The Predator's Game
The First Clash
The moment Jaxon said, "We stop running," the creature responded like it had been waiting for those exact words.
It lunged.
Jaxon barely had time to brace himself before it closed the distance, its movement impossibly smooth—like liquid shadow shifting through reality. He swung his sword in a diagonal arc, aiming to bisect it, but the creature twisted mid-air, avoiding the blade by a hair's width.
A flicker of motion—its clawed limb lashed out.
CLANG!
Jaxon blocked with the flat of his sword, but the force still sent him skidding backward. He gritted his teeth.
Lyra was already moving. She flicked her wrist, sending a burst of condensed qi toward the creature's side. The energy shot forward like a bolt of lightning—
And missed.
No—it dodged.
The creature's body seemed to fold in on itself as it twisted unnaturally, letting the attack pass through empty air. Then, faster than either of them expected, it countered—one clawed limb stretching toward Lyra's throat.
Jaxon reacted on instinct.
He slammed his foot into the ground, launching himself forward, intercepting the strike with his sword. The impact sent a jarring shock up his arms, but he held firm.
Lyra took a sharp breath. That speed—it was unnatural. This thing isn't just fast. It's adaptive.
"We can't win by reacting," Jaxon muttered. "We need to take control."
Lyra nodded. "Then let's do it."
The creature cocked its head, as if amused.
And then it attacked again.
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Breaking the Pattern
It came for Jaxon first. He met it head-on, sword flashing in tight, controlled slashes. The creature weaved through them effortlessly, but Jaxon wasn't just swinging wildly—he was studying.
Lyra circled, gathering qi in her palms. If she could just find an opening…
Jaxon adjusted his stance. It moves like water—so what happens if I disrupt the flow?
Instead of aiming for its body, he struck low, carving through the air toward its feet. It dodged—just as expected—but that was the trap.
Jaxon twisted his grip and followed up instantly, his blade reversing course mid-motion. The creature had committed to its dodge—it couldn't shift again in time.
A shallow cut split across its shoulder.
For the first time, it faltered.
Lyra seized the chance.
BOOM!
A burst of qi erupted from her palm, slamming into the creature's exposed side. It was forced back, landing roughly against the rocky terrain.
It wasn't injured much—but it was the first time it had been hit.
And from the way its grin widened… it liked it.
Jaxon exhaled. "This thing's insane."
Lyra kept her hands raised, watching closely. "No. It's testing us."
The creature stretched its limbs, its previous playfulness giving way to something sharper.
It wasn't just a mindless beast.
It was a hunter.
And now?
It was done playing.
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The Predator's Full Strength
The next attack was different.
No more testing. No more games.
The creature vanished.
Jaxon barely caught the flicker of movement before a force slammed into him from the side, sending him crashing through a rock formation. Dust and debris exploded into the air.
"Jaxon—!"
Lyra didn't have time to react. The creature was already in front of her, claw arcing toward her ribs. She twisted, barely avoiding it—but she felt the sting of a near-miss.
A thin line of red traced across her side.
It's faster. It's stronger. Why?
Then it clicked.
"The longer the fight goes… the more it adapts," she muttered.
Jaxon pushed himself from the rubble, shaking off the impact. "Great. So it's learning."
Lyra exhaled. "Then we end it before it figures out how to kill us."
Jaxon smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Now you're speaking my language."
The creature crouched, coiled like a spring.
They had one shot.
It was all or nothing.
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End of Chapter 23
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