Odyssey Of Survival

Tiaa wasted no time—her hands moved swiftly, almost on instinct, as she reached behind her back, pulled out an arrow, and nocked it against the bowstring in one fluid motion. Without hesitation, she drew the string back to her cheek, her fingers steady despite the panic rising in her chest, and let the arrow fly.

The projectile cut through the air with a sharp whistle before embedding itself into the beast's thick hide, though not deep enough to cause serious damage. It was enough, however, to momentarily shift the beast's attention away from Meni, who was still struggling to regain his footing after the vicious blow he had taken earlier.

The creature turned, its glowing eyes locking onto Tiaa, its nostrils flaring as it exhaled sharply, an eerie growl rumbling from deep within its throat. The weight of its gaze sent a chill down her spine, but she refused to let fear control her.

Without giving it a chance to charge, she pulled another arrow from her quiver, drew her bowstring back, and released—then another, and another. She aimed for the vulnerable spots around its neck and shoulders, hoping to slow it down, but each time, the beast dodged with unnatural agility, its movements unnervingly precise.

Her breath came in short, quick bursts as she realized her attacks were doing nothing to halt its advance. The beast had fully fixated on her now, its muscles tensing as it crouched low, preparing to lunge.

Panic surged through her veins, but she forced herself to stay composed, her mind racing for a plan—any plan. She knew she needed to move, to create distance, so she turned sharply on her heel, intending to sprint back towards the others, but just as she pushed off the ground, something snagged her foot.

Vines.

She hadn't even noticed them before, but now they wrapped tightly around her ankle, causing her to stumble forward. She barely managed to throw her hands out in time to break her fall, her bow slipping from her grasp as she landed hard against the forest floor.

A sharp pain shot up her leg as she twisted in an attempt to free herself, but the moment she looked up, her blood ran cold.

The beast was already airborne, massive claws stretched forward, its gaping maw revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth as it descended upon her.

A scream built in her throat, but she swallowed it down, instead raising her arms to shield her face, her body tensing in anticipation of the inevitable impact. She braced herself, knowing she was out of options, knowing this was it—

Then suddenly, the sound of metal striking against something solid rang through the air, loud and sharp like a hammer against stone.

She flinched at the unexpected noise, but when the pain she had been expecting never came, she hesitantly lowered her arms, her heart pounding violently against her ribs.

What she saw made her breath catch.

Nate stood between her and the beast, his stance firm, his rod stretched out in front of him, blocking the creature's descent just inches away from her face.

For a brief moment, all she could do was stare, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. She had been so certain that Nate wouldn't step in, that he would simply stand by and observe as he had done before—but here he was, positioned protectively in front of her, the tension in his arms evident as he held the beast at bay.

The beast, momentarily stunned by the sudden resistance, let out a deep growl as it locked eyes with Nate, assessing him for the first time. It seemed to recognize that this new opponent was different, stronger, someone who had just interfered in its hunt.

A silent challenge passed between them.

Then, without warning, the creature let out a deafening roar, the sheer force of it sending a gust of wind through the trees. And in the next moment, it lunged again, its massive form hurtling towards Nate with reckless speed.

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But Nate, unfazed, merely adjusted his grip on the rod, his movements smooth and controlled. With a single twist of his wrist, he rotated the weapon through the air, letting its weight build momentum.

And then—he struck.

His hand slid effortlessly to the very edge of the rod as he swung it upward in a powerful arc, the force behind the blow immense.

The rod connected with the beast's underbelly with a thunderous impact, the sheer power of the strike sending shockwaves through the air.

The beast's body was flung backward, its massive form crashing into one of the towering trees behind it with a force so strong that the trunk groaned under the pressure. Leaves and bark rained down from above as the creature let out a pained snarl, its body slumping slightly against the rough surface before it finally regained its footing.

For a few heartbeats, there was nothing but stunned silence.

