The air flowed through the maze of pillars so naturally yet to the group—chilling in their bones. Arlene hopped off walls, running across them with ease. Blue sparks trailing behind her boosting her speed. Naciv followed her, taking long strides and his unnatural gift to keep up. Far behind, Wattyson paced himself not close by, but not far enough to lose sight. Of course, carrying Xylia too who was pointing her wands forward in anticipation.

  Their goal was simple: Find Rinea and get out. If what Wattyson said was true, Arlene wouldn’t want to endanger the other to their potential deaths. She eyed all the pillars. Which one did Rinea scale up? Those marks could be clue.

  Yet thinking back in the previous floor… the wall stitched itself up. If this pillar was the same, then they were going in blind. She quickly scraped the pillar ahead, and confirmation; it did heal.

  “Damn it!” she muttered frustrated.

  Scaling the pillar would be ideal, better vantage point. However, she chose against it. Climbing up wasted time that they didn’t have. She hoped it wasn’t a werewolf—but it was Rinea opening the exit.

  Arlene slowed herself just a bit to match Naciv. “You know Rinea, yes? What kind of strategy does she employ?” She then raced just ahead to lead.

  “..I don’t know! This is my first time diving with her!” His answer hurriedly mixed with his panting.

  “Then what DO you know of her?!”

  Sweats dropped into Naciv’s eyes as he tried his best to keep up. Always nearly out of breath, but not enough to drop exhausted. “I…” Slowing himself slightly as he thought of those records and papers once read.

  “She’s a scout…”

  “Yes, I know! What about her strategy? Do you recall anything?”

  “High vantage,” he wiped his eyes, “If faced with danger, she usually tries to escape or stay high point to avoid dangers. I read it in the files.”

  Smart, but which high vantage point was another question. All the pillars reached far to the hexagonal ceiling. Arlene barked back, “Does she make any signs? L-like symbols or hints?”

  “The Adventurer’s Guild symbol!” He stomped his feet stopping himself. “I think we should split up and look for her!”

  Arlene quickly spun. “We can’t! Your life, everyone’s lives here is my responsibility! Stick together!”

  “But that would waste time! Splitting up expedite it!”

  “I’m saying we can’t! We are dealing with force unseen by us all!”

  “Force? Wha—“

  “She’s right, Naciv!” a tired and dried voice pierced through from Wattyson catching up with Xylia. “We are dealing with an interloper that YOU fear! We have to stay together!”

  Naciv’s face twitched. Why did he emphasize me? What interloper that he—Oh no. His face dropped into fear. Turning back to Arlene, he nodded. A silence agreement.

  Arlene didn’t waste another seconds and began sprinting, leading the group. Naciv lunged to catch up.

  “Fucking hell… why do they move so fast…” Wattyson panted.

  Xylia groaned, waving her wands forward. “Then put me down! I can run just fine!”

  “No… Hold on tight.”

  “Sa—“ Her voice echoed as Wattyson resumed running. She held tight to his shoulder, using it to stable herself and her wands’ aiming.

  The race was on, yet its track now filled with skeletal remains. Same claw marks and no equipment in sight. That interloper wasn’t restricted to Floor Forty and above. It had come hunting below it too.

  A flick of light above then came a rounded metal ball like a boulder. It flew from the high ground aiming directly at them. Arlene quickly jumped, her hands steadied as she swung the sword from below, cutting it in half as she went through it.

  Looking up, only a shadow silhouette was there—Huge torso and arms, but smaller in its lower body. It was hanging off the pillar though not far up, just enough to oversee the whole maze.

  Without missing a beat, that creature immediately tore part of the pillar and threw it again like it was a snowball. Arlene exhaled, steadying herself again. The ball wasn’t directed at her but behind, to the other half broken pillars. It hit the base, and collapsing it—blocking their retreat.

  Naciv eyes squinted as he gritted his teeth. His fangs grew as in response to that silhouette. “Fuck.”

  “We need to go!” Arlene ordered while keeping an eye on that. “Rinea is probably hiding somewhere!” An assumption without merit. This floor was always reactive to sounds. There are barely any ambient noises. If Rinea were to... fight this thing. Sounds of blade clanking or worse—her dying scream would’ve been heard.

