The crimson glow swept across the chamber, following the movements of the Malform's enormous, bone-covered head. A narrow beam of light trailed along its jagged exterior, shifting as the creature slowly turned its attention towards the punk. The boy stood completely rigid, his earlier confidence crumbling beneath the terrifying realisation that he had become its target. He couldn't even bring himself to lower his raised arm.
Then came the sound.
A piercing screech erupted from the creature, followed by a deafening roar that thundered through the underground chamber. The noise reverberated against the concrete walls, sending a painful shock through the air. Kai immediately clamped both hands over his ears, wincing as the sheer volume threatened to overwhelm him. Even Lyss struggled to keep her composure as the creature's awakening shook the silence from the tunnels.
Without another warning, the Malform struck.
Its enormous, muscular arm, covered in layers of hardened bone, swung violently towards the punk. Massive claws extended from its hand, ready to tear through anything caught in their path. There was nothing sluggish about its movement now. The creature attacked with terrifying aggression, as though whatever damage it had sustained earlier had already been overcome. Its strength had returned, and with it came an entirely different level of ferocity.
"Watch out!" Lyss shouted.
Reacting in an instant, she summoned several stretching lassos of brilliant blue energy and hurled them towards the punk. The glowing strands shot through the air, curving around the debris before wrapping tightly around his waist. Lyss immediately pulled both forearms backwards, using her full strength to drag him out of the creature's reach.
The Malform's claws missed him by a fraction.
Instead, its enormous arm slammed into the nearby tunnel wall, tearing through the concrete with devastating force. The impact shattered the structure into countless fragments, sending chunks of rubble flying across the chamber. A violent tremor followed, travelling through the ground and shaking the surrounding walls as more debris began breaking loose from above.
At the same time, the punk's body was dragged violently across the rough floor. His back scraped against the uneven concrete, leaving him struggling against the force pulling him away. Lyss maintained her grip on the energy lassos, desperately trying to get him clear before the creature could strike again.
However, the Malform's attack had created another problem.
The tremendous impact unleashed a powerful gust of air that swept through the chamber, carrying dust and shattered debris along with it. The resulting whirlwind pushed in the same direction Lyss was pulling, adding considerably more force and speed to the punk's movement. Before she could properly adjust her pull, the lassos released their hold, sending his body hurtling towards a distant wall.
He crashed against it with a heavy impact, his back taking the brunt of the collision. The force left him sprawled against the concrete, while the dust and smaller fragments continued raining down around him.
Lyss had managed to keep him from being caught by the Malform's claws, but her rescue had come at a painful cost. The punk's back had taken a nasty beating, and the creature was still very much awake.
The Malform slowly rose onto all four limbs, its massive claws digging into the broken concrete beneath it. Its dark grey muscles tensed beneath the jagged, bone-white armour plating, while the smoky black energy surrounding its body began swirling more violently.
Its skull-like head lifted, the crimson glow of its eyes sweeping across the chamber. The wild black mane around its horns shifted as its jaw opened slightly, releasing a low, distorted growl that echoed through the tunnels. Behind it, its long, segmented tail dragged across the ground, the scythe-like blade at its end scraping against the rubble.
The creature's entire posture had changed. No longer resting or recovering, it stood on all fours like a predator preparing to hunt.
"We're fucked!" Kai shouted, his arms trembling uncontrollably as he stared at the towering creature. The terror had finally caught up with him, shattering whatever confidence he had brought into the tunnels. He was beginning to understand just how horrifying Malforms truly were, and the realisation that they had willingly walked into this nightmare was enough to make his stomach turn. Coming down here had been the worst decision of their lives.
Lyss was frightened too, but unlike the two boys, she managed to keep her composure. She couldn't afford to panic now. With her eyes fixed on the approaching threat, she turned towards Kai and barked an order.
"Get out of here! Pick up your friend!"
The blue energy lassos continued crackling around her forearms, their luminous strands dancing with faint static as she prepared to use them again. Kai didn't hesitate. He rushed towards the injured punk, hauled his arm over his shoulders and struggled to lift him onto his back before turning towards the tunnel exit.
