Nate's eyes locked onto the towering creature, his mind filled with a single, unrelenting thought: Kill it.
There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. His hands burned brightly, flames dancing wildly around his fingers as he charged forward. His footsteps were light, agile, as if the fire inside him fueled not only his attacks but his movements. The creature snarled, raising its claws defensively as Nate launched the first wave of fire at it.
The flames slammed into its chest, searing the slimy black surface. The creature roared in pain, its glowing red eyes narrowing in fury. Nate didn't stop—he pressed his advantage, hurling another fireball, forcing the beast to step back.
Behind him, Madison wasted no time. She sprinted toward the bound captives, teleporting swiftly to Bella's side. With a quick motion, she began slicing through the black, slimy material that encased Bella.
"Forget me," Bella gasped as she felt the restraint loosening. "Help the others first. Some of them can fight."
Madison hesitated but nodded, moving to the next person in line while Bella used her telekinesis to rip away the last of her bindings. As soon as Bella was free, she turned her attention to Nate, who was still battling the beast.
The fight was intense. Nate's fire scorched the air around them, filling the chamber with heat and the acrid smell of burning slime. He was quick, his attacks relentless, and for a moment, it seemed like he was winning.
But the beast had been holding back.
Nate realized this too late. The creature suddenly lunged forward with incredible speed, swiping at him with claws that glinted like blades in the firelight. Nate barely dodged, the claws grazing his arm and drawing blood. The pain was sharp, but he gritted his teeth and retaliated with a powerful burst of fire aimed at the creature's face.
The flames hit their mark, but instead of recoiling, the beast roared with renewed fury. It was as though Nate's attacks only fueled its rage. The creature lashed out again, this time with a crushing blow to Nate's stomach. The force sent him flying backward.
Before Nate could even process the pain, he felt a sudden, invisible force catch him mid-air. He was gently lowered to the ground, and when he looked up, he saw Bella standing nearby, her hand outstretched.
"Got you," she said, her voice firm but tinged with concern.
Nate pushed himself up, his flames reigniting. "Thanks," he muttered, his jaw tightening as he glared at the beast.
The creature, now fully illuminated by the firelight, bellowed furiously, its slimy body pulsating with rage. But it wasn't just facing Nate anymore. Bella stepped forward, her hand still raised, ready to strike with her telekinetic power.
It was no longer a one-on-one fight.
The odds shifted further when a new voice broke through the chaos.
"I can help," a girl said, stepping forward from the group of freed captives.
Nate turned and recognized her immediately. "Alice?" He knew her from school, she was his lab partner.
She nodded, raising her hands to reveal a layer of frost forming on her palms. "You're not the only one with powers."
A spark of hope ignited in Nate's chest. Alice's powers were exactly what they needed to counter the beast. Ice against slime—it was a perfect match.
"Stay close to me," Nate instructed, his voice steady despite the chaos. "I'll keep you safe, but follow my lead."
Alice nodded, her face set with determination.
The battle resumed with renewed vigor. Nate launched a stream of fire at the beast, driving it back while Alice moved beside him, her hands glowing with icy energy. With a swift motion, she unleashed a wave of frost that spread across the walls and floor, creating a slippery, frozen surface.
The beast roared in frustration as the ice began to affect its movements. It slipped and stumbled, its claws struggling to find purchase on the frozen ground. Alice grinned, clearly satisfied with the result, but Nate didn't let his guard down.
"Keep freezing the walls!" he shouted. "It can move through them—if we seal them off, we can trap it!"
Alice nodded and got to work, her hands moving in graceful arcs as she spread ice along the walls. Meanwhile, Bella used her telekinesis to hurl debris at the beast, distracting it and keeping it off balance.
The creature, realizing it was losing control, let out an ear-piercing shriek. Its body shimmered and seemed to dissolve into the wall behind it.
"It's in the wall!" Bella shouted.
"Not for long," Alice said, her voice steady as she concentrated. Ice spread rapidly across the wall, sealing it with a thick layer of frost. The creature tried to emerge, but the moment its slimy form touched the ice, it recoiled in pain.
Taking advantage of its momentary vulnerability, Nate unleashed a powerful blast of fire, striking the beast square in the chest. The flames and ice worked together, tearing into the creature's slimy body and reducing it in size.
