"To survive is to fight. To win is to sacrifice."
Kael froze, gaping at the creature in front of him. It was enormous, easily fifteen feet tall, with twisted horns that scouring the cavern ceiling. Its sinewy, scaly body lay mottled and black like a living wound. The molten gold eyes locked on Kael with a raw hunger. Corrosive venom dripped from the beast's claws, hissing as drops landed on the stone ground, corroding the surface.
Behind it stood a massive door, carved with runes that glowed faintly, whispering of promises and warnings. Whatever lay beyond, Kael knew this was the gatekeeper.a
He tightened his grip on his spear, the haft slick with his own sweat. "You're the last one," he muttered, his voice trembling. "I'm ending this."
The creature roared back, its voice a thunderous crash that shook the walls of the cavern. Kael charged ahead, and combat commenced.
The beast charged with horrifying speed, its size belied. A colossal claw swiped at Kael's head, and he plunged to the side to avoid it. He rolled over, his shoulder scraping against rough stone, and returned with a lunge of his spear. The spear bit into the beast's hide but barely broke it, the scales sending most of the impact flying elsewhere. Sparks flashed as the spear bounced off.
Kael swore under his breath.
The beast struck back, thudding its tail against the earth. The shock sent him flying backward, air bursting from his chest. He didn't have time to catch his breath before it closed the gap, striking with its claws once more. This time he couldn't avoid it entirely. The tip of a talon scored across his chest, slicing through armor and into flesh.
Blood stained his shirt. Pain seared, but Kael clenched his teeth and persevered. He had to fight smarter, not stronger.
He lifted his hand, concentrating his mana. Gravity burst around the monster, tugging its arms toward the ground. For an instant, the beast stumbled, its movements labored. Kael didn't let it pass. He rushed in, swinging his spear to strike its exposed throat.
The strike hit home. The spear plunged into the flesh of the beast, black blood arcing out. The beast screamed with pain, fighting hard. Its claws ripped Kael's side, sending him flying again. His ribs protested the impact. He coughed, blood splattering on the ground.
He could not give up now.
Kael pushed himself upright, his eyes blurring. He lifted his hand once more, this time directing a more concentrated warping of gravity. A piece of rock ripped loose from the ceiling, slamming down on the beast. It bellowed as the boulder crushed one of its legs.
Kael panted, his body crying out for rest. The artifacts he bore, the Tyrants ring and the Watchers Eye, throbbed with mana, straining him to his limits. Every motion was like dragging himself through quicksand, but he would not yield. Not now. Not this close.
The monster, hurt but hardly beaten, snapped its mouth at him. Kael just escaped the bite, the razor teeth closing mere inches from his nose. He jammed his spear into its maw, using every ounce of strength to keep its jaws apart. The monster flailed, sending him flying from the ground in its frenzy. His arms shook as he struggled to hold on.
With a frantic shout, he funneled gravity downwards. The energy slammed the creature's head onto the ground, shattering the stone beneath it. Kael took advantage of the opportunity, yanking his spear loose and thrusting it into the creature's eye. The golden radiance faded as the creature gave one last, rasping bellow.
It was silent.
Kael fell to the ground next to the corpse, struggling for breath. His hands trembled as he attempted to stand up. Blood filled the space between him and the ground, both his and the monster's. He had triumphed. He had somehow triumphed.
He was dying.
The cut on his chest was deep, and the slashes down his side freely bled. His eyes went fuzzy, and his limbs felt like lead weights. Kael struggled with his pouch, spilling out the potion he had pulled from the chest days prior.
His hand shook as he opened the bottle. The contents inside glimmered abnormally, changing colors. He didn't know what it would do. It might save him, or kill him dead.
But he had no other option. He was out of time.
Kael brought the bottle to his mouth and drank.
The potion burned its way down, a hot flame that coursed through his veins. He doubled over, gasping in great lungfuls of air. Agony flashed across his body, worse than anything he had ever known. His muscles convulsed, and he fell to the ground, writhing. Each nerve shrieked, each wound seared like molten iron was being injected into it.
He couldn't even yell. The agony took away his voice, and he writhed silently. His thoughts hovered on the brink of darkness.
And then—
Nothing.
Kael's body stilled, his chest rising and falling as he hung on to consciousness. The cave was quiet again, except for the distant buzz of the gigantic door behind him.
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AN: Guess what's beyond those door