The rumbling is getting more intense.

[Can you track it?]

[No, but it's moving really fast and its signature is massive!]

I turn to the humans, legs shaking as I try to keep my balance.

[Get ready to fight - Joule says something is coming!]

The trees explode as something huge pushes through them, and my mandibles hang open in shock.

[What is that?]

It's a huge creature, probably thirty or forty feet tall. Its leathery skin is a matte-gray, and the rest of its body is covered in a chitinous white shell. Its head looks like a minimalized bird of prey, a sort of angled razor-sharp beak with no distinguishable features. Its legs each have four long, brittle fingers underneath massive plates of white shell, and the shape of its overall body gives off the distinct feeling that it could roll into a perfect ball if it desired.

Dylan's already screaming and Baby and Alice are just sort of staring at it, stunned. Apparently I have to be the first one to attack.

Lunging forward, I light my mandibles up with void, only to stopped dead in my tracks as it calmly places one hand on me, pinning me to the ground.

[Okay, I figured out what it is!]

The pressure is increasing rapidly, and I feel my carapace crack.

[What is it?]

[It's called Kadaialon! It's a unique monster that... oh, dear.]

That sounds worse than 'cark'.

[What?]

[Well, in the Cosmopedia, Noah tends to list everything as 'harmless' or 'completely harmless'.]

[What's your point?]

[He labeled this one as 'mildly annoying'.]

[...Cark.]

[Pretty much. We don't stand a chance here.]

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I turn my head, albeit agonizingly slow, to the monster.

[Can you not kill me?]

Its head turns to look at me, and its entire skull vibrates, somehow talking through it. "You tried to kill me first." Its voice sounds monotonous, almost bored, with a strange tone of amusement coming through.

[I didn't know what you were. Besides, I can't really fight you. You're far too above me.]

It adds to the pressure, clearly displeased. "Flattery will not help you."

[What's flattery?]

It lets off slightly, tilting its head. "You don't speak with dishonesty. Very well, I will listen to what you have to say before I kill you."

Baby leaps towards it, fists raised, and it casually backhands him with one of the shells on its forelegs. He practically disappears, though the trees behind him are obliterated by the force of his crashing through them. Dylan's mouth turns into an O, and Alice just sort of collapses in shock.

I almost shiver in spite of myself. I can't imagine the power required to deal with that kind of strength.

Turning its attention back to me, it leans in curiously. "Very well, what is your business in my forest?"

[I'm trying to leave it.]

Mildly interested, it releases the pressure entirely, and I crawl out of the indentation left by my body in the ground. "Now that is indeed curious. Are you aware of the fact that you will likely be hunted down the moment you leave? Few humans enter this forest. It is rare that any leave."

[I'm aware. But I have a feeling Noah will intervene if he needs to.]

It chuckles, though not unkindly. "Noah is not allowed to intervene. Though I am interested to hear why you think he would to begin with."

[He's the one who gave me power.]

The Kadaialon's back legs fold, and it crosses its forelegs as its head gets extremely close to me. "I believe you. You give off a unique feeling of power, though it's far beneath what Noah is capable of."

[I'm still learning.]

"I understand. Given enough time, I find it likely that you might one day attain my level of power. Would you hunt me down then?"

[Why would I? If you killed me right now, it would be entirely up to you.]

It considers the concept, totally ignoring the two humans running towards where Baby flew away. "I suppose that's a good point. Besides, it never hurts to stay in Noah's favor."

Joule speaks to it for the first time. [Thank you for not killing us.]

It shrugs, not surprised by the additional voice. "To be honest, I was more curious than furious. Both of your existences are of great interest to me, and I'd rather not see them extinguished."

Standing, it flexes for a moment, leaning onto its back legs. "A word of advice, little ant. Humans are the most greedy and treacherous race on the planet. Noah might kill you, but humans will destroy you before they end you."

It jumped with stunning power, crushing the ground where it had been standing, and vanished from my view in a moment.

Promptly collapsing, I breathe out in exhaustion. That thing could have killed me without even needing to think about it, and just like with Kerem, the only reason I am alive is because of its own curiosity and Noah's reputation guarding me.

[Why didn't emergency conditions activate?]

[I don't know, but I'd guess that it has a hefty cooldown attached to it, though I don't know enough about it to be sure.]

The two humans returned carrying Baby, who was somehow still alive, though unconscious. I think back to Kadaialon's last words of advice.

[Do you think it's right about humans?]

Joule considers it for a moment before answering.

[Honestly, yes. They can't be trusted, for the most part.]

I sigh. It's quite unfortunate, really.

[Very well.]