Chapter 34: Beyond The Lake

Malakai noticed he had leveled up, but he didn't open his system to check the details, figuring it could wait since it was only one level up.

After the bloody feast, they were full and ready to move on, but they needed to pass through the lake to continue their journey.

Malakai and Akira weren't worried about this obstacle, knowing they could easily jump across.

Akira, being a high Omega realm, had incredible strength and agility, and Malakai, now a low Omega realm, had also developed impressive physical abilities.

However, they were concerned about Amari, who didn't possess the same level of strength and agility as her family members, especially her smaller body wouldn't make the distance.

But Akira quickly came up with a solution, opening her jaws wide and gently lifting Amari up.

She took a few steps back, then ran towards the lake, building up speed before launching herself into a graceful jump.

Malakai watched as his mother effortlessly cleared the distance, Amari safely in her jaws.

Now it was Malakai's turn. He took a deep breath, focused his energy, and sprinted towards the lake.

He pushed off the ground with all his might, feeling the rush of wind as he soared through the air.

Time seemed to slow down as he gazed down at the water below.

Using every ounce of strength to propel himself forward.

He landed safely on the other side, his paws thudding against the ground.

As he caught his breath, Malakai closed his eyes, trying to sense the exit from the prison.

He felt a strange energy emanating from a particular direction.

But despite the exit being close, he sensed a peculiar resistance, as if something was pushing him away from the path.

He furrowed his brow, unsure what to make of this strange sensation.

Opening his eyes, he glanced at his mother and sister, who seemed equally uncomfortable.

Akira's ears were folded back, and Amari's tail was tucked between her legs.

Malakai realized that they were all feeling the same strange energy, and it was making them hesitant to move forward. But he knew they couldn't stay stuck in this place forever.

He began to move in the direction of the exit, his family following closely behind.

They kept on moving, their paws padding against the ground in unison, but Malakai's sense of certainty began to strengthen this trail was strange, but strange may also mean freedom.

As they continued on, the landscape around them began to change, a small snowstorm was brewing, the flakes falling gently at first, but growing thicker and more insistent by the minute.

The ground beneath them began solid ice. Malakai's paws skidded on the icy surface, but he managed to catch himself.

He glanced to the side, his eyes meeting Akira's calm gaze. She seemed undisturbed by the sudden change in weather.

Amari, on the other hand, looked a bit more uncertain, her ears folded back and her tail tucked between her legs.

Malakai felt a pang of concern for his sister, but his mother's strong presence reassured him. She would keep them safe.

As the mist began to rise, shrouding the landscape in a grey veil, Malakai's anxiety spiked.

He couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him, and the darkness seemed to close in on them from all sides.

He looked to the side, his eyes straining to see through the mist.

Akira and Amari were still there, their forms blurry but reassuring. Malakai breathed a sigh of relief.

As the strange urge that had been pushing him to go back grew stronger, Malakai felt a creeping sense of unease, as if they were trespassing on sacred ground.

He wondered if this eerie sensation was the reason they hadn't encountered any beasts in the prison, aside from the storm that was now raging around them.

But as they huddled together, he felt as if someone or something was watching their every move.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and he instinctively moved closer to his family.

They scanned their surroundings, their gazes piercing through the mist, but there was nothing to be seen.

The snow fell in thick, heavy flakes, obstructing their vision and making it impossible to detect any potential threats.

He exchanged a nervous glance with his family, and they seemed to reach a silent agreement: they wouldn't turn back now. They had come too far, and the storm was too intense to navigate in reverse.

But the cold was becoming unbearable, even for Arctic wolves like themselves, who were bred to thrive in the harsh, cold land

Still, they pressed on, their paws sinking into the snow as they moved forward.

....

As they walked, Malakai felt a sense of relief that they had eaten the caiman.

Otherwise, they would be starving in this desolate place.

The storm was still raging, but it had weakened slightly, allowing them to see a little farther ahead.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently.

The tremors grew stronger, making it hard to keep their balance.

A loud crash echoed through the air, making Malakai's heart race with fear.

He spun around, his eyes scanning the chaos.

A tree lay uprooted on the ground, its branches tangled in a heap.

His family huddled together, Amari hiding behind him while Akira watched their back, her eyes fixed on the opposite direction.

The snow beneath their paws hardened, becoming as solid as ice.

Then, it cracked, like a stone splitting apart. A small fissure opened up in the ground, and a blue hand emerged, its fingers splayed like claws.

The hand was followed by an arm, and then a shoulder, as a figure slowly pulled itself out of the earth.

The figure rose from the ground, its eyes fixed on them with an unblinking stare.

Malakai's family stood frozen, their eyes locked on the figure, as the storm raged on.

The blue hand flexed, its fingers closing into a fist, and Malakai knew that their journey had just taken a drastic turn.

The figure took a step closer.

The figure took another step closer, its eyes fixoned them with an unblinking stare it was like they were in a staring contest.