The smell of blood always traveled far in the dungeon.
Kael crouched behind a jagged boulder, Moro pulsing quietly beside him. Ahead, a den of wolves gathered. These weren't the scrawny ones from before — these were direwolves, each the size of a man, muscles taut, fangs glistening.
At their center rested the Alpha, its black fur streaked with scars, its eyes burning like molten gold.
Kael's fingers tightened around his shard. His heart pounded.
"…Stronger than me. Stronger than Moro. But…" His lips curled into a grin. "…If I kill them… I'll grow stronger too."
The dungeon whispered in agreement.
Moro quivered, uneasy. Kael reached down, pressing a hand against the slime.
"Don't worry. We hunt… together."
He crawled closer, setting crude bone traps along the path. He wasn't going to fight them like prey.
This time, he would be the predator.