As night descended, the mist began to clear, slowly pulling away to reveal the forest in its true, unsettling form. What had been hidden by a thick veil during the day now emerged in stark relief. The trees, once softened by the fog, now stood gnarled and twisted, their bare branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The air grew colder, and without the mist, the sense of danger became sharper, more real.
Luc moved cautiously, wincing as twigs cracked underfoot. The weight of the spears on his back offered a small measure of reassurance—a reminder that he wasn’t entirely defenseless.
A low growl cut through the silence, freezing him in place.
He turned slowly, his pulse quickening. Emerging from the shadows was the darkwolf from the previous night. This wasn’t a coincidence. The beast had been tracking him, following his scent through the twisted woods.
Its red eyes glowed with malice, but Luc noticed something else - The wolf was limping, dragging its left hind leg with each step
It's injured, probably from the battle last night, Luc realized, feeling a spark of hope. Maybe I have a chance.
Without warning, the wolf lunged, its teeth snapping just inches from Luc’s face.
He jumped back, narrowly avoiding the bite, his heart pounding in his chest.
He thrust his spear forward, but his aim was off. The point only grazed the wolf’s side, and the beast howled in fury.
Then Luc saw it: the wolf’s muzzle began to glow, an ominous orange light building in its throat.
Oh sh-
He hit the ground just as a fireball roared over his head, scorching the earth where he’d stood. The heat singed his skin—a close call.
Scrambling to his feet, Luc grabbed another spear. The wolf circled him. Tightening his grip on the spear, he tried to form a plan.
The wolf lunged again, and this time, Luc rolled to the side. Quickly, he got to his feet and swung the spear, aiming for its injured leg. The spear struck, and the wolf let out a yelp of pain, stumbling but not going down.
It snarled, baring its teeth, and despite its injury, charged at Luc once more.
He barely had time to react, raising his spear just in time to block the wolf’s attack. The impact sent him sprawling, the ground knocking the breath out of him. Coughing, Luc rolled to his side, seeing the wolf preparing to pounce again.
Luc quickly got up, sweat pouring down his face. He grabbed another spear, facing the wolf again.
The beast growled, its eyes burning with rage, but its movements were slower now, the limp more pronounced. Luc knew he couldn’t keep dodging forever. He had to end this.
The wolf lunged, slower this time. Luc sidestepped and drove his spear into its side, hitting it hard. The wolf howled, staggering, blood oozing from its wounds.
But it still wouldn’t go down.
Exhaustion weighed on Luc’s limbs as he steadied himself for another attack.
The wolf turned to face him, its breath coming in ragged gasps. It was weaker now, its strength fading with each passing second.
Now or never.
Luc charged, his spear aimed at the wolf’s throat. The beast tried to dodge, but it was too slow. The spear plunged into its neck, and the darkwolf collapsed.
Luc stood over the fallen creature, his chest heaving. His shoulder throbbed, and the burn from the fireball still stung, but he had done it.
As the wolf’s body lay still, a wave of relief washed over him. He had survived.
…
Luc slung the last of his spears over his shoulder, the weight reminding him of the reality he now faced. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
A sudden chill ran through him.
Something felt off.
He turned slowly, The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he slowly turned, his heart sinking as he saw what surrounded him.
Dozens of hulking, white-furred figures clung to the trees above, their muscular bodies coiled and ready to strike. They formed a tight circle around him, cutting off any possible escape.
Luc’s eyes landed on a smaller one, and recognition hit him like a slap. It was the same creature that had led the pack chasing him before.
Shit, shit, shit, Luc's mind raced. His fingers twitched toward the spears on his back, but he knew it was pointless. There were too many of them, and each one was stronger than him by a mile.
The white-fur monkey remained still, their eyes locked on him with a predatory intensity that made his skin crawl. Time seemed to freeze.
"Umm... hi?" The words slipped out before he could stop them, followed by a nervous laugh that sounded hollow in the stillness.
Then he turned around and bolted, crashing through the undergrowth.
Behind him, a chorus of "KIK KIK KIK" echoed through the trees, the sound of fists pounding against chests.
It was impossible for him not to run. He knew that he could not deal with this monkey just by looking at their number.
I don’t even know why you guys are chasing me!
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Luc ran as fast as he could, branches whipping at his face and arms. He could hear the white-fur monkey gaining on him, their cries growing louder.
Think, Luc, think! He scanned the forest, looking for a way out.
The spears on his back bounced uncomfortably as he ran, throwing off his balance. Up ahead, a fallen log lay in his path. Luc leaped over it without breaking stride, but when he glanced back, he instantly regretted it.
The creatures were closing in, their powerful limbs propelling them forward with alarming ease.
His lungs burned, his muscles screamed for relief, but Luc forced himself to keep going. He couldn’t afford to stop.
Then, his foot caught on a root, and he stumbled. His arms flailed as he fought to stay upright, his heart thundering in his chest.
Don't fall, don't fall, don't—
He managed to catch himself, narrowly avoiding a face-first dive into the dirt. The "KIK KIK KIK" calls of the white-furred monkeys pushed him to keep moving, to run faster, but he couldn’t ignore the faint thud behind him—something had fallen
Risking a quick glance over his shoulder, Luc’s eyes widened.
A few of the white-furred beasts had stopped, distracted by something on the ground. Confusion mixed with a small spark of hope.