  Naciv however wanted to retort back. That thing had to be Rinea! It was high up and Rinea always climbed high for safety during danger! Yet the fear ingrained into his unnatural race overcame him. His skin coiled. It was either fight or flight. His body and mind chose to fight.

  That creature didn’t linger, it jumped and hopped from one pillar to another as if it wasn’t hunting. It was toying with its foods. Every hop it grunted, echoing across—fueling Arlene’s own reasoning regarding sounds.

  “We’re wasting our times if we kept running in mazes!” Naciv shouted, his body’s restless.

  “…Tch. Stand back!” Arlene chanted to herself. Her sword began to glow in brilliant light. It extended further, increasing its size around the blade. She swung it horizontally, the blade extended outward and cleaved through all the pillars, tumbling them down.

  She quickly chanted out barrier, anything to withstand physical damage for her and Naciv nearby. “Stay sharp!” The fallen pillars bellowed out dust, propelled to them like a storm thanks to the air circulation.

  Her eyes narrowed but remained sharp. That thing could hurl another ball at them. It never came. The sounds of Naciv coughing filled the air. Her body relaxed just slight, her sword lowered to the ground. “Let’s move…” That thing really was playing with them.

  Behind them, Wattyson and Xylia caught up. Their appearances were covered in dust. “Why did you do that?” Wattyson asked while Xylia was still coughing out dusts.

  Arlene shot him a look, one of determined and smirk. “Easier for you to follow us.”

  “You do realize you just made the ground more uneven.”

  “So? Put Xylia down.”

  Xylia jumped on it. “Yeah! I can walk on my own!” Which then her feet touched the cold metallic floor.

  Arlene didn’t rush yet, seeing Naciv had his eyes front she pressed Wattyson. “Was that creature what you suspected of?”

  “…I didn’t see.”

  Arlene groaned. “Let’s continue then.” Blue spark streaked across her legs, leaving dusts behind her wake. Naciv followed shortly after.

  “Sage?” Xylia tugged him before moving ahead. “What are we dealing with?”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Something you’re not ready for… Come on. We need to hurry.”

  The two marched, hopping off those pillars like they were mere rocks in a pond. Both their eyes scanned every pillars in sight; sign of Rinea or that thing.

  Naciv convinced it was Rinea. It was too convenience. A burst of confidence and even offering herself to scout, solo? A clear sign of isolation for transformation. His paranoia, to him, was proven. His fang stayed and his nails grew just slight enough to stay human. He was channelling it into strength. Convinced he was right all along!

  Another flash of light as the ball came crashing again. The two dodged from it, but the sheer velocity of the throw was too much—impacting the uneven grounds sending shockwave of debris. Fortunately, it didn’t hit any of them.

  Another ball came again, but wasn’t at them. It was in front or just behind them—sending debris flying.

  Arlene gritted. This damn thing wasn’t just monstrous. It was intelligent—should’ve expected that from the fact it wasn’t attacking them outright.

  Not wanting to play its game, she drifted as she hopped, pointing her sword high to the sky.

  “SUNLANCE!” Yellow light shined from her hilt and converged at the tip, shooting out beam of light. The shot released a hissing sounds like it was water vaporizing.

  A loud pierced through the pillar’s surface, then to the ceiling exploding—releasing sounds like a vibrating fork.

  The thing narrowly dodged. It hopped abruptly, its claws dug into the pillars as it fell around it before gaining control. It pushed its legs into the pillar, one arm into the pillar and another free. It was undeniably looking at them. A growl heard throughout.

  “Not that perceptive, huh?” Arlene aimed high and fired again. “Naciv! Continue looking for her, but don’t stray too far off!”

  But Naciv didn’t want to. He already made up his paranoid mind. Though, right now he couldn’t really do anything. He played along. “I’ll call out if I see anything!” He was half-serious and half-arsing it. Skipping off far, but still keeping her in his sight.

  Another sunlance, another near miss. It was growling every time; it was more drawn out with every jump. Arlene was sending a clear message; Its foods wouldn’t play its game.

