Cooperative Hunt

"Reach out your hand. Which one?"

Kai'Sa looked at Kane with utter bewilderment, her unmutated hand clasping his, as if afraid he'd slip away.

"The one you dislike."

"Oh."

Hesitantly, Kai'Sa extended her arm, reluctant to expose the carapace she found so hideous to Kane's view.

He requested the dagger and tapped on the carapace, confirming its hardness akin to steel.

He didn't touch it directly, but by observing the moth-like patterns on its surface, he could tell it would feel both smooth and rough to the touch.

Then, with a resolute motion, he slashed a deep cut along the artery on his left arm.

Surprisingly, despite the severity of the action, he felt little pain. If not for the sight, he might have doubted the limb was still his.

Caught off guard by the suddenness, Kai'Sa froze, but Kane was indifferent to her reaction. As dark blood oozed from the wound, he promptly pulled her arm closer, using the carapace on her hand to collect the drips of black blood.

Astonishingly, the blood was greedily absorbed by the carapace, leaving no trace behind, much like water sucked into a sponge. Kai'Sa, who had never seen a sponge in her desert life, found the scene before her eerily unnatural. It was downright monstrous.

"Now you see, you can 'eat' with this carapace. It's both your armor and your weapon, indispensable if you want to survive here," Kane explained earnestly. Kai'Sa nodded sincerely, still believing Kane needn't put himself through such lengths, but he no longer wished to discuss it.

Once his wound clotted, Kane spoke with urgency, "We're going to find a monster now. Just so we're clear, if it charges at us, use your carapace to block its attack, and I'll go for the kill with the spear. I need its heart and carapace; with those, maybe I can make it."

Kane felt his strength waning, even after their recent meal. He needed to act fast, to attempt one last time before losing all mobility.

"I understand." Kai'Sa clenched her fist.

She was fearless for Kane's sake.

Together, they retraced their steps back to where they had previously fallen.

Approaching the tunnel's exit, they witnessed a shimmering purple glow—the area infested with a throng of Void creatures.

"Too many!" Kai'Sa whispered, shaking her head from their hiding spot. How could two children possibly slay one of these creatures amid the swarm and bring back its carapace and heart?

"Use this." Kane handed her a peach pit.

Kai'Sa lay close to the rocky ground, peeking out just enough to survey the horde she was about to confront.

These Void beings, which Kane called Riftwalkers, were typically no larger than a bulldog; the one that had attacked Kai'Sa was an exception, nearly matching her in size.

Feeling somewhat assured, Kai'Sa hurled the peach pit, which arced through the darkness and struck a Riftwalker on its head.

"Thunk!"

The crisp sound was oddly pleasant to the ear but sent the children's nerves on edge.

The other Riftwalkers glanced at the noise with their luminescent tri-arc eyes before dismissing it.

Yet the struck Riftwalker, driven by the tactile feedback, turned and stared toward the source of the attack.

Its elongated eyes, swirling with boundless malice, scanned the tunnel's mouth. Riftwalkers vision differed greatly from normal creatures; light was not necessary for them to see. They could perceive colors, contrasts, and shades inexistent in nature—the moment any patch displayed irregularity, they were instantly alert.

Suddenly, a head poked out, locking gaze briefly, then quickly retreated.

The Riftwalker caught the fleeting dark spot and, without hesitation, began its sharp-paced, sinuous advance toward the tunnel.

Their hunger was insatiable, driving every action with such simplicity that it required no deliberation.

Detect life!

Consume and transform!

Annihilate all!

Remember, expect nothing from the Void—it only responds with glinting fangs and foul saliva.

"It's coming!"

Kai'Sa stood up swiftly, half-crouched at the tunnel's bend, bracing for confrontation.

"Stick to the plan. Let it attack first."

Kane gripped the spear with his right hand, winding it tightly around his wrist, elbow, and underarm, maximizing precision and force despite using only one hand.

The pulsing purple glow from the Riftwalker's heart raced across the dark tunnel ceiling, betraying its position. As the glow neared, Kai'Sa's nerves stretched taut, her legs trembling uncontrollably.

She could run but chose not to. Behind her was the only person she cherished in this world; she couldn't afford to lose him!

The Riftwalker slithered through the void, erupting at the corner and lunging with blinding speed!

Did it not need a moment to lock on its target?

Through this thought, Kai'Sa mustered all her might, blocking the slicing claws with her left arm, one leg braced back against the ground.

The sharp claws struck the carapace, carving a deep gash but failing to pierce through.

Her innate combat prowess shone through; despite the Riftwalker's size, it was no match for the one that had bestowed her carapace. Kai'Sa stood her ground against the impact, then shoved back with all her strength!

The creature hit the rocky wall and tumbled, legs flailing helplessly, exposing its softer pale underbelly and the dimly glowing heart encased in cartilage.

"Nice!"

Kane let out a roar through clenched teeth, seizing the perfect opening provided by Kai'Sa, lunging forward to drive the spear straight into the heart!

"Pthwick!"

With a sharp puncture, the battle was settled.

The heart, the mindless Riftwalker's sole vulnerability, once struck, brought an instant halt to its life force. Without attacking this energy core, they could regenerate and even toughen.

Kane knew this well, which is why he opted for the spear within the ruins rather than a more practical scythe.

Otherwise, he might have been unable to break the Riftwalker's carapace, let alone reach its vital core.

As the heart was pierced, the Riftwalker's lifeline was irreversibly severed, turning its ferocity into sudden stillness.

The lifeless Riftwalker looked almost "cute" compared to its animated self.

Kane withdrew the spear and leaned on it, catching his breath.

Unbeknownst to herself, Kai'Sa had come to rely on Kane as her pillar. That one thrust seemed to have drained him, and after a while, he spoke weakly to the anxious Kai'Sa, waiting for instructions.

"Let's do it right here. Carve the heart out for me."