A deep, guttural growl echoed through the darkness behind Nate, sending a bone-chilling shiver down his spine. The sound wasn't just menacing—it carried an unnatural weight, something that pressed against his very soul, making his instincts scream that whatever was coming for him was not meant to exist.
His breath hitched, his muscles tensed, and without hesitation, he turned on his heels and ran.
His footsteps barely made a sound against the strange, energy-infused ground, but no matter how fast he moved, the air behind him felt heavier, as if something monstrous was closing in with each passing second. The growling intensified, evolving into an eerie, distorted screech that sent violent tremors through the tunnel. The black lightning that had once crackled calmly now flared wildly, illuminating the tunnel in bursts of flickering darkness.
Whatever was chasing him—it was fast.
And then, in the blink of an eye, something flashed past him.