Thoughts flitted in his mind like frightened birds trapped in a cage. "Why… why can't I move?" — every second of hesitation brought the inevitable closer, yet his body refused to obey, frozen in paralysis. The hunched monster crept forward, its movements slow, almost lazy — it knew its prey had nowhere to run.
"I'll die here… in this darkness… alone…" — the thought struck him like a slap in the face. Alone. Always alone. Since the moment he'd awoken in these cursed caves — there had been no one beside him. "Why do I have to die? Why here, of all places?" — something began to shift inside him, a deep, primal fury rising from the darkest corners of his soul.
His fingers tightened on the tulwar's hilt. "How many days… how many days have I been running and hiding…" — every moment of fear, every rustle that made his heart freeze, every time he had to crouch in the dark praying not to be noticed. Slowly, anger began to displace the terror, boiling the blood in his veins.
"There's nowhere left to run… nowhere to hide… and I don't want to!" — desperation hardened into rage, into pure hatred. His legs, frozen moments before, found their strength again. The monster kept advancing, but there was a change in its movements — it was warier now.
The tulwar in Finn's hands began to change. The familiar warmth surged into a searing heat, and the blade flared with bright tongues of fire. "I'm not prey… I'm not a victim…" — each thought was a hammer blow, forging new resolve. The fear didn't vanish — it turned into cold fury.
Something ancient and dark was awakening within him, though he didn't notice, consumed entirely by rage and desperation. "They should fear… all of them should fear!" — his eyes began to change, the human iris vanishing, replaced by bottomless black. Within that darkness, tiny white specks shimmered like distant stars, and in the center of each eye burned a blue fire, like a small sun.
The hunchback froze for a moment, its bulging eyes locking on the blazing blade. Tension hung in the air. Finn didn't realize what was happening to him, driven only by the urge to stand his ground, to fight, to survive.
The cave corridors seemed sharper now; every shadow had definition, every sound was distinct. He could hear the approach of other creatures, feel their movement through the vibrations in the stone. Answering cries echoed through the labyrinth, drawing closer and closer.
The tulwar sang in his grip, flames dancing along the edge in strange patterns. The hunched monster let out another cry, but now it was tinged with fury — it saw a worthy opponent before it.
The creature before him was changing too, but Finn noticed nothing, his focus locked on the coming fight. The blue suns in his eyes flared brighter, reflecting the fire of the tulwar. The air between them seemed to thicken, each second stretching into eternity.
The cave filled with new sounds — the cries of other monsters closing in, bouncing off the walls. They were coming from all sides, drawn by the scent of battle. The darkness in Finn's eyes deepened, the blue suns blazing like twin beacons in the gloom.
The tulwar pulsed in time with his heartbeat, each throb sending a fresh wave of flame down the blade. This was no longer the frightened boy who had cowered in the shadows for days. Now, something else stood here — a being driven by pure desperation and rage.
The hunchback crouched low, ready to spring. Its claws scraped the stone, striking sparks, while guttural growls rumbled from its throat. Finn raised the tulwar before him, gripping the hilt with both hands. The fire cast shifting, monstrous shadows on the walls, making it seem as if the darkness itself was alive.
The creature lunged with incredible speed, its massive body moving with unnatural grace. Finn leapt aside — awkwardly, but effectively. The tulwar's flame lit the monster's gaping jaws.
"Too fast… but I won't give up…" — the hunchback wheeled around instantly, claws gouging deep furrows in the stone. Finn stumbled back, almost falling, but kept his balance. The flaming blade traced a bright arc between them, forcing the beast to recoil.
It began to circle, watching for an opening. Its bulging eyes followed his every twitch. Another leap — Finn rolled under its belly, clumsy but instinctive. The tulwar's edge grazed the gray hide, leaving a smoking mark.
The hunchback roared in pain and rage. Its long neck twisted, trying to bite at him. Claws sparked against the rock with every strike. Finn kept moving — unsteady, but relentless — dodging each lethal blow.
"Don't think… just move…" — his body acted on its own. The tulwar was heavy, but fear and adrenaline lent him strength. The flames left luminous trails in the air, throwing the monster off balance.
Another leap from the beast — Finn ducked under a stone ledge, forcing it to crash into the wall. The hunchback bellowed in frustration, claws tearing the rock apart. Finn burst out from the other side, swinging blindly.
The strike hit its rear leg. The tulwar's fire burned through the gray flesh, drawing another scream. Blue blood splattered the floor, hissing as it touched the searing blade. The creature turned, its movements less certain now.
"It can bleed… it's not invincible…" — the thought gave him new resolve. He kept moving, using every outcropping, every uneven step of the cave. His lack of skill was balanced by youthful agility and a desperate will to live.
The hunchback attacked again, but its strikes were more predictable now. The injured leg slowed it down, making it stagger. Finn dodged aside, letting it crash into the walls, wearing it out.
The tulwar's flames seemed to dance in rhythm with him, casting fiery veils that confused the beast. Each awkward swing, even if not lethal, made it back away from the scorching heat.
"It's tiring… it's getting slower…" — indeed, the hunchback's leaps grew shorter, its blows less precise. Blue blood still leaked from the wound, further unbalancing it.
Then, it stumbled on its own wounded leg. That single moment of hesitation — Finn lunged forward instinctively, putting his full weight into the strike. The tulwar sank into its side, fire consuming the gray flesh.
The monster let out a piercing shriek, its body arching violently. Claws swiped helplessly at the air. Finn tore the blade free and sprang back, ready for another attack — but none came.
The creature staggered, its movements spasming. Blue blood poured from the gash, turning to steam as it touched the white-hot blade. It took a few unsteady steps before collapsing.
Finn stood there, breathing hard, still holding the blazing tulwar before him. His hands trembled from the strain, but his grip remained firm. The hunchback's body twitched in its final convulsions.
The hunched monster was dead. And the boy was still alive.