studiobondurri Chapter 182 - Core
Chapter 182 - Core
A guttural cry ripped through the suffocating darkness, raw and defiant. The boy's body screamed in agony, swaying on the edge of unconsciousness, but his stubborn will refused to let him slip away.
He forced his swollen eyes open with a shaky inhale, the faintest glimmer of dim light swimming before his vision.
He coughed violently, the taste of blood and bile burning his throat.
Rolling onto his side, he groaned as sharp rocks dug into his bruised ribs. His left arm was pinned awkwardly beneath a slab of debris, numb and unresponsive.
He gritted his teeth, pain flaring as he wrenched it free. The limpness confirmed what he already suspected, it was useless for now.
The faint glow pulled at his focus.
He staggered toward it, dragging his battered body through the rubble-strewn ground.
His steps faltered, each movement sending fresh jolts of torment through him, but his gaze remained fixed on the light.
Finally, he saw it: a hulking shape of white fur stained crimson. The beast. Its massive frame lay lifeless, the once-menacing figure now sprawled and broken.
Its chest had been torn open from the impact of their fall, the brutal scene filling the air with the stench of iron and decay.
At the center of the gore, a glowing orb pulsed with life.
The eerie red and orange hues painted the chasm walls, casting long shadows that flickered like restless spirits. The boy's breath caught.
A beast core.
The sight was mesmerizing. He had read about these, every powerful beast carried a core, a condensed essence of its life force and strength.
The core's light seemed to hum, pulling at him, momentarily making him forget the pain coursing through his body.
Reality snapped back when his knees buckled.
He crumpled to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. The fall had spared him from instant death, cushioned by the beast's body, but his injuries were severe.
His ribs screamed with every shallow breath, his right arm hung limp, and his body felt like it had been trampled.
As the light from the beast's core danced in the corner of his vision, exhaustion crept in.
He slumped against the cold ground, his thoughts muddled.
Is this it?
He wondered bitterly. He had fought so hard and endured so much, only to meet his end here, broken and alone in the abyss.
A dry chuckle escaped his lips, rasping against the stillness. It quickly turned into a groan as pain shot through his chest.
He had nothing left, not even the pills that she had given him. Those precious lifesaving pills had been used long ago. There was no way to heal, no strength left to claw his way forward.
Darkness tugged at the edges of his mind, pulling him under. He was moments from succumbing when something warm and metallic touched his lips.
Blinking sluggishly, he realized his face was lying against a puddle of thick, dark liquid pooling beneath the beast's body.
Blood.
The tang of iron filled his mouth, and his stomach churned in revulsion. His instincts screamed for him to pull away, but desperation silenced the voice of reason
Gritting his teeth, he knelt beside the carcass and tore off a piece of raw flesh. It was slick and rubbery, sticking to his fingers as he hesitated.
He forced himself to take a bite. The chewy texture and metallic taste nearly made him gag, but he swallowed it down, ignoring the revulsion clawing at his throat.
As the meat settled in his stomach, a familiar heat flared to life, spreading through his body like wildfire. His limbs tingled, and the dull ache of his injuries faded further. Explore stories on empire
His eyes widened.
This power... it's incredible.
Hesitation melted away, replaced by a primal hunger. He tore into the carcass with renewed vigor, ripping chunks of flesh and devouring them like a starved animal.
Each bite sent waves of strength coursing through him, his body buzzing with vitality.
Time blurred in the dark, silent chasm. He ate until the blood pooling beneath the beast seeped into the earth until the flesh lost its freshness and began to sour.
Finally, his hunger subsided, leaving him with a strange clarity.
The boy stood, stretching cautiously. His body no longer ached; instead, it felt stronger and sharper. His muscles felt denser, his senses more acute.
Clenching his fists, he noticed subtle changes, his fingers felt sturdier, his grip firmer.
Deep in his core, a peculiar warmth simmered, like something dormant was stirring, waiting to awaken.
"What... is this?" he murmured, pressing a hand against his stomach. Whatever it was, it could wait. Survival came first.
His gaze turned upward.
The chasm stretched endlessly above him, its walls jagged and steep. Not even the faintest glimmer of light marked the surface.
How far did I fall?
The idea of climbing out seemed impossible, and flying was laughable, only high ranked ascendants could manage that.
Frustration flickered in his chest, but he tamped it down. His fingers brushed against the cold, rough surface of the chasm wall as he thought. If he could not go up, perhaps there was another way.
He picked up the beast's core.
The core's faint glow illuminated the surroundings just enough for him to make out the rocky expanse around him.
His eyes followed the jagged walls, and an idea took shape.
If I follow the wall, it might lead to an exit.
He nodded to himself, placing a hand against the chasm wall for guidance, he began walking.
Each step echoed softly in the silence, the sound swallowed by the oppressive stillness.
The boy's thoughts wandered as he moved. The beast's power still hummed within him, filling his veins with warmth. Whatever it had been, some rare or divine creature, it had given him a