  It did something that confirmed to those who knew. After narrowly dodging another sunlance, and steady itself by clawing into the pillar. Its eyes grew yellow and then… a long drawn out sound—a howl. Loud, raw, and very angry. It vibrated throughout, rattling fallen pillars and clawing at their eardrums—less of an animal and more… drawing out their primal memories.

  Naciv’s entire body spiked looking at the sight. The vampire’s natural predator was here… He was its prey in the food chain. His nails stretched out, clawing into his own palm. The pain sensation knocked him out of feared. His heart beat out like a loose gear, but his mind was racing in overdrive—converting every ounce of paranoia into strength and conviction. That werewolf? It was that fucking weirdo.

  Wattyson stood staring at it. He wasn’t halted by his instinct; his body was free still, but tensed with caution. The enemy he wanted the group to avoid, this interloper that the group wasn’t ready to face. It was no avoiding it now.

  Xylia was frozen. She didn’t move, she didn’t speak, her entire muscle stilled.

  “Xylia? Xylia!” Wattyson placed himself in front, crouching. Her eyes weren’t brilliant purple anymore. The pupil diluted into a mixed canvas of her eyes like paint. “Xylia! Pull yourself together!” She was under the delirium.

  Arlene wrestled with her body. Her entire body was shaken. She faced the Dark Lord before, this shouldn’t be new. Yet her body recoiled. Her fight or flight response triggered a thousand times fold, yet her body struggled to choose. Her primal instinct screamed to what she never faced before. Her pupils were diluting. Vision blurred. She could only see a pair of distant yellows dropped from the pillar in the haze.

  Damnit! I need to… Cursed at her body. She had the strength to fight! She must protect the others! Listen! Yelling at her own body.

  Yet that pair of yellow in the haze growing larger and larger. Sounds of thumping metals rang louder and louder. Her foot shifted a bit to dodge, but barely enough strength to move. The nerves stopped.

  Wattyson!

  The werewolf claws etched into the floor like it was on the hunt. Its target was that annoying pest that kept throwing sunlance at it. Climbing over the uneven debris, it got slower but measured to not trip then lunged forward.

  Flame rushed forward, brushing against the beast. Fire sizzled and scoured over its fur as it rolled over to the ground, rolling on the uneven ground. It grunted loudly and growled. Saliva dripping like rain from its mouth.

  It then stood. Its two smaller legs supported by its massive arms. Its posture was hunched like a gorilla, yet it wasn’t anything but that. Furs curled in brown. Spots of red like blood. It bore a shirt of black torn and pants turned short. This was a supernatural.

  Its eyes weren’t on Arlene anymore, but on Wattyson who was already priming another fireball at it.

  It snarled. Its pose ready for another lunge. Its eyes dilated before shrinking back down completely full focus. Roaring once more, it attacked.

  Wattyson shot his fire on the ground instead. The small explosion blew dust all over and debris flying.

  Vision blocked. It was still charging. Then the shrapnel like debris pierced through its thick skin. Just sharp enough that its sensation overrode its instinct briefly to deter.

  Behind it, Naciv jumped at it. His claws out and wide, intending to cross onto the wolf. He was screaming, letting out his frustrated roar to the wolf.

  Yet the wolf wasn’t dumb. His instinctual roar just made the thing aware of him. It swung its massive arm backward, connecting and hurling Naciv by his side. He yelped in pain from the impact and flew, burying his back into the ground. Bloods rushed to his head, spilling over through mouths and nose.

  He tried to get back up, but then a full weight pressed against his chest. Coughing up blood once more, his bloodthirsty eyes started at the werewolf on him. Its claws were reaching closer to his face, threatening to tear it apart. It was toying with him.

  More fireball flew into its face, catching its attention off of Naciv. The flame coiled Naciv’s nature as a vampire as well, though his head was filled with righteous paranoia it didn’t matter. He quickly grabbed one of his dagger and slammed with full force into its small stomping leg.

  Weight lifted just enough, Naciv tapped into his vampiric blood magic. Chanting out to transform into a bat, he flew away.

  More fireballs keeping the wolf distracted, Wattyson moved to Arlene. “Get a hold of yourself!”

  Arlene couldn’t. She wanted to, but her body was rebelling against her will. Suddenly, her nerves came back online starting from her foot—a sharp sensation of throbbing pain. Wattyson was stabbing his staff into hers.

