The River

At the last second, Evryn dove to his left, barely avoiding the wolf's snapping jaws.

The beast's teeth clamped shut with a sickening clack, just inches from where he had been. Heart pounding, Evryn hit the ground hard, dirt scraping against his arms. He barely had time to register the pain before instinct kicked in—he pushed himself up immediately and bolted.

He ran like prey, tearing through the forest, his breath ragged. A rabbit fleeing from a fox—no, worse. A man running from a wolf.

A giant wolf at that! 

He had never moved this fast in his life. It had to be the adrenaline, the raw, primal terror fueling his legs.

He darted past two massive trees before a sudden realization struck him like a brick.

Why the hell am I running away from Garran?

God, im such an idiot!

But there was no time to dwell on his mistake—the wolf was still coming.

Then, he felt it.

The ground trembled beneath him.

Dread clawed at his chest as he reluctantly glanced over his shoulder.

The giant wolf was hurling toward him, closing the distance at terrifying speed.

Evryn snapped his head forward, eyes widening in horror. His heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst.

His breath hitched—his whole body locking up for a split second—before sheer panic overtook him.

Then he screamed.

A shrill, frantic cry ripped from his throat, so high-pitched it barely sounded human—more like a terrified little girl than a grown man.

Garran was already moving. So were Ronan, Dorian, and Eryk.

Evryn's scream cut through the forest, echoing between the towering trees.

"What the hell was that?!" Garran barked, his pace quickening.

They didn't need to guess.

The wolf was almost on Evryn. He pushed himself harder, legs burning, lungs screaming—but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't outrun a beast that massive.

It was gaining.

Fast.

Before Evryn could react—

SMASH.

A crushing force slammed into his ribs.

His vision blurred as his body was sent flying like a ragdoll, weightless against the sheer power of the blow.

CRUNCH

His back collided with a tree. A sharp, searing pain exploded through him as he crumpled to the ground, coughing up blood.

Agony rippled through his body, every nerve screaming in protest.

He shouldn't be alive. No normal person could survive a hit like that—let alone being thrown against a tree with such force. At the very least, he should be paralyzed.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

The wolf was already charging again, its glowing blue eyes locked onto him.

A predator.

A hunt.

A kill.

Evryn gritted his teeth, forcing himself onto his feet. His body protested, every movement a fresh wave of pain, but he had no choice.

Limping, stumbling—he ran.

His left hand clutched his side, pressing against the searing pain where the wolf's skull had slammed into him. Blood dripped from his lips, every breath ragged.

He wasn't going to last much longer.

Someone… please…

Let this just end…

Then—he saw it.

A river.

The water was rough, the current raging, but right now, it was his only chance.

He pushed forward, forcing his legs to move, even as his body screamed in agony. Every step sent jolts of pain through him, his vision swimming, his lungs burning.

He wanted to stop.

To collapse.

To just let it end.

But—no.

Not here.

Not like this.

He had made it this far. To another planet. He had seen grass, trees, new species—things he never thought he'd see with his own eyes.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.

He had to live.

The wolf was closing in fast. So was the river.

Evryn's lungs burned, his legs barely keeping up—but he had no choice. The wolf was only feet behind him, its powerful jaws parting, ready to tear into him.

Crunch

The beast's teeth snapped shut—on nothing.

Evryn had thrown himself forward, leaping with every last ounce of strength into the river.

The moment he hit the water, the icy current snatched him, dragging him downstream. He gasped—then choked, coughing up blood and river water.

He was safe.

At least, from the wolf.

But now the river was his new enemy.

The current yanked him like a ragdoll, pulling him through the rushing waters. Boulders jutted out like jagged teeth, the water slamming violently against them. If he hit one at this speed—he was dead.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Evryn cried out, voice raw from pain.

His entire body screamed—his ribs, his torn muscles, every part of him barely holding together. He was exhausted, barely able to fight the river's pull. But if he didn't, he'd either drown—or break every bone in his body against the rocks.

The river roared around him, dragging him under again and again.

Evryn gasped for air, barely keeping his head above water. Each time he surfaced, another surge of the current yanked him down, swallowing his cries in a rush of foam and chaos.

A boulder loomed ahead. He thrashed, kicking his legs, desperately trying to push himself away—

Crack.

His right foot slammed into the rock. A sharp, searing pain shot through his leg, and Evryn screamed.

"Damn it!" he choked out, his voice barely rising over the crashing water. Tears burned in his eyes, but he grit his teeth, fighting to stay afloat.

Nature didn't care.

The river kept moving—uncaring, relentless. It would swallow him whole without a second thought.

Evryn's injured foot throbbed, making it almost impossible to steer himself through the stream. The boulders came faster now, jagged and merciless, threatening to break him apart.

Then—he saw it.

A branch stuck out from the riverbank, sturdy and thick, just within reach—his lifeline.

Ignoring the pain, he swam.

Every muscle in his body screamed, but he stretched out his hand, fingers grasping—

Snap.

The branch snapped clean off.

Evryn's stomach dropped. For a moment, he just stared in horror at the broken wood in his hand, his mind refusing to accept it.

No… no, no, NO!

It's over…

No.

It's not over for me yet.

Through sheer force of will, Evryn kept fighting, refusing to let the river take him.

Beyond the river, the trees began to thin, revealing an opening.

Evryn's eyes lit up with hope—was this it? Was this nightmare finally over?

The current dragged him closer and closer to the clearing, and then he saw it.

His stomach dropped.

A waterfall.

His mind shattered.

"No… no, no, no!"

Pure terror gripped him.

Frantically, Evryn twisted his body, fighting against the current, trying to swim backward. His arms thrashed, his legs kicked, desperately searching for anything—anything—to hold onto.

I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

The words pounded in his skull like a beating drum. His breath hitched, his limbs burned, his thoughts blurred into raw panic.

The river rushed him forward.

Then—he saw it.

A boulder.

It was just behind him, slightly to the left—close enough to reach.

Hope flickered in his chest. He let the current carry him toward it, positioning himself just right—then, with everything he had left, he lunged.

Smack.

His arm slammed onto the rock.

He had it. He was holding on. His fingers dug into the cold, wet stone, clinging for dear life. He just needed to pull himself up—

Then, the current surged.

A brutal force of water slammed against him. His grip failed.

Evryn slipped.

And the river took him.

The edge came too fast.

He plunged over the waterfall.

Falling.

His mind, his body, his will—all of it shattered.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Evryn truly accepted it.

This place wasn't meant for him.