The rumble of countless claws, hooves, and scales scraping against the stone ground filled the vast cavern. Om sat firmly on Dawon's back, his gaze sweeping across the endless tide of beasts. Dev, though trying to maintain composure, had both hands gripping tightly to the ragged hilt of his claymore. His knuckles had turned pale, his breathing shallow, and his jaw clenched as though he could bite through steel.
Never in his wildest dreams had he thought such a scene could exist: hundreds of thousands of beasts of every shape and size, walking side by side in eerie silence, without a single roar of dominance or growl of challenge.
It was unnatural. Wrong.
Even the air itself carried a weight that pressed against the bones.
Beside them, the four apex beasts moved like titans, leading the way:
The Seismic Howler, its massive frame trembling with restrained fury, every step cracking the stone beneath.
The Mother Spider, her countless eyes gleaming like pale stars, each leg tapping with a rhythm that echoed against the cavern's walls.
The Titan Serpent, scales shimmering like obsidian armor, tongue flickering with the taste of unseen power.
The Mammoth Behemoth, its towering presence casting shadows that swallowed even Dawon.
And yet, none of them fought. None of them bared fangs. They, too, walked in the same direction as the lesser beasts, as though summoned by some unseen force.
Om narrowed his eyes, his hand brushing the pouch on his side where the remaining food pills rested. Something tugged at his instincts, an uncomfortable ripple through his chest.
"Why are they moving like this…?" Dev muttered, his voice cracking as though the words themselves could betray his fear. "Beasts don't… beasts don't unite. Not unless…"
His throat went dry, and he dared not finish the thought.
Om said nothing at first, his gaze locked on Dawon. The lion's golden mane, embedded with flickering Sanskrit characters, pulsed faintly with every step. Dawon's breathing grew heavier, not with fatigue but with suppressed power. Om could feel it through their bond—the lion's will, pushing to dominate everything around it.
"Try," Om whispered.
Dawon's massive body shuddered once. The Sanskrit etched into his flesh flared brilliantly, flames of light spilling into the cavern. He released a roar—deep, guttural, filled with authority. The echo thundered through the cave like the call of a god.
For a moment—just a fleeting breath—everything froze.
Tens of thousands of beasts halted mid-step. The sound of claws scraping rock died. Wings folded. Tails stiffened. A silence so complete it felt as if the world had paused.
Dev's jaw dropped, his claymore lowering unconsciously.
"By the heavens…" he breathed. "He actually… stopped them all?"
Om's eyes glinted with hope. Perhaps Dawon's newfound absolute submission could turn this tide. If Dawon could command beasts of this scale, then whatever unknown force had brought them together could be challenged.
But then—
A wind.
Gentle. Slow. Cool.
It rolled across the cavern like the sigh of a sleeping giant. It was not violent, nor sharp, but carried a weight so alien that Om's heart skipped a beat. His hair rose. Dawon stiffened, his body glowing brighter as if resisting.
The beasts… moved again.
Without hesitation, without question. As though Dawon's roar had never existed.
"What is happening?" Dev whispered to himself, his eyes darting wildly. "They ignored him? They ignored that?"
But it wasn't just them. Dev himself felt his limbs tingle with newfound strength, his muscles warming as though fire had been kindled in his veins. He staggered, clutching his chest, confused.
"I—my strength… it's rising?"
Om's eyes darted to Dawon. The lion's body glowed brilliantly now, golden Sanskrit characters pulsing rapidly, as though syncing with some greater rhythm. The glow wasn't Dawon's own doing. It was as though something was resonating through him.
And Om felt it too. Deep in his veins, in the very core of his being, something stirred. A rhythm not his own, whispering, coaxing, binding. His breath grew heavier. His heartbeat no longer felt like his own—it matched the pulse of the beasts around him.
This was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Zero," Om muttered sharply under his breath.
[I am aware.]
[Phenomenon unknown. Energy readings match no existing pattern. This force is not classified in any database.]
"Not classified?" Om repeated, his voice low. His knuckles whitened as he gripped Dawon's mane.
Om exhaled shakily, his shoulders tightening. Zero's words gave no comfort, only the weight of confirmation. Whatever was happening here, even his system—his one hidden advantage in this world—was now found to be meaningless again and again.
A bitter thought struck him, and he muttered aloud, "So even you don't know… damn it."
Dev's gaze snapped to him, brows furrowed.
"Om? What's wrong with you? You look pale. What's going on?"
Om didn't reply. His mind raced, his senses clashing between instinct and reason.
Then realization struck.
The beasts weren't just gathering. The four apex beasts weren't just leading. Dawon wasn't just glowing. Dev wasn't just strengthening.
They were all being influenced. Including him.
His fingers trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists. "This isn't natural will," he muttered. "We're being… drawn in. Something is pulling us. Manipulating us."
The cool gust brushed his cheek again, almost playful, almost mocking.
Om's body shivered. He clenched his teeth, glaring ahead into the depths of the cavern. Whatever lay ahead—whatever this source of energy was—it wasn't just powerful.
It was alive.
.
.
.
.
At the end of the long, echoing cavern, Om and Dev finally stepped into a vast hollow chamber. A dim light radiated from crystals embedded in the walls, bathing the place in a bluish glow. At its center lay a small, clear pond, rippling faintly as if stirred by some unseen force.
What caught their attention more than the pond, however, was the sight around it—thousands of beasts, of every shape and size, sprawled across the rocky ground. Wolves with silver pelts, serpents coiled like living rivers, even winged beasts larger than ships—all of them were silent, their breaths heavy, their bodies strangely still. They weren't dead. They were sleeping.
Dev instinctively gripped his claymore, the sound of his knuckles cracking in tension.
"This… this is insane. If even one of them wakes up—" He bit down on his words. His eyes darted toward Om, seeking direction.
Om's gaze swept over the pond. Something about its waters tugged at him, as though it was calling silently, pulling not just him, but the beasts as well. Dawon's fur bristled, golden Sanskrit sigils flickering like embers along his mane, responding to the unseen pull.
"Why are they all here?" Dev whispered, almost choking on the weight of silence pressing down on them.
Om didn't answer immediately. His mind whirled. This wasn't natural. Beasts were creatures of chaos, never gathering in peace, much less sleeping shoulder to shoulder. Something at the heart of that pond had subdued them.
"Zero," Om murmured inwardly.
[Energy concentration here surpasses the Monolith thresholds,] Zero responded flatly.
[Phenomenon still unknown.]
Om exhaled, his brow furrowing. If this thing can tame thousands of beasts, then even I… His fists clenched. The realization hit him hard. Whatever lay in that pond was more valuable—than anything he had imagined.