He ran, fast and desperate, through the narrow tunnel, he ran.
Behind him, a feral beast was closing in, its claws scraping against stone, growls echoing in the dark. Tyler Lockwood had no choice but to run for his life.
Unless he was tired of living.
But he wasn't.
At sixteen, he was far too young to die. He had dreams, grudges, and unfinished goals. There were people he needed to kill, and a kingdom he planned to destroy. How could he die now, when he hadn't even started?
That wasn't Tyler Lockwood. No, he refused to die here. He would survive.
This bull-headed dog chasing him down? He would survive that too.
Still, deep down, Tyler knew the truth. He couldn't keep running forever.
At some point, he would have to stop and face the monster. The only question was, what were his chances if he fought it head-on?
He held a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. Both were looted from corpses. The dead didn't need weapons, after all.
With a sword and shield, he should be able to fight, right? Not exactly.
The creature was huge, at least 1.83 meters tall. Tyler, on the other hand, was only 1.65 meters. That was already a big problem.
But size wasn't the only issue.
The beast looked like a twisted mix between a dog and a bull, strong muscles bulging under rough hide, its body built for crushing things that got in its way. Tyler, by comparison, looked like a stick figure that hadn't eaten for days, which wasn't far from the truth.
He had lost count after the third day without food.
"Damn it!" he cursed, his voice echoing through the tunnel.
His foot came to a sudden stop. He spun around to face the beast charging toward him.
"I can do this!" he shouted.
He said it aloud, but the truth was obvious. He couldn't. Or rather, he shouldn't.
The tunnel was too tight. His sword and shield, though strong, were useless in the hands of a beginner. He knew that. But he also knew he didn't have much of a choice.
So here goes nothing.
Sweat ran down his face and neck as he prepared for the beast's attack. His heart pounded like a drum inside his chest.
On second thought, waiting for the beast to crash into him didn't sound like a good idea at all.
Right. Definitely not.
In a situation like this, improvising was the only path to survival. He had to take the initiative.
In a narrow tunnel like this, with barely enough space for one person to pass, there was only one thing he could do, charge first.
So he did.
From the right end of the tunnel, the beast came charging, its heavy steps shaking the ground. From the left, Tyler sprinted with all the strength he had left.
They met in the center. Or almost.
Just before impact, Tyler stomped hard on the ground and threw himself into the air.
For a brief moment, he was airborne. The beast thundered past underneath him, missing by inches. As it rushed by, Tyler landed behind it, an opening right before his eyes.
Without wasting a second, he thrust his sword forward with all his might.
It wasn't a skilled move, more like the clumsy stab of a desperate beginner, but it worked... Barely.
The blade's tip grazed the beast's tough hide, leaving only a shallow cut.
The monster roared in pain and rage, turning sharply. Its claws scraped the floor as it spun to face him again.
This fight was far from over.
The beast lowered its head and charged once more, faster this time. Tyler didn't have enough space to jump again. His body tensed. He raised his shield, bracing himself for the impact.
Then it hit.
It felt like being hit by a speeding truck. The sheer force sent him flying backward, slamming hard against the ground several meters away.
Pain exploded through his body. His bones ached, his head spun, and his breath caught in his throat. But through the dizziness and the pain, one thought stayed clear in his mind, don't drop your weapons.
He tightened his grip. No matter what happened, he couldn't afford to lose the sword or shield.
The beast didn't stop. It turned again, snorting heavily, preparing for another charge, this time, with the clear intent to crush him under its weight.
If that thing stepped on him, he'd die instantly.
From the distance between them, Tyler guessed he had maybe ten seconds to recover. Five, considering how the beast had started running faster.
Five seconds. That was all he had to move, breathe, and somehow stand.
Pain shot through every muscle, but he forced himself to roll to the side. His body screamed in protest, but he ignored it and pushed himself to his feet.
By the time the beast charged again, Tyler was standing, barely.
He wanted to jump again, maybe go for another midflight backstab, but his body refused to cooperate. The earlier hit had drained his strength. His legs trembled, his arms ached, and every breath burned his lungs.
He couldn't take another direct hit. If he did, that would be it. Death would come, quick and brutal.
But no, he couldn't die, wouldn't die. Not here. Not now.
The thought of dying in this dark tunnel, alone, weak, and forgotten.
It boiled his blood.
'No way in hell,' he thought.
There were still people who needed to pay. There was still a kingdom he had to tear down.
He would live. He had to live.
Death would have to wait.
"Come on then, beast!" Tyler shouted, his voice rough and defiant. "Let me show you what happens when you mess with Tyler Lockwood!"
He raised his sword, his hands shaking but his spirit unbroken. He was ready to fight. Ready to risk everything just to survive.
The beast roared again, its eyes glowing with wild hunger. The sound echoed through the tunnel like thunder. Tyler's pulse quickened. He could hear his own heartbeat louder than the beast's growls.
His feet shifted slightly, finding balance. His eyes locked onto the monster's every movement.
It was ironic, really, risking death just to stay alive. But that was life, wasn't it?
Besides, this whole ordeal started with a dose of Irony, back in the Mundane world, Earth...