The stone bear climbed faster than Kael expected.
Its massive claws tore into reinforced concrete as if it were brittle clay, sending chunks of debris raining down the side of the tower. Each movement shook the building, the vibrations traveling up through the floor and into Kael's bones.
He stepped back instinctively, scanning the observation deck.
No firearms. No heavy tools. Only emergency equipment and shattered furniture scattered across the room.
Behind him, the stairwell echoed with distant screams and the unmistakable sound of something heavy smashing through lower floors.
He was running out of time.
The Codex projected faint symbols across the creature's body as it climbed.
Species: Earthbound Stone BearBloodline Stability: 63%Structural Weakness Detected: Cervical Joint (Left)Primary Energy Core Location: Sternum Region
Kael focused on the information and forced his breathing to slow.
So it bleeds. That was enough.
The bear reached the broken window and slammed its forearm into the frame. Metal supports bent with a screech and glass exploded inward. Dust filled the air as the monster forced its head and shoulders through the opening.
Kael turned and sprinted toward the maintenance room beside the observation deck. He barely made it inside before the creature smashed through the wall behind him, concrete collapsing in a thunderous crash.
The impact threw Kael forward.
He rolled across the floor and grabbed the first solid object he could reach, an emergency fire axe mounted beside the wall. The handle vibrated as he ripped it free, the weight unfamiliar but reassuring in his hands.
The stone bear tore fully into the room and charged.
The floor cracked beneath its bulk. Its roar shook the confined space, vibrating painfully in Kael's ears.
Kael braced himself.
At the last second, he sidestepped. The creature's momentum carried it forward, smashing into a support pillar. Kael swung the axe with all his strength.
The blade struck the bear's armored shoulder and rebounded with a metallic clang. The shock ran through his arms, nearly forcing him to drop the weapon.
The bear barely reacted.
Its tail whipped sideways, slamming into Kael's ribs and sending him crashing into the wall. Pain exploded across his chest. His vision blurred as the air was knocked from his lungs.
He forced himself upright, coughing violently.
This was not a fight he could win through brute strength.
The Codex pulsed again.
Warning: Current Physical Output InsufficientRecommendation: Activate Codex Combat Assistance
"Activate it," Kael muttered.
A controlled warmth spread through his muscles. His senses sharpened. Movements around him slowed slightly, not because time itself had changed, but because his perception had accelerated.
The bear charged again.
Kael did not retreat.
He ducked low and slid beneath the creature's swinging arm, moving exactly where the Codex highlighted. As he passed beneath its chest, he drove the axe upward into the unarmored gap near the energy core.
The blade sank deep.
Golden light burst from the wound as the bear roared in agony. Its movement faltered, balance disrupted by the damage to its internal structure.
Kael seized the opening.
He climbed onto the creature's back, ignoring the violent shaking, and raised the axe overhead. His arms trembled from strain, but he forced them to move.
He brought the blade down precisely onto the weakened cervical joint.
Bone cracked.
The bear's head twisted at an unnatural angle. Its massive body stiffened before collapsing heavily onto the floor, shaking the entire room.
Silence followed.
Kael stood there, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his face. Blood stained the broken concrete. His hands shook as adrenaline slowly drained from his system.
Then the Codex activated again.
Kill ConfirmedBloodline Fragment DetectedSource: Earthbound Stone BearTier: RareExtraction Available
Kael approached the corpse carefully.
The bear's body began dissolving into glowing particles, leaving behind a pulsing crystal embedded near its chest. When Kael touched it, the energy flowed directly into his body.
His muscles tightened painfully. His bones felt heavier, denser, as if reinforced from within.
Bloodline Assimilation SuccessfulPassive Enhancement AcquiredStone Skin (Minor): Physical Defense IncreasedSkeletal Density Improved
Kael flexed his fingers slowly. The sensation was subtle but unmistakable. His body felt sturdier, more resilient.
Before he could test the limits of the change, the entire building trembled violently again.
This time, the force came from the sky.
A piercing screech echoed across the city, sharp enough to make Kael's ears ring. He rushed back to the shattered window and froze.
Dark clouds spiraled unnaturally above Eryndor City. A massive shadow descended through the storm, wings spreading wide as crimson light glowed faintly between enormous scales.
A dragon-like creature hovered over the skyline.
People on the streets below stopped running.
Some fell to their knees.
Others screamed in despair.
Kael's throat tightened.
High-Level Entity DetectedClassification: Ancient SpeciesThreat Level: ExtremeRecommendation: Avoid Direct Engagement
This was no longer just survival.
This was the return of myths.
The Codex pulsed faintly in his chest.
Hidden Condition ProgressingOrigin Authority Synchronization: 3%
Before Kael could process what that meant, footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned as the stairwell door burst open. Three security officers rushed inside, weapons raised, faces pale with shock. Their eyes swept across the destroyed room, the blood, the collapsed wall, and finally locked onto Kael.
One of them swallowed hard.
"Are you… one of those things now?"
Kael lowered the axe slowly.
I'm human, he replied calmly.
And if we don't leave soon, none of us are getting out alive.
The Codex displayed another quiet alert in his vision.
Human Interaction DetectedBloodline Awakening Probability: IncreasingSocial Risk Level: Moderate
Kael exhaled softly.
Surviving monsters was only the beginning.
Surviving people would be far harder.