Erik channeled mana into his legs while simultaneously casting a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction of the approaching swarm of Acidspitter Arthropods.
His muscles, already aching from the exertion, reacted with a surge of speed that was so quick that it was almost impossible to see.
The sharp edges of his boots scraped against the uneven stones he was walking on, kicking up a cloud of pebbles behind him.
Every step he took was a gamble because the force of his legs propelling him forward gave him such momentum that he was constantly on the verge of losing control. But he didn't dare slow down. The acid-spitting swarm was relentless, and the sound of their serrated claws clicking menacingly as they advanced in waves was terrifying.
With one final push of his mana-enhanced speed, Erik then leaped toward the door. He put his hand out in front of him; fingers spread wide to reach for the icy-rusted metal of the massive door.
The final few meters leading up to the door seemed to drag on for an indefinite amount of time. Erik's heart was pounding in time with his frantic steps, and the adrenaline in his system gave him an intensely primal focus. Now he was so close to the door—the objective of his mad dash—that he could almost feel the door's cold metal against his skin; the exit was within arm's reach.
Erik skidded to a halt in front of the enormous door.
The passage of time seemed to slow down as he grasped the rusted wheel with both hands while the monstrous chorus of Acidspitter Arthropods echoed menacingly behind him. They were far, so there was still time to open the door and escape.
The corroded wheel loomed large in front of him, but despite Erik's efforts, it refused to budge. His eyes darted back and forth between the wheel and the swarm of Acidspitter Arthropods that were rapidly closing in on him. Their vibrant green and yellow exoskeletons shimmered menacingly in the pale glow that was emanated by the Aclaitrium ore so common inside this cave.
"Perfect," he muttered under his breath, the sarcasm almost lost in the adrenaline rush coursing through his veins. His words, however, carried no humor—only a grim acknowledgment of the dire situation he found himself in.
He threw his weight against the wheel, and his hands gripped the corroded metal as tightly as possible. But there was no slippage in the wheel. He desperately tried to turn the rusted wheel but met with resistance at every turn. This caused him to feel an overwhelming sense of panic. He struggled against it, his muscles writhing in agony as the wheel stubbornly refused to budge in response to his efforts.
In the meantime, the Acidspitter Arthropods were getting closer to closing the gap, the rhythmic clicking of their serrated claws against the stone ground creating an eerie sound.
Their faceted eyes were intently focused on Erik, and their elongated mandibles trembled with anticipation as they prepared to expel their lethal corrosive substances.
Erik was able to hear their approach becoming increasingly audible, each reverberating click serving as a chilling reminder of the impending threat.
The acrid, sulfurous smell of their excrement was pervasive in the environment, and it forced its way into his nasal passages, causing him to grimace.
"Come on!" Erik growled, directing his frustration at the rusted wheel. His voice echoed eerily in the vast cavern, drowned out by the cacophony of the approaching swarm. He gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his strength and remaining mana into turning the wheel. The high stakes of his situation made each second feel like an eternity, with his fate hanging in the balance.
Erik's heart was beating so fast that it felt like a drum in his chest. As he struggled to get the door open, his knuckles turned white from the effort, and his hands became slick with sweat as they rubbed against the metal of the vault wheel.
His thoughts were racing, and every part of his body pleaded for that damned door to be opened.
Suddenly, a monstrous and bone-chilling scream filled the air, reverberating through the cavern and echoing off the towering buildings. It was a sound Erik was all too familiar with now—a horrifying symphony of raw, primal power and terrifying hunger.
Erik had heard it before. As he turned his head in the direction of the source of the sound, a chill ran through his body.
The military base's monster appeared as it rounded the corner of a nearby building and emerged into view. Because of its towering stature, the glow of the Aclaitrium ore around the beast was obscured, and it cast a long, monstrous shadow that writhed and flickered across the abandoned city at the monster's feet.
Those left imprints on the ground that gave way under the monster's massive weight as it advanced toward the young man, and each step brought it that much closer to him.
"Oh, come on!" Erik shouted in a shaky attempt at gallows humor. His eyes flicked between the two monsters that now had him cornered. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, with nowhere to run. "Just what I needed. Two nightmares instead of one."
When viewed from afar, the figure appeared to be something truly horrifying. Erik was able to make out the menacing silhouette, which stood well over three meters in height and had a body that was an absurd exaggeration of muscularity.
