Hunger had become an inseparable part of me. It was like an unquenchable flame, burning endlessly even after I devoured my last prey. I didn't know how long I had been in this place—day and night had no meaning in a world shrouded in eternal darkness.
Yet, amidst the darkness, new sounds began to emerge.
I stood still in a larger cavern than usual, listening. The sound didn't come from the small creatures I typically encountered but from something far bigger. Heavy footsteps echoed, sending low vibrations through the cave walls.
The instincts within me moved this body. I crouched behind a large rock, trying to conceal my presence. From a distance, I saw it—a massive serpent with glossy dark scales, its length at least ten times the size of my body. Its glowing red eyes burned like torches, reflecting the dim light of fungi on the cave walls.
My body froze. This was no ordinary creature. It was an apex predator.
But amid the fear, another urge surfaced: hunger.
My body began to tremble, my sharp claws gripping the stone beneath me. A voice in my head whispered, **prey.** But my mind—what was left of me as Alaric—screamed the opposite. **That's not prey. That's a killer.**
I took a deep breath—or whatever the equivalent was in this body. I couldn't fight something like that. Not yet.
Slowly, I crept backward, ensuring every movement was silent. But disaster struck when my tail accidentally brushed against a small rock, sending it tumbling to the cave floor with a loud clatter.
The serpent stopped. Its massive head lifted, its eyes scanning the room for the source of the sound.
My heart—or whatever replaced it in this body—pounded wildly. I forced myself to remain still, holding my breath, hoping the creature would lose interest.
But my hope shattered when the serpent began to approach, each step shaking the ground beneath me.
**This isn't the time to fight. It's time to run.**
---
I ran—or crawled as fast as this body could move. My breaths were short and frantic, the serpent's steps echoing behind me. The narrow cave corridors twisted like a disorienting labyrinth, but I didn't care. I knew only one thing: I had to survive.
The serpent was closing in. Its cold, venomous breath brushed against my back. I could hear its hissing, a terrifying mockery.
Just as I thought there was no escape, the cave corridor opened into a vast chamber. At its center lay a small, glowing green lake, covered in luminescent moss. The water sparkled as if radiating an inexplicable energy.
Without thinking, I leaped into the lake. The water was icy cold, but I dove deeper, hoping to evade the serpent.
From beneath the water, I saw the silhouette of the serpent standing at the lake's edge. It hesitated for a moment before retreating, leaving me alone in the still waters.
I exhaled deeply, letting myself float in the lake. My body began to feel strange, as though enveloped by an unfamiliar energy. The exhaustion and pain gradually disappeared, replaced by a fiery sense of renewal.
There was something in this water. Something transformative.
---
When I emerged from the lake, my body felt different. My muscles were stronger, my scales thicker, and my claws sharper. But the change wasn't just physical.
My mind felt… hazier. It was as if parts of me as Alaric were fading, replaced by wilder, more aggressive instincts.
I stared at my claws, glinting under the green light. This wasn't a human body. And slowly, I began to feel like I wasn't human anymore.
Yet, amidst the chaos in my mind, one name still echoed: Edwin.
I clung to that name desperately, like an anchor keeping me from being swept away by the tide of instincts. I had to escape this place. I had to find Edwin.
But what if, by the time I found him, I was no longer his brother?