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Time seemed to slow as I swung my blade down, the weight of it cutting through the thick air of the cave with a deadly intent. My eyes locked with the monster's, and what I saw sent a chill down my spine – a wild, untamed fury, and something more dangerous.
There was rage, yes, but there was also a raw, almost primal intelligence buried in those eyes. It wasn't just a beast.
This thing knew it was in a fight for its life. Fight for survival.
My blade was halfway through its arc, the shimmering purple glow of Exira flaring along the edge.
The monster was still trapped under my power, frozen in place as the pressure bore down on it, but something felt wrong. My instincts screamed at me to stop, to move, but I was committed too deep into the motion to pull back now.
Just as the blade was about to meet its skull, the creature roared.
GRROOOWWWRRR!
It was a sound unlike anything I’d heard before deep, guttural, and filled with an unholy rage that rattled the walls of the cave.
The force of it shook the air, and in that split second, its body twisted, breaking through the grip of Exira with sheer willpower. My heart lurched as the tip of my sword veered off course, no longer aimed for its head.
No!
The blade sank into the monster’s shoulder instead, carving through thick, leathery skin and embedding itself deep in muscle and bone.
Dark, viscous blood sprayed out, coating my arms, but the creature barely seemed to take notice. The impact should have staggered it, should have dropped it but instead, it looked at me with even more fury, as if the pain only fueled its madness.
GRRRAAWR!
I didn’t have time to react. In the same breath, the monster’s claws came slashing toward me, faster than I thought possible.
My mind barely registered the movement before I felt it – the sharp, searing pain of claws tearing through my abdomen.
Ughhhhk
Time stopped. My vision exploded with stars, and my breath caught in my throat as agony shot through my body. The claws, like serrated blades, ripped through flesh, muscle, and organs, the wet, sickening sound of my own body being torn open filling my ears. I bit down hard on my lip, the taste of iron flooding my mouth as I fought the scream that threatened to escape.
Don’t scream. Don’t show weakness. Stay alive.
fuu…fuu…fuuu
I could feel the warmth of my blood spilling out, soaking through my clothes and pooling at my feet. Taking quick small breaths in succession as I tried to control my breathing and my body.
My guts, my intestines, were hanging out, slick and wet. The pain was blinding, overwhelming every sense, but I forced myself to focus. I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not now.
I stumbled back, clutching my stomach with one hand, trying to keep my insides from spilling out completely.
Every movement sent fresh waves of pain crashing through me, but I didn’t let myself scream. I couldn’t give the monster the satisfaction.
Fuu..huuu..fu
My breath came in ragged gasps as I looked up, seeing the creature discard my blade like it was nothing, letting it stay embedded deep in its shoulders, my blood dripping from its claws. It let out another roar, its eyes gleaming with triumph, as if it knew it had me. As if it knew it had won.
But I wasn’t done yet. I wasn’t going to die here.
Not like this.
The monster let out another vicious roar, a sound that echoed in the hollow cavern, making my blood freeze in my veins. It lunged toward me, claws outstretched and eyes blazing with a crazed hunger. I barely managed to raise my sword in time, parrying the strike at the last second, but the force of the blow rattled my entire body. My arms shook as if they were about to snap, the impact vibrating down into my bones.
Too strong... too fast.
Before I could even catch my breath, I saw the monster’s elbow blade sweep toward my feet, a deadly arc. I jumped back, just barely dodging it, but I wasn’t fast enough. Pain exploded in my calves as the blade grazed my legs, ripping through flesh like paper. I stumbled, biting back a curse as blood poured from the new wounds.
Dammit! Fucker…
I tried to retreat, to put some distance between us – anything to buy myself time to think, to breathe.
But the monster wasn’t having it. It was relentless, closing in on me like a predator toying with its prey. Another powerful strike came at me, and when I blocked it, the impact was worse this time. My arms trembled under the force, my grip on the sword weakening as I struggled to hold it steady.
I’m losing ground...
My stomach screamed in agony, the pain almost unbearable as I clutched it with my free hand. My intestines felt like they were about to spill out.
I could barely keep my grip on the weapon. The blood loss, the fatigue, the constant pain, it was all becoming too much.
I couldn't hold on much longer.
The monster roared again, this time with a sound that was almost gleeful, as if it knew I was at the end of my rope. Its eyes gleamed with triumph as it lunged again, faster than before, claws slashing toward me with deadly precision.
No... no, no, no...
Time seemed to slow. My thoughts raced, frantic, as I desperately searched for a way out. I couldn’t block this one. My arms were too weak, too shaky. There was no way I could dodge either, not with the way the monster was bearing down on me. I felt cornered, trapped. My body was screaming in pain, but my mind wouldn’t stop.
