Eli understood what Stiles was going through—it was either make sense of this strange situation or believe he'd really been chased by a man who could turn into a wolf. Eli knew he couldn't experience it the same way Stiles had, but his Pure Eyes allowed him to see beyond the mundane; he could see wolves within certain people, though the idea of someone actually transforming was new to him. Was this what his ability to see animal essences meant? Did every person he saw with an animal essence have the potential to transform? Or were they animals who had somehow taken human form?
As Eli considered this, Stiles was rambling nervously, though Eli only half-heard him as he was lost in thought. Stiles said, "I'm still kind of freaked out by it... Wolves can track prey from miles away, and I don't think we're even that far from the house."
Eli's eyes widened. They were alone in a vulnerable, burnt-out house, just two defenseless kids. Panic surged through him as his heart started to race. He had his ring, but was that enough? He needed something else to protect them, but it was too late—a howl, low and clear, echoed outside the house.
Stiles, who'd been in the middle of his sentence, fell silent, whispering, "Now would be a good time to wake up." Eli couldn't help but think how much he wished this was all just a dream. Then, suddenly, they heard the door creak. Both of them fell completely silent.
Eli gestured for Stiles to follow him, leading him into the room with the candles. Once they were inside, Eli quietly closed the door, exhaling in relief when it clicked shut. He looked over at Stiles, who was freaking out. Eli had noticed over the years that whenever Stiles was truly scared, he would either ramble or fall silent, his breaths growing short and his thoughts racing. Right now, he was silent and tense, his eyes darting around.
Stiles pointed toward the window. It was slightly open, and though it was a bit high, they could reduce the distance they'd need to fall if they stretched carefully. The ghost still lingered in the room, seemingly indifferent to their predicament. Stiles whispered, "Let's wait until it gets upstairs, then jump."
Eli strained to hear through the tense silence. From downstairs, the shuffling steps grew louder, an uneven cadence that sent chills racing up his spine. Whatever this thing was, it was no ordinary creature. Eli moved through the room in near silence, his eyes darting around as he searched for anything—anything—that could help them defend themselves. Each creak of the old house felt amplified, making his pulse spike.
But then there was a shift in the sounds below. The creature's steps became faster, deliberate, as it charged up the stairs.
Eli's heart pound. He met Stiles's terrified gaze just as panic took over, and without warning, Stiles lunged for the open window. "Stiles!" Eli whispered harshly, but Stiles was beyond listening, propelled by pure survival instinct. He scrambled over the windowsill and leapt, the height of the drop be damned.
Eli winced as he heard the brutal thud of Stiles hitting the ground, followed by a sharp, gut-wrenching scream that echoed up through the window. "No, no, no," Eli muttered. He couldn't spare a second thought—he could already hear the creature redirecting its attention back downstairs, and it was moving quickly, drawn to Stiles's scream.
He climbed through the window and dropped to the ground, landing smoothly thanks to the ring's protection. He rushed over to Stiles, who lay motionless, his leg bent at an unnatural angle and his face twisted in pain before he blacked out. No, not now. Please don't pass out, Eli pleaded silently. He glanced back, heart in his throat, as he saw the creature emerge from the house, moving slowly, as if savoring the chase.
They couldn't outrun it like this.
Desperation took hold, and Eli grabbed a nearby stone, hefting its weight as he prepared to throw. His arm swung back, and he hurled it with all his strength. The stone collided with the creature's head, shattering it in a burst of blood and bone fragments, splintering part of the doorframe behind it. But even as Eli watched, horrified, the pieces of its skull began pulling together, reforming with unnatural speed.
Frantically, he grabbed another stone, his hand trembling as he flung it with a yell. But this time, the creature, now half-reformed, let out a guttural growl and leaped, evading the rock by inches. The door hinges splintered as the stone hit, but the creature was already locked onto them, its beady eyes fixed, its focus unbreakable.
Think, Eli, think!
As the creature hurtled toward them, Eli did the only thing he could think of—he shoved Stiles's limp body out of the way and braced himself. He threw a wild punch at the creature's head as it lunged, jaws open wide, fangs gleaming. His fist connected, and for a second, it felt like his hand was punching solid air. The creature's face splattered from the impact, but its massive claw swung around, raking across Eli's chest, sending him flying backward. A fiery pain spread through his torso, and blood began to seep from the long gash across his skin. Without the ring's power, he realized, he might have been cleaved in half.
Dazed, he struggled to sit up. That's when he noticed a strange ash on the ground near his hand. The air around it seemed... wrong, as if the very essence of the place avoided it. His mind whirred, piecing together an idea. Maybe... maybe it could work.
He scooped up a handful of the ash, focusing hard, forcing every ounce of his will into it. "Upgrade," he whispered, feeling a surge of power burst to life in his palm, a bright blue light enveloping the ash as it transformed in his grip.
Item: Mountain Ash
Level: 1
Defense: 150/255
Attack: 100/200
Description: "May the monsters of the supernatural never desecrate your presence."
The energy nearly buckled him, but Eli managed to stay on his feet. He looked up just as the creature's head finished regenerating, its body poised to attack. Summoning all the strength he had left, Eli swung his arm and released the ash in a desperate shout. The blue energy shot forward, piercing the creature's body. In an instant, the creature's form cracked like shattered glass, fissures running along its body, until it finally exploded with a blast so strong that it lifted Eli off his feet, slamming him onto his back.
He lay there, breathless, his entire body aching, his vision blurred with exhaustion. He couldn't stay here, he realized—they couldn't stay here. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up and stumbled to Stiles, who lay unconscious in the dirt. He dragged him up as best as he could, pulling him toward the forest. Step by agonizing step, he pushed forward, praying they would make it.
They crossed the first tree line, and suddenly, they were back in front of Mrs. Macall's house. The world felt stable again, safe. Eli exhaled in relief, his heart finally slowing down. He dragged Stiles into the house, moving silently so as not to wake anyone. Scott lay sleeping softly in a chair, oblivious to the nightmare they had just escaped. Eli gently set Stiles down beside Scott, closing the door with a soft click.
Back at the strange, simmering pot, a faint pool of blood gleamed under the dim, flickering light. The figure leaned over it, his breath ragged, and then coughed violently, splattering fresh blood into the pool. His body shook, weakened. He steadied himself, staring down at the blood with silent, simmering rage.
"Damn it… damn it…" he muttered, his voice a low, seething growl that grew louder, more furious.
"Damn it! DAMN IT!"