[System Alert: H1gh-l3v3l 3ntiti3s 3ngag3d. H0st saf3ty c0mpromis3d. R3commendati0n: PRAY]
'Wha—what the hell is this?!'
A translucent screen flickered into existence above him, their letters were shifting erratically as if struggling to stabilize. Its surface shimmered, casting faint digital glows across his face. Despite the bizarre jumbling of characters, he could more or less understand the message it was trying to convey—and that alone was terrifying. But what unsettled him the most wasn't just the warning... it was the recommendation.
'Pray?'
What kind of advice was that? Is something dangerous about to happen?
Instinctively, he tried to swat the screen away, flailing his tiny infant hands awkwardly through the air. The display wobbled but remained firmly in place, refusing to dissipate. He gritted his metaphorical teeth.
Yet, as much as the warning unnerved him, his curiosity tugged harder. The real spectacle wasn't the screen—it was the battle unfolding beyond it!
'What's going on out there?!'
He tilted his head to catch glimpses of Fenrir and the massive snake, both shrouded in otherworldly lights. Explosions of force sent shockwaves through the trees, rattling branches and sending debris flying.
Nearby, Sköll glanced down at the infant, noticing the frantic hand movements. With a soft sigh, he murmured:
"Sorry, little one. Just hang in there for a bit longer."
'No, that's not it! How do you remove this freaking thing off me?!'
His frustration mounted, but then another thought struck him—Wait... can't he see this screen?
Judging by Sköll's calm demeanor, it didn't seem like he could. So it's something only visible to him?
Unseen to the baby, the tension between Fenrir and the snake reached a boiling point. Their auras clashed, distorting the surrounding air and sending ripples through the ground.
Fenrir's muscles tensed, and his claws were digging into the earth.
"Last chance, Nythra. Stand down," his voice rumbled, almost sounded like a deep warning echoing through the forest.
But Nythra—the massive serpent—grinned.
"Tch. You wolves and your arrogance," she hissed.
Without another word, she launched herself forward with blinding speed, propelling her enormous coils through the air like a whip.
Fenrir reacted instantly, leaping sideways to evade the strike. Nythra's tail smashed into the spot he had occupied, sending dirt and debris skyward. The ground cratered from the sheer force. Recovering mid-air, Fenrir twisted and countered with a swipe of his claw, aiming for her exposed side. Sparks flew as his claw met her scale—her armor-like body deflecting most of the impact, yet the blow was enough to force her back.
Nythra recoiled, narrowing her eyes. She reared up, towering her massive form above. Dark energy began to coalesce around her fangs, pulsating with malevolent intent. Then, with a guttural growl, she unleashed a beam of corrosive venom.
Fenrir's gaze hardened. No time for hesitation. He dove beneath the acidic torrent, narrowly missing the beam and dissolving a swath of forest behind him. He lunged with his jaws that were glowing with dark energy, and clamped down on one of her coils. Nythra howled in pain, thrashing violently. The trees snapped and toppled in the wake of her rage.
As Fenrir held on, Nythra's tail shot around, striking him squarely and sending him tumbling across the clearing. He skidded to a stop, but rose immediately.
"You're getting slow," she taunted, circling the wolf.
"Or maybe you've gotten predictable."
Fenrir's fur bristled, and his dark aura was flaring brighter.
A tense silence settled between them—mere seconds stretched like eternity. Then Fenrir spoke again with a calm tone:
"I can sense it... your ka is nearly depleted. Are you certain you want to continue this?"
Nythra's golden eyes narrowed, venomous frustration was flashing across her face.
"Shut your mouth!" she spat, lunging forward to the wolf once more.
Their clash was a storm of motion. Fenrir dodged her fangs by a hair's breadth, countering with a shoulder slam that sent ripples through her scaled body. Nythra twisted mid-air, sweeping her tail again, but this time Fenrir anticipated it. He ducked beneath the strike and retaliated with a vicious upward claw swipe, dark energy trailing his movements. The blow connected with her side, forcing a pained hiss from the serpent.
With a ragged breath, Nythra lunged once more with her jaw agape, aiming to end it in a single decisive bite. But Fenrir surged forward, exploding his aura around him like a shadowed blaze. He slammed into her head-on, overpowering her weakened state with his momentum.
Nythra crashed into the ground with a thunderous impact, cracking the forest floor beneath her massive form. Her body writhed, and the tension was draining from her muscles before she finally went still—unconscious but alive.
Fenrir stood above her.
His aura began to recede, and his dark tendrils were slowly dissipating like smoke into the air. The clearing fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the rustling leaves and Fenrir's steady breathing.
Meanwhile, the floating screen hovering in front of the baby flickered, then vanished with a soft chime.
'Is... is it over?'
He blinked at the now-empty space where the strange text had been. His then shifted his gaze toward the aftermath, where the one-eyed wolf stood victorious beside the motionless form of giant serpent. The wolf's posture remained alert but less tense.
'I... I missed all the action…'
The baby sighed internally, a mix of relief and disappointment was washing over him.