BOOM!
A huge explosion erupted and sent a massive tremor through the surroundings, followed immediately by the anguished cry of an inhuman creature. A loud, high-pitched screeching tore through the air.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
A young man panted as he sped through the horrifying terrain that looked like a forest, though even the blind could tell this was no forest.
"SCREEEEEEH!"
The screech erupted once more from nowhere. On instinct, the young man—who was none other than Artemis—dove to the left, and just as he did, a huge explosion echoed behind him. The blast sent massive tremors through the immediate surrounding, his body trembling from the sheer intensity, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. Because he knew, OH, he knew that the moment he did, he would die. There was no two ways about it.
The more he ran, the deeper he went. The deeper he went, the more escape seemed elusive. The forest, or whatever this was, felt like a never-ending maze, a maze littered with danger at all points, a maze without any way out, a maze meant to ensure there was no escape.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Artemis panted, his legs burning, his heart pounding so hard it hurt. He could barely breathe at this point, barely see. He had been running for as long as he could remember—a day? Two? Three? A week? He couldn't tell. All he knew was that the moment he stepped out of the safety of the mansion, he had been running. His body had long given out, but his will kept him going. He wouldn't stop, no matter the cause, even if his muscles began tearing themselves apart, even if his lungs literally combusted in flames and his bones crumbled from the sheer intensity of the strain.
BOOM!
Something with the force of a battering ram slammed into him from behind. In the blink of an eye, he found himself flung into the sky, only to be slammed into the trunk of one of the numerous 'trees' scattered about this cursed place with so much force that he feared for his spine.
"ARGH!"
He cried out in tremendous pain, his fists clenched so tightly that crescent marks deep enough to leave scars formed in his palms. His back arched up in response to the sudden attack.
"SCREECH!"
With a pained glare, he stared straight at the creature now approaching him, the creature which had remained persistent in its attempt to devour him.
"Damn you... argh... I have to keep going..."
He tried to pull away, but then he realized something. He couldn't move. He looked back only to discover both his hands were now being devoured by it—this was no tree at all.
"Argh! Let. GO!"
He pulled with all his might, but it was no use. The harder he pulled, the stronger the reaction as it sucked his arms even deeper, black veins spreading up the length of his arms. He quickly looked back to find the creature feasting on another monstrous form, the very thing that had slammed into him. It was a serpentine creature with eight legs. He couldn't make out much from where he was held, but he was sure he wouldn't want to face even that—it was the stuff of nightmares.
Crack.
The creature crushed it between its mouth, then swallowed before locking onto him. Red iridescent eyes. A hulking mass that was three times his height. It was all scales, and its elongated teeth were as sharp as daggers and long enough to be held in the palm.
"It's not letting up..."
He groaned, trying to pull free, but to no avail. The monstrous hulking figure then began running towards him, knocking over numerous trees and roaring in rage as it got closer and closer until it lunged up, headed right for him, its mouth parting to reveal the tunnel of teeth within.
Artemis struggled even more, fighting with everything he had, but it was a worthless effort. Without mana, he stood no chance of winning. He knew this from the start. Yet he still did it.
BOOM!
The monster crashed against him and the tree.
"Argh!"
He coughed out a mouthful of blood, only to realize the monster had somewhat missed its mark—which was him—and instead devoured the tree behind him first. With his hands now free but bloodied from the torn marks and numerous slice wounds gotten from the tree, he stood up and began running once again. He looked back—the creature was still busy with the tree monster. Good. If he could use this opportunity to get far from here, then maybe he might have a chance.
"Ugh..."
He felt a burning pain in his arms, then looked down to find the black veins from the tree still there. It seemed to be poison or something along those lines. The veins in his arms had gotten so thick that they looked like vines spreading across his skin, the black substance creeping further.
As much as he wanted to stop and treat this, there was only so much time he had. If that creature finished with that tree... thing, and still sensed him, then he was finished.
"Just forget it for now. I have to find a place to hide and think first."
He kept running, doing well to avoid any obstacle that came his way, and with time, there appeared to be what could generously be called the exit of the forest. But just as he crossed the threshold—
SLASH.
SPLATTER.
"ARRGHHH!"
A blood-curdling scream erupted from Artemis as he found himself tumbling against the floor, collapsing onto a rock. An arm—gone. Just gone.
"Ugh... haah... haah... haah..."
He panted, looking up to find the monster devouring his arm. In seconds, it was gone. It then turned to look at him, those red iridescent eyes locking onto him once more.
"Damn it..."