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The creature’s deep, rumbling chuckle echoed ominously through the clearing.
It grabbed the arrow and yanked it from the pistol, before raising the blaster again at me.
This time, he couldn’t miss.
Riley shrieked, “Talan!”
The Ty’a’tim pulled the trigger.
But instead of a controlled burst of energy, the crack made by the arrow in the pistol expanded rapidly, turning the weapon into an improvised grenade.
A flash of confusion, then shock, registered on the Ty’a’tim’s face.
He pulled his arm back to hurl the weapon at me but the resulting explosion beat him to it.
A brilliant flash consumed the creature entirely.
When the light and noise faded, nothing remained of the formidable opponent but a smoldering puddle, stark against the vibrant greens of the jungle floor.
I knew a single arrow wasn’t going to kill the beast, but turning his own weapon against him…
Breathing heavily, I ran to the crate, hoping to secure any leftover resources that might be of use to us.
Rifling through its contents, I found a variety of tools and weapons.
I passed a handful to Riley, her eyes wide with shock and adrenaline, then grabbed another armful for myself.
“We need to get away from here,” I said. “Before the other male—”
The stillness of the clearing was shattered by a low, menacing growl.
Turning slowly, my gaze met with the yellow, predatory eyes of the last alien male contender.
It was the first creature I had seen in this nightmare.
The creature that searched our pod during the first round.
A hybrid between alien and beast.
AZylvari.
The Zylvari stood poised at the edge of the clearing, his powerful, muscled frame tensed, ready to strike.
Thick fur covered his body, darker patches signifying scars from previous battles.
His fangs gleamed ominously, and his clawed hands twitched in anticipation.
Time seemed to freeze as we locked eyes, an electric tension between predator and prey.
In that suspended moment, I realized that escaping this creature would be our greatest challenge yet.
I turned to Riley even as I shifted my bodyweight.“Run!”
We crashed through the dense underbrush, our feet barely touching the ground.
Behind us, the enraged roar of the Zylvari filled the air, a primal sound that sent shivers down my spine.
He was on the hunt, andwewere his prey.
