The Threat Unveiled

  The growl grew louder, shaking the air around them. From the shadows of the trees emerged a hulking creature—a monstrous, wolf-like beast with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp fangs. Its fur bristled as it stepped into the clearing, its claws leaving deep marks in the earth.

  Arin instinctively raised his sword, stepping in front of Kian. Cain stood to his side, calm but alert, his blade already in hand.

  “What... what is that thing?” Kian stammered, his voice trembling.

  “A bad day waiting to happen,” Cain replied dryly.

  The creature snarled, its glowing eyes locking onto Kian.

  “Uh, Arin?” Kian whispered, inching backward. “What do I do?”

  “Grab your sword!” Arin hissed, keeping his eyes on the beast.

  “What sword?” Kian said, looking around frantically. “Nobody gave me a sword! What kind of game is this?”

  Kian’s Hilarious Struggle

  Cain shot Kian an exasperated look. “You’re wearing a belt, genius. That’s where your weapon is.”

  Kian looked down and, sure enough, there was a sheath strapped to his waist. “Oh. Right.”

  “Any time now,” Cain said, rolling his eyes as the beast took a step closer.

  Kian fumbled with the sheath, trying to pull the sword free. “Why is this thing stuck? Did someone glue it in here?”

  “Kian, hurry!” Arin shouted, sidestepping as the creature lunged at him. He slashed at its side, the blade grazing its thick hide but doing little damage.

  “Almost got it!” Kian grunted, tugging at the sword with all his might. Finally, it came loose—but the force of his pull sent him tumbling backward, landing flat on his back.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Cain groaned. “This is painful to watch.”

  The Beast’s Wrath

  The creature growled, its attention shifting to Kian, who was still sprawled on the ground. It lunged, its claws aiming straight for him.

  Kian screamed, scrambling backward. “Nope! Nope! Nope! This is not how I go out!”

  Arin dashed forward, swinging his sword to intercept the attack. The blade struck the creature’s claw, deflecting it just enough to spare Kian.

  “Get up!” Arin yelled, his voice strained as he struggled to hold the creature back.

  “I’m trying!” Kian shouted, scrambling to his feet. He finally raised his sword, holding it awkwardly in front of him. “Okay, now what?”

  “Swing it!” Cain barked, slashing at the creature’s flank.

  Kian hesitated, the fear evident on his face. “It’s huge! What if I miss?”

  “You’ll definitely miss if you don’t try!” Cain snapped, dodging a swipe from the beast’s claws.

  A Narrow Escape

  The creature roared, its massive jaws snapping dangerously close to Kian. He swung his sword wildly, the blade barely grazing the beast’s leg.

  “That’s it?” Cain said, shaking his head. “We’re doomed.”

  The creature growled again, this time focusing entirely on Kian. It lunged at him with terrifying speed, its claws outstretched.

  Kian froze, his eyes wide with fear. “Oh no, oh no, oh no—”

  Before the claws could reach him, Kian suddenly vanished.

  Arin blinked in confusion, lowering his sword slightly. “What just happened?”

  Cain frowned, his grip on his blade tightening. “He’s gone. He woke up.”

  As if on cue, the beast turned its attention to Arin and Cain, its glowing eyes narrowing.

  The Awakening

  In the real world, Kian shot up in bed, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around, disoriented.

  “That... was too close,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

  He turned to see Arin still lying on the bed, his face tense as he remained locked in the game.

  “Arin!” Kian shouted, shaking his friend’s shoulder.

  In the game, Arin felt a strange pull, as if something was yanking him backward. Before the creature could strike, his vision blurred, and he woke up with a gasp.

  Arin sat up, clutching his chest. “What happened?”

  “You’re welcome,” Kian said, still breathing heavily. “I saved you by waking you up. Well, technically, I saved myself first, but details.”

  Arin groaned, rubbing his temples. “Kian, you left me in there alone.”

  “Yeah, because I was about to become monster chow!” Kian retorted. “And, for the record, that game is officially the worst thing ever. Who thought this was a good idea?”

  To Be Continued...