Chapter 17 - Hounds and Hunters

A man could be seen crouching behind a tree as he observed the scene before him. He had gotten here earlier but had decided not to proceed when he heard footsteps. He was currently ascending a mountain in a bid to kill beast to obtain points.

Ahead of him was the scene of a burly man holding the neck of another recruits as he lifted him in the air.

The man lifting the other man had a menacing aura around him which made even the observer sweat buckets.

"You think you could just take my kill and go scot free, Mike?" He growled.

The man being held continued struggling as he tried to speak. He was flung across away as his back hit a tree.

"Don't be unreasonable, Ray. I saw a kill and took it." Mike said as he stood up and patted his suit as if nothing happened.

Ray hissed as he then moved punched a tree before him, something he regretted as a thin long sharp thorn came out of nowhere to sting him. He flinched as he quickly withdrew his hand.

"What kind of assessment is this? If not for some luck, I would have died many times over." He complained as he cautiously observed his surroundings.

Mike smiled as he whipped in head at John. "So even you a Special Units recruits feel this way," He paused as if he remembered something. "Guess who I saw a few days ago."

He had a smile on his lips of he resumed climbing the mountain they were. Ray beside him didn't bother to reply as he knew Mike liked to play mysterious.

"You know I'll later tell you. It's actually Vasquez. You must see the look of panic on her face man."

He jumped over a boulder as he trailed behind Ray.

"She had cuts in her suits in several places. I was lucky enough to see her in that state and lucky enough to leave alive." He grinned as he remembered what seemed to be a find memory.

Ray paused his footsteps. He whipped his head in he direction they were earlier, but when he didn't notice anything he continued.

"Oh, is it that little spy. Don't worry I took care of him." Mike said as he grinned at Ray.

"What do you really want?" Ray said without looking back. He was certain Mike had a grin on his face.

"Your cooperation. Don't worry it won't conflict with your personal interest."

A growl could be heard as a beast that had been laying awaiting them lunged, but before it could even complete it's attack, it's head was already separated from it's body.

Ray then checked his wrist device for his total points— a total of two hundred and thirty-five.

"You can decide to take your time during this assessment, I'll expect your answer after that." Mike said as he rubbed his palms together.

He distanced himself away from John as he he held two long blades. "Now let's continue from where we stopped."

"Good!" Ray said as he wanted no time to attack Mike.

What happened later was an intense battle that shook their surroundings.

The spot where the they stood earlier not far from their observer was filled with a low crunching sound. A humanoid beast could be seen dragging the dead recruits deep into the forest.

The look on the dead recruits face was terror as the flesh of his left cheek appeared to have been bitten off.

Far from this gruesome sight, another team was already in motion.

John, Ethan and Lena were still pursued by whatever was after them.

"What the hell was that?" Ethan hissed, gripping his knife.

Lena's eyes darted around, rifle raised. "I didn't see it—just a blur. But whatever it was… it took him like he weighed nothing."

A heavy silence fell between them. The air felt suffocating, thick with a sense of something unseen lurking just beyond their vision.

John forced himself to focus. "We can't stay here. If it took him that fast, we're next."

Lena nodded, adjusting her grip. "We need to get to that ridge."

The ground trembled slightly beneath them.

Ethan swore under his breath. "Did you feel that?"

John's jaw tightened. The trees around them seemed darker than before, the unnatural silence pressing down on them. Then—just at the edge of his vision—he saw something move.

Not a person.

Not an animal.

Something else.

Long, spindly limbs curled around the trees, their outlines barely visible against the darkness. The moment John locked eyes on them, they stilled. Motionless. Watching.

"We are being hunted," Lena whispered.

The realization settled in like ice.

John made a split-second decision. "Run. Stay low. We don't stop."

They sprinted through the uneven terrain, ducking under branches and leaping over exposed roots. The ridge was still ahead, but the forest seemed to stretch endlessly. Every step felt like it was leading them deeper into a maze of horrors.

Then, a shrill screech echoed through the trees.

It wasn't from one creature.

It was from many.

