As the Eldritch Horror moved closer, its long, spindly legs bent unnaturally beneath it, Cale felt the weight of its presence grow heavier. The creature walked on all fours like a nightmarish beast, each step sending ripples of shadow across the ground. Its hollow eyes glinted in the dim light, and Cale could feel the intensity of its gaze, as if it were trying to read his very soul.
Cale’s heart raced, but he remained steady, narrowing his focus on the grotesque creature. "You look like you just crawled out of a nightmare," he taunted, smirking as he tightened his grip on the scythe. "How about I send you back?"
With a screech that reverberated in the air, the Eldritch lunged forward, its long claws slicing through the space where Cale had just stood. Cale pivoted to the side, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike. He countered with a swift swing of his scythe, aiming for the creature’s exposed flank.
The blade connected with a sickening squelch, cutting deep into its shadowy form. Dark, viscous blood oozed from the wound, pooling on the ground beneath it. The Eldritch recoiled but quickly recovered, its hollow eyes narrowing as it stalked Cale with an unsettling predatory grace.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Cale mocked, grinning at the creature's reaction. But as the Eldritch circled him, he couldn’t shake the growing rage bubbling within him. The sight of its grotesque form, the way it moved like a twisted parody of nature, ignited something primal in his gut. 'It’s just a monster, he reminded himself. Just a creature I need to put down.'
The Eldritch launched itself at him again, this time using all four legs to propel its massive body forward with terrifying speed. Cale barely had time to react; he rolled to the side just as the creature’s claws grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep, burning gash. He gritted his teeth against the pain but couldn’t let it distract him.
"Nice try, but I’m not going down that easily," he shot back, wiping the blood away from his skin and eyeing the monster with renewed determination.
The Eldritch hissed, lunging again, and this time, Cale met it head-on. Their weapons clashed—a cacophony of metal against shadow—as he swung the scythe in a powerful arc. The creature ducked, twisting its body and using its claws to swipe at him in a fluid, menacing motion. Cale barely blocked the strike, the force of the blow sending him stumbling back.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he sneered, brushing aside the pain. “You should really try harder if you want to keep up with me.” The creature paused for a split second, and Cale seized the opportunity, launching another attack. He aimed for the Eldritch’s legs, hoping to disable its movement.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
His blade connected with a sickening thud, the scythe cleaving through one of its long limbs. The Eldritch shrieked, dark blood spraying from the wound, but it remained standing, fury igniting in its hollow eyes. With a primal roar, it retaliated, claws slashing through the air with reckless abandon.
Cale danced back, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the claws caught the hem of his shirt, tearing through the fabric and drawing another line of crimson across his skin. The pain shot through him, mingling with the adrenaline coursing in his veins.
'Damn it, why can’t I just end this thing already?' he thought, his frustration boiling beneath the surface. The more he fought, the more he loathed the creature, its very existence a taunt against his efforts. “You’re not invincible,” he called out, his voice laced with contempt. “Just a glorified monster.”
As they continued to clash, Cale could feel the exhaustion creeping in, but he wouldn’t back down. Each strike exchanged was met with an equal ferocity, both fighters leaving marks on one another. The Eldritch was covered in wounds now, its once-formidable presence marred by Cale's relentless attacks, dark blood oozing from gashes and pooling beneath its feet.
But it wasn’t without cost—Cale was beginning to feel the wear of the battle. His muscles ached, and each movement was becoming increasingly labored. He could sense that the monster was also growing weary, its movements less fluid, more desperate. 'We’re on equal footing, he realized, gritting his teeth. But why can’t I finish this?'
“Come on, just admit it,” he taunted, lunging forward with renewed vigor, his scythe slashing through the air. “You’re just a pathetic horror—nothing more than a nightmare. You’ll be another dead thing left in the dark!”
But as he swung, the Eldritch dodged, its long limbs bending in ways that felt unnatural. In a split second, it retaliated, launching itself forward and sinking its claws deep into Cale's side. Pain exploded through him, sharp and visceral. Cale gasped, eyes wide with shock as he stumbled back.
Yet, before he could collect himself, the Eldritch's gaze hardened, the corners of its skull-like mask glimmering with a hint of malevolence. Cale could feel his anger rising, the creature’s taunts echoing in his mind.
'I won’t let it end like this,' he thought furiously. Each glance at the creature, each mocking movement, ignited his fury.
“Enough of this!” he shouted, swinging his scythe in a wide arc, determined to land one final blow.
But the Eldritch, too, was fueled by rage. With a burst of speed, it evaded the strike, countering with a swift swipe that caught Cale’s cheek, leaving a deep cut.
They both stood there, panting heavily, blood dripping from their wounds, eyes locked in a tense standoff.
Cale’s heart raced, the pain mingling with adrenaline. “This isn’t over,” he spat, anger boiling inside him. The creature hissed back, shadows writhing around it like an angry storm.
Both equally matched, both wounded, they prepared for the next clash, neither willing to back down.
As Cale gripped his scythe tightly, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this fight was just the beginning. The Eldritch loomed before him, a twisted embodiment of his growing frustration.