Kael crouched in the cave, his body trembling with hunger, but his mind sharper than ever. For days, he had survived on the droplets of water trickling from the ceiling, a lifeline that barely kept him alive. The cave was dark, damp, and suffocating, but its groaning walls had become familiar. Each night, the pig-headed monster lumbered out to hunt. Four others had been trapped with Kael when the creature first captured them, but one by one, they succumbed—driven mad by fear, starvation, and the looming certainty of death. Now, Kael was the last one left. His time was running out.
As the monster stomped away on its nightly hunt, Kael knew this might be his last chance. He listened intently to the fading echoes of the beast's hooves scraping against the stone floor. The creature would be gone for a few hours at most—just enough time to execute his desperate plan.
He'd spent the last day working relentlessly, cutting through the ropes binding his wrists with a jagged piece of metal he had scavenged from one of the corpses. His wrists were raw, his skin torn, but finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last thread snapped. He was free.
Gasping, Kael pulled his hands apart, rubbing his wrists before forcing himself up, his muscles aching from days of inactivity. He couldn't just run. The monster would track him down by scent, its speed and strength far surpassing his. Instead, he needed something to kill it.
Moving deeper into the cave, Kael scoured the area with frantic eyes, his hands shaking from exhaustion. His gaze darted over rocks and minerals—sulfur, bat guano, fool's gold, and bones. He snatched up anything that seemed useful, ignoring the foul stench of the bat droppings. His heart pounded as he stuffed the mixture into an old helmet, his mind racing to recall what little he knew of chemistry. It wasn't perfect, but it was the only chance he had.
The bones. He had seen enough death to know they might be useful. Kael broke them apart with his bare hands, ignoring the nauseating crunch as he added them to the foul mixture. Sweat dripped from his brow, and his breath came in ragged gasps, but his mind was razor-focused. This was his last shot.
With his crude bomb prepared, Kael slid into a narrow crevasse near the cave's entrance. He crouched low, clutching the helmet, his muscles tense, ready to spring into action. All he needed was for the creature to come close enough.
Hours passed in agonizing silence, the anticipation building until every nerve in Kael's body was on edge. Then, finally, the ground trembled. Thud. Thud. Thud. The monster was returning, its heavy steps reverberating through the cave walls. Kael's heart pounded in his chest, each beat louder than the last. He gritted his teeth, hands gripping the helmet bomb so hard his knuckles turned white.
Closer. Closer.
Kael's breath hitched as the grotesque figure of the pig-headed beast emerged from the shadows. Its snout twitched, sniffing the air for any sign of prey, its hulking body swaying as it moved deeper into the cave. Ten feet. Fifteen feet. The creature was completely unaware of the trap.
"Come on, you ugly bastard," Kael muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
With a swift motion, he lit the makeshift fuse and hurled the helmet with all the strength he could muster.
Crack. Pop. BOOM!
The explosion rocked the cave with a deafening roar. The shockwave slammed into Kael, knocking him backward as debris flew in every direction. The ceiling groaned, and with a mighty crash, tons of rock collapsed, burying the monster in an avalanche of stone and dust. Kael's ears rang as the ground trembled beneath him, but he didn't wait to see if the creature was dead or merely trapped.
He bolted for the cave's mouth, his legs burning as he sprinted across the uneven floor. His lungs screamed for air, but he didn't slow down. He had no time.
The blinding sunlight hit him like a wave as he burst from the cave into the open air. He squinted against the brightness, momentarily disoriented, but the exhilaration of freedom surged through him. For the first time in days, Kael felt alive.
But he couldn't stop. Not yet. He ran across the muddy plains, his feet slipping through puddles as his breath came in ragged gasps. After what felt like an eternity, he spotted a small cabin nestled among the trees. With renewed energy, Kael sprinted toward it, desperate for anything he could use to defend himself.
