The Giant Lizard Den smelled like death.
And something worse.
Rot.
Heat.
Despair.
Deep inside the cave—
Buried within a steaming mound of filth 💩—
sat Aren.
Still.
Silent.
Unbothered.
Covered head to toe.
He didn't blink.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't react.
He waited.
When the compass dragged its owner to the cave entrance—
Aren whispered:
"…showtime." 😌
He lifted a sharpened stick.
Just wood.
Nothing special.
He didn't aim for the head.
Not the eyes.
Not the throat.
He aimed lower.
Far lower.
And with perfect timing—
THUNK.
Two massive yellow eyes snapped open 👁️👁️.
The cave trembled.
Dust rained down 🌫️.
The air shifted.
Something ancient—
was awake.
Outside—
Lyris froze.
"…What was that?" 😟
Then—
From the darkness—
Aren's voice echoed:
"HEY! I POKED HIM! RUN!" 😌
ROOOOOAR 🐲💥
The forest shook.
Birds exploded into the sky 🐦💨.
The ground cracked beneath the sound.
The Chase of Death 🏃♀️💀
The lizard turned.
Its gaze landed on Aren—
A silhouette of absolute disgust 💩.
It sniffed.
Paused.
Recoiled.
Even the monster had standards.
Then—
It saw Lyris.
Clean.
Bright.
Perfect.
Target locked 🎯.
"…oh no." 😨
BOOM 💥
The ground shattered as it lunged.
Lyris ran.
Screaming.
The crystal screens erupted—
"RUN!! RUN!!"
"SHE'S DEAD!!"
"THAT THING ERASES PEOPLE!!" 😱
The Elf Guild panicked.
"MASTER SAVE HER!!"
Elandor didn't move.
"…Not yet."
Two Days of Hell ⏳🔥
Lyris ran.
Through thorns 🌿.
Through rivers 💧.
Over stone 🪨.
She fired arrows.
Thirty.
Forty.
Fifty.
THUNK. THUNK. THUNK.
They bounced.
Useless.
Like tapping iron with twigs 🏹❌.
Her arms burned 🔥.
Her lungs burned 🔥.
Her pride burned 🔥.
Behind her—
BOOM 💥
Trees shattered 🌲💥.
The ground split.
Death followed.
She hid—
It found her.
She slowed—
It closed in.
Always.
Always.
Always.
Because of the smell 🤢.
The stick Aren used—
That scent—
Clung to her.
Wrapped around her.
Marked her.
She wasn't hunting anymore.
She was the prey.
The crowd gagged 🤢💀.
Kids fainted.
Food dropped.
Even birds fell mid-flight 🐦⬇️.
The mage covered his nose.
"That scent can be tracked for kilometers…" 😷
"…she's finished…"
Lyris screamed into the forest—
"AREN!! YOU FILTH-COVERED MONSTER!! WHERE ARE YOU?!" 😡💢
Meanwhile 😌
Aren sat by a river 💧.
Clean.
Relaxed.
He watched the screen.
Drinking milk 🥛.
Eating an apple 🍎.
"She runs well," he said calmly.
Mira stared.
"You're terrifying." 😳
Aren shrugged.
The End 🌑
The second sunrise came ☀️.
Lyris collapsed.
Crawling.
Her bow—broken 🪵.
Arrows—gone 🚫.
Pride—shattered 💔.
The lizard loomed.
Massive.
Hungry.
Unstoppable.
Then—
WHOOSH 🌿
Emerald wind burst forward.
Elandor appeared.
Vines erupted 🌿🌿🌿.
Binding the beast.
"ENOUGH."
The lizard hissed—
Then backed away.
Lyris fell into her father's arms.
Shaking.
Broken.
"You lost," he said quietly.
She didn't argue.
She cried 😢.
Aftermath ⚖️
The elder entered the den.
Aren stood beside the lizard.
The monster didn't attack.
It lowered its head.
The elder exhaled slowly.
"You planned this."
Aren nodded.
"…Next time, warn us before using an apex predator." 😐
Aren shrugged.
"She shot me."
Victory 🎉💰
Coins changed hands 💰.
The crowd roared 🔥.
The Elf Guild stood silent.
Humiliated.
Aren walked away.
Like nothing had happened 🚶♂️.
Mira stared at him.
"Aren… you're unbelievable."
Aren nodded once.
"I know." 😌