The beast emerged from the depth of the cave, its massive form filling it completely. It was just as terrifying as she remembered - a nightmarish fusion of bear and bird, with razor-sharp claws and a giant beak that would crack her skull like a nut. Its eyes locked onto Rose, burning with primal hunger.
Rose's mind raced. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She should have reached the crystal core before the beast returned. Now, caught in the open with no weapons or abilities, she was helpless. How could she get to the crystal core with the beast standing right beside it?
She had miscalculated, her fear clouding her judgment and leading to this critical mistake. She should have hurried along without overthinking. If only she'd arrived at the cave before the beast, everything would have been fine! But now it was too late.
The creature charged, closing the distance with frightening speed. Rose's survival instincts kicked in, and she dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's snapping beak. Her heart pounded as she scrambled across the jagged floor, sharp rocks cutting into her palms and knees. The beast's massive form whirled around, surprisingly agile for its size, focusing his gaze on his prey.
Her desperate maneuver brought her a few meters closer to the crystal core, but it remained out of reach. Every ounce of her being screamed to retreat, to run and hide from the relentless beast that pursued her with unnatural speed and strength. But she knew she couldn't escape like this. Dodging its first attack had been a fluke, a miracle even. This time, she would need more than luck to survive. She would need to take the plunge.
With a deep breath, Rose steeled herself and made a daring decision. Instead of fleeing, she charged directly at the beast. The creature, momentarily confused by its prey's unexpected behavior, hesitated for a split second. That was all Rose needed.
She dove between the beast's massive legs, feeling the rush of air as its beak snapped shut inches from her head. The creature's momentum carried it forward, giving Rose precious seconds to scramble towards the crystal core.
Behind her she could hear the beast`s enraged roar as it turned around and pounce after her. Her hand closed around the core just as the beast's claws raked across her back. White-hot pain exploded through her body, but she clung to the crystal, willing its power to activate. For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened.
Then, a surge of energy coursed through her veins. The crystal, pulsing with an otherworldly light, slowly disintegrated, it's essence seeping into her body and further into the very depths of her being. Feeling it assimilate into her soul, Rose smirked to herself in bliss, even able to momentarily forget the pain in her back. She had her precious ability back - invisibility.
Equipped with this skill, she had managed to survive the apocalypse for many years. It had helped her countless times, by gaining favorable information and slipping past dangerous situations. While it wasn't as fancy and cool-looking as offensive attack abilities, it fit her perfectly and she made optimal use of it.
Just like in this situation right now.
She instantly activated the ability, feeling how it enveloped her body. Then she simply sat down and waited, trying to minimize the sound of her ragged breathing.
The beast stood right in front of her. It had halted in its tracks when the crystal core emitted its light, unsure whether to proceed or flee. Now that the light had vanished, it tentatively took a cautious step forward.
Rose didn't move. As long as she remained completely still, she would be out of harm's way.
The beast had excellent eyesight, but its other senses were underdeveloped. That was, at least, her conclusion when recalling how she had escaped unscathed in her previous life.
Back then, she had hit her head on a boulder and, with her last bit of consciousness, assimilated the crystal core and activated its ability. Then everything went dark. When she came to an hour later, the beast had vanished, and she was unharmed, except for the bump on her head which had already scabbed over.
She had truly expended all her luck in that moment. No other known ability could have saved her life in this situation. One might say the available ability in this realm was tailor-made for dealing with its resident monster.
Pressing her lips together, Rose watched the beast take another step, its eyes still focused on her.
Wait, what?!
A sinking feeling grew inside her as she locked gazes with it. How could it meet her eyes so precisely when she was invisible? Shouldn't it be confused by her sudden disappearance?!
Looking down at her body clearly visible under the scorching sun, she cursed.
The invisibility wasn't working. How was this possible? She had done everything right, hadn't she? The crystal core had dissolved, its energy merging with her very being. She should be invisible, undetectable to the beast's keen eyes. Yet here she sat, completely exposed and vulnerable.
The beast's eyes narrowed, sensing her vulnerability. It lunged forward with terrifying speed, its massive beak aimed directly at her head. Even knowing it was already too late, she instinctively threw herself to the side. She felt the rush of air as the creature's attack barely missed her, then rolled across the hard floor, coming to a halt as her back slammed into another boulder.
The jolt of pain made her hiss, yet her confusion at still being alive overshadowed it. She had been certain this was her end. Given the beast's proximity and speed, there was no way Rose should have been able to evade its attack. What had happened?
As Rose tried to make sense of her miraculous escape, she noticed something peculiar. The beast's movements seemed... slower. Not dramatically so, but just enough to catch her attention. Its massive form lumbered towards her with a slight delay, as if wading through thick syrup.
Suddenly, it clicked. The crystal's power hadn't granted her invisibility—it had enhanced her speed and perception. Time itself appeared to crawl around her, allowing her to react with supernatural swiftness.
A spark of hope ignited within Rose. This wasn't the ability she'd expected, but it might just be enough to keep her alive.
The beast lunged again, its beak snapping shut where Rose's head had been a heartbeat earlier. She rolled to her feet, her movements fluid and precise. The creature's eyes widened in bewilderment, unable to fathom how its prey was evading its attacks.
However, Rose's newfound ability didn't completely guarantee her safety. She knew she couldn't maintain this state indefinitely. With her body still unaccustomed and untrained to use the ability, she would only be able to keep it active for a few minutes. She would need to leave this realm before the effect diminished.
Without loosing another second she sprinted down the hillside path, her surroundings changing into a blur. Her lungs burned, and her muscles screamed in protest, but Rose pushed on, past the familiar landmarks.
Her mind raced as fast as her body. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The invisibility ability had been her lifeline, her ultimate survival tool. Now, she was equipped with speed, which she felt was inadequate in comparison.
Rose had no explanation. Everything else was just as she had remembered it. The portal's location, the terrain, the beast, it was all the same as in her memory. Why was the ability different?!
But now was not the time to dwell on this.
With a roar, a gigantic shadow appeared above her. The beast, having spread it majestic wings was pursuing her from the air. Every time it managed to inch closer, its claws would reach out to catch her running figure, only to grasp into nothing.
Focusing on both her surroundings and the beast's movements strained Rose's mind to its limits. But she couldn't let up now. A moment's inattention, a millisecond of distraction, and the beast's beak would pierce her back.
Not yet!
She felt the ability's power beginning to wane, time slowly reasserting its normal flow around her. The blurred landscape started to come back into focus, individual rocks and plants becoming distinct once more.
This was happening much quicker than she'd expected.
She could already see the portal marking the realm's exit. Gritting her teeth, Rose tried to forcefully hold onto the ability as it slowly retreated into her soul. With a final burst of effort, she hurled herself towards it. An angry roar followed as she passed through the barrier between worlds.