Looking back, I saw a creature with a thin, elongated body. Its proportions seemed somewhat off, with an elongated form that appeared disproportionate. A lengthy, thick tail snaked behind it, coiling and uncoiling sinuously. It was slightly smaller than a coyote, but its body was unusually thin and elongated. I felt a twinge of unease, but compared to those dreaded creatures, what harm could this little one do?"Shoo! Get outta here! Shoo!" I shouted, attempting to scare it away.The small creature tilted its head from side to side, wearing a curious expression as if assessing me.I picked up a small rock from the ground, preparing to shoo it once more, but then it lowered its head. I found its appearance and actions oddly endearing."Ah... By any chance, are you lost or something? I don't have any food on me, but... um... you can stay here. We can share this place," I stumbled over my words, feeling a bit flustered initially. However, as I calmed down, I slowly pushed myself up fro
Darkness cloaked the tunnel as I ran blindly, breath sawing in my lungs. Behind, snarls echoed my panic, drawing ever nearer in the murky depths. Conjuring a small wisp of light, no bigger than a firefly, I concentrated on willing it to glow brighter. I drew deep on reservoir far vaster than my small form implied, pouring more mana into the wisp until it swelled into a puffball hovering above my hand.Though they outnumbered me, I had no shortage of mana to confront the swarm, it was just that they seemed to be everywhere. "Take this!"Light blazed like the midday sun behind, momentarily blinding the swarm snarling at my heels. In that flash I wove bindings of simple darkness spell, ensnaring a few of them long enough to resume my flight.Once again, I drew deeply from my reserves, conjuring more glowing puffballs that exploded in blinding flashes.The tunnel blazed briefly, momentarily blinding pursuers enough for me to sprint ahead, dodging jagged rock formations.'Ugh, this terra
I tumbled through the darkness, panic rising in my throat as rubble rained down. Each passing moment felt like an eternity, as if time itself had slowed down in sync with my racing thoughts.The air was thick with dust, invading my nostrils and choking my breath. My vision was obscured, reduced to mere glimpses of fragmented shapes. The sensation of weightlessness and lack of solid ground messed with my senses, disorienting chaos all around me, utterly helpless and vulnerable.A sickening eternity passed before my fall abruptly halted with a bone-jarring crunch. Pain shot through my limbs. I laid there, stunned, the impact searing into my consciousness.Darkness unlike anything I had ever experienced engulfed me. It was a darkness that went beyond the absence of light, it was a consuming void that seemed to swallow everything, even the concept of darkness itself. It was disorienting and disconcerting, as if the very essence of my surroundings had been erased.In that blackness, my s
The approaching vermins seemed countless as they swarmed down the rubble towards Yon. But he still had strength even in his wounded form, and an immense amount of mana to fuel his spell. Rising, flames licked the ground, conjured by both hands in an all-consuming inferno.Points of ignition flared up around him in a circle. Creating the foundation, he connected these points, channeling his mana through them. The flames rose, forming a continuous ring of fire. He extended his arms, palms open, and began to twist his wrists, shaping the flames into a spiraling vortex.The air around him heated up rapidly as the vortex gained momentum, the flames licking higher into the sky.The searing vortex encircled his body, growing ever more intense. The front-runners of the vermin tide met the vortex head-on their tiny bodies igniting like kindling. Screams rent the air as they were immolated where they climbed, the flames tearing through their ranks.Yon concentrated harder, weaving the vortex
"W-what now, damn it?!"A curse slipped past my bloody lips, the taste of desperation mingling with the metallic tang of blood as darkness swallowed the wisp's feeble glow. Scrambling quickly, I pulled myself further into the rubble.Whatever it was, it was giving me the creeps. All of my senses were on high alert, screaming at me that I was in imminent danger.My hands trembled as they fumbled and scraped against the jagged edges of debris as I desperately sought a more defensible position. ...But even then I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, every single movement monitored. It was dreadful and suffocating. Unease gripped me tightly, its icy fingers constricting my chest, as I struggled to steady my ragged breaths. The tumultuous events had placed an immense strain on my body. Surprisingly, my mana core was holding up well, but even so, I had to rely on it to sustain my weary and battered form. As a result, I could feel my strength gradually diminishing, bit by
Life could be dream. Life was a clickbait, a bitch. So unpredictable and unforgiving. It taunts us with the idea of fairness, but rarely delivers on that promise. Never fair, yet it often preaches fairness. I remember certain things... things that make me feel like I've been through this before. It's as if I'm reliving it all over again. So intense that it feels too real to be mere déjà vu. So what! Blood, my hands were stained with blood. "Just die, motherf****r!" "Die!" "Die!" "Diiie!!" In the heat of the moment, I yelled those words. I wanted him gone. Pitoo- "Why do you hold on to life so tightly? I'm doing you and society a big favor, damn it! Why can't you understand?! Why can't anybody understand?! Why?!!!" I grabbed him by the collar and shook him. He didn't respond. Worry gripped my heart as I hastily checked his pulse. He was alive... barely hanging on. I was relieved! Grabbing him by the head, I slammed him to the ground repeatedly until I heard a wet crunch.
My vision... it's... Damn it! Why is it acting up now, of all times? Why now, damn it! I refuse! I will see this through. I have to endure. I can't fall here... and if I must, then they are coming with me! I have to make sure of it... But not now, not like this. I still have so much to do. Asu! I owe it to her! I can't let these parasites continue to roam around while her blood cries out for vengeance. For that, I'll keep moving! Teeth grinding, eyes itchy, I forced myself up and grabbed a dull, rusty knife from the table nearby. The light from the bulb above started flickering intermittently. "Power shortage? Tch, how convenient. There's something I must show you before the lights go out. I can't let that happen. It's just too cruel. You have to see it. You must." I dragged him by the hair and slammed his back against the wall, delivering a couple of slaps to wake him up. His eyes slowly regained focus. "YES, THAT'S IT! GOOD BOY! You've probably heard that line too many times. It
It all goes back to the time when my parents found themselves in deep trouble after borrowing money from an infamous gang known as The Big Brotherhood. This gang had its hands in every illicit deal, place, and market in the underworld. They held significant influence, with a far-reaching network that extended to individuals in high positions. Their ability to carry out dirty work without question allowed them to overpower smaller gangs and expand rapidly. The Big Brotherhood had numerous affiliates across various fields and locations, making them difficult to track down. My father, who was a role model for all deadbeats, squandered the money he borrowed from them and vanished in the middle of the night. Since he rarely left his room except to eat, shit, or vent his anger, none of us noticed his disappearance. It was good riddance. However, the debt collectors were far less forgiving. On the due date, they arrived, demanding their money. However, our ignorant selves claimed complete