Now What? - Chapter 17

"It's that damn thing again!"

"Everyone prepare yourself–"

A large presence appeared behind Iris suddenly, red eyes blared in the darkness. Its figure was bigger than what they'd seen from before, it had larger forearms with big, clawed fists. Its teeth were sharp as it also had a strong musculature. The figure towered over the group as it lifted its fist. Iris slowly looked up before realizing it was behind them.

"Iris–!" 

Dante yelled out as he lunged forward, quickly tackling her out of the way of the gigantic fist, which slammed down onto the ground, causing a crater to be formed onto the cavern ground. Everyone stood and prepared themselves to face off against the unknown beast.

"What the hell…is that thing!?"

"I-I don't know, but we've gotta get out of here!"

"..."

The group began to debate what to do as each step of the beast became louder as it approached. Though it seemed particularly focused on one of the members. It slowly began to approach Dante and Iris who were on the ground a few paces away.

"Are you okay!?" Dante yelled as he held onto Iris who seemed stunned from the moment, he quickly stood up and readied his stance as she began to regain her senses in the moment. Looking up and seeing the figure shadowed over her and Dante.

"What the…what is that…?" she whispered to herself as she felt her body feel limp from the experience, overtaken with a sense of fear that wouldn't let her move. She realized that if Dante didn't react, she'd be crushed under the beast's heavy fists. She stared with a fearful intensity as she began to back away slowly.

"N-no…No, stay away!"

"Iris!"

The beast lunged forward and pulled its fist back before connecting to the ground once more, as Iris had been moved out of the way once more, being held by Dante. She quickly realized they were in the air, as she was being held onto closely. Dante wore a worried yet frantic expression as he looked at Iris.

"It'll be okay, we just gotta–" suddenly, the beast appeared in front of them once more as its fist approached the two. Dance grunted quickly as he quickly dropped Iris to the ground before taking the brunt of the attack. He screamed out as his body flung across the room, hitting the wall with a strong impact. Iris was stunned to see Dante be thrown so easily.

"No… Dante!"

The others began to fire off spells at the beast, trying to get their attention off of Iris in the moment. Though as their attacks hit them, it continued to walk closer to her, with a deadly focus as he lifted his hand once more. Iris quickly began to scurry back as it swung at the ground once more, missing her barely as she fell backwards closer to the edge of the cavern. Water rushed quickly behind her as tears grew in her eyes.

"I–I can't get away…!" she yelled as it put both of its hands into the air before a yell came from the distance. Dante, who'd been hit before, accelerated quickly from the wall and smacked his body into the beast, causing him to knock the beast off balance before it hit the ground. Causing the ground to lose its structure. The ground began to crumble from under there, causing the ground to give in as Iris and the beast began to fall under the weight. 

"Iris!"

"H-hey!"

"She's falling!"

The group yelled as they quickly approached the edge as they saw the two begin to fall with the rubble quickly following after them. Iris seemed to have passed out from the impact and fear of being attacked. Dante quickly fell after them as he pushed himself from the rubble to grab Iris from the air. Though as he pushed through the rubble, the beast stuck its arm out and tried to grab at the two, but ended up clawing Dante's back as he protected Iris. 

"GNAAGH!" he yelled in pain as the two and the beast fell into the water with the rubble following after them, completely cluttering where they fell. This was the last sight of the two and the beast for the rest of the group.

"N-no."

"Why would he…!"

"Dante…Iris…"

The three stood in silence as they watched the rocks continue to fall into the flowing water, with no sight of the two anymore.