The landscape ahead seemed unfamiliar. The air had shifted, and the ground beneath me trembled with an odd, persistent vibration. Something had changed. The terrain I once knew had morphed into a twisted, unrecognizable version of itself. But it wasn't just the landscape; it felt as if the entire planet had shifted somehow, as if the earth itself was growing, expanding in ways I couldn't comprehend.
I paused, the weight of that realization settling deep within my chest. Had the planet awakened? Was it evolving in response to something? The tremors that had echoed beneath me earlier had felt unnatural, too deliberate to be random. The land itself seemed restless, alive, reacting to some unseen force beneath the surface.
Shaking off the unsettling thought, I focused on my immediate goal: my cave. It had to be nearby. If I could find water, a lake or a waterfall, I could navigate back. That was the key to orienting myself—water had always been a guiding point, the constant in a world that was ever-shifting.
Despite the terrain's alterations, the path to my cave was still simple. I just had to get to the water, and from there, the familiarity would return. The time for contemplation had passed. The gorilla was ahead.
As I continued walking, Nibbles suddenly chattered, its small form darting across the foliage and scurrying up my leg. Nibbles started making gestures warning me of danger, it crossed its arms diagonally.
I froze. The little squirrel's behavior was urgent. Something was wrong.
It pointed toward the dense woods ahead, its tail flicking erratically. I narrowed my eyes. I couldn't sense anything, but the connection I had with Nibbles had grown stronger. I trusted its instincts. My hand went instinctively to the spear strapped to my back.
A sound—low, deep, and unmistakable—echoed from the forest. The gorilla.
I stilled, focusing on the vibrations in the earth. It was close, closer than I had anticipated. It was large, and powerful, and I felt its presence even before I could see it. The ground seemed to tremble with each of its steps, its massive form hidden among the trees.
It knew I was near.
The memory of our last encounter flashed through my mind. It had been brutal. The gorilla, covered in rock armor, had proven to be a tough opponent, its immense strength nearly overwhelming. I had barely managed to escape the last time, and I had no intention of underestimating it this time.
I need to get the first strike in.
With a silent command to Nibbles to stay back, I moved toward the source of the sound, my senses heightened. Every step was calculated, deliberate. The air felt charged, like the calm before a storm.
***
It sensed the subtle shift in the air before it heard the approaching steps. The boy.
The gorilla's yellow eyes narrowed as it turned its head in the direction of the intruder. It remembers him.
The boy had been the one to challenge it. The one who had escaped its grasp, the one whose presence in the forest had marked the air with a strange, unsettling energy. The gorilla had felt it, deep in the core of the earth, when the boy had wielded his strange, unnatural abilities. The boy had fought with water and fluid grace, evading its deadly strikes and injuring it in ways the gorilla hadn't thought possible.
And now, he was back.
A deep growl rumbled from its chest as the gorilla adjusted its stance, its body tense with anticipation. Its heavy fists clenched, the rock armor shifting like a living thing. The last time the boy had been clever—too clever. He would not escape this time.
The gorilla's keen sense of the earth allowed it to track the boy's every movement, feeling the shift in the soil and the faintest tremors as the boy's footsteps came closer. It could feel the tension in the air, the pulse of the land beneath its feet. The boy was preparing for something. The ground trembled once more, and the gorilla let out a low growl.
I am ready.
***
I was close now, creeping through the underbrush, each movement calculated, trying to keep myself out of sight. The gorilla's senses were sharp, but I could use that to my advantage. If I moved quickly enough, I might be able to surprise it, at least momentarily.
Suddenly, the ground beneath me quaked violently, and I barely managed to maintain my balance as the earth trembled again. The gorilla had spotted me. It was faster than I had anticipated.
The massive beast appeared from the thicket ahead, its hulking form emerging into view. Its skin was covered in rock armor, the jagged stone plates shifting with every movement. Its eyes locked onto mine, burning with an intense, almost primal recognition. It remembered me.
The gorilla's heavy fists clenched, and the ground beneath me rumbled once more. I barely had time to react before the first shockwave hit. It slammed into the earth, sending a tremor through my body that nearly threw me off balance. The gorilla's Earth Tremor skill had triggered, and I had to fight to maintain my footing. I leapt backward just as jagged rocks burst from the ground around me, aiming to pierce my legs.
I was ready for it, though. Flowing Style, second movement—Ice Glide.
My body flowed over the ground, sliding just out of reach of the deadly spikes. I heard the gorilla roar in frustration, its eyes flashing with fury as it surged forward, fists raised to strike.
I needed to find a weakness. The Rock Armor was nearly impenetrable, and I couldn't rely on brute force alone. My spear would be useless against its thick hide.
The gorilla advanced, swinging its massive fist toward me. The ground rumbled as its arm swung through the air. I evaded, narrowly dodging, but the earth beneath me buckled again. Earth Tremor.
I felt the earth tremble beneath my feet as the gorilla stomped the ground with devastating force. The shockwaves rippled outward, and I barely managed to maintain my footing. But the gorilla wasn't done. It raised both fists high, smashing them into the earth once more. The shockwave sent a series of jagged rocks hurtling toward me like missiles.
I had no choice but to dodge again, but this time I was prepared. Flowing Style, fourth movement—Water Tendril.
A powerful stream of water lashed out from my hand, pushing me out of the way just as the rocks crashed around me. I rolled and regained my stance. The gorilla growled, its earth sense already tracking my movements. It wasn't finished—it was studying me, watching for the slightest mistake.
I knew I had to find an opening soon, or I'd be overwhelmed by the gorilla's strength. It had the advantage in raw power, but I had speed, intelligence, and my connection to the elements.
The battle had begun. And it would not be easy.