As he emerged from the tunnel into the open air, Raven cast one last look behind him. The sight of the collapsed tunnel gave him a glimmer of hope that the monster would be injured before the tower test was over. There was no time to think about the future; he had to keep moving, keep running, if he hoped to survive.
Despite the fear of the creature that had taken root within him, Raven remained alert, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Every rustle, every swaying branch sent a jolt of tension through his body, reminding him of the horrors he had witnessed in the cave. He pushed himself forward, his legs aching with exhaustion and his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had exhausted his stamina, moving only by sheer willpower, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the cave's horrors.
As he continued to move away, he noticed the moon beginning to descend. "Finally, that damned moon is gone! I'll see the sun soon!" He hoped things would be better during the day. Meanwhile, he pushed himself, his determination to escape unwavering.
It wasn't long before the moon began to recede further and further. As he fled, he came across a giant tree with a small crack in its trunk.
When he found a safe spot inside the trunk and was sure he was invisible and well hidden within the tree trunk, he felt a sense of relief. He had finally found a place that was somewhat safe because of its height and its excellent concealment; it was impossible to spot with the naked eye unless a magical beast sensed his location. He sat leaning his back against the tree inside the tunnel, breathing heavily and feeling utterly exhausted. "Oh, I'm so lucky to have found this place. I feel like my heart is going to burst from running all this way..." Suddenly, the night grew brighter, but not as he had expected the sun to rise. What illuminated the night was an intense red light. When he looked out at the sky, a second moon appeared on the distant horizon. Its size and shape were monstrous, and its blood-red color dwarfed the first moon in both size and intensity. Its appearance sent shivers down Raven's spine, filling him with a sense of awe and unease.
Strangely, the first moon hadn't set; it remained in the sky. Its previous movement seemed to fear the appearance of the second moon, as if it had willingly relinquished its position. Now there were two moons in the sky, their ominous red light seemingly affecting the very fabric of reality. With the appearance of this second moon, the world seemed to hold its breath, bracing itself for something terrifying.
Everything appeared to transform before his eyes. Familiar trees seemed twisted and malevolent, their withered branches stretching out like skeletal fingers toward this terrifying moon, as if pleading with it.
Life itself took on a dangerous character; it seemed as though the very essence of the world had been tainted by the presence of this malevolent moon above. Even creatures that had been hiding in the shadows emerged, and screams began to rise everywhere. This moon seemed to bear witness to a bloody struggle between these terrifying beings. Raven watched some of these creatures fighting, their eyes gleaming with a hunger that sent a chill down his spine.
It was as if this place, this forbidden world, had been resurrected with a malevolent energy that threatened to consume everything in its path. The very air was ominous, as if the world itself were on the verge of collapse.
The scene was both breathtaking and terrifying, a reminder of the immense power that lay dormant deep within the tower. It was a place where the rules of life no longer applied, where danger lurks in every corner and every corner of the tower, and death reigns supreme that night.
For Raven, the sight of the second moon served as a stark reminder that nothing in this world was safe, not even his own sanctuary.
Curled in the darkness, his heart heavy with fear and uncertainty, could he survive? Could he endure this ordeal and return to Earth? All he could do was pray for the terrifying moon to pass. He closed his eyes and prayed for deliverance. He knew sleep wouldn't come easily, but for now, he was grateful for the temporary respite within this tree from the horrors of the tower.
**************
While he lay hidden in the darkness of his hiding place, sleep eluded him. Instead, he remained wide awake, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger.
He sighed wearily as he heard the sounds outside. The sounds of fighting rose through the forest, mingling with the terrifying roars of beasts that shook the earth. Every noise, every sound nearby, sent shivers down his spine, filling him with a sense of unease. Death could come at any moment, and this thought made sleep impossible.
"I can't sleep, and I'm in this place. I don't even know what might kill me."
Lost in thought, he heard a strange noise and the distant rumble of explosions. They were so loud, so much louder than anything he had heard all night. The ground trembled beneath him as the sound drew closer. His heart pounded. "Damn it, what now...?"
When he peered through a crack in the tree, his eyes widened in terror as he saw a towering cloud of dust and flying debris hurtling toward him. The deafening roar of destruction that shook the forest filled his ears.
He gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white from the pressure, his mind racing, calculating every possible escape route. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, there's nothing I can do." There was nowhere left to run, and all he could do was wait impatiently for the inevitable.
Unable to tear his gaze away from the looming scene of destruction, he felt a surge of relief as the noise reached its peak, and he thought he was about to die. The destructive force then passed him by.
A wave of relief washed over him as the source of the commotion faded into the distance, the thunderous footsteps disappearing into the distance. He dared to glance back at the source of the noise, his eyes widening at the sight before him.
"All this destruction is because of him...?!" From afar, he saw an animal resembling a rhinoceros, but much larger; its armored form gleamed in the moonlight.
He moved deeper into the forest. But before Raven could fully process what he'd seen, something else caught his attention—a creature moving with unusual speed flashed past his eyes, heading straight for the fleeing animal.
Then, in an instant, the world erupted in chaos as the ground shook with a deafening explosion. As debris rained down, he could only watch in shock.
His heart pounded in his chest as he witnessed the aftermath of the explosive attack. Terror coursed through his veins when he laid eyes on the monstrous creature before him.
Standing four meters tall, the creature possessed a muscular, humanoid body, but twisted and distorted into a hideous form. Its head bore the face of a terrifying crocodile, its jaws lined with rows of sharp teeth, while its hands were adorned with armored claws that glittered beautifully in the moonlight.
Meanwhile, the creature's hands were embedded deep inside the body of the rhinoceros-like animal he had seen fleeing earlier. The animal's screams echoed through the forest, loud and desperate, as the wretched creature was torn apart viciously and brutally, before being completely devoured.