The alpha wolf stared up at Alex, hatred burning in its eyes. Dust still settled around it from the tumble down the slope.
[VENOMWOLF ALPHA - LEVEL 4]
[HP: 42/50]
The fall hurt it. Good. But not enough.
Alex stood on the high ground, spear gripped in both hands. His heart hammered against his ribs, but his mind was clear. Calculated.
I have the terrain advantage. High ground means it has to come to me. Has to climb. That slows it down.
The alpha snarled and began climbing the slope, its powerful legs finding purchase where the loose rocks had failed it earlier. Intelligent. It was learning from its mistake.
"Ember! Harass it! Don't let it focus!"
The fire bird dove, releasing a flame dart at the wolf's face. The alpha twisted its head, the flames singing its ear. It snapped at Ember, but she was already wheeling away.
The distraction worked. The wolf's paw slipped on a rock. It slid back down a few feet, snarling in frustration.
Good. Keep it off balance. Make it angry. Angry means mistakes.
Alex had learned this from countless PvP matches. Tilted opponents made bad plays. The wolf was no different. It was a predator used to winning, not used to being hunted.
The alpha tried again, this time taking a different route up the slope. Slower. More careful.
Can't let it reach me. Once it gets up here, I'm dead.
Alex spotted a large rock near the edge of the slope. He dropped his spear, braced his legs, and shoved with everything he had.
The rock teetered, then began to roll.
It bounced down the slope, gathering speed, directly toward the climbing wolf. The alpha saw it coming and tried to leap aside.
The rock clipped its hind leg. The wolf yelped, and Alex heard the sickening crack of bone breaking.
[VENOMWOLF ALPHA - HP: 35/50]
[STATUS: HIND LEG FRACTURED]
Yes! Now it's hobbled. Can't climb effectively. Can't chase.
But a wounded predator was also the most dangerous. The alpha's eyes fixed on Alex with pure murder. It stopped trying to climb and instead began circling, looking for another approach.
It's adapting. Trying to flank. Can't let it find an easier path up.
"Ember, keep it pinned! Don't let it leave this area!"
The fire bird understood. She dove repeatedly, forcing the alpha to dodge, keeping it in the rocky terrain where its injured leg was a disadvantage.
But Ember was tiring. Alex could feel it through their bond. Her stamina draining with each flame dart. She couldn't keep this up forever.
I need to finish this. But how? It won't come close enough for my spear.
Then Alex remembered: the gap between the boulders. The narrow passage he'd scouted earlier.
If I can lure it through there, it'll have to slow down. Give me a clean shot.
"Ember! Lead it to the boulder gap! The one we saw earlier!"
The fire bird chirped acknowledgment and changed tactics. Instead of just harassing, she flew toward the gap, making herself an obvious target.
The alpha, frustrated and angry, took the bait. It limped after her, moving faster than Alex expected despite the broken leg.
Adrenaline. It's running on pure rage now.
Ember flew through the narrow gap between the boulders. The alpha followed and immediately had to slow. The gap was too narrow for its bulk. It had to turn sideways, squeeze through.
Alex was already moving. He circled around the boulders, coming at the gap from the other side. The wolf was stuck in the passage, snarling, trying to push through.
Now. While it's trapped.
Alex raised his spear and drove it down with both hands.
The crude stone tip punched through the wolf's shoulder. The alpha howled, thrashing. Its jaws snapped at Alex, missing by inches.
Alex pulled the spear back and struck again. This time for the neck.
The wolf twisted at the last second. The spear glanced off bone, tearing a gash but not penetrating deeply.
Damn it! One more shot. I need one more clean shot.
The alpha was fighting to free itself from the gap, muscles bunching. It was going to break through any second.
"Ember! Eyes! Blind it!"
The fire bird dove from above, releasing her flame dart directly into the wolf's face. Both eyes this time. The alpha shrieked and thrashed, momentarily sightless.
Alex didn't hesitate. He raised the spear high and drove it down with every ounce of strength in his body.
The stone tip punched through the wolf's neck. Blood sprayed hot across Alex's hands. The alpha convulsed once, twice, then went still.
