The twin yellow gleams in the undergrowth resolved into something low-slung and powerful, emerging from the shadows with a silence that was far more menacing than any growl. It was a predator, that much was certain. Roughly the size of a panther, but thicker, its body a ripple of muscle under dark, mottled fur that blended seamlessly with the decaying leaf litter and bioluminescent shadows of the Weirdwood. Its head was broad, with a short, powerful snout, and its ears were small, flattened against its skull. But it was the eyes that held Alex captive – those intelligent, unwavering yellow orbs, fixed on him with an unnerving intensity. They weren't just the eyes of a hungry beast; there was a cunning in them, a calculating patience.
Alex's heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. The tingling of the Speed Force, or whatever this energy was, surged through him, a familiar jolt of adrenaline mixed with a nauseating premonition of uncontrolled lurching. He was backed into the hollow of the fallen tree, his makeshift shelter now feeling more like a trap. He had no weapon, only his wits and this volatile, unreliable power.
The creature took another deliberate step forward, its paws making no sound on the soft earth. It moved with a liquid grace, each placement precise. It wasn't rushing. It knew it had him cornered. A low, almost inaudible rumble vibrated from its chest, a sound felt more than heard.
Don't panic. Don't just jump. Think. His disastrous attempts on the battlefield were a fresh, painful memory. Uncontrolled speed was just a faster way to get killed. He needed to be smart, if smart was even possible when faced with something that looked like it could tear him limb from limb without breaking a sweat.
He slowly raised his hands, palms out, a universal gesture of non-aggression he hoped transcended interdimensional boundaries. "Easy there," he said, his voice a dry croak. "I'm not looking for trouble."
The creature paused, its head tilting slightly, as if considering his words. Or maybe it was just confused by the strange noises he was making. The yellow eyes didn't waver.
Alex knew he had to do something. Waiting for it to pounce was not an option. He could try to jump, to snap away, but where? Deeper into the unknown forest? What if he landed in something worse? And what if he misjudged it, jumped too short, or too far, and ended up disoriented and vulnerable right in its path? The energy felt weaker now, his earlier practice session having drained him more than he realized. He wasn't sure he had many more big jumps left in him before he collapsed.
He scanned his immediate surroundings, his mind racing, trying to process information at a speed that felt almost normal compared to the battle. The hollow of the roots offered some protection to his back and sides. The ground was littered with loose stones, chunks of petrified wood. Not ideal weapons, but better than nothing.
The creature took another step, then another, closing the distance. It was now less than fifteen feet away. He could see the faint twitch of its whiskers, the slight flare of its nostrils as it scented him. He could smell its breath now, a musky, carnivorous odor.
Okay, plan A: distraction. Plan B: run like hell if A fails.
He subtly shifted his weight, his fingers brushing against a jagged piece of petrified wood about the size of his forearm. It was heavy, awkward, but it had a point.
"Look," Alex said, trying to keep his voice steady, "I don't know what you are, but I don't taste very good. Probably. Stringy. Full of… adrenaline."
The creature let out a soft huff, a puff of air that ruffled the glowing moss at its feet. It lowered its head slightly, its shoulders bunching. A prelude to a pounce.
Now or never.
With a yell that was more fear than war cry, Alex snatched up the piece of wood and hurled it, not directly at the creature, but to its left, aiming for a dense patch of a particularly bright, bell-shaped fungi. He didn't wait to see if it hit. The moment the wood left his hand, he pushed with the speed energy, not aiming for distance, but for a short, sharp burst upwards and to the right.
SNAP!
He was airborne for a split second, a disorienting lurch, then his feet hit the top of the fallen log that formed his shelter. He nearly overbalanced, windmilling his arms, the world tilting precariously. Below him, the creature, startled by the sudden movement and the thud of the wood hitting the fungi (which promptly emitted a puff of iridescent spores), had flinched, its head whipping towards the sound.
It was a tiny window of opportunity.
Alex didn't hesitate. He launched himself off the log, pushing with his legs and another, more controlled burst of speed, aiming for the stream he'd found earlier. He knew the terrain there, at least a little.
SNAP-SNAP. Two quick, jarring jumps. The forest floor was a blur of glowing flora. He stumbled as he landed on the bank of the stream, his ankle twisting, sending a fresh jolt of pain up his leg. He ignored it. He could hear the creature behind him, no longer silent, but letting out a series of sharp, coughing barks as it gave chase. It was fast. Frighteningly fast.
He plunged into the stream, the cold water shocking his system, but also clearing his head a little. He pushed downstream, the water only knee-deep but the current surprisingly strong, pulling at his already unsteady legs. He used his speed in short, desperate bursts, trying to keep his footing on the slippery, unseen rocks of the streambed. Each jump was a gamble, threatening to send him sprawling.