Why did they stop?
But there was no time to figure it out—the rest of the pack was still on his heels, their eyes burning with rage. His legs burned as he pushed himself harder.
Then it hit him.
The fruit! It must have fallen when I tripped.
He patted his pocket, feeling the two remaining fruits. An idea formed in his mind.
Luc veered left, the landscape becoming familiar. He was nearing the territory of the blue-scale creature he’d encountered while fleeing the darkwolf—a risky move, but it was his best shot. The ground grew uneven, jagged rocks jutting up like nature’s caltrops.
The monkeys were right behind him, their relentless pursuit closing the gap. Luc’s breath came in short, desperate gasps, fear tightening its grip on his chest.
His fingers trembled as he fumbled another fruit from his pocket. Without breaking stride, he hurled it over his shoulder.
The reaction was immediate. Screeches and snarls exploded behind him as the monkeys scrambled for the prize. Luc didn’t dare look back; he just ran, using the brief distraction to put more distance between them.
Up ahead, the silhouette of a large, curved rock came into view—the lair of the blue-scale creature. A shiver of fear crawled up his spine at the memory of its glowing blue eyes and razor-sharp scales.
But it was his only shot. The monkey were relentless, and he was running out of tricks—and fruits.
As he approached the entrance of the lair, doubt crept in. What if the creature wasn't there?
The ground shook beneath his feet, and a low growl rumbled through the air, stopping him in his tracks. He turned slowly, dread creeping up his spine as a massive creature emerged from the shadows.
Its blue scales glinted in the moonlight, three horns cutting an imposing silhouette against the night sky. Those glowing eyes settled on him for a moment, then shifted to the approaching monkeys.
Luc stood frozen, caught between two dangers. He could see the creature’s muscles tensing, ready to strike.
The creature let out a roar, the force of it making Luc stumble. He hoped, just for a moment, that the white-furred monkeys would back off. But they didn't. Their eyes, full of rage, barely acknowledged the creature before locking back onto Luc. With a screech, they charged.
Oh, come on! Luc's mind screamed. Why you guys even chasing me for?
Luc barely had time to think before the ground beneath him shook again.
The creature's eyes glowed an intense blue, and suddenly, the forest floor erupted. Waves of earth rippled outward, sending rocks and debris flying through the air.
The shockwave hit the charging monkey like a tsunami, scattering them like leaves in the wind.
Luc dropped to the ground, covering his head as chunks of earth rained down around him. The air filled with screeches of pain and fury as the two forces collided.
He watched in awe and terror as the creature's massive claws tore through the monkey horde. Bodies flew through the air, white fur stained red.
This one should be called Drake
But the monkeys weren't going down without a fight. They swarmed the drake, using their numbers to overwhelm it.
For every one that fell, two more seemed to take its place, clambering over the drake's scaled hide, searching for weak spots.
The Earth drake roared again. Its tail whipped around, sending the monkeys flying, but more kept coming. The earth rumbled once more, and Luc watched in horror as fissures opened up in the ground, swallowing screaming monkeys whole.
Luc knew this was his chance. With the monkeys distracted and the drake busy, he might escape.
Keeping low, Luc crawled away from the fight. His muscles ached from the earlier chase, but he kept moving. He glanced back, worried the monkeys might spot him.
A stray rock, flung by the drake's earth magic, struck Luc's shoulder sending a sharp pain through him, but he kept moving.
The chaos of the battle provided cover, but it was a double-edged sword. At any moment, a stray attack from either side could end him.
As he reached the edge of the clearing, Luc felt a glimmer of hope. He was almost free, almost safe—
He reached the edge of the clearing, almost free when the ground erupted beneath him.
Jagged spikes of rock pierced his chest, and Luc felt a surge of pain. Blood sprayed from his mouth, painting the air crimson.
Ah-
Pain.
Pain surged through him, intense and overwhelming. Luc’s vision blurred, darkness creeping in. Every breath hurt, and every heartbeat sent fresh waves of agony through his body.
Cough. Cough. Cough. Blood splattered onto the ground.
Is this it? he thought, his mind struggling to process the horror of his situation. After everything, is this how it ends?
But something in him refused to give up. He forced himself to his feet, each step an effort.
Blood trailed behind him as he moved away from the battle, the sounds of the fight fading into the background.
…
How long have I been walking? Luc thought, pain dulling his sense of time. The forest blurred around him, trees melting into a green and brown haze.
Then he saw a glimmer of blue.
A lake stretched out in front of him, its surface still. And in the center, a huge, serpentine creature rose from the water. Its blue scales shimmered in the moonlight, and its mouth was filled with sharp teeth. Three pointed crests adorned its head, and its eyes seemed filled with stormy rage.
A dark, hollow laugh bubbled up from Luc's throat, "Hahah, a f*cking Gyarados?" he croaked, the words barely audible.
The absurdity of it all hit him. Here he was, bleeding out in a nightmare forest, face to face with a pokemon. It was too ridiculous.
With his last bit of strength, Luc dragged himself to a nearby tree and slumped against it.
As he sat there, watching the Gyarados-like beast glide through the water, he felt a strange sense of peace.
After all the running and fighting, this moment of quiet felt... nice.
Maybe this is okay, Luc thought, his eyelids growing heavy. Maybe this is how it's supposed to end. As his vision darkened, the world fading around him.