In the oppressive darkness of the dungeons, an unusual atmosphere reigned. There was something heavier in the air than simple fear—a dull tension mixed with a brutal, almost animal hunger. That evening, before the hunt, all the prisoners, including Kenzo, old William, and the other damned souls locked behind those cold walls, focused on a single thing: food.
Because tomorrow, they would be hunted.
The silence that preceded the meal was strange. Everyone knew they had to gather every ounce of strength they could. Being hunted was not going to be pleasant.
But Kenzo had a question gnawing at him.
– « Tell me, William, how long does a hunt usually last? »
The old man, crouched in the corner of his cell, slowly raised his head, as if even answering that question cost him effort.
– « Usually no more than four days, if you manage to get far enough or hide well… But kid, I can feel your optimism, and like I already told you… no one survives the hunt. »
A brief silence settled. Kenzo, however, didn't seem shaken by that chilling statement. On the contrary, he let out a small smile.
– « Listen to me, old man. I lost everything that was left of my family when I was eight. Since that day, life has done everything it could to kill me. And yet, I'm still here. All of that because I never gave up. So I'm telling you ; I will survive. »
There was a raw flame in his voice, a fierce conviction that awakened something in William's eyes he hadn't felt in a long time: a glimmer of hope. Not for himself. It was far too late for that. But for Kenzo, perhaps…
William had already seen prisoners leave with dreams of freedom. He had watched those men puff out their chests with false courage and speak of miracles. But what he saw in Kenzo wasn't illusion. It was a rage to live, a visceral determination, like that of a rat you try to crush and fail.
– « Alright, kid. Then you'll need to eat properly, and we'll have to prepare a plan to survive… Ah, and for the last time, don't call me old man! » he said with a snort.
– « Alright. We'll talk about the plan after we eat. » Kenzo replied.
As if to punctuate that decision, a metallic creak echoed, followed by the heavy footsteps of the warden. He was pushing a cart that, to everyone's surprise, was loaded with food.
A miracle.
In wooden bowls, the prisoners received rations that seemed straight out of a dream: a thick stew scented with rosemary and garlic, with still-juicy chunks of meat; a piece of black bread, hard but filling; and a handful of roasted roots, accompanied by a small bowl of salted broth. Beside it, a few dried dates for dessert. It wasn't a royal feast, but for prisoners, it was a true banquet.
Once the food was in their hands, the silence broke into a chorus of sniffles, muffled sobs, and poorly contained tears. Some cried as they ate, others threw themselves at their meal like starving beasts.
Kenzo devoured everything in front of him with unbelievable frenzy.
He hadn't eaten for nearly seven days. Since the day he arrived in this prison… since the day he received the acceptance Orb, triggering his first test. Around him, the sounds of chewing, relieved sighs, and hiccups of happiness echoed with memories of hunger that bound them all together.
How long has it been since they had a real meal? Or even enough to truly ease their hunger… he thought, watching the others.
After William finished eating, he gently set his empty bowl beside him. He wiped his lips with the filthy sleeve of his tunic and turned to Kenzo.
– « That filled me up pretty well… Too bad it's our last real meal for a while. »
– « Yeah. We should set up the plan for tomorrow. » Kenzo replied.
The old man slowly nodded, then lowered his voice.
– « I don't know much more than you about the warden's abilities… except that he can tell us what to do, and somehow, we obey without being able to help it. But I can tell you about the Void Creature. »
A shiver ran down Kenzo's spine. He still remembered the shadow… the smell.
– « It's an infected level creature, of Instable rank. The first time you came here, you only saw its sinister shadow… and its stench. There are two reasons for that. First, you were too frightened to make out anything clearly. But now, let me tell you what it was. »
Kenzo leaned closer, hanging on the old man's words.
– « It's a very large dark-green serpent, with spots all along its body. Some parts of its flesh… look rotten. That's what gives off that infected smell. »
William raised a hand, as if sketching its shape in the air.
– « Its scales look impenetrable, even where the flesh is exposed. In any case, I don't think ordinary humans like us can do much to it. Our only option is targeted attacks on its mouth. »
He paused, then continued, darker still.
– « And finally… one of the reasons it watches us at night is because it sees perfectly in the dark. On top of that, it emits a dark aura, a thick mist, that prevents us from clearly perceiving it. »
Kenzo was left speechless. He hadn't expected the Void Creature to take the form of a serpent ; much less that William had been able to observe so much.
– « Do you think they'll attack us together during the hunt? The warden and it? Or will they split up, like they do for patrols? »
William grunted.
– « The warden is a sadist. He loves playing with us. That's probably what might save us. He won't want to share his fun. So we'll only have one monster to avoid at a time. »
Kenzo slowly nodded.
– « Maybe we should talk to the other prisoners about this, right? »
But William stopped him with a sharp gesture.
– « I wouldn't recommend it. There are only criminals and thugs in these dungeons. You're probably the only young one here who hasn't been corrupted yet. »
Kenzo sighed, aware of the truth.
– « Alright then… let's begin. »
And in the darkness of the dungeons, the two men began to weave the fragile threads of what might become their salvation… or their final illusion.