Ares moved cautiously, his muscles tense as he navigated the damp, uneven terrain of the cave. The faint glow of bioluminescent moss barely lit the way, casting eerie shadows along the jagged walls. Every step deeper into the cave filled him with unease.

  Then, he heard it.

  A faint clicking.

  His body froze. His pulse quickened.

  The sound echoed from above.

  Slowly, he raised his gaze.

  A shape lurked in the darkness, nestled in the rocky ceiling. Long, spindly legs clung to the stone. Multiple eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light, their soulless depths reflecting his every movement.

  A spider. But not just any spider.

  It was massive—at least the size of a horse, its thick, hairy limbs spanning the width of the tunnel. A grotesque mandible twitched as strands of silk dripped from its fangs.

  Ares swallowed hard.

  System: [WARNING—Predator Detected]

  The spider moved.

  A blur of movement—Ares barely reacted before a thick strand of webbing shot toward him. He twisted to the side, barely avoiding the sticky thread. It struck the ground, hissing as it hardened into a thick, solid mass.

  Poison.

  His mind raced. He couldn't afford to get caught in that.

  The spider descended with unnatural speed, its legs tapping against the cave walls as it skittered downward. Ares ran. His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as he darted through the narrow passage, his eyes scanning for an escape.

  More webbing shot past him. It missed—but barely.

  System: [Combat Protocol Active]

  Ares slid to a stop and turned. He couldn't keep running forever. His body was still weak, but if he fled blindly, he'd end up trapped in some dead-end. He had to fight.

  The spider lunged.

  Ares barely had time to react. He threw himself to the side as its fangs struck the ground where he had stood, splintering stone with terrifying force.

  His hand shot forward. He willed the strange energy inside him to surge—just like when he had created fire.

  A weak flicker of fme danced at his fingertips.

  Not enough.

  The spider lunged again, and this time, Ares wasn’t fast enough.

  A powerful leg struck his side, sending him sprawling. His vision blurred as pain exploded across his ribs. He struggled to push himself up, but a thick weight pressed onto his chest.

  The spider loomed over him.

  Its mandibles clicked, strands of silk dripping onto his arm.

  Trapped.

  His limbs burned, his strength failing him.

  System: [ALERT—Vital Signs Critical]

  The spider reared back, ready to strike the finishing blow.

  Then—

  The ground beneath them crumbled.

  Ares barely had time to register what was happening before the cave floor gave way entirely.

  Darkness swallowed him as he plummeted into the unknown.