He threw the door open and searched the room, his eyes scanning for something—anything. Most of the cabin had been picked clean, but in the nightstand, a strange object caught his eye. A glowing crystal, pulsing with a faint yellow light. He grabbed it instinctively, the eerie glow stirring memories from his dreams. He didn't know what it did, but he knew it was important.
A sudden, earth-shaking roar echoed from the distance.
"Little human! Where do you think you're going?" the pig monster's voice boomed across the landscape. Kael's blood ran cold. The creature had survived.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Kael muttered, bolting from the cabin just as the beast emerged from the forest, its massive frame cutting through the trees like they were twigs. The monster's face twisted into a grotesque grin as it spotted Kael.
"You can't escape me!" it growled, picking up a rock the size of a boulder and hurling it toward him.
The rock struck Kael in the side, knocking the wind out of him. He crashed to the ground, gasping in pain, his vision blurring. The monster's thundering footsteps grew louder as it approached, its beady eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.
Kael reached for the crystal, but as his fingers brushed its surface, it vanished—replaced by the cold weight of a gun in his hand. Shock flashed across his face, but there was no time for questions. The monster was closing in, its grotesque snout inches away.
Without hesitation, Kael aimed the gun and fired.
BANG!
The bullet tore through the air, slamming into the creature's leg. It staggered, roaring in pain, but kept moving, unfazed. Kael scrambled to his feet, his breath ragged as he limped away, his body still aching from the blow.
"You shouldn't have messed with me," Kael muttered, wiping sweat and dirt from his face. But the monster was relentless, its hooves thudding against the ground as it charged.
Kael ducked behind a tree, his pulse racing. He gripped the gun with trembling hands, trying to steady his aim. He could hear the creature snorting, sniffing the air, its voice thick with malice.
"I can smell your fear, human."
Kael's mind raced. The gun was his only weapon, but the crystal—it had transformed. Could it do more? His thoughts darted to the cave explosion. Maybe the crystal held more power than he realized. Maybe…
The beast was right behind him now, its massive frame casting a shadow over Kael.
"I found you," it snarled, its eyes locking onto Kael's.
Kael grinned, stepping from behind the tree. His voice was calm, almost mocking. "No, I found you."
He fired.
BANG!
The bullet exploded from the barrel with a thunderous crack, slicing through the air like a lightning bolt. In an instant, it struck the pig monster dead center between its eyes. The impact was devastating—its grotesque head snapped back violently, a dark geyser of blood erupting from the wound, splattering the ground in a gruesome arc. The monster let out an ear-splitting, guttural roar, a sound that echoed through the forest like a death knell. It staggered backward, its massive, hulking form swaying, as if the very earth beneath it trembled in fear.
But Kael wasn't finished.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins, igniting every nerve in his body. His heart pounded in his chest, but his focus was razor-sharp. He gripped the gun tighter, his hands steady as he pulled the trigger again. BANG! Another shot roared through the forest, the recoil jarring his arms, but he didn't stop. BANG! BANG! Three more bullets ripped through the monster's flesh, each one finding its mark. The shots hit with brutal precision, slamming into its chest, neck, and head, each impact sending a fresh spray of blood into the air.
The creature thrashed violently, its massive body convulsing under the relentless barrage. Its hooves gouged deep into the earth, tearing up roots and rocks as it stumbled backward, each step more unsteady than the last. Blood poured from its wounds, staining the forest floor in dark, steaming pools. Its roar turned into a wet, choking sound, its once terrifying strength now reduced to pitiful gasps for air.
Kael didn't let up. His face was set in grim determination, his finger locked on the trigger, unloading shot after shot into the monster's writhing body. Blood sprayed like rain, painting the trees and ground with a sickening red. The air reeked of iron and death, thick and suffocating.
