Cold Too cold. It felt as if someone had dumped him into the frozen sector of those moonlit bastard .The water was biting cold, seeping into Kaelvren's skin like thousands of invisible needles. His body shivered uncontrollably, muscles aching as he forced them to move. The river's current was fierce, pushing and pulling him in every direction, threatening to drag him under.
His left hand clutched the branch—his only lifeline. His legs, weak and sore, kicked against the water, barely managing to keep him afloat.
One stroke. Another. Again.
The distant shore was so close, yet every second felt like a battle against the abyss itself.
His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as he tried to control his panicked mind. He had already lost too much. His right arm was gone, his strength was fading, and his body was at its limit.
But survival didn't care for limits.
He had to push forward.
Kaelvren kicked harder, using his legs as a makeshift paddle, pushing against the powerful currents. Every movement sent a wave of pain up his spine, but he ignored it.
The land was just ahead.
Five more minutes. Maybe three.
He could make it.
Or so he thought. And then, just as a flicker of hope dared to surface, it vanished. Then, he felt it.
A shift in the water. A presence.
A primal chill ran down his spine.
Something was lurking beneath him.
It was instinct—the same instinct that warns a deer the moment a wolf sets its sights on it.
Kaelvren's eyes flickered downward, scanning the murky depths.
Then, he saw it.
A shadow.
No.
A colossal silhouette, moving with terrifying grace.
It wasn't just a fish—it was a monster.
It was as large as a great shark, its massive body slicing through the water effortlessly, barely disturbing the surface.
The beast was circling him.
Watching. Studying.
A cold realization gripped Kaelvren's heart.
It was hunting him.
The chase had begun.
---
Desperate Struggle
His breathing turned shallow.
He knew how this would end. The creature was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The instant he lost focus or made a wrong move, it would lunge.
"Shit… not now…" Kaelvren muttered, tightening his grip on the branch.
His body was still weak, barely holding itself together. He had no weapons, no plan—only this damn piece of wood keeping him afloat.
He couldn't fight.
He couldn't outswim it.
But he could outthink it.
Move. Now.
Panic would only make him slower, so he forced himself to remain calm. He adjusted his grip on the branch, shifting his weight so that his movements looked natural—not erratic, not desperate.
If he panicked, the creature would sense it.
If he made a wrong move, it would attack.
Slowly, he angled himself toward the shore.
One stroke.
Another.
The shadow followed.
The beast was closing in.
---
The Predator Strikes
The moment Kaelvren felt the water shift violently beneath him, he knew.
It was charging.
He turned his head—too late.
The monster surged upward from the depths, its massive mouth opening, rows of jagged teeth glinting in the fractured sunlight.
A beast of the abyss.
Kaelvren had seconds to react.
Instinct kicked in.
Using his left hand, he twisted the branch sideways, angling it between himself and the monster.
The moment the beast lunged, its jaws snapped down—onto the branch.
A massive crack echoed through the river as the creature bit clean through the wood, its strength shattering it into splinters.
But in that instant, Kaelvren was already moving.
With a final desperate kick, he threw himself toward the shore.
His fingertips brushed against the muddy ground.
So close.
Then—the beast struck again.
A wave of water crashed into him as the creature's tail whipped across his back, sending him spinning through the currents.
His head went under.
Darkness.
---
As he was on the Edge of death Kaelvren fought against the pull of the river, his body twisting violently as he tried to reach the surface. His lungs burned, screaming for air.
The beast was still there, circling.
This was its domain.
He was just prey.
His vision blurred as his mind started to fade.
No. Not like this.
A final surge of desperation fueled him.
He kicked, clawed, thrashed—
Then—light.
His head broke through the surface. Air flooded his lungs.
And there—just a few meters away—was land.
His body was barely responding, but he forced it to move.
With his last shred of strength, he lunged forward and grabbed onto the rocky shore.
His fingers dug into the wet earth, refusing to let go.
The monster lurked just beyond, watching. Waiting.
But it wouldn't come any closer.
It couldn't.
Kaelvren had made it But The instant his body hit land, Kaelvren gasped for air, his lungs burning as if set ablaze. Each breath felt like knives stabbing into his chest. The taste of iron filled his mouth, and with a deep, shuddering exhale, he spat out a dark glob of blood onto the wet ground.
Internal injuries.
Not good.
But now wasn't the time to think about it.
His entire body screamed for rest, but his mind screamed louder—a primal, instinctual warning.
This place is dangerous. Move. Now.
Kaelvren's left hand trembled as he reached for his dagger, the familiar weight of it bringing a sliver of comfort. He tightened his grip, his fingers aching from exhaustion. Every muscle in his body begged him to stop, but he knew what would happen if he did.
Rest was a luxury. Right now, survival was the only priority.
His gaze darted around, scanning the dense forest ahead. Shadows stretched long under the fading light, offering him the only advantage he had left.
He activated his attribute.
Veil of Shadows
"When held, the user's presence becomes harder to detect in low-light conditions."
The air around him seemed to shift, his form blurring slightly with the dim surroundings. He wasn't invisible, but harder to notice—like a whisper in the wind, a fleeting shadow in the corner of an eye.
It was enough.
Without hesitation, he moved.
---
His feet barely made a sound as he darted between the trees, slipping through the darkened paths like a ghost. The adrenaline in his veins numbed his pain, pushing him forward, step after agonizing step.
Behind him, the river churned, a reminder of the beast lurking beneath its depths. But it wasn't just the monster he had to worry about.
The night was coming.
And with the night came hunters far worse.
His breath came in short, ragged gasps, but he didn't stop. He couldn't.
Then—a sound.
A rustling in the distance. Something was nearby.
He froze, pressing himself against the rough bark of a nearby tree. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Slowly, he crouched low, gripping his dagger tight, his fingers aching against the cold metal.
His Veil of Shadows was active, but he knew better than to trust it completely. Some creatures relied on scent, hearing, and instincts sharper than sight.
He stayed still.
Listened.
The rustling stopped.
Silence.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, the presence faded.
Kaelvren exhaled shakily, resisting the urge to collapse. His vision swayed, exhaustion clawing at him, but he forced himself to move again.
He needed shelter.
---
A Temporary Refuge
After running for what felt like hours, he finally found something useful—a massive tree with a hollowed-out space inside its trunk. It was just big enough for him to crawl in.
A perfect hiding spot.
Without wasting time, he slid inside, curling up within the natural crevice. He reached for the surrounding leaves, covering himself as best as he could. The earthy scent of the forest filled his nose, grounding him in the moment.
This wasn't safe, not truly. But it was safer than being out in the open.
His body sagged against the rough bark, his chest rising and falling unevenly. He knew the chances of rest were slim from now on. Every second counted.
His eyelids felt heavy.
The pain in his missing arm throbbed, a dull yet persistent reminder of his loss.
But for now, just for a moment—
He let himself fade into exhaustion.
---
Darkness, Before the Dawn of Pain.
Kaelvren's breathing slowed, his mind slipping into the fragile space between consciousness and oblivion.
The world around him blurred, shadows swallowing his form as the forest whispered secrets to the night.
Somewhere in the distance, the howl of an unknown beast echoed through the air.
A warning.
The night was far from over.
But for now—he rested.