But the Malform had already noticed them moving.
It slammed its enormous limbs against the ground, sending another violent tremor through the chamber before unleashing a deafening roar. In the next instant, its massive body lunged forward with frightening speed, charging directly towards the two boys as though nothing stood in its way.
"Hurry up!" Lyss warned.
She immediately hurled both energy lassos towards the creature. The glowing strands stretched across the chamber before wrapping around its enormous, muscular forearms, their ends hooking firmly against the bone-covered plating. Lyss planted her feet and pulled backwards with all her strength, attempting to restrain its charge before it could reach the fleeing students.
But the difference in their size and strength was overwhelming.
Her lassos managed to alter the Malform's trajectory slightly, forcing its massive body to shift away from the boys' path. However, that was about all she could accomplish. Its sheer weight and momentum dragged her forward, her boots scraping helplessly against the concrete as she struggled to maintain her grip.
The energy strands began straining under the pressure. The Malform thrashed its arms violently, twisting and wrenching against the restraints in an attempt to tear them free. Lyss fought to hold on, but the creature's strength eventually overwhelmed her control.
With one powerful jerk, the Malform broke loose.
The sudden release sent Lyss flying forward, throwing her directly into its line of sight. She hit the ground hard, her back scraping across the rough concrete as she skidded several metres before finally coming to a stop. Pain shot through her body, but fortunately, she had managed to avoid any serious injuries.
For a brief moment, she could only lie there, catching her breath. And now, with the Malform towering over her, she had become its closest target.
Fortunately, Lyss had managed to divert the Malform's attention away from its previous targets. Kai and his injured companion had gained enough distance to escape the immediate danger, but that left her in an entirely different predicament. She was now the closest thing standing between the creature and its next victim, trapped in the very heart of the danger zone.
She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the Malform, carefully observing its movements while listening for any sign of the boys. Their footsteps were becoming increasingly distant, suggesting they had managed to put some considerable distance between themselves and the chamber. Good. At least they were out of immediate reach.
The Malform began approaching her, now standing upright on its two hind limbs. Its enormous arms hung loosely beside its body, while the swept-back horns above its skull-like head caught the blue light still radiating from Lyss's energy lassos. Its crimson eyes remained locked onto her, following her every movement.
Lyss slowly pushed herself upright, brushing some of the dust from her clothes as she assessed the creature's approach.
"Guess we're doing this." She remarked, a faint worry crossing her face.
Despite her attempt to remain composed, she knew this wasn't an ideal environment for a fight. Her lassos were far more effective when she had plenty of open space to manoeuvre, allowing her to swing around targets, control their movements and maintain distance. Down here, however, the narrow chamber and surrounding debris severely limited her options.
She needed to keep moving.
Without wasting another second, Lyss hurled one of her two lassos towards the far edge of the chamber. The glowing blue strand stretched through the air before hooking onto a distant section of the structure, securing itself firmly enough to support her weight.
She barely had time to use it.
The Malform suddenly raised both enormous arms and brought them crashing down towards her, its claws and bone-covered fists descending with devastating force. Lyss immediately pulled against the anchored lasso, launching herself away just as the creature's attack struck the ground beneath her.
The impact was tremendous.
Concrete shattered beneath its fists, sending fragments flying in every direction as another powerful tremor rattled the chamber. A violent whirlwind swept through the area, carrying dust and loose rubble into the air while Lyss swung clear of the destruction.
The Malform pursued her relentlessly, driven by a single instinct: to hunt down, kill and devour its prey. Its heavy footsteps thundered through the underground tunnels, each stride shaking the ground beneath it as it charged after Lyss. The creature showed no signs of slowing down, its crimson eyes remaining fixed on her every movement.
Lyss, however, had no intention of letting it catch her.
She moved through the tunnels with remarkable agility, using her energy lassos to turn the confined environment into an improvised playground. One strand shot towards an overhead support beam, hooking around it just as she pulled herself upwards and swung over the Malform's incoming claws. Before her feet could even touch the ground, she released the first lasso and fired the second towards a distant wall, using its momentum to sling herself around a corner.
