Chapter 8: The God That Watches
Alex had stopped counting how many times he had almost died.
Not because the danger had lessened—but because his mind could no longer keep up.
His legs felt hollow, like they might collapse at any moment. Every breath burned his chest, even though he had no wounds. That made it worse. Everyone else bore scars, blood, broken armor.
He bore nothing.
Which meant he had done nothing.
Kael staggered ahead, sword dragging against the stone as if it weighed a hundred kilos. His left arm hung uselessly, fingers twitching uncontrollably. Blood soaked his side, each step leaving a dark smear behind him.
Tavik leaned against a broken wall, bow trembling in his grip. His shoulders shook violently as he sucked in air, vision swimming. His quiver was empty. Not a single arrow remained.
Liora knelt at the center of the group, her protective aura flickering like a dying candle. Sweat soaked her hair, lips pale, eyes unfocused. Every attempt to strengthen the barrier drew a pained gasp from her throat.
Mara stood—barely.
Her mind was still sharp, still calculating, still fighting… but her body was done. Blood trickled down her brow, staining her robes. Her staff was cracked, barely channeling anything at all.
Alex stood behind them.
Unhurt.
Powerless.
Terrified.
"If I could just—" he whispered, clenching his fists.
Nothing happened.
The ruins answered instead.
A low, rhythmic tapping echoed through the corridor.
Claws.
Many claws.
From the shadows crawled monsters—rift beasts, twisted and malformed, their bodies bent unnaturally as if molded by a cruel hand. Their eyes glowed green, movements synchronized, purposeful.
They did not rush.
They waited.
Alex felt it then.
Not fear.
Submission.
The beasts split apart, forming a path.
Something stepped forward.
It was tall—inhumanly so—its body wrapped in black chitin that reflected the dim light like polished armor. Veins pulsed beneath semi-transparent flesh, glowing faintly with rift energy. A single curved horn rose from its forehead, etched with ancient symbols.
It smiled.
"Well done," the creature said.
Its voice was calm.
Cultured.
Human.
Alex's heart nearly stopped.
"A B-rank… commander," Liora whispered in horror. "They're all under its control."
The monster raised one clawed hand.
Every lesser beast stilled instantly.
"Good," it said approvingly. "Obedience is such a beautiful thing."
Its gaze swept over the group slowly, savoring every injury, every tremble. When its eyes reached Alex, they lingered.
Longer.
"And you…" it murmured. "You are empty."
Alex flinched as if struck.
"No mana. No blessing. No god's mark." The monster tilted its head. "And yet… something watches you."
Alex's breath hitched.
"What… what are you?" Tavik growled, forcing himself upright.
The monster chuckled. "I am a servant. A voice. A shepherd."
With a flick of its finger, the lesser beasts attacked.
Chaos erupted.
Kael roared, forcing his broken body to move as he met the first monster head-on. His sword clashed against claw, sparks flying—but the recoil sent agony screaming up his arm. He nearly dropped the blade.
Tavik rushed another beast, swinging his bow like a club. The impact cracked bone—but the monster barely staggered.
Liora screamed as she poured everything into her barrier. It expanded briefly, forcing the beasts back—but cracks spider-webbed across it instantly. Blood ran from her nose, then her ears.
Alex stumbled backward, heart pounding, watching them fight.
Watching them suffer.
Watching them bleed.
And knowing he was the reason they were slower.
Weaker.
Still alive.
"Run!" Kael shouted, blood spraying as a claw tore across his chest.
Alex tried.
His legs wouldn't move.
The B-rank monster watched with open delight. "Look at you," it said softly. "Surrounded by heroes… and still worthless."
Then it moved.
It crossed the battlefield in a blink.
Mara barely had time to react.
A claw punched through her chest.
Straight through.
Bone shattered. Flesh tore. Blood exploded outward as the monster lifted her into the air, its hand buried in her heart.
Mara gasped.
Her eyes locked onto Alex.
Her lips moved—trying to say something.
Run.
Live.
The monster twisted its hand.
A wet, crushing sound echoed through the hall.
Mara's body went limp.
The creature withdrew its arm slowly and let her corpse fall to the stone like discarded meat.
Liora screamed.
Kael froze, eyes wide with horror.
Tavik dropped to one knee, shaking violently.
Alex felt something inside him break.
The monster licked the blood from its claw, eyes glowing brighter. "Such a fragile mind," it sighed. "But brilliant. A shame."
It turned back to Alex.
"You feel it now, don't you?" it whispered. "The gap. The truth."
The lesser beasts closed in tighter.
"You were never meant to be chosen by gods," the monster continued. "So you were noticed by something else."
Alex's head throbbed violently.
A pressure built in his chest—dark, suffocating.
"An ancient one," the monster said reverently. "A god that does not bless…"
It smiled.
"…it claims."
The ruins trembled.
Alex screamed.
And somewhere far beneath the world, something ancient stirred—aware that its eyes had finally been noticed.