I can’t die here. Not like this. There has to be something... anything...
But nothing came. Only the burning agony in my stomach, the exhaustion in my limbs, and the monster’s wicked grin drawing closer, its claws inches from my flesh.
Fuck this shit!
My vision blurred for a moment, the world dimming as the monster’s face filled my gaze – its bloody maw twisted into a grotesque grin, anticipating the kill. Its claws, soaked in my blood, rushed toward me in what felt like slow motion, a death sentence I couldn’t escape.
No.
A surge of anger flared within me, an ember of defiance that refused to be snuffed out. I wasn’t going to die here. Not yet. Not like this.
Now!
With every ounce of willpower I had left, I let go of the sword. It clattered to the ground, useless for now. The monster’s grin widened, thinking I had given up. It had me, cornered, helpless, broken. But it didn’t know what was coming next.
My eyes locked onto the beast, and in that heartbeat, everything became clear. The pain, the fear, the uncertainty – all of it disappeared, replaced by a singular, burning focus.
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EXIRA.
With a mental command, I summoned it. My hand clenched tight, and I felt the power swell inside me, violent and wild. Purplish flames – intense, searing, burst forth from my hand, surging with a raw energy that pulsed through my veins.
The monster’s grin faltered. Its eyes widened in shock, its claws still mid-air, but it was too late. I swung my hand diagonally upward, the flames roaring to life as they engulfed the creature in an instant.
A deafening screech filled the cave, the monster’s body convulsing as the flames consumed it. Its claws missed their mark, swiping through empty air as it recoiled, thrashing and rolling in a desperate attempt to douse the flames. The stench of burning flesh filled the air, thick and choking, as the beast let out another ear-splitting scream.
Got you.
I watched, breathless, as the flames licked across its skin, the purple glow illuminating the cave in an eerie light. The creature writhed on the ground, rolling in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire, but Exira held strong, feeding off the creature’s own life force, growing hotter and more intense.
The battle wasn’t over, not yet, but in that moment, I had turned the tide. The creature was no longer hunting me. It was fighting for its life.
And I wasn’t going to give it the chance to recover.
With a steady breath, I steeled myself. The pain in my stomach, the trembling in my arms all faded into the background. All that mattered now was finishing this fight.
I needed to move, to end the monster writhing in flames on the ground. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pounding pain in my head and the agony of my torn stomach, and reached for my sword.
My fingers brushed the hilt, but before I could get a firm hold, a sudden, terrible instinct flared through my mind–a blaring alarm, amplified by Exira.
down..now!
Without thinking, I threw myself into an awkward roll forward. I barely had time to process what was happening before I heard the whoosh of something slicing through the air right where my head had been a second before.
A shiver ran down my spine as I scrambled to my feet, breaths coming quick and sharp. Another one. Another damn monster.
I turned, finding myself face-to-face with a smaller but equally vicious creature. Its scales were a darker, muddier green than the larger one’s, and its yellow eyes glowed with a predatory intelligence. It snarled, circling me like a wolf eyeing wounded prey, its jaws pulled back to reveal rows of jagged teeth.
My heart hammered against my ribs, every beat sending a fresh jolt of pain through my body. The wound in my stomach burned, a raw and open agony that was nearly blinding.
I could feel my intestines pressing against my hand where I’d tried to hold them in, feel the wet warmth of blood slicking my fingers.
Focus. Breathe. Don’t let them know how hurt you are.
I took a steadying breath, forcing my gaze to sharpen, my focus to harden.
The two monsters were now both in my sight: the smaller one prowling in front of me, watching, waiting for an opening; the larger one, still thrashing in pain as the purple flames from Exira licked at its flesh, seemed to be shaking off the fire with brutal determination.
I have to act fast.
This wasn’t just a fight anymore; it was a race against time. The larger monster would break free from the flames any moment now, and when it did, I’d be facing two deadly creatures with an already failing body.
The smaller creature let out a low, guttural snarl, dropping lower to the ground, and began moving in a wide arc around me.
It was sizing me up, testing me, searching for any weakness. My body felt heavy, my vision wavered, but I couldn’t show it–couldn’t let this thing see just how close to the edge I was.
Alright, Lexi, I told myself, just stay calm. It’s just two of them. You’ve faced worse... right?
The lie tasted bitter, but it steeled my nerves, holding me together when everything in my body was fraying. I adjusted my grip on the sword, trying not to think about how the monster had almost taken my head off. A few inches closer, and it would have all been over. It wouldn’t happen again.
