The creature let out a guttural squawk, its skeletal frame trembling with rage and pain. Its talons flexed, carving deep grooves into the stone floor as it prepared to lunge again.
Ezra stumbled back, nearly tripping over a loose chunk of debris. His lavender eyes darted wildly across the chamber, searching for something—anything—that could give him an advantage. His mind raced, thoughts colliding in a chaotic blur.
"Think, think, think!" he muttered under his breath, his fingers trembling.
Behind him, Shirley's sharp voice cut through the chaos. "Ezra! Move!"
Ezra flinched and hurled himself to the side just as the creature lunged, its talons crashing down where he'd been standing seconds before. Stone cracked and splintered under the force, sending shards flying in every direction.
Shirley was already in motion, his knife glinting in the dim firelight as he dashed toward the creature's vulnerable side. His movements were precise, deliberate—every step timed perfectly to avoid the deadly swipes of talons and beak.
"Ezra!" Shirley barked, his voice sharp and commanding. "Keep it distracted! Don't let it focus on me!"
"Distracted?!" Ezra sputtered, clutching a splintered piece of charred wood in trembling hands. "How exactly am I supposed to distract a giant demon chicken?!"
But there was no time for hesitation. The creature was already turning, its four glowing yellow eyes flicking between Shirley and Ezra, deciding which prey to chase. Ezra's heart thundered in his chest as he took a shaky step forward, gripping the wooden plank like it was a divine weapon.
"Hey! Featherface!" Ezra shouted, his voice raw and desperate. "Over here! You want a snack? Come and get it!"
The creature's grotesque head snapped toward Ezra, its talons twitching against the stone floor. Its neck craned forward with an unnatural creak, glowing eyes narrowing as it zeroed in on him.
Ezra's stomach plummeted. 'That worked. That actually worked. And now it's coming straight for me.'
The creature lunged, its skeletal beak snapping shut with a sound like splintering bone. Ezra dove to the side, rolling across the icy floor as shards of stone and frost rained down around him. His wooden weapon skittered out of his grip, disappearing into the shadows.
"Shirley!" Ezra wheezed, his palms scraping against frozen debris as he scrambled to his feet. "Anytime now would be great!"
From behind the monster, Shirley let out a sharp grunt as he drove his dagger into the back of the creature's leg. A burst of black ichor sprayed from the wound, sizzling against the frost-covered stone. The monster reared back, letting out a screech so sharp it felt like Ezra's skull might crack from the sound.
"Get clear, Ezra!" Shirley roared.
Ezra stumbled backward, chest heaving, lungs burning with every freezing breath. His vision blurred as frost crept across the edges of the room, the oppressive cold pressing down on him like an iron shroud.
But then, amidst the chaos, he saw it—a crack in the creature's chest, where feathers had been burned away and the skin was torn open. A vulnerable spot.
His eyes flicked to a jagged piece of rusted rebar sticking out from a pile of rubble nearby. His stomach churned, but hesitation wasn't an option.
'Come on, Ezra. One chance.'
Ezra lunged for the rebar, his frozen fingers wrapping around the icy metal. It was heavier than he expected, its surface rough and cold against his skin. His breath hitched as he turned back toward the creature, now thrashing and roaring as Shirley danced around its deadly swipes.
"Shirley!" Ezra yelled, raising the rebar like a makeshift spear. "Hold it still!"
Shirley's head snapped up, and he didn't hesitate. With a burst of strength, he slammed his palm into the stone floor, sending out a pulse of energy that rippled beneath his boots. The vibrations caused the creature to falter for just a moment—just long enough.
Ezra's arm snapped forward, every ounce of his strength and desperation pouring into the throw. The rebar tore through the air like a javelin, glowing faintly in the cold light of the chamber. Time slowed. The freezing air crackled around him as the weapon hurtled toward its target.
With a sickening crunch, the rebar struck the creature dead center in its cracked chest.
The force was immense, driving the monster backward until its skeletal frame slammed against the stone wall with a bone-jarring impact. A guttural screech erupted from its throat, sharp and raw, reverberating through the chamber like a death knell.
The creature writhed, its talons scraping wildly at the rebar lodged deep in its chest. Its glowing yellow eyes flickered erratically, the predatory gleam fading into something dull and lifeless. Black ichor poured from the wound, sizzling and hissing as it pooled onto the frost-covered stone.
Ezra stood frozen, his chest heaving, wide lavender eyes locked onto the monster's spasming frame. The warmth in his chest faded, leaving behind an aching hollowness. His trembling arms hung at his sides, his breaths sharp and uneven.
"Did… did that actually work?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
The monster let out one final, drawn-out screech before its body sagged, impaled against the wall. Its limbs twitched weakly, the yellow glow in its eyes flickering once… twice… and then fading into darkness.
The oppressive aura that had suffocated the chamber began to lift. The frost on the floor cracked and splintered, slowly receding as if the monster's death had released something foul from the air.
From the shadows, Shirley stumbled forward, one hand clutching his bleeding side. His face was pale, his steel-gray eyes flickering between Ezra and the impaled creature.
"Kid…" Shirley rasped, his voice rough. "What the hell was that?"
He managed a faint nod before his knees buckled. With a harsh grunt, he crumpled onto the cold stone floor, his body going still.
Ezra rushed forward. His boots skidded slightly on the slick frost as he dropped to his knees beside the older man. Two trembling fingers pressed against Shirley's neck, and relief surged through Ezra when he felt a faint, steady pulse beneath his fingertips.
"You're still with me. Good." Ezra exhaled shakily, his breath fogging in the cold air. His sharp eyes scanned Shirley's injury—a jagged gash across his torso, glistening with fresh blood.
Ezra's hands hovered over the wound, uncertainty flickering in his expression before resolve hardened his gaze.
"You'd better owe me for this, old man," Ezra muttered as he spread his trembling palms over the injury.
A faint, white glow began to emanate from his hands. It flickered weakly at first before stabilizing into a steady radiance. The light seeped into the wound like liquid silver, knitting together raw flesh and slowing the bleeding.
Ezra's breathing grew ragged, sweat dripping from his brow as exhaustion gnawed at him. But he didn't stop. His hands stayed steady until the worst of the wound began to close.
Finally, the light faded, leaving Ezra trembling and pale. He slumped backward, gasping for air as his head rested against the icy stone.
Shirley's chest rose and fell with shallow but steady breaths.
Ezra let out a weak, breathless laugh as his heavy eyelids fluttered closed.
"Well… that's a start," he whispered hoarsely before letting the exhaustion pull him under.