[VENOMWOLF ALPHA DEFEATED]
[ESSENCE ACQUIRED: ALPHA WOLF SPIRIT CORE]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 40]
Alex staggered back, breathing hard. His hands were shaking. His arms felt like rubber.
I did it. Holy shit, I actually did it.
The alpha wolf, the creature that had killed the previous owner of this body, that had hunted Alex for three days, was dead.
Ember landed on his shoulder, chirping triumphantly. Through their bond, Alex felt her exhaustion and satisfaction.
"We did it," Alex said aloud. His voice sounded strange to his own ears. "We actually won."
He stared at the dead alpha, at the blood covering his hands and arms. This wasn't like the crystal hare. This wasn't a quick kill for food.
This was brutal. Personal. Violent.
Alex's stomach lurched. He turned away and vomited, his body rejecting the reality of what he'd just done.
This isn't a game. This was never a game. That was a living thing and I just killed it in the most brutal way possible.
The adrenaline drained away, leaving only exhaustion and the sickening smell of blood and death.
Ember nuzzled against his cheek, concerned through the bond.
"I'm okay," Alex lied. "Just... processing."
But he wasn't okay. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. The image of the spear punching through the wolf's neck kept replaying in his mind.
The old Alex, the gamer from Earth, would never have done this. Could never have done this.
But that Alex is dead. I'm what's left. And this is what I have to be to survive.
He forced himself to look at the corpse again. Made himself confront what he'd done.
This world doesn't care about my feelings. It doesn't care that I'm scared or disgusted or traumatized. It only cares if I survive.
So I survive. Whatever it takes.
Alex took a deep breath, steadying himself. Then he reached out and touched the alpha's corpse.
"Absorb."
The silver light erupted, more intense than before. The alpha's essence was stronger, purer. It swirled around Ember, and the fire bird chirped as power flooded into her.
[ESSENCE ABSORBED: ALPHA WOLF SPIRIT CORE]
[EMBER EVOLUTION: 5/10]
[EXPERIENCE: 60/100]
[LEVEL UP AVAILABLE: 40 EXPERIENCE REQUIRED]
Halfway to Ember's first evolution. And I'm close to levelling up.
The corpse dissolved into ash, scattering on the wind. All that remained was blood on the rocks and the memory of what Alex had done.
He stood there for a long moment, staring at his blood-covered hands.
This is who I am now. A killer. A survivor. Whatever it takes.
"Come on, Ember," Alex said finally. "Let's get back to the cave. We need rest."
The fire bird chirped in agreement and took to the air, circling above him as he began the walk back.
The sun was setting, painting the Wyrmwood in shades of red and gold. Beautiful, in a deadly sort of way.
Alex walked in silence, processing everything. The fear. The violence. The triumph. The disgust.
Marcus thought he destroyed me. Thought betraying me would break me.
But I'm still here. Still fighting. Still alive.
And I'm getting stronger.
By the time Alex reached his cave, full dark had fallen. He rebuilt his fire, washed the blood from his hands and arms in the stream, and sat staring into the flames.
Ember perched beside him, preening her feathers. Content. Safe.
Through their bond, Alex felt her confidence in him. She didn't see a killer or a monster. She saw her bond-mate. Her partner. Someone who would protect her and fight alongside her.
Maybe that's enough. Maybe I don't need to be the good guy from Earth anymore. Maybe I just need to be what this world requires.
Alex closed his eyes, exhaustion finally claiming him.
His last conscious thought before sleep: Three days ago, I died in Seattle. Tonight, I killed the thing that killed me. Tomorrow, I keep getting stronger.
Because in this world, strength is the only thing that matters.
Outside, the Wyrmwood continued its deadly song. Predators hunting. Prey fleeing. The cycle of survival.
And in a small cave behind a waterfall, a young man and his fire bird slept, both dreaming of the battles yet to come.
The phoenix egg's golden patterns had faded now, replaced by Ember's living warmth.
But somewhere deep in that bond, in the essence they'd collected, something was beginning to change.
Evolution was coming.
And with it, the real journey would begin.