The bigger one stopped thrashing, its snarls quieter now, more focused. It was starting to regain control, even as the flames flickered along its skin, subdued but not entirely extinguished. I could see its rage mounting, the hate in its eyes aimed squarely at me. They both wanted blood, and I was running out of time.
The smaller one hissed, crouching lower. It was ready to lunge.
Alright... if I move carefully, I can get into position to strike the big one before it can fully recover. But the small one... damn it, that’s the problem.
I couldn’t take my eyes off either one for a second. Every moment they were both standing was another second closer to my death. My hand was pressed against my stomach wound, warm blood still trickling over my fingers, and I could feel the dizziness creeping in.
But I’d fought through worse. I had to believe that.
Only one shot. I realized, eyeing the two beasts closing in. I could reach one, but the other would be on me the second I moved.
Exira, I thought, steadying myself, I need you now. My muscles tensed, gathering every ounce of energy I had left as I called on that familiar, searing power.
I took a breath, letting it anchor me. Exira, I thought, steadying myself, I need you now. I tensed, gathering every ounce of energy I had left, my entire body coiled in a single purpose.
As that familiar surge of raw, scorching power flooded through me, my vision seemed to sharpen, the edges of the cavern walls blurring as my focus narrowed to the beasts before me.
I focused on the smaller monster, feeling the rush of power surge and build within me.
Full strength, I reminded myself, my teeth gritting. No holding back.
Memories of my mother’s teaching flashed before me. She’d always said Exira was more than raw power; it was a force tied to my very will, a manifestation of my desire, my focus, my absolute drive.
Her voice echoed in my mind, calm and firm: "Exira answers the strength of your resolve, Lexi. If you want something fiercely enough, it will come alive for you, it will become unstoppable."
That was all I needed. I willed Exira to respond to my deepest desire–my need to survive, to win, to make it out of this nightmare, to go home. I wanted it with every fiber of my being.
And it answered, surging like fire through my veins, filling me with a strength I didn’t know I had left. I locked eyes with the smaller one, honing in on it with all my focus as a pressure descended.
Both monsters seemed to waver under the pressure, their movements slowing, as if caught in a web. Pain crashed into me, blinding and raw, and I tasted blood, the metallic tang hot on my tongue as I coughed.
Ignoring the sickening pain in my stomach, the pressure on my chest, I forced myself to keep going. This has to end here.
The world dulled to shades of gray as I focused every ounce of my will on the creature, every drop of that dark, burning power pressing down on it.
I have you, I thought, feeling its life force, its faint, animalistic mind. It was almost like sensing a candle’s flickering flame in a vast, dark void.
I concentrated hard, pushing Exira deeper, tightening my hold on that flame and with a burst of pure, raw power, I crushed it.
The monster collapsed to the ground, lifeless. I didn’t give it another thought; I could feel the bigger creature’s presence still looming, its gaze fixed on me, those horrible greenish-yellow eyes reflecting some ancient, primal rage.
I locked eyes with it, feeling a surge of power as Exira intensified. It was as if I was staring down not just a beast, but a force of the cavern itself, an avatar of the darkness.
The creature shrieked as another crushing burst from Exira surged into it, shaking its head in a frenzied attempt to resist. The pain was crippling, but my will was harder. I have to end this now.
The monster froze under the pressure, thrashing against the invisible force, but I was already moving.
This is my moment. With every ounce of focus and strength, I lunged, my blade raised, and watched as it flared with a blinding purple flame, alive with Exira’s full power.
Time slowed.
The edge of the sword seemed to blaze like fire as I slashed downward, and the blade bit deep into the monster, cleaving through its tough hide and into its very bones. I felt the impact ripple up my arm as I carved through it, splitting it in two.
A final burst of flames erupted from the blade, extending beyond the monster’s body, searing a deep slash across the cave floor and walls. For a moment, the creature’s massive form twitched, as if it couldn’t comprehend what had happened.
Then, in a wet, brutal collapse, its halves fell apart, each hitting the stone with a sickening, final thud.
I staggered backward, the cavern spinning around me. My breath was ragged, each inhale dragging fire through my chest. It’s over, I thought, the relief heavy and aching. My vision blurred, darkness tugging at the edges, but I couldn’t fight it anymore.
My knees buckled, and I fell back, slumping against the stone wall. I could see the last sparks of Exira fading from the sword, the purple glow dimming until the blade was ordinary once again.
The cavern grew dimmer, my senses dulling, and I felt the cold of the stone against my skin.
I let myself go, the world slipping away, darkness claiming me as my mind drifted into a welcome, silent void.
fuu..I..lived…
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