The Crazy Beast dragging Jonas wasn't moving particularly fast, its strange dragonfly-like wings beating with a low hum, keeping it just above the uneven ground as it pulled the unconscious man along by his ankle.
Staying low and using the scattered boulders and thick undergrowth for cover, Aziel followed the creature and kept a safe distance.
He trailed behind it through the rough terrain of the forest.
The ugly creature muttered nonsensically to itself, punctuated by occasional bursts of childlike giggling as it hauled Jonas along.
It seemed to be heading towards a specific destination.
After several minutes of cautious tracking, the trail led him towards a dense cluster of rocks and trees.
Partially hidden behind a curtain of thick vines was the dark opening of a cave.
The air around it felt heavy and carried a faint, unpleasant odor — metallic and slightly rotten.
As Aziel went closer, his eyes caught sight of something near the cave mouth.
More dark stains on the mossy rocks and tangled roots.
They looked like the same type of smeared blood trail he and Jonas had found earlier, the one that led them to the cliff edge.
"Hmm," Aziel whispered, his voice barely audible, "Look at that. More blood right there."
"Indeed," Blackie's voice replied softly in his mind. "Just like the trail from that cliff earlier. When that Crazy Beast went over the edge, it probably pulled whoever the first victim was over the edge and then flew directly here, to its lair."
Aziel felt a knot tighten in his stomach. "And that first victim... it had to be Dr. Hana's, didn't it?"
"Given the circumstances and the timeline, the probability is extremely high, Aziel. It seems both Dr. Hana and Jonas have been captured by this same Crazy Beast."
The implication hung heavy in the air. If the blood trail from the cliff belonged to Dr. Hana, and it led here, then the Crazy Beast had likely ambushed her first, hidden as a rock near where she was foraging, dragged her here, and then returned to ambush Jonas when he came looking.
"So she's maybe in there too," Aziel concluded grimly, his gaze fixed on the dark cave entrance.
Just then, the Crazy Beast reached the opening.
With a guttural grunt, it awkwardly maneuvered Jonas's limp body through the narrow entrance, its silhouette briefly framed against the deeper darkness within before disappearing entirely into the cave.
**********
The horrifying memory flooded back.
The dark cell, the screams of other prisoners, the chillingly casual cruelty of the cultists, and the terrifying, masked man who killed them all.
That same feeling of utter helplessness, of being prey trapped in the dark, washed over Dr. Hana now.
Here she was again, stuck in a dimly lit, foul-smelling place, at the mercy of whoever held her captive.
It felt like the same situation all over again, amplifying the raw terror churning within her. Her breath hitched, trapped in her chest.
Suddenly, a noise broke the oppressive silence just beyond what she could see. It wasn't the distant sounds of the forest This was closer, approaching the cave entrance.
A low, buzzing hum, like the frantic beating of large insect wings, grew steadily louder. It was accompanied by a scraping, dragging sound, something heavy being pulled across the uneven cave floor.
Low grumbles and creepy laughter were mixed in.
She recognized those noises. It had to be the Crazy Beast.
Panic shot through Dr. Hana like ice water.
Her mind screamed for her to flee, but her shattered legs and pinned arms rendered her completely helpless.
Her only defense, however flimsy, was to pretend to be unconsciousness.
Shutting her eyes tight, she forced her body to go limp, praying the creature wouldn't notice her terror. She tried to control her breathing, mimicking the slow, even rhythm of sleep, though her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
The dragging sound and the dissonant buzzing grew closer, echoing unnervingly in the enclosed space.
She could almost feel the displacement of air as the creature moved nearby.
Then, the sounds stopped, terrifyingly close.
She could smell its foul stench more strongly now — rot, old blood, and something else, something indescribably strange and wrong.
A sickening crack echoed through the cave, sharp and loud, like a thick branch snapping under immense pressure. It sounded horribly like bone.
Dr. Hana flinched involuntarily, biting down hard on her lower lip to stifle a whimper.
Immediately following the crack were two heavy, dull thuds, like large stones being dropped onto soft earth.
Silence descended once more, but it wasn't calm. The air felt heavy and oppressive.
Dr. Hana lay completely still, every nerve ending alight with fear. She didn't dare open her eyes, didn't dare breathe too loudly.
Yet, she could feel it — a palpable tension in the air, the distinct, prickling sensation of being watched intently. It felt like a physical weight pressing down on her.
Then, a low, grating voice slithered through the silence. "Is my toy awake now?"
The words sent a fresh wave of ice through Hana's veins.
Toy. It knew she was conscious. Or perhaps it was just taunting her.
She redoubled her efforts to remain perfectly still, to keep her breathing even, but the fear was too strong.
A tremor started in her limbs, an uncontrollable shiver that betrayed her facade. Hot tears welled up, escaping the tightly shut lids and tracing cold paths down her temples.
"Yeee‑HAH‑hah‑hah‑HAHH," a high-pitched cheering, erupted from the creature.
It had seen her reaction. It knew she was awake and terrified.
She felt something large and rough, like a calloused fingertip, touch her eyelid.
Her panic surged.
Before she could react further, the finger crudely forced her eye open.
Her vision blurred for a moment before focusing on the monstrous visage looming directly above her.
The Crazy Beast's deformed human-like face filled her sight, its eyes wide with manic glee, its mouth stretched into a grotesque, chillingly wide smile that revealed rows of uneven, discolored teeth.
It stared down at her, its expression one of cruel amusement, enjoying the pure terror reflected in her widened eye.