The ground shook with each step of the massive creature, its armored limbs crashing against debris. Alex skidded across cracked pavement, Lily's flames hissing as they cut through the thick, oppressive air. Liana lashed her whip, sparks flying. Mia darted in zigzags, trying to confuse the predator, while Zack's visions flickered, two seconds into the future, but even they weren't enough to see every strike.
"Cliffs!" Zack shouted, pointing ahead. "It's driving us there!"
"Not happening," Alex growled, leaping forward. He transformed mid-jump, claws tearing into concrete as he landed, and Lily and Mia scrambled to cling to his back.
The beast lunged, mandibles snapping, forcing them to dive into the ruins of a collapsed building. Dust and debris filled the air. Liana's whip coiled around a fallen beam, wedging it into place to block the creature's path.
"Temporary!" she shouted. "But it'll slow it down!"
Inside the crumbling shell, the air was damp and musty. Shadows stretched along jagged walls. The group crouched, hearts hammering. Every distant thump of debris or whisper of wind made them flinch.
"Quiet," Alex whispered. "It can hear us."
Lily extinguished her flames immediately. "No kidding."
"Any ideas?" Mia asked, voice shaking as she pressed her back to the wall.
Zack scanned the ruined interior with sharp focus. "There's a tunnel here. Half-buried. Might lead somewhere safe… or at least less visible."
"Then we go," Alex said. "Together."
They crept toward a jagged opening at the far end of the building. Liana moved first, whip coiled and ready, testing the floor for hidden holes. Zack's visions helped them dodge patches of crumbling stone.
"Almost there," he murmured.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the ruins. The beast's shadow loomed over the broken walls. Its movements were deliberate—calculated, hunting.
"Run!" Alex shouted. They sprinted, vaulting over jagged slabs of concrete. The tunnel mouth yawned ahead.
One by one, they slipped inside. The darkness was thick, oppressive, but quiet—at least for now. Dust motes drifted in the faint red light filtering through cracks. The group sank to the ground, breathing hard.
"We made it," Alex whispered, voice hoarse.
"For now," Liana added, scanning the dark tunnel. "We need to stay hidden. Quiet. No glowing eyes. No fire."
Mia exhaled shakily. "And wait for… what? The thing to leave?"
Zack shook his head. "We can't assume it will. We need to move when it's safe… and scout carefully."
Lily ignited a tiny flame in her palm for a moment, just enough to check the tunnel walls, then extinguished it immediately. "I hate this place."
Alex ran a hand through his hair. "We survived the Wastes today. That counts for something."
"Something small," Liana muttered, eyes narrowing at the tunnel's shadows. "But yes. Something."
The echoes of the distant creature thudded against the ruined city walls. For now, they were hidden. Safe. Breathing.
But only for now.
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