John's stomach dropped. Whatever had been stalking them wasn't alone.

"Faster!"

The three of them pushed their bodies beyond their limits, lungs burning as they tore through the forest. The trees thinned slightly, and for a moment, hope flickered—

Until the ground beneath Lena gave way.

She let out a short cry as she plummeted.

John twisted mid-stride, grabbing for her. His fingers barely caught the strap of her gear as she dangled over the edge of a steep drop. Beneath her, jagged rocks jutted out from the earth like hungry teeth.

Ethan dropped to his knees, grabbing onto Lena's arm. "Hold on!"

Lena gritted her teeth, sweat dripping down her forehead as she clung to John's arm.

Then, from the darkness above—movement.

John's instincts flared.

He looked up.

The creatures were there. Hanging from the trees. Watching. Waiting.

A skeletal hand reached down.

Without thinking, John swung his rifle up with one hand and fired. The shot cracked through the air, and the creature let out a piercing screech as it recoiled.

"Pull her up! Now!"

Ethan grunted, muscles straining as he yanked Lena upward. John grabbed her vest and hauled her the rest of the way before they both collapsed onto the forest floor.

No time to rest.

The creatures descended.

"Run!"

They scrambled to their feet, pushing forward despite exhaustion clawing at them.

The ridge was within sight now. Only a little further.

A creature lunged from the side.

John reacted on instinct, rolling to avoid the swipe of its clawed hand. He felt the wind of its attack graze his back.

Ethan spun, slashing with his knife. The blade met resistance—then flesh. The creature let out a shriek as dark ichor splattered onto the ground.

Lena fired a burst of bullets into the trees, forcing the others back for a brief second.

Then they ran again.

The ridge loomed ahead, but so did something else—an opening in the rock face. A cave.

"Inside!" John barked.

They didn't argue. The second they crossed into the cave, John turned and yanked a smoke capsule from his belt, slamming it onto the ground. A thick, black cloud erupted, masking their entrance.

The creatures screeched in frustration but didn't immediately follow.

For the first time in what felt like hours, there was a moment of stillness.

John exhaled heavily, back against the damp cave wall. His body ached, his mind reeled.

Lena wiped sweat and dirt from her face, her breathing uneven. "That was too close."

Ethan sheathed his knife, still gripping the handle tightly. "What the hell were those things?"

John shook his head. "I don't know. But they weren't normal."

Lena checked her device. It was still malfunctioning. "No connection. No way to call for help."

John glanced toward the cave entrance. The smoke was starting to thin, and beyond it, he could see shifting shadows. The creatures hadn't left. They were waiting.

Ethan noticed too. "They're not done with us."

John narrowed his eyes.

He was running out of explosives. They were all tired— the pursuit to be honest had taken a heavy toll on them. It's only a miracle they are able to survive this long. But luck won't always be on their side.

They had to find another way.

Lena took a breath. "We need to move. This cave might not be safe either."

John gave a final look outside, then nodded. "Let's go."

Fourth Resistance Base

A man could be seen sitting before a hologram as he reported the assessment situation to the person on the other end.

"I see. Just as they had suspected. It's not like we can do anything for now."

The man on the other end said.

"But the sacrifice this time is large sir." Surprisingly, it was the soldier who spoke to the recruits after their initial assessments.

"In exchange for the true seeds. For the greater good, sacrifices must be made. We all know that. You just keep performing your duty, I'll continue mine here."

The communication ended as the man on the other end disconnected the call.

The soldier rubbed his head as his eyes glanced by his name tag.

Reynold Collins. 4-Star Commander.

Where did it all go wrong?

Beeps sounded continuously on a device on his table. He didn't bother to check it as he knew it's function was to inform him of any deaths during the assessment.

Five more day then they'll be back from hell probably demons themselves. A sigh escaped his lips as he tapped his wrist.

"What are your orders sir?" A voice sounded from the other end.

"Prepare for evaluation in five days!"

The voice gave a positive reply.

Commander Collins then ended the call.

They truly needed sharpened iron and not some recruits with petty skills