  Legs was moveable again, then arms then body, then head. Her lip still trembled and vision blurry, but her body was hers again.

  “T-Thanks.” Her voice was still a whimper.

  “Not yet! Go help Xylia and regroup with Naciv. I’ll hold it off! Afterward, we’ll escape. I rather not risk fighting unless otherwised!”

  “B-but!” She watched him threw away his staff in a black hole then pulled out a gleaming silver sword.

  “Go!” He didn’t wait for her to nod or anything. Immediately sprinting off to hold the wolf.

  He rushed, but careful. It was uneven, a wrong move could cost him his life. The bat caught his attention—it was surely Naciv.

  “Go group up at Xylia!”

  “What?! I can do this! You can trust me, Anath—“

  “That’s an order, blankbody!”

  A claw slash came in brutally, bearing no warning. It grazed his chest, cutting through his shirt. “Tch!” He clicked his tongue and slashed down, connecting with the wolf’s forearm.

  The wolf yelped and backed off. That slash sizzled smokes into the air like it was burning. Its wound wasn’t healing. Silver was always their weakness. Faces contorted looking at the Hunter. Bearing its teeth to him, a growl of challenge.

  Wattyson didn’t charge. He remained still, waiting to counter instead. The land was too uneven. He could float, sure, but it wouldn’t offer any mobility. Instead, he took this time to study that wolf.

  A massive bulky upper body but small lower body? Their legs were too small… That wasn’t something he used to… this… this is not a conscious werewolf. The eyes were full of predatory. Hearing from Arlene and others that this thing had tormented this dungeon, eating adventurers and monsters alike. That wasn’t in the Gaia’s playbook. This thing had lost its mind—mid transition into an actual wolf.

  Its feet rubbed the floor then stormed off. It rushed toward Wattyson on all fours then immediately shifted, leaving dusts in front of Wattyson.

  “For fuck—,” he braced himself, sword at the ready to block and counter. It never came. Once the dust settled, the wolf wasn’t aiming at him. It was aiming for Naciv—its natural prey.

  “Naciv!”

  The vampire was already in its human form, running to Arlene till the sound of metal bending to an overgrown wolf came closer. “Shit!”

  It bashed against him, knocking him to the floor like a ragdoll.

  Coughing out bloods once more and felt like his lungs just collapsed, he wasn’t deterred. His arm moved tapping into vampiric magic. A small chant muttered. Blood were siphoning out of the wolf’s opened wound then striking back at it like piercing needles.

  The wolf whined as it raced toward him again, slamming its small foot on his magic hand.

  “ARGHH!” He winced, fearing like his hand was chopped off.

  The wolf swung its arm wide, high like it was doing an execution. Naciv tried to retaliate, using his own coughed out blood to streak into the beast with precision, to strike its vital organ. It didn’t stop the wolf.

  “You,” a voice of hatred, “I always knew it was you… you FUCKING WEIRDO!”

  A shortsword flew, carried by the wind, into the Wolf’s arms. It embedded into it enough to flinch. Behind it soon after, flames charred its back. It turned and a gleaming silver slash came. It tried to dodge, but the sword came swift—cutting its palm as it instinctively tried defending itself before hopping off.

  “Stay down, Naciv!” Wattyson didn’t stop to access him and rushed to the wolf.

  Naciv couldn’t feel his own breathing. His own lungs were paralyzed from all the crash.

  “Here drink this, Naciv!” A voice so shaky it emulated in her holding hands and her trembling eyes as she hovered over.

  “W-Wait, Rinea?!”

  “Shush. Drink! You’re too injur-red!” Her pupil was close to being completely diluted yet she pushed through.

  He only sipped slightly before shaking his head off. Adrenaline was still fuelling him. “I-I-I thought you were that!”

  The accusation shocked Rinea, enough to push back the delirium slightly. “Yo-You think I’m that?!” She pointed while trembling. “What are yo-you thinkin?!”

  “Ughhh” He groaned, though his mind somehow at ease. He still had that conviction, but now some of those weight lifted. He was wrong, but it didn’t matter now in the face of predator. “You’re just a weirdo…”