Ray's body slammed into the ground with a sickening thud, the impact reverberating through his entire frame. His descent into the abyss had been nothing short of harrowing, and now, the consequences were manifesting in every agonizing moment of pain. His legs, once his source of speed and strength, were twisted at unnatural angles, broken beyond recognition. Every shallow breath sent a sharp, stabbing pain through his ribs, which he suspected were fractured or worse. Blood streamed down his face from a deep gash on his forehead, staining his vision crimson and adding to his disorientation. His arms, scraped raw and littered with deep cuts, lay limp at his sides, barely responsive. The skin of his palms was torn, leaving raw, bleeding flesh exposed. It felt as though his entire body had been crushed under the weight of his fall, and every nerve screamed in protest.
He tried to move, but the effort sent fresh waves of pain radiating through him, forcing a strangled cry from his throat. His vision blurred, the edges of his sight dimming as consciousness threatened to slip away. Yet, amidst the haze of agony, his instincts screamed at him to survive. His hand twitched, trembling uncontrollably as he forced it toward the pouch at his waist. Every inch he moved his arm felt like dragging it through molten steel. His broken bones ground together with nauseating crunches, each movement threatening to push him past his limit.
After what felt like an eternity, his fingertips brushed against the small vial of high-grade potion. Clutching it was a task in itself—his fingers refused to obey, stiff and weakened by the sheer trauma his body had endured. Summoning every ounce of willpower, he tightened his grip around the vial and brought it shakily to his lips. His arm felt like it would give out at any moment, but he pressed on. Tilting his head back, he let the liquid trickle into his mouth. The potion burned as it went down, its heat spreading through his body like wildfire.
Almost immediately, the effects began to take hold. The pain dulled, replaced by a soothing warmth that seemed to envelop his entire being. He watched in stunned silence as his wounds began to close before his eyes. The shattered bones in his legs realigned with sickening cracks, and the torn muscles in his arms repaired themselves as if guided by some divine force. His breathing steadied, the tightness in his chest easing with each passing second. It was nothing short of a miracle—a blessing from the goddess herself.
But the potion came at a cost. His strength, already hanging by a thread, was completely sapped. He tried to stand, but his legs refused to obey, buckling beneath him. Exhausted, he collapsed back onto the ground, his body still trembling from the ordeal.
The silence that followed was broken by a deafening roar, a sound so primal and guttural that it sent a chill down Ray's spine. His eyes snapped open, and he turned his head toward the source. Emerging from the rubble was the Minotaur, its massive frame battered and bleeding. The once-mighty beast was now a shadow of its former self, its green blood oozing from gaping wounds that covered its muscular body. Yet, its eyes burned with unrelenting rage, its determination unbroken. It let out another earth-shaking roar, the sound reverberating through the chasm and causing the ground beneath Ray to tremble.
Ray's heart pounded in his chest, his breath hitching as fear took hold. He tried to crawl backward, but his body refused to move, paralyzed by the sheer terror of the moment. The Minotaur's gaze locked onto him, and for a moment, Ray was certain this was the end.
Then, from the shadows, a presence made itself known.
At first, it was just a silhouette, an elongated shadow that seemed to stretch unnaturally across the rubble-strewn ground. Ray's eyes widened, his throat tightening as the shadow moved closer. It wasn't the Minotaur—it was something far worse. When the figure finally stepped into the dim light, Ray felt the blood drain from his face.
The creature was tall, towering over anything Ray had ever seen before. Its skin was an ashen gray, riddled with jagged veins of black that pulsed faintly, as if molten lava flowed beneath the surface. Its form was humanoid, but it was far from human. Thick, jet-black fur covered parts of its arms and legs, blending seamlessly into the unnatural texture of its flesh. Its hands ended in razor-sharp claws that gleamed ominously, and its feet were talon-like, digging into the ground with each step.
The creature's face was a nightmare made flesh. Its eyes were pits of endless darkness, faintly glowing with an eerie light that seemed to pierce through Ray's soul. Two massive horns jutted out from its head, curling back in a menacing arc, while smaller, jagged spikes lined its shoulders and back. Its mouth stretched into a wicked grin, revealing rows of sharp, predatory teeth. A dark, oppressive aura radiated from the creature, thick and suffocating, pressing down on Ray like an invisible weight. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to run, but he couldn't. He was frozen, his limbs refusing to respond.
The demon—or monster, as Ray could only perceive it—turned its gaze toward the Minotaur. With a casual wave of its clawed hand, it unleashed an unfathomable power. The air seemed to shatter around the Minotaur, and in an instant, its upper body was obliterated. The massive creature that had once been the embodiment of terror was reduced to nothing but two bloodied legs, which crumpled to the ground with a hollow thud.
Ray watched in stunned horror, his mind unable to comprehend the scene before him. Tears streamed down his face, his body trembling uncontrollably. He wanted to scream, to cry out, but no sound came. His voice was lost, swallowed by the overwhelming fear that gripped him.
The creature slowly turned its attention to Ray. Its gaze alone was enough to paralyze him, the weight of its aura crushing any remaining strength he had. The demon's expression shifted, its grin widening as it stepped closer. Ray's breath hitched, his vision blurring as panic consumed him.
The demon crouched down, bringing its face level with Ray's. Its dark eyes seemed to peer into his very soul, and for a moment, all Ray could feel was despair. The creature's clawed hand reached out, its cold, rough fingers gripping Ray's face with an unsettling gentleness. The contact sent a shiver down his spine, his entire body trembling under the weight of its presence.
"You will do," the demon said, its voice deep and hollow, carrying a chilling finality. "Don't disappoint me like the others."
Ray's eyes widened, his mind reeling from the words. Before he could even begin to process what was happening, his vision darkened, and he slipped into unconsciousness once more. The last thing he felt was the icy grip of the demon's hand, a reminder of the nightmare he had just endured.