The creature followed, smashing through whatever obstacles stood in its path. Lyss barely escaped as one of its enormous arms swept across the passage, forcing her to tuck her legs and twist sideways while suspended from her lasso. She released at the perfect moment, flipping over a pile of rubble before landing in a low crouch and immediately launching herself forward again.
Her movements were almost rhythmic. Hook, pull, release, redirect. She used walls, ceiling supports and exposed structures as anchor points, constantly changing direction and elevation to keep the Malform guessing. At times, she practically flew through the tunnels, swinging above its reach or skimming just inches from the ground to avoid its sweeping attacks.
Behind her, the Malform continued tearing through the abandoned passageways, its claws gouging the walls and its armoured tail whipping through the debris. Every missed strike sent another shower of concrete fragments scattering across the tunnels.
Lyss was fast, but she wasn't foolish enough to mistake speed for safety. Each manoeuvre brought her dangerously close to being caught, and she knew that one direct hit from the creature would be more than enough to end the chase.
Growing increasingly frustrated by its prey's agility, the Malform suddenly changed its approach. Rather than continuing to pursue Lyss upright, it dropped onto all four limbs, lowering its massive body close to the ground like a charging bull. Its claws dug into the concrete as it propelled itself forward, each powerful stride sending debris scattering beneath its weight. The change in posture gave it an alarming burst of speed, allowing it to rapidly close the distance between them.
"Seriously?!" Lyss exclaimed, glancing over her shoulder.
Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the creature's enormous silhouette thundering directly behind her. Its bone-covered frame practically filled the tunnel, leaving little room to manoeuvre.
"It's right on my ass!"
Realising she could no longer afford to simply outrun it, Lyss abruptly released her remaining lasso and hurled both energy strands forward, sending one towards either side of the passage. Their glowing ends stretched through the air, searching for something to latch onto as she prepared her next move.
She skidded across the concrete, shifting her weight as she brought her wrist beneath her jaw. The blue energy surrounding her lassos flickered with renewed intensity.
Her expression tightened, though a familiar confidence soon returned to her face.
"Alright, Hecate... Need you about now."
A soft, echoing voice whispered directly into Lyss's mind, carrying a strangely affectionate yet ominous tone. It was Hecate, responding to her call.
"Of course, my beautiful little wanderer."
Hecate's voice slipped through Lyss's mind, soft and strangely intimate, as though the two had been separated for far longer than a few fleeting moments. Lyss remained silent, her eyes fixed on the approaching Malform. She knew that voice well. She had heard it countless times before, and she knew exactly what its arrival meant.
"Running around again, are we? Always dancing on the edge of something dreadful. You really do have a talent for finding trouble, darling."
A faint pulse of blue light flickered around Lyss's wrists. The two energy lassos she had thrown ahead of herself suddenly trembled, their luminous strands darkening at the edges as something unfamiliar began seeping through them.
"Oh, I can see what we're dealing with. Such an ugly, dreadful thing. All those muscles, all that bone... and not a single trace of grace."
A low, amused chuckle echoed through her thoughts.
"Tell me, Lyss. Are we going to keep running from it? Or shall we remind this beast why it should fear what lurks in the dark?"
The blue strands abruptly snapped taut.
Behind Lyss, a dark crimson glow began spreading across the ground, crawling along the concrete like a pool of ink. Thin, skeletal structures emerged from the shadows, followed by the distinct outline of a long, segmented spine. Red joints illuminated one after another, each pulse accompanied by a faint metallic crackle.
The darkness behind her began to rise.
A tall, skeletal humanoid figure gradually emerged from the crimson-black distortion. A tattered hooded cloak draped over its shoulders, crowned by protrusions resembling twisted bones. Its pale complexion caught the faint blue light, revealing a pair of piercing eyes beneath the hood. An external rib-like structure encased its torso, while an enormous skeletal spine extended from its lower back, trailing across the ground before ending in a blade-like tip.