Its skin was a dark, ominous purple that gave off an unnatural appearance. Still, the silhouette was unnaturally human and served as a horrifying reminder of what the sinister cold did to the human population. However, Erik didn't know of such effects that could lead to this kind of mutation.
The dim, ethereal light of the Aclaitrium ore cast eerie shadows over the creature, accentuating its monstrous transformation—tattered remnants of what could have been clothing clung to its hulking frame.
"What the hell...?" he yelled.
Each of its strides was powerful and weighty, and as it moved, the ground beneath its feet trembled with each step.
ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAR
The beast emitted a blood-curdling scream that sent a shiver down Erik's spine.
It exuded an aura of unchallenged dominance and asserted its position atop the acid-spitting swarm with ruthless efficiency, giving the impression that no one could challenge its authority.
The Acidspitter Arthropods, who had been pursuing Erik with such ruthlessness, appeared to be nothing more than ants in front of this terrifying giant.
They attacked, but the creature's tough hide was impervious to the corrosive discharges that their natural weapons produced. Their lethal acid made a hissing sound before evaporating completely, leaving the beast unharmed.
The insectoid thaids were crushed under the monstrous creature's feet as it walked over them and trampled on them with each step.
Their shells cracked and shattered; a sickening sound echoed through the cavern. But their demise didn't seem to affect the beast; it had a different target in mind. Its multifaceted eyes were locked onto Erik, a chilling, unblinking stare that promised nothing but violence.
When Erik met its gaze, he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. The realization that this creature was once human sent a shudder of dread through his body. Now it was only a monstrosity, a perverted parody of the human form, and it was headed in his direction.
The young man's hands remained planted firmly on the corroded wheel as they continued their fight against the stubborn door's handle. As he persisted in his efforts, the icy metal groaned and creaked under the strain.
His gaze shifted between the two menacing threats - the monstrous purple creature, the beast from the base casually trampling the Acidspitter Arthropods in its path, and the horde of smaller thaids unaffected by the humanoid Thaid's onslaught.
"This just keeps getting better," he quipped, a touch of sardonic humor in his voice. His determination did not waver, despite the growing proximity of the creatures. The danger was evident, but Erik, centered in the eye of the storm, remained focused, driven by the will to survive. He was aware of the dire circumstances, but he was not going to let fear overtake him. He had a door to open, after all.
The door groaned under Erik's efforts, eventually giving in to his determination just as the monstrous creatures were getting closer to the room. Erik was momentarily thrown off balance when there was a sudden release of tension, but he quickly recovered, and the adrenaline helped him move forward.
When the massive door opened, it revealed a pitch-black void that starkly contrasted the bright city that lay beyond it. Erik did not waste a single second and dashed through the entrance, his boots making a loud clattering sound against the metal threshold.
The horrifying sounds of his pursuers became increasingly loud as they closed in on him from behind. The pounding of their thunderous steps, the shrill cries of the Acidspitter Arthropods, and the monstrous roars all converge into one another to create a terrifying symphony that was at the same level as a horror film.
Erik forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand, which was shutting the door, despite the din that was going on around him. He whirled around and threw his weight against the large wheel as it turned. It resisted at first since it was locked in place by years of disuse. But Erik pushed harder, driven by sheer will and the primal instinct of survival.
His muscles tensed up in response to the effort, and veins began to protrude from his forearms. Sweat began to run down his forehead.
It appeared that time had slowed down, and each second seemed to last an eternity. The pounding of his heart in his chest was so loud that it drowned out the din of noise that was coming from behind the door.
The eerie light emanating from the Aclaitrium ore beyond the door illuminated the horde, giving Erik a chance to see how much he had before being overrun. With each passing second, the shadows grew in size and became more menacing.
And then, just as the first monstrous figure reached the door, the wheel gave way. With a gut-wrenching creak, the door started closing. The last thing Erik saw was the enraged gaze of the monsters, their roars muffled by the thick metal door sliding into place.
Erik was left by himself in the abrupt silence as the door slammed shut with a resonating thud, immediately cutting off the sounds from the inside of the cave and leaving him alone in the silence that followed. He pressed his body up against the door that had just been shut as his heart pounded in his ears.
"That...was too close," he murmured, a shaky laugh escaping his lips as the reality of his narrow escape sank in.
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