Dreadmaw

Lex kept shooting but the tide of Hivefiends surging over the wall remained relentless. He closely observed the creatures, taking in every detail.

Each arm had two talons, and their thin legs moved with an eerie but graceful motion.

Their looks were puzzling, their skin white as snow but their humanoid eyes jet black, creating a striking contrast.

With spikes along their backs, these creatures brought to mind creatures Lex had read about back on Earth.

It seemed their peculiar grace hid sturdy armor, causing bullets to bounce off. While studying them, a mix of curiosity and unease settled over Lex.

[Hive Spawns]

[Hivefiend]

[Rank F]

[Common]

However, even larger specimens scaled the wall, towering above. These creatures sported two imposing scythe-like blades and two smaller arms—likely designed for capturing prey.

He scanned them as well.

[Devourer]

[Hivefiend]

[Rank C]

[Rare]

Lex cast Quickstep and dashed toward the monsters while continuously firing his Gearhearts. The weapons barked as his bullets tore through the Devourers and Hive spawns.

However, he quickly noticed one creature on the wall, moving swiftly as its talons slashed and stabbed soldiers.

He aimed and cast Element Strike, causing bullets of fire and water to shoot out. These projectiles sped toward the creature and struck it.

The entity exploded into pieces as the two bullets detonated upon impact. Lex stood on the street momentarily before enhancing himself and scaling the building.

Upon reaching the top, what he witnessed left him stunned: waves upon waves of monsters surged over the walls.

Lex began firing incessantly, moving across the rooftops as he dealt with the ongoing onslaught.

His heart raced as he moved swiftly across the rooftops, a dance of agility and accuracy.

Devourers hid in the shadows, their menacing shapes appearing and vanishing. He struggled to aim his Gearhearts before they vanished once more.

Bullets zipped through the air, but they missed their targets. Still, Lex's instincts guided him, predicting the monsters' unpredictable movements.

His breath matched each jump and bound, his muscles responding to the rooftops' layout as if an extension of himself.

In a calculated daring, he shifted direction mid-leap, using momentum to glide effortlessly over gaps and barriers.

Off a worn chimney, a gruesome creature lunged from the shadows, its claws slashing where Lex had just been.

Reacting instantly, Lex twisted in mid-air, his finger squeezing the triggers. The shot that was initially missed now hit its mark.

The bullets struck the monster's elongated arm, the impact sending it stumbling back with a guttural screech.

Lex landed lithely on the adjacent rooftop, immediately scanning for his next target. His heightened senses allowed him to perceive movement amidst the chaos.

Another creature appeared, its slimy form coiling as it lunged toward him slashing at him with its talons.

Without hesitation, Lex fired a shot, the bullet connecting with the creature's writhing appendage and redirecting it away from him.

It shrieked, momentarily immobilized as the impact disrupted its attack.

Seizing the opportunity, Lex darted forward, he pointed his weapon at it and cast an Elemental Strike that sent out fire bullets.

The two bullets struck the Devourer and sent it flying off the roof. It crashed to the ground below.

Lex continued on as he took out many Hive Spawns, and that's when he saw a new monster.

Its menacing presence commands attention. Towering and hulking, it was a creature of nightmares, its form a fusion of strength and malevolence.

Its skin was an ashen gray, rough and textured like ancient bark, adorned with mottled patches that seemed to shift in the dim light.

Sinewy muscles bulged beneath its hide, promising raw power in every movement.

The monster's head was a grotesque masterpiece, its elongated snout lined with rows of serrated teeth that jutted outward, ready to tear through anything in its path.

Its eyes glowed with an unsettling crimson light, piercing through the darkness with a predatory gleam.

In place of hands, the lictor boasted long, bony claws that curved like sickles, their tips gleaming with a cruel edge.

Each step it took sent tremors through the ground, a testament to its immense size and weight.

As it moved, the air seemed to grow colder, the very atmosphere shivering in response to its presence.

A noxious odor emanated from its body, a putrid blend of decay and malice that hung heavily in the air.

Lex quickly scanned it.

[Dreadmaw]

[Hivefiend]

[Rank S]

[Unkown]

He froze up when its bright red eyes locked onto him, it rushed at him and its claws shot toward him.

Lex came to and quickly jumped to the side, he aimed his Gearhearts at it and pulled the triggers.

The mana bullets slammed into the beast's armor causing it to stumble backward. He jumped up and realized his weapons were useless against the monster.

He kept firing but it just shrugged it off, Lex saw this and started sprinting away.

His heart raced as he fled from the monster, it was hot on his heels. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop with the agility of desperation, each bound pushing him to the limit.

The monster's roars echoed behind him, a chilling reminder of its relentless pursuit. The city's skyline blurred as Lex's instincts guided him through the intricate web of rooftops.

His muscles strained, his breath labored, and he summoned every ounce of strength to stay ahead.

With a daring leap, he cleared a wide gap between buildings, his fingers barely catching the edge of the opposite roof.

His heart hammered in his chest as he hauled himself up, the Dreadmaw's maw snapping just inches from his feet.

He kept running, everything around him a blur of shapes and colors. He moved swiftly and precisely, each step carefully chosen to stay ahead of the pursuing creature.

At last, his feet met solid ground as he came down to the street.

He pivoted, his eyes widening in alarm as he witnessed the Dreadmaw plummeting from the rooftops. Its massive form was nearly overwhelming to behold.

Without hesitation, Lex surged forward, his legs pumping as he sprinted through the narrow alleyways.

The monster's thunderous footsteps shook the ground behind him, its guttural snarls a constant reminder that escape was not assured.

Turning corners and dodging obstacles, a growing dread filled Lex's chest. The monster's relentlessness was unyielding, its chase never-ending.

His heart raced, thoughts jumbled as he desperately tried to outpace it. Ahead, a stack of crates and debris offered a chance.

With a surge of adrenaline, Lex scrambled up the barricade, fingers scraping wood and metal.

He reached the top, and the Dreadmaw lunged, crashing into the obstruction with a thunderous roar.

But as he grabbed the roof's edge, the creature's claws tore into his lower back, flinging him down to the street.

Lex came crashing down, and the Dreadmaw lunged at him, but he quickly cast Clockwork Shield.

A shield of interlocking gears appeared and spun in front of him. The gears were small, but there were plenty of them to defend him.

The monster crashed into it, and the shield managed to hold up, but it soon started tearing it apart.

Lex's shield failed, and he was slashed by its claws, sending him flying to the ground. However, he managed to cast Element Strike as he fired his Gearhearts.

The fire bullets struck the Dreadmaw, finally dealing damage, but it was too late. The creature plunged its claw into his shoulder.

Pain overwhelmed him as the creature's claw stabbed his thigh, ensuring he couldn't escape.

Lex's mind went blank, but he soon regained awareness when he felt the creature's claw pulling out of his shoulder and thigh.

It seized him, lifting him, but it was struck by a lightning spell, causing it to drop Lex.

His body crashed to the ground, blood pouring from his new wounds. A thought crossed his mind: 'I got hurt again, but I should heal up if it doesn't eat me.'

At that moment, he noticed soldiers who resembled Gearknights casting magic that struck the Dreadmaw repeatedly until it dropped dead.

While this was occurring, he felt his wounds closing, and the bleeding ceased. Lex sat up as he looked toward the soldiers.

That's when he saw a knight walking up to him. When the soldier arrived in front of him, they looked down at him and spoke. ''Why are you hurt again? The commander will get angry, you know.''

Lex was confused, and it was obvious, so the knight took their helmet off, and he was shocked.

She had blonde hair tied into a ponytail, and bright pink eyes sat on a beautiful face. That's when a thought crossed. 'I've seen her somewhere but can't put my finger on it.'

He shook his head and stood up as all the wounds were closed. The knight looked at him like he was a strange creature.

Lex turned to her and spoke. ''Thanks for helping me. That thing was chasing me for a while.''

The knight shook her head and introduced herself. ''I'm Elara Ravenshadow. Captain of Celestial City's Gearknights and second in command to your grandmother.''

[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]