Thousands of bubbles popped on the surface of the blood-red pool, as though a giant furnace was boiling the dark crimson liquid.
The fireflies that once fluttered above the pool scattered, fleeing in terror as if driven away by the emergence of thousands of glowing red, slithering creatures. These creatures poured out of the strange pool that emitted a blinding red light, their bodies covering the entire surface.
Panic spread like wildfire, as their arrival meant only one thing—more victims. One by one, those who had been helping their fallen comrades were now being ensnared by the creatures. Shrieks of horror echoed louder, mingling with the endless clashing of sharp weapons trying to slice through the slithering masses.
"What the hell are these things?!" Trisha shouted, rushing over to one of her men, who was now mostly wrapped in the glowing red worms. Without hesitation, she swung her knife, chopping the creatures to pieces. Fresh, warm blood splattered across her face as she worked quickly.
In mere moments, her man was freed from the monsters, but the victory was hollow. As the last of the creatures fell away, she realized his body was completely drained of blood. Her eyes widened in shock. The man, Alan, sat motionless, his face pale as death and his eyes void of life.
"Alan!" she screamed, shaking him by the shoulders. With just a light jolt, his body crumpled, lifeless.
Trisha froze, her heart racing as she scanned the room. Only a few of her men were still standing, desperately trying to rescue the others. Their efforts were in vain. Screams for help filled the air, the scent of fresh blood growing stronger.
"Miss! I need help over here!" Juna's voice rang out from somewhere nearby. He was furiously hacking at the creatures that had latched onto one of his comrades with an axe.
His voice snapped Trisha out of her daze, and she rushed to join Juna, slashing at the relentless monsters.
Meanwhile, Gavin swung his axe wildly, cutting down the never-ending wave of slithering creatures coming his way, trying to protect himself and his two friends behind him. "He'll be okay, right?!" he shouted as he kept hacking away.
"Do you really think he's going to be okay after losing almost a bottle of blood?!" Baron snapped back. He didn't even look up at Gavin, still busy cutting away the worms tangled around Kairav's legs.
Finally freeing Kairav from the last creature, Baron turned to look at his friend, only to be struck by the sight of Kairav's ashen face and limp body.
"Shit!" Baron cursed under his breath. He hurriedly slung the unconscious Kairav over his back and interrupted Gavin, who was too focused on fending off the monsters to notice their friend's condition. "Gavin! We need to go now!"
The dark-skinned young man nodded quickly, following Baron's lead as they began to move. Their hearts pounded in their chests, syncing with the ominous howl that echoed through the chamber.
Howlll...
Suddenly, the blood-sucking worms released their victims and scurried back into the blood pool, their original habitat. The glow of the remaining fireflies also faded, disappearing into the darkness.
It was as if the creatures instinctively knew their place, retreating in the presence of a predator far higher in the food chain.
Realizing the danger approaching, Trisha barked out orders to her surviving men. "Leave them! Get out, now!" she commanded sharply.
Juna and the remaining few who had escaped the creatures quickly obeyed, fleeing down the corridor. They left behind their comrades, still screaming for help as the bloodsucking worms feasted on them.
Tension and fear gripped Baron and Gavin. Each step they took felt heavier, their only hope being that the monstrous Asu Baung wouldn't notice their escape. Unfortunately, the dim red glow from the worms provided just enough light for the monster's eyes to spot them.
The sounds of footsteps and groans echoing in the chamber guided the creature, helping it pinpoint its prey. The Howling Dog Monster wasn't completely blind after all. With its short scouting complete, the beast locked onto its new target—the three young men nearing the door to the corridor.
A wild, predatory gleam flickered in the monster's eyes as it drooled from its fanged jaws. Then it charged, its thundering footsteps reverberating through the chamber.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Howlll...
Bang!
Crash!
Baron and Gavin froze, panting at the unexpectedly loud crash behind them. Slowly, they turned their heads to see what had happened. Their eyes widened as they saw the Asu Baung thrown against the far wall, large stones scattered around its massive body.
Their shock was short-lived as they noticed a new figure standing in the doorway; Prince Arkana, accompanied by a muscular young man they didn't recognize.
"Get Kairav out of here, now!" the prince ordered.
The two nodded and quickly resumed their escape, carrying Kairav away while leaving Arkana and Casildo to face the monster.
The air thickened with fury as the monster slowly rose, recovering from the sudden attack. Its predatory gaze turned toward a nearby dying treasure hunter, too weak to resist after being drained by the worms.
The Howling Dog Monster viciously stomped on the man's body, his agonized screams filling the air as the creature tore him apart.
"Aren't you going to help them?" Casildo asked, glancing at Arkana.
"They're not my people," Arkana replied flatly, his eyes cold and indifferent to the suffering before him.
Casildo shrugged. "Fine. I'll leave this little monster to you then. Don't worry—it's an easy kill. I've fought one before. Just cut off its head with your daggers," he said, patting Arkana's shoulder.
"Okay, bro? I'll go save the Failed Product before he bleeds out and turns into a corpse!" Casildo shouted over his shoulder as he nonchalantly left, leaving Arkana frustrated with his careless attitude.
Arkana sighed, shaking his head. The agonized cries had ceased, leaving only the heavy breathing of the monster as it pulled the heart from its latest victim.
With a calm and focused expression, Arkana drew two hidden daggers from his jacket. He gripped the peacock-head handles tightly, his eyes locked on the predator as it began to stalk toward him.
Concentrating deeply, Arkana connected with the natural elements around him, channeling his energy into controlling the wild plants outside the cave. Using his Root Bind spell, the ground split open as roots erupted from the Lushterra, snaking through the cave at high speed, just as the Howling Dog Monster launched its attack.
The beast charged, rising on its hind legs, while Arkana slammed his foot into the ground and leaped high to meet it.