With a final, earth-shattering roar, the pig monster collapsed. Its massive body crumpled to the ground in a heap, sending a shockwave through the forest as it hit the dirt with a bone-rattling thud. Leaves and dust flew into the air, swirling around Kael as the beast's death throes shook the ground beneath him. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Kael stood there, panting heavily, his chest rising and falling as he struggled to catch his breath. His arms trembled, the gun still aimed at the now motionless form of the monster. He could hardly believe it. After everything, the cave, the relentless pursuit, the fear—he had done it. He had killed the creature that had tormented him, that had hunted him with ruthless intent. The monster that had once seemed invincible was now nothing more than a lifeless carcass, bleeding out into the dirt.
He exhaled, a long, shaky breath escaping his lips. Slowly, he lowered the gun, his hands trembling from the release of tension. The weight of what he had just done, of the life-and-death battle that had played out in a matter of minutes, settled heavily on his shoulders. But his mind remained sharp. There was no time for rest. No time for relief. The crystal—the mysterious force that had transformed into the gun—was far more powerful than he had imagined. It had saved him, but now he knew it was capable of much more.
His gaze drifted down to the monster's lifeless body, a storm of emotions swirling within him. Relief, anger, exhaustion—all collided in his chest. He wasn't the same person who had been hunted through the cave, weakened and afraid. No, something had changed. He had something better than magic now, something unpredictable, something far more dangerous. This power—this weapon—was unlike anything he had ever seen.
Kael crouched down, his fingers brushing against the cold steel of the gun. His mind raced with possibilities. If the crystal could create this, what else could it do? How far could its abilities extend? The thought filled him with both wonder and dread. There was so much he didn't understand, but one thing was certain—he wasn't powerless anymore.
"I'm not running anymore," he whispered to himself, his voice low, resolute. His gaze hardened, the softness in his eyes replaced with a cold determination. He stood up, the weight of the gun in his hand both comforting and ominous. It wasn't just a weapon—it was a part of him now, a reminder of what he had become.
He turned away from the monster's corpse, his footsteps heavy but deliberate as he walked deeper into the forest. The world was full of monsters—some hidden in shadows, some out in the open—but now, Kael wasn't just another victim. He was a predator. And with this new power, there was no telling what he might become. The monster's corpse withered as radiant golden ash spiraled from its body, drawn into the gun like a soul being devoured. In the eerie silence that followed, the weapon pulsed with an ominous glow, as if it had consumed more than just flesh.
As he disappeared into the trees, the bloodied forest behind him, Kael felt something stir deep within him—a quiet, dangerous hunger. He had tasted power, and it had changed him forever.
The world was full of monsters, and now, so was he.
After a few days of walking he noticed he was never hungry, it was as if he consumed something that made him stronger. Days of walking turned into weeks of walking.
2 weeks later
Lying flat on his stomach atop the jagged rocks of the cliff, Kael pressed his body into the cold, unforgiving stone. His sharp eyes scanned the valley below, where goblins scurried through the dense underbrush like vermin. With a slow breath, he closed his eyes and focused. In his mind, he summoned the image of a weapon—a bolt-action sniper rifle, sleek and deadly. The air shimmered, and in an instant, the rifle materialized in his arms, solid and real.
Kael shifted, settling the rifle into his shoulder, the weight of it familiar now. He lined up the crosshairs with the lead goblin's head, his pulse steady as the creature came into view. The wind howled around him, but his focus never wavered.
Bang!
The shot echoed through the canyon, a thunderous crack that seemed to rip the sky apart. The bullet tore through the air, traveling a full mile in an instant, splitting the wind like a razor. A split second later, it found its mark, striking the goblin square in the temple. The creature's body crumpled to the ground before it even knew what hit it.
Kael exhaled, lowering the rifle. He had learned the crystal's secret. Its power was simple—limitless, if you understood how to use your imagination it would obey.
[Crystal of Creation]
+ Absolute Creation
Grants the ability to forge anything imaginable, constrained only by physical limits like size and complexity.
+ Infinite Creation
Creations remain permanent, but each one drains a portion of the crystal's strength over time.
New Abilities Locked – Awaiting Unlock