colossal creature, larger than anything they had ever imagined, lay sprawled across the shore, half-submerged in the river. Its massive body was covered in thick, leathery skin, and its limbs were long and powerful, with claws that seemed to dig into the earth even in its sleep. It looked ancient—like something from another world.
Jason's breath caught in his throat. "It's asleep," he whispered. "But… it's moving."
The creature's chest rose and fell in a slow, rhythmic motion, each breath causing the ground to tremble slightly. Despite its size, the creature moved with an eerie grace, its body shifting ever so slightly, as if it were gliding through a dream. But there was no sound—no growl, no rumble. It was as if the creature existed in complete silence.
Maria's eyes darted between the creature and the riverbank. "We need to get around it… quietly."
Carter nodded, his face tense. "We'll have to row past it. Slowly. No sudden movements."
Jason's heart pounded in his chest as they began to paddle, their movements slow and deliberate. The raft crept forward, inching closer to the massive creature. He kept his eyes on the beast, half-expecting it to wake up at any moment and crush them with one swipe of its claws.
But the creature remained still, its glowing eyes closed, its massive body shifting only slightly with each silent breath. They were so close now that Jason could see the details of its skin—thick, cracked, and covered in scars that told stories of ancient battles.
Maria swallowed hard, her voice barely audible. "How is something this big… so quiet?"
Jason shook his head, his mind racing. This isn't natural. Nothing this size should be able to move without a sound. His thoughts drifted back to the creatures from earlier—the glowing eyes, the hunger. Maybe this thing was the reason they had fled.
As they drifted past the creature, Jason's hand tightened around the spear. His mind was torn between fear and awe. He wanted to believe they were safe, but the sheer size of the beast was overwhelming. If it woke up, there would be no escape.
And then, just as they thought they were in the clear, Zhang stirred.
Carter noticed it first, his eyes darting to the unconscious boy. "Zhang's waking up."
Maria's hand shot to Zhang's shoulder, trying to keep him still. "Don't move too fast," she whispered urgently. "We're… right next to it."
Zhang blinked slowly, his eyes heavy with confusion. He groaned softly, his body aching from being unconscious for so long. His head swiveled to Maria, then to Jason and Carter, his brow furrowing. "What… what happened?"
Jason leaned in, his voice low. "We'll explain later. Right now, you need to stay calm."
Zhang's gaze shifted, and when he saw the enormous creature beside them, his eyes widened in shock. "What is that…?"
"A problem," Carter muttered under his breath. "A big one."
Zhang took a deep breath, steadying himself. His instincts kicked in quickly, despite the pain in his body. He took a look at the map, which had been clutched in Carter's hands. "We're close to the destination," he whispered. "But we need to get past this thing first."
Maria exchanged a glance with Jason, both of them relieved that Zhang was finally awake and thinking clearly. "Do you know a way around it?" she asked.
Zhang's eyes remained fixed on the map. "Yes. There's a shallow path up ahead. If we follow it, we'll reach the other side of the river without disturbing it."
Carter nodded. "Then that's the plan."
They paddled slowly, following Zhang's directions. Every movement felt like an eternity, each ripple in the water echoing louder in their heads than it really was. Jason's heart pounded, every second feeling like the moment the creature would wake and all hell would break loose.
But the beast remained still, its massive form continuing its silent, rhythmic movements. They passed the creature completely, drifting further down the river until the fog began to lift, revealing the shore on the other side.
When they finally reached land, Carter and Jason leaped off the raft, pulling it onto the shore. Maria helped Zhang stand, his legs shaky but holding.
"We made it," Jason breathed, his heart still racing. He couldn't believe they had gotten past the creature without it waking up. "That was…"
"Too close," Maria finished, shaking her head.
Zhang rubbed the back of his head, still groggy but clear-headed enough to see the gravity of the situation. "We need to move. That thing could wake up at any moment."
They gathered their supplies and followed Zhang's lead, moving deeper into the woods. The forest was dense, and the air was thick with mist, but they moved with purpose. Every rustle in the trees, every sound in the distance, made them jump, but they kept going.
Jason couldn't shake the image of the creature from his mind. Something like that doesn't just exist for no reason. What else is out here? What other monsters are waiting for us?
But there was no time for fear. They had a destination to reach, and they were closer than ever.
As they pushed deeper into the forest, Zhang stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing. "Wait… something's not right."
"What is it?" Carter asked, his grip tightening on his axe.
Zhang pointed to the ground. "The tracks… they're fresh. And they're leading straight to where we're headed."
Jason's stomach dropped. He looked at the tracks—massive footprints, unlike anything he'd seen before. And they were headed straight toward their destination.
Whatever had made those tracks was still out there. And it was waiting for them.