The beast lurking in the dark.

As Kaito navigated the twisting corridors of the labyrinth, an instinctive dread clawed at him. His senses screamed imminent danger, his skin prickling with icy awareness. Each step felt like stepping directly towards his own end.

A guttural growl reverberated through the air, a growl so fierce Kaito could FEEL it vibrating against his very bones. He froze, heart pounding. "What is this?" He questions quickly sliding. behind a jagged wall, falling into the shadows. Kaito peaks out to see what was, giving him this feeling, he was being HUNTED. 

Emma stirred beside him, eyes widening in horror at the sight of the beast. Her horrified scream barely escaped before Kaito clapped a serious hand over her quivering lips.

The creature loomed impossibly, crouched on four spindly limbs, yet towering at a fearsome seven feet. Its hide bristled with inky spikes and sinister mottled patterns. Most terrifying was its visage: a grotesque, gaping maw edged with layers of jagged teeth, tentacles whipping angrily from its back. Its mouth bore permanently blood stained teeth.

The thing sent an unfamiliar chill down Kaito's back. Kaito ducked back, his heart hammering wildly. Emma was injured, bleeding, and Lucky was somewhere in the shadows—an unknown variable amidst the terror. Kaito felt the dreadful shift from hunter to hunted, prey to this monstrous entity.

Kaito tries to slow his breath panicking internally. "What is that thing?" Kaito has never known monsters could look this horrifying, he thought the worse it got was big bugs. But this THING defied all he thought he knew,

It's limbed cracked and clicked, as the beast prowled closer, a low, baleful roar echoed through the passage, and its ponderous steps fell heavy upon his ears. Sinister tendrils sought out their surroundings. 

Kaito peeks at the thing again. His face goes pale as he realizes what it's following. The beast is licking up Emma's blood, slowly leading it to Kaito.

As it gets closer Kaito tense up. "This thing is so strong, can I even beat it?" His voice softly whispers. The heavy slow steps of the beast approches him as he hears the tendrils lap up the pools of blood.

Kaito braces himself for the confrontation.

A sudden noise split the suffocating tension, and the creature's savage response was instantaneous. It lunged towards the sound with an unholy and impossible speed, leaving Kaito a moment to collect his shaken nerves. "Calm down Kaito." He exhaled a shallow breath, inching upwards from his crouched position.

But fate was merciless. As he edged into motion, the beast returned, so fast it seemed it was almost materializing before him with nightmarish speed. Its hulking form bore down fiercely, tentacles thrashing. Kaito falls back as the beast tries to bite down on his face.

The labyrinth transformed into a battleground where hope waned beneath every monstrous breath the creature took.