The smell of tree branches and barks filled the air now. The rain dwindled slowly. Staring upfront in the dark looming part of the forest was like a nightmare.
The characteristics of this realm felt real with more features related to the first Earth in nature.
Stale grounds, human footprints, sharp stones and the most unexpected, blood, have been spotted on his way towards finding a clue of life in this place.
Or maybe there was no life at all.
At least not with earth-like animals and birds, he had seen none so far.
"CORE?" He called, his mindset almost not requesting an answer.
{Yes Player One.}
"Where are we now?"
His hands broke a nearby twig from a dried-out tree branch, he scanned through it in curiosity and threw it into the darkened distance.
{Running background scans….
It appears we are in an explored enemy territory.}
Squares and circles, his eyes ran before halting to digest CORE'S response.
"What do you mean enemy territory"
{Everywhere you tread on is a dangerous place to be…Remember, you are Player One for a reason.}
Ohh yeah right….
Krk.
Soft steps approached, followed by a low growling sound, it was multiple and cautioning.
Zane turned, three younglings of probably a beast walked up to him, the one with a hybrid hair color had the twig Zane had tossed into the forest earlier.
The other two were grey and white.
Their growls were simply wimps that echoed through Zane's sense of hearing. He descended slowly, knees rustling against the dried-up leaves sprayed by the towering trees that surrounded him.
Immediately they caught up to him, he grabbed hold of them like a child would his playthings. A smile defined his face.
{You appear to be delighted with such little beasts…Player One}
"Nature has a way of fulfilling wishes….I doubt you understand."
{Probably not}
Without bothering to relay a reply, Zane continued to carcass the little beasts. His hands carefully opened one of their little white teeth.
"Can you see this, CORE.." He opened wider as if trying to show it more vividly "…isn't it marvelous?"
{Of course, it is since I am not designed to have feelings. I certainly cannot relate to your emotions.}
"But you can feel them in my thoughts don't you?"
{In a way, yes}
{ I would like to give effective advice if you would listen}
"I'm all ears CORE"
{Drop the little beasts}
CORE's warning flared through Zane's thoughts like a static buzz.
His fingers froze against the soft fur of the hybrid-colored pup. Zane furrowed his brows.
"Huh? Why?"
{Drop them slowly and retreat, Player One.}
Zane slowly lowered the pups, his head tilting curiously, the ground announcing a presence. A rumble vibrated through the ground…so faint it could've been imagined. But CORE wasn't prone to false alarms.
Krk.
Branches shifted. Leaves rustled in a rhythm that wasn't wind. Zane's gaze snapped to the dark thicket ahead.
And then it stepped out.
Twice the size of the wolf beast. Fur like rippling smoke. Eyes burning dim red. A maw jagged with long, curved teeth. A beast watched Zane in curiosity.
The system HUD brimmed to life before his eyes.
{Warning! Dangerous Entity detected
Threat level: High
Survival Chance:20%}
It walked slowly towards Zane as if reading him, teeth giving obvious warning.
Zane didn't wait. His legs sprang to his actual height. But in the panic, he misjudged his footing. His boot slammed onto one of the youngling's limbs.
Yelp!
A heartbreaking painful wail split through the air as the pups retreated off into their mother's abode.
"Oh shit...CORE, what do I do?"
{I have only one alternative.}
"Which is?!"
{RUN.}
The mother beast growled. Slimy liquid discharges off its fangs as the teeth gnarled at each other in a desperate way to bite.
In the blink of an eye, it charged.
The forest blurred into streaks of green and brown. Thorns scratched his arms. Wet vines whipped at his face. Behind him, the rhythmic thudding of massive paws never faltered. Trees cracked. A fallen log exploded into splinters as the beast plowed through.
He dived into a U-turn as he approached a clearing. Almost losing balance, his hand supported in the dirt before dashing off again. The beast turned too, its speed made it crash into a tree.
It regained balance slowly and shook its head sideways before continuing its chase.
Zane leaped over a streambed, nearly losing his balance. CORE lit up routes in his vision, minimal paths for escape, but the terrain was unknown, unpredictable. Everything in this world obeyed its own rules.
One moment he was on land, another he had leaped into the air.
Struggling for reach mid-air, Zane managed to grab a strong branch, his feet supporting him to gain back balance as he thrashed dirt into the darkness-swollen abyss staring calmly at him right below.
If he had lost grip, what would have been his fate down there?
A few seconds later, the beast leaps without effort, just agility. Claws clearing up dirt to regain momentum with its prey.
Just when his legs threatened to give out…
"HYYAAAH!"
A cry tore through the forest.
Zane turned in mid-stride, stumbling behind a thick tree trunk. Ahead, four figures darted between the trees, they held spears glinting with sharpened obsidian edges.
The voices said otherwise but he had no time to think. Only to run for his dear life. Death wasn't an option here, it lingers everywhere.
They moved in formation. One vaulted off a branch and plunged a curved stone blade into the beast's flank.
The attacker didn't let go of the blade, screaming alongside as if wanting his peers to notice him.
The creature roared, swinging a paw that sent the attacker flying off into the distance.
But the others didn't relent.
The beast's focus was now on the attackers, Zane slid easily behind a tree. Eyes staring sideways in case of any looming danger.
He shut his eyes hard trying to regain his breath. Chest rising and falling fast.
The largest, clad in animal hide, roared back. He lunged, digging his spear deep into the side of the beast. Blood gushed. Another drove a twin dagger into its chest, and the last, a woman with braided hair streaked red, spun a short axe and slammed it right between the beast's eyes.
It staggered.
And with a final collective strike, the beast toppled.
Zane panted, breath heaving. His face was slick with sweat, his limbs trembling.
The warriors stood over their fallen prey, raising weapons high. Victory howls echoed through them Including the lady as they danced across the beast's downfall.
Then one of them turned.
The woman.
She stared directly at him as if trying to figure out who it was.
Others followed her gaze.
{You have been spotted !}
CORE announced immediately.
Zane sought to run, but a spear flew inches away from his face hitting the tree he hid behind. The vibration it emitted ran through his nerves.
{Don't move}
Without wasting any moment, he raised his hands instinctively. "Wait, I….I'm not a threat!"
"Njadaka….baldabuj arazar" One of them said, in their tongue.
{Would you like me to translate their language into something comprehensible?}
"Yes! Do it, now!"
CORE's interface blinked, and suddenly their strange, guttural words began to filter into understandable speech.
"...an outsider."
"He was with the beastlings."
"He brought the wrath of the black mother upon us."
The red-haired woman raised a hand. Her tone was sharp.
"Bind him."
"Wait, wait! You don't understand! I...."
They moved too fast. One behind him, a grip on his wrist. Another wrapped a vine cord around his chest. Someone struck his leg, forcing him to kneel while one hovered on the tree above him, shaking wildly like a gem had been found.
Zane thrashed, but it was no use.
A spear handle cracked across the back of his head.
Everything blurred. The world spunned sideways.
Darkness swallowed him whole.