From its left side, a grotesque appendage unfurled, resembling a multi-eyed maw lined with rows of sharp teeth. Dark, blood-red material flowed around it like a living extension of its cloak. In its right hand, Hecate loosely held a spine-like whip, allowing its segmented length to drag along the ground.
"Oh, don't look so worried, darling. You know I wouldn't let anything lay a finger on you."
Hecate's voice carried a gentle, almost affectionate amusement, contrasting sharply with the menacing figure taking shape behind Lyss.
The manifestation finally completed itself.
Hecate stood at her side, her skeletal silhouette towering over her as the surrounding darkness twisted and coiled around their feet. The two lassos glowed brighter, their blue energy now accompanied by faint crimson sparks.
Hecate tilted her head, her piercing eyes settling on the approaching Malform.
"Now then... shall we teach this brute some manners?"
As Hecate's final words echoed through Lyss's mind, the manifestation behind her began to dissolve into a surge of crimson and black energy. Rather than remaining a physical presence, her skeletal figure broke apart into countless fragments of light, spiralling around Lyss before gathering into a much larger silhouette.
The tunnel trembled as the energy expanded, casting long, distorted shadows across the walls. A towering, spectral figure gradually took shape behind Lyss, its appearance resembling a monstrous skeletal guardian. Its enormous hooded head loomed above her, while its elongated skeletal spine stretched outward like a tail, the blade-like tip hovering just above the ground. Several crimson eyes opened across its grotesque left-side appendage, each one glowing through the swirling darkness.
Its presence was suffocating, almost as though the tunnel itself had fallen under its shadow.
Hecate had become Lyss's spirit.
The two blue energy lassos responded immediately, their strands pulsing with renewed intensity as thin veins of crimson energy travelled along their lengths. Their movements became almost instinctive, swaying and twisting through the air as though they were now extensions of the enormous apparition.
Behind the spirit, Hecate's spectral form leaned forward slightly, its piercing blue eyes fixed on the approaching Malform.
"There we are, darling. Run now. See how long this beast can keep up."
A faint, delighted chuckle echoed inside Lyss's head.
The moment Hecate's spectral form fully manifested, Lyss's entire body surged with renewed energy. The blue strands extending from her wrists flickered violently, their glow intensifying as crimson sparks travelled through them. She lowered her stance, shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet as the air around her began to distort.
Then she vanished.
A brilliant blue streak tore through the tunnel, leaving behind a luminous trail that lingered for a fraction of a second before gradually fading. Lyss had propelled herself forward at an almost incomprehensible speed, covering an enormous distance before the Malform could even react. Her movements were no longer limited to ordinary swings and evasive manoeuvres. With Hecate's power coursing through her, every movement became sharper, faster and considerably more flexible.
She darted towards the side of the passage, firing one lasso towards an overhead support beam. The strand hooked around it, and Lyss immediately pulled herself upwards, swinging in a wide arc above the Malform's charging body. Before reaching the opposite wall, she released her grip, twisted through the air and launched her second lasso towards another anchor point. Its sudden tension redirected her momentum, sending her spiralling around the creature's flank in another flash of blue light.
The Malform attempted to follow her, but its massive frame struggled to keep pace with her constantly changing direction. Each time it turned towards her, Lyss had already moved somewhere else, leaving behind nothing but fading blue trails and the occasional crackle of energy.
She skimmed along the ground, vaulted over shattered concrete, swung between the tunnel supports and even used the walls themselves to change direction mid-flight. Her movements flowed together almost seamlessly, each lasso serving as both an anchor and an extension of her own body. She could accelerate, brake, twist and redirect herself in the middle of a manoeuvre without losing much of her momentum.
Behind her, Hecate's enormous spectral silhouette followed with an eerie fluidity, its elongated skeletal spine swaying through the air as though it were part of Lyss's movements. The apparition's piercing eyes remained fixed on the Malform, watching its every attempt to catch up.
"Oh, how lovely. Look at you go, darling."
Lyss didn't respond. She remained focused on the creature, her expression serious as she continued putting distance between them.
To be continued...