Monster

The monster snake, known to the locals as the "Umbra Serpent," was a creature out of legends, a nightmare given form. Its massive body rippled with muscle, coiled like living hills of obsidian scales that shimmered faintly in the moonlight. Each scale was as large as a shield, interlocking with precise, serpentine perfection, and tougher than the finest steel. Its length seemed endless, vanishing into the shadows of the dense jungle, but what was visible could have easily crushed entire wagons under its weight.

The serpent's head rose high above the treetops, its menacing silhouette framed against the pale glow of the night sky. Fangs as long as swords glistened with venom, each drop sizzling as it hit the ground and burned through the soil. Its eyes glowed a sickly green, like twin beacons of malice, radiating an intelligence as ancient as the world itself. Those eyes pinned anything in their path, freezing prey in a grip of terror before the serpent's massive jaws delivered the final blow.

When it moved, the ground trembled beneath the force of its slithering coils, sending vibrations through the earth that warned of its approach. Trees bent and snapped like twigs as it passed, its movements a terrifying blend of grace and brute strength. The air around it seemed to grow colder, carrying an ominous hiss that cut through the jungle's usual chorus of life. The Umbra Serpent was not just a predator—it was the very embodiment of nature's ruthlessness and power.

Even from a distance, its presence commanded awe and fear. To face such a creature was to stand against the primal forces of the world, a trial that only the bravest—or most desperate—would dare to endure. It was said that the Umbra Serpent guarded ancient secrets and treasures hidden deep within the jungle, but few who ventured close to it ever lived to tell the tale.

The dense jungle fell silent, as if the entire forest was holding its breath. The rhythmic creak of the wagon's wheels faltered, the driver pulling the reins tight as the horses whinnied in alarm. A low, rumbling hiss slithered through the air, growing louder with each passing second. Speed's heart thudded in his chest as the wagon shuddered to a halt.

Emerging from the shadows, the Umbra Serpent unfurled itself, its monstrous form eclipsing the trees. Its massive head rose above the canopy, fangs gleaming like ivory scythes. The deep green glow of its eyes cut through the twilight, locking onto the wagon with a menacing precision. Each flicker of its forked tongue sent a shiver through the air.

The driver cursed under his breath, frantically trying to calm the panicked horses, but the beast's presence had rattled them beyond reason. The two riders hired by Parker unsheathed their swords, their weapons looking pitifully small in comparison to the creature before them.

"It's enormous," one of them muttered, his voice shaking. "I've never seen anything like it."

Speed was frozen in his seat, gripping the edge of the wagon. The ground trembled as the serpent shifted, its massive body coiling around the trees. Each movement exuded raw power, the sound of its scales scraping against bark like the grinding of stone.

The Umbra Serpent's hiss deepened into a growl, a sound that reverberated through the clearing and settled in the pit of the stomach. Its gaze flicked between the frightened horses and the wagon itself, calculating. It was not a mindless predator; it was ancient, intelligent, and it had marked them as intruders.

The younger rider, his face pale, whispered to his companion, "We can't outrun it... What do we do?"

Speed's mind raced, every instinct screaming at him to flee, but something held him in place. The mark on his wrist began to tingle faintly, the memory of the frost stag flashing in his mind. He didn't understand the connection, but a part of him knew: this wasn't a creature he could simply avoid. This was a trial.

The Umbra Serpent lunged forward, its jaws parting wide enough to swallow the wagon whole. The horses reared in terror, and the jungle erupted into chaos.