The fight dragged on, each blow from the trio weakening the beast further. Nate's fire scorched its flesh, Alice's ice slowed its movements, and Bella's telekinesis kept it from attacking effectively.
But the creature was resilient. Even as it shrank, it fought back fiercely, its claws slashing at anything within reach. It managed to knock Bella off her feet at one point, but Madison appeared in an instant, teleporting her to safety before the beast could strike again.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the beast let out a guttural, defeated roar. Its body, now significantly smaller and weaker, began to retreat.
"It's running!" Bella shouted.
"No" Nate growled, his flames flaring brighter.
Before anyone could stop him, Nate took off after the creature, his anger and determination driving him forward.
"Nate, wait!" Madison called, but he didn't listen.
Realizing he wasn't going to stop, Madison teleported to his side, determined to protect him no matter what.
The tunnel stretched on endlessly, its walls dark and slick, but Nate barely noticed. His focus was on the beast ahead, its still massive form lumbering through the narrow passage as it fled. Flames flickered at his fingertips, lighting the path as he and Madison pursued it relentlessly.
"Nate, slow down!" Madison called, teleporting to keep pace with him. "You don't know what's ahead!"
"I don't care," Nate growled, his voice tight with anger. "That thing has to die."
Madison frowned but stayed silent. She understood his rage, but she also knew they couldn't afford recklessness. Still, she followed closely, ready to pull him out of danger if things went wrong.
The beast suddenly stopped, turning its massive head to glare at them. Its glowing red eyes narrowed, and it let out a low, guttural growl.
"Nate, wait—" Madison began, but he cut her off.
"Get me in front of it," he said, his voice firm.
"What?"
"Teleport me in front of it. Now!"
Madison hesitated for only a moment before nodding. In a flash, she grabbed his arm, and the two of them disappeared, reappearing directly in the beast's path.
The creature roared in surprise, its slimy body recoiling slightly at their sudden appearance. Nate wasted no time. He drew his fist back, flames surging around it, and delivered a devastating punch to the beast's face.
The impact sent the creature stumbling backward, its massive form crashing to the ground with a deafening thud. It let out a pained roar, but Nate didn't stop.
He followed up with another blast of fire, then another, his movements fueled by pure fury. Each strike scorched the beast's slimy skin, filling the air with the acrid smell of burning flesh.
"Stay down!" Nate shouted, his voice echoing through the tunnel.
The beast thrashed, its claws scraping against the walls as it tried to defend itself, but Nate was relentless. Fire engulfed his hands as he unleashed a flurry of attacks, his anger driving him to keep going even as the creature's movements slowed.
Madison watched in stunned silence as Nate continued his assault. The beast was clearly dying, its body twitching weakly with each strike, but Nate didn't stop.
"Nate!" Madison called, but he didn't hear her.
He was lost in his rage, the memory of the human bone they'd found burning in his mind. This creature had taken their friends, killed them, devoured them. He couldn't let it live.
Finally, with one last fiery blast, the beast let out a final, guttural roar and collapsed completely. Its body went limp, the light fading from its red eyes. It was dead.
But Nate didn't stop.
He kept attacking, flames roaring from his hands as he struck the lifeless body again and again. His jaw was clenched, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain.
"Nate," Madison said softly, stepping closer.
He didn't respond.
"Nate," she repeated, her voice firmer this time.
Still, he didn't stop.
Madison reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Nate," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "It's over. The beast is dead."
For a moment, Nate didn't move. His breathing was heavy, his hands still glowing with fire. Slowly, he turned to look at her, his eyes searching hers.
"I understand," Madison said, her voice soft. "I feel it too. Seeing that bone… knowing what it did to them… it hurts. But it's over now."
Nate's flames flickered and died out. He let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping as the weight of everything hit him.
"I couldn't stop," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I know," Madison said, squeezing his arm gently. "But you don't have to carry this alone. We'll face it together."
Nate nodded, his anger slowly giving way to exhaustion. He glanced at the beast's lifeless body, then back at Madison.
"Let's go," he said quietly.
Madison nodded, and together they began the walk back, the shadows of the tunnel closing in behind them.