He glanced back. The yellow eyes were there, pacing him along the bank, the creature a dark, fluid shape against the glowing forest. It wasn't entering the water, but it was easily keeping pace, its barks growing more frustrated.
Alex realized it was herding him. The stream was narrowing, the banks becoming steeper, rockier. He was being funneled.
He had to get out of the water. He spotted a section where the bank was lower, a tangle of thick roots offering potential handholds. He veered towards it, pushing with a burst of speed that sent a spray of water high into the air.
SNAP!
He was out of the stream, scrambling up the muddy bank, his torn clothes snagging on roots. He was exposed again. The creature was closer now, bounding along the bank, its earlier patience gone, replaced by a focused predatory drive. It launched itself across the narrowest part of the stream, landing with a thud just yards behind him.
Alex ran. No more short jumps. He just ran, pushing his new body as hard as he could, the Speed Force a frantic thrum under his skin. He was faster than the creature, he realized, in a straight line, when he wasn't trying to be precise. The world became a streaky blur of greens and blues. Trees whipped past. The sounds of the forest became a rushing wind in his ears.
But he was also clumsy. Untrained. He tripped over a root, sprawling headlong, the air knocked out of him. He tasted dirt and blood. He rolled over, gasping, just as the creature burst from the undergrowth, its yellow eyes blazing.
It pounced.
Time seemed to slow, that strange, almost serene detachment he'd experienced on the battlefield washing over him again, but this time tinged with a desperate clarity. He saw the creature arcing through the air, its claws extended, its jaws open, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth. He saw the individual hairs on its snout, the ripple of muscle under its hide.
He didn't have time for a full jump. He didn't have the energy. But he had to do something.
He twisted his body, a violent, desperate contortion, and as he did, he pushed with that internal energy, not to move his whole body, but to accelerate the movement he was already making. It was a subtle shift, a micro-burst of speed applied to a specific action.
Instead of the creature landing squarely on his chest, its claws found only his shoulder, raking deep, burning gashes. Its momentum carried it partly over him, its hot, fetid breath washing over his face.
Pain, white-hot and blinding, exploded through Alex's shoulder. He screamed, a raw, animal sound. But he was still moving. He brought his knee up sharply, connecting with the creature's exposed underbelly. It let out a surprised yelp, a grunt of pain, its attack momentarily disrupted.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Alex scrambled backwards, away from the thrashing creature, the pain in his shoulder making his vision swim. He could feel warm blood soaking his already tattered tunic. He was badly hurt.
The creature recovered quickly, shaking its head, those yellow eyes now burning with a furious, almost hateful light. It crouched, ready to spring again.
Alex knew he couldn't take another hit like that. He was fading fast. The Speed Force felt like a dying ember within him. He had maybe one more jump, one more desperate burst. It had to count.
He looked around wildly. Trees, rocks, more glowing plants. No obvious escape route. Then he saw it. Above him. A thick, sturdy-looking branch of one of the colossal trees, about twenty feet up. It was a long shot. A very long shot. If he missed, if he undershot…
He didn't have time to second-guess. The creature launched itself.
Alex closed his eyes, focused every last shred of his will, every dying spark of that internal energy, and pushed. He pictured the branch, felt himself landing on it.
SNAP!
The world twisted, lurched. There was a sickening sense of vertigo. Then, impact. Not the soft earth, but hard wood. He'd made it. He was on the branch, clinging on for dear life, his legs dangling.
Below him, the creature slammed into the trunk of the tree, right where he'd been standing, letting out a frustrated, high-pitched shriek. It clawed at the bark, looking up at him with pure malice in its yellow eyes. It tried to jump, but the branch was too high.
Alex lay there, draped over the branch, gasping for breath, his shoulder screaming in agony. He could feel the stickiness of his own blood. He watched as the creature circled the base of the tree, occasionally leaping, snarling, but unable to reach him.
He had survived. Again. But this time, it had cost him. He was wounded, exhausted, and trapped in a tree with a very persistent, very angry predator waiting below. The brief sense of triumph was quickly overshadowed by the grim reality of his situation.
The bioluminescent forest pulsed around him, beautiful and deadly. The distant, guttural calls started up again, closer this time. He wondered what other horrors this night held.
He looked at his bleeding shoulder. The gashes were deep. He needed to stop the bleeding, needed to rest. But rest seemed like a distant luxury. He was still being hunted.
As the adrenaline began to fade, a cold dread seeped into its place. He had power, yes. Unbelievable power. But in this savage new world, he was still just prey. And he was learning, the hard way, that being the fastest didn't mean you couldn't be caught. It just meant you had a little more time to realize how screwed you really were.
He pressed his hand against his shoulder, trying to staunch the flow of blood, his gaze fixed on the relentless predator circling below. The night was far from over.