Before they could react, the bloodroots erupted faster than ever, lunging from the walls, ceiling, and floor, writhing like starving serpents. The pack froze in stunned horror. Then came a deafening crack, the splintering of stone and roots, and the tunnel buckled.
In one violent moment, the earth collapsed around Evelyne and Heidara, sealing them inside.
Evelyne coughed, pushing herself up. Not hurt, but shaken. Heidara groaned beside her, clutching her head, looking dazed and weak. Kaldrek and Holden’s shouts rang through the dust and rubble.
“We’re okay!” Evelyne shouted back, heart pounding. “Just get us out!”
But then she saw it.
A jagged hole yawned open in the rock, revealing a deep, shadowy void. And from its depths, something began to crawl.
The creature emerged slowly, dragging itself on all fours with jerky, unnatural movements. Its body was hunched and contorted, and every limb was wrong in shape and rhythm. Blackened skin stretched over its frame like scorched leather, and long, curling claws scraped against the stone with each step. Filthy fangs jutted from its mouth,slick with something dark and wet. Though its body resembled a human’s, its face was a twisted mockery—bat-like, with shriveled nostrils and gleaming, soulless eyes. It was hideous and monstrous. It should not have existed.
Its empty black eyes locked onto her.
Evelyne’s breath caught in her throat. Her hands flew to the daggers at her belt, muscles tensing as instinct took over.
The creature lunged without warning.
It moved with terrifying speed, its claws outstretched. Evelyne barely managed to dive to the side, the sound of its claws raking against stone shrieking in her ears. The stench of rot and decay choked her, and its putrid breath burned hot against her skin.
But she didn’t let herself freeze. Couldn’t.
With a sharp inhale, she shifted her weight and sprang forward, dragging one of her daggers across the creature’s exposed gut.
A bloodcurdling squeal wrenched from its throat, the sound so high and shrill it made her ears ring.
Heidara, who had been knocked down during the chaos, pushed herself upright. Her legs wobbled beneath her at first, but she steadied. With a snarl, she charged—a warrior to her core. A fighter born of discipline and survival. And together, they faced the nightmare.
The beast twisted with unnatural speed, black blood oozing from the gash in its side. It whirled toward Heidara with eyes wild and feral, then struck with its razor-sharp claws. Heidara ducked beneath the first blow. Another swipe came, and she turned away, her body moving with practiced precision.
Slash. Dodge. Counter.Her blades sliced through the air in a blur of silver and fury. But the creature didn’t slow; it was relentless, driven by something sinister and vicious. In a sudden burst of motion, it lungedfor Heidara, and before she could react, its fangs sank deep into her neck, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips.
A frantic scream burst from Evelyne’s throat, echoing through the tunnel. On the other side of the collapsed wall, voices exploded. Kaldrek, Holden, and the others began shouting and trying to dig through the rubble. But the noise was distant, muffled by Evelyne’s fear, as if the world had narrowed to nothing but the chaos before her.
Something inside her snapped. A white-hot rage surged through her, burning away the panic with a terrifying clarity. With a scream, she lunged, dagger gripped tight, and plunged it into the creature’s neck—once, twice, again, and again. It convulsed violently, black blood splattering the stone, but still, she didn’t stop.
Heidara lay unmoving, and Evelyne couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. She just kept striking, blood coating her arms, her hands slick and trembling, until the beast finally crumpled, lifeless at her feet.
She stood over the creature, chest rising and falling, as the world slowly came back into focus. The rush of blood in her ears slipped away, replaced by the urgent sound of her name being called.
“Evelyne!” Kaldrek shouted frantically. “Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” she whispered, breathless, then louder, “Yes, but—”
Her heart plummeted as her gaze landed on Heidara’s limp body.
No, no, no—
Evelyne tore at her shirt, pressing the fabric hard against Heidara’s throat, desperate to stop the bleeding. To keep her here. Wolves healed faster than humans, but even her magic couldn’t mend the wound fast enough.
A low snarl echoed through the tunnel.
Evelyne’s head snapped up just in time for her to see another demon crawl from the hole in the rock.
“Kaldrek! There’s another one!” she shouted, rising to her feet with measured movements, careful not to draw its gaze too soon.
“You have to hold it off, Evelyne!”
