First Step [IV]

"Ggrraaaarrrrr!!"

The angry growling hardly registered to Lucian.

He didn't know what was driving him forward. He didn't know what urged him to simply choose the Tile that was directly in front of him.

The moment he'd opened his eyes after awakening the [Endurance 1] Microlink, he had this sudden sense that there was no hardship he couldn't endure.

His body acted on its own, rushing forward into the unknown territory and toward whatever beast was on the other side. Lucian felt light on his feet, and the sudden reduction of gravity caused each of his steps to propel him forward multiple meters.

The source of the growl was soon revealed in the form of a large jungle cat. Its fur was a murky, greenish-brown color, and it wasn't far off in similarity to the saber-tooth tigers Lucian had seen in books.

The beast was two meters tall and boasted four long, sharp teeth. Two jutting from its upper and lower gums.

Lucian wouldn't have found it odd to see such a creature on Earth if it weren't for the size and its two tails.

It had pounced from an obscured burrow on the other side of the Tile. The sudden change in gravity had alerted the creature, and it set out at once to investigate.

Lucian charged straight toward it, each step carrying him forward at incredible speeds. For Lucian, it felt as if he'd been unleashed, and there was nothing that could hold him back.

For the kretor, it felt as if it were burdened by an incredible weight. Unbeknownst to Lucian, when the Tiles merged, the gravity of each of the planets was split.

So while Lucian felt like he could leap over a mountain, the tiger-like beast felt as if a mountain had been placed on its back!

Lucian closed in on the beast while it was still disoriented from the change. With each step carrying him close to two meters, he was on the creature in less than ten steps.

Surprised by the aggression of the tiny bipedal, the kretor took a step back and swiped toward him. Lucian leaped over the claw, swinging his axe-like dagger at the beast's maw.

As Lucian flew overhead, the dagger came down, lopping off one of the tiger's ears. His body wasn't used to the gravity, and he'd completely overshot his target.

The kretor roared, the sounds of its agony and anger filling the two Tiles. It spun quickly, and sparks ignited as its claws clashed with the rock-like surface of the Tile.

Lucian's mind was still driving him forward. He couldn't think of anything outside of enduring this challenge.

As his feet hit the ground, he sprung forward, once again closing in on the tiger! As the beast swung its claw, Lucian dived to its side, dragging one of the serrated teeth of the dagger along its belly.

The teeth were sharp. If they could saw through wood, what was the underbelly of a giant cat?

The largest tooth penetrated the tiger just behind its reached-out leg, ripping open the flesh behind its rib cage, cutting through bone, and exposing the beast's innards.

Another roar escaped the creature, and the closest of the two tails lashed out, striking Lucian across the face and torso. A surge of static energy rushed through him, and his body fell limp to the ground, sliding nearly four meters before coming to a stop.

The trance-like state that Lucian had fallen into slowly faded away, and the realization of what he'd done hit him. His heart started beating fast, and he struggled to break free from the paralyzed state that he found himself in.

Lucian's eyes wandered the surroundings until they fell on the oversized tiger, unmoving near the underground burrow. It leaned heavily on one side, forcing its wound closed and slightly slowing the flow of blood that was running out.

'Why isn't it attacking me?' He thought. 'I can't even move. Nothing's stopping it from killing me.'

His fingers twitched, and he felt the muscles in his arms slowly loosening. He wasn't sure what happened, but it felt like he'd been holding the ground and the hot when someone flipped on the power.

For a moment, his gaze held on the two tails, one of which was dangling to the ground. The other was in the air, and the fur across the tail was standing on end.

'Is the wound stopping it from moving?' Lucian wondered. 'Doesn't matter. I'm done for if it decides to run at me or I get within reach of that other tail.'

Lucian's strength returned quickly, and the longer he was in that state, the more he felt that his body was able to endure the paralysis. He stumbled to his feet, backing away from the threat before him.

'My body is still rigid, but I can still move,' Lucian tested the movement of his arms and legs. 'That gash is deep. If I can force that thing to move, it should bleed out quickly.'

His muscles screamed at him to give them more time, but Lucian didn't intend to let this beast pull out any more tricks. With stiff movements, he rushed to the beast's injured side, forcing it to raise a paw to stop him.

Lucian grinned and jumped backward. He never intended to attack the beast, only force it to make a rash decision.

The wound in its side opened, and blood poured onto the strange soil. It roared, the pain and the cowardice of its prey driving it into a frenzy.

In its enraged state, the creature chased after him, ignoring the blood that flowed from its body. Lucian used the gravity to his advantage, his heart pounding as he narrowly avoided the claws of the weakened beast!

'Shit! Why the fuck did I just barrel in here like this?!' He thought, the claws of the monster dragging across his bare chest.

The tiger closed the gap, thrusting its talons toward Lucian once more. Instinctively, he raised his hands to block, the knife catching two of the claws while one tore into his forearm.

Before he could back away, the beast reared back on both legs, throwing its weight into a final attack as its eyes turned white. Lucian rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the claws that collided with the ground, causing sparks and tiny embers to fly.

He rushed the creature, ramming his dagger into its throat while it was still unconscious. Blood flowed onto his hands as he drove the weapon into the dying beast.

Its body shuddered, and as it stopped breathing, the second tail drooped to the ground. The creature's fur stood on end as electricity raced through its body.

Lucian didn't have time to react. He took the full brunt of the blast as it traveled up his arms and through the soles of his feet.

There was a brief pain.

Then suddenly, it was gone.

He pulled the dagger out and dropped to his knees, looking at the weapon and the blood staining his hands.

"I... I survived..."