The group stood at the mouth of the cave, its entrance a gaping maw that seemed to breathe darkness. Erythros turned to face them, his glowing eyes narrowing. His voice was a deep rumble that echoed off the jagged walls.
"Come along with me," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
No one moved. The weight of his presence and the sharp aura of danger kept them frozen in place. Only Liora, her resolve unshaken, took a tentative step forward.
"Liora, wait!" Karael called, but she ignored him, her eyes fixed on Erythros.
The moment she moved, the others hesitantly followed, their steps slow and uncertain. But Erythros suddenly stopped, turning back with terrifying speed. His massive fist struck Liora squarely in the chest before anyone could react.
The impact was devastating. Blood erupted from her mouth, pooling on the cave floor as her body crumpled to the ground.
"Liora!" Karael screamed, rushing to her side, but before he could reach her, Erythros lashed out again.
Karael was the next to fall, his body flung across the cave like a rag doll. He crashed into the stone wall with a sickening thud, blood streaking his face.
"Erythros, stop!" Ryan Jim shouted, but the beast was relentless.
Ryan Jim charged forward, his weapon raised. "You won't lay another hand on—"
Erythros' fist caught him mid-sentence, slamming into his abdomen with raw, unrestrained power. The sound of ribs cracking echoed through the cave as Ryan Jim collapsed, gasping for air, blood dripping from his lips.
Dain tried to draw his weapon, but Erythros was faster. He struck him in the side with a bone-shattering blow that sent him sprawling.
"Stay down!" Erythros roared.
Elyas attempted to flank the beast, his movements calculated, but it was futile. Erythros grabbed him by the shoulder and slammed him into the ground. Elyas groaned in agony, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.
Thane hesitated, his hands trembling as he raised his weapon. "You... you can't—"
Erythros silenced him with a brutal punch to the chest, the force of it sending Thane skidding across the rocky floor.
"You dare follow me?" Erythros growled, his voice filled with contempt. "Before you find Dr. Moreau, I will find her—and I will kill her myself."
The group lay scattered across the cave floor, each of them battered and bleeding. Liora's breaths came in shallow gasps, her blood pooling around her. Karael struggled to push himself up, his vision swimming.
Ryan Jim, blood dripping from his mouth, gritted his teeth and forced himself to his knees. His eyes burned with a fierce determination as he steadied himself.
"Our... our leader was right dr moreau is alive," Ryan Jim muttered, his voice strained but defiant.
With a deep breath, Ryan Jim's aura began to shimmer around him, faint at first but growing stronger. The energy radiating from him seemed to heal his wounds partially, the bleeding slowing as his body regained some of its strength.
He rose to his feet, standing tall despite the agony etched across his face. His aura burned brighter, a defiant light against the oppressive darkness of the cave.
Erythros turned to face him, his molten eyes narrowing in interest. "You think you can stand against me, human?"
Ryan Jim's voice was steady, filled with resolve. "I don't think. I know."
Ryan Jim stepping forward, his aura blazing, ready to confront the beast that had brought them to their knees. The others watched from the ground, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and hope. The fight was far from over, and Ryan Jim was ready to give everything he had.