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“But if he’s alive…” I let the words hang.
The implication was clear.
If Krexar was still out there, stepping out into the open would be inviting danger.
As we prepared to leave, the decision weighing heavily on our minds, a voice cut through our debate. “A valiant attempt, Talan.”
Krexar stepped out from the treeline, every bit the imposing figure I remembered.
He looked almost untouched, not a hint of injury or fatigue from all the traps he had presumably encountered.
I felt my stomach drop, my scales turning a shade paler.
All those triggered traps… and he escaped them all?
His eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and menace. “Good try,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension. “But you’ll have to try harder than that if you want to kill me.”
In that split second, my reflexes went into overdrive.
Krexar’s hand moved in a blur, and I barely registered the sharp gleam of the darts he hurled our way.
Instinct took over.
I shoved Riley behind me and spun, trying to avoid the brunt of the attack.
Pain lanced through me as three darts sliced into my side.
The force of their impact staggered me, and I felt the warm stickiness of my blood.
A quick assessment told me that while the darts had cut deep, they hadn’t hit any vital organs.
I was injured but alive.
Riley’s eyes widened in horror as she took in the sight of the darts protruding from my body.
Without wasting a second, she pulled me towards the edge of the platform.
Our final failsafe.
The sensation of free-fall enveloped us as we took the leap, abandoning the battleground above.
The wind howled in my ears as we descended, the ground rushing up to meet us.
I clung to Riley, praying that our gamble would pay off, that the Game would reset once more.
As the terrain loomed closer, the uncertainty of our fate consumed me.
A bitter cocktail of emotions bubbled within me: frustration at the trap’s failure, fear for our immediate future, and, most potently, a deep sense of shame.
I had been so sure, so confident in our plan.
Yet here we were, evading our hunter, our supposed upper hand rendered meaningless.
Riley’s voice broke through my turmoil. “Talan, it’s okay. We’ll figure this out,” she reassured, her words laced with urgency and concern.
I could feel her grip tightening on me, her human warmth radiating comfort.
But even as her words tried to soothe my wounded pride, the truth was undeniable.