Even the others, who had been watching from a distance, found themselves momentarily frozen in place, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

Tiaa, still on the ground, stared wide-eyed at Nate, her mind reeling. She had seen him fight before—she had watched as he crushed that brute of a man without even breaking a sweat—but this… this was something else entirely.

The damage he had done with just one attack was undeniable. The beast's underbelly was bleeding, dark crimson pooling at its feet, and as it took a step forward, they could see pieces of its hardened skin falling away, revealing the raw flesh beneath.

The creature's gaze flickered between Nate and its own wounds as if trying to comprehend how it had been hurt so severely in just a single blow.

And for the first time since their encounter began, it hesitated.

As the massive beast suddenly twisted its body and attempted to flee, its heavy limbs crushing the earth beneath it with each desperate bound, Nate's eyes locked onto it with unwavering focus.

Under normal circumstances, he would have let it go—allowing the wounded creature to escape into the wilderness where it belonged—but this was different. The crystal inside its body was too valuable, too important to simply let slip away into the shadows.

Without hesitation, Nate launched himself forward, his muscles coiling like a tightly wound spring before he burst into motion, his feet hammering against the dirt as he sprinted after the beast. The wind howled past his ears, his focus narrowing, his breathing steady despite the intensity of the chase.

Behind him, however, the rest of the group was in complete disarray.

The sounds of pain and struggle filled the air as Hapu let out a gut-wrenching scream, his voice raw with agony. The others had gathered around him, their attention now completely fixated on the dire condition of his rapidly deteriorating arm—the area where the beast had sunk its fangs now looked horrific.

Black veins were spreading like wildfire from the bite wound, creeping up his arm in a grotesque display of infection. It was clear to everyone—the beast's bite was venomous, and whatever poison it had injected into him was working fast.

Tiaa, the only one completely unharmed, knelt beside him, her usually sharp and unreadable expression now filled with something close to panic.@@novelbin@@

Meni, standing over them, exhaled deeply, rubbing a hand down his face as he assessed the situation. His voice came out grim and heavy.

"We have to cut it off."

The words were met with stunned silence.

Hapu, still trembling from the sheer torment wracking his body, gritted his teeth before forcing himself to speak. His voice was barely a whisper at first, but then it rose into a desperate cry.

"Cut it off. Cut it o… Get rid of it… Please—!"

Meni clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists before his gaze hardened with resolve. There was no other option. If they didn't act now, the poison would spread through Hapu's entire body, and he wouldn't just lose a limb—he would die.

With a sigh that sounded more like a quiet admission of defeat, Meni strode toward Hapu's longsword, gripping the weapon tightly in his hands.

As he turned back, positioning himself for what needed to be done, Tiaa suddenly snapped.

Her voice rang out, sharp and furious.

"Are you serious right now?! You're actually thinking of cutting off his hand?!"

Meni didn't flinch at her outburst. Instead, his expression remained unchanged, his grip firm on the sword as he muttered, "There's nothing else we can do."

But before he could step forward, Tiaa threw herself over Hapu's injured body, shielding him with her own.

"I won't let you do it." Her voice was low but filled with unmistakable defiance.

Everything froze for a second.

And then she felt a hand press against her shoulder.

The touch wasn't forceful, nor was it demanding—it was gentle, almost reassuring.

She turned her head slowly, and her breath caught in her throat.

It was Hapu.

With his good hand, he gripped her shoulder tightly, his face pale, his forehead beaded with sweat, but his expression was one of understanding, of acceptance.

His voice came out weaker this time, his strength fading.

"They have to do it, Tiaa… It's the only way."

For a moment, she didn't move, didn't breathe. Her body felt frozen in place.

Then, as if all the fight had suddenly left her, she squeezed her eyes shut and allowed Djer to pull her away, his grip firm as he dragged her back.

Nefer, moving with practiced efficiency, grabbed Hapu's infected arm, holding it steady to prevent any unnecessary movement.

Hapu clenched his teeth, his breath ragged, his body trembling violently as he braced himself.

Meni exhaled slowly, lifting the longsword high.

In one swift, precise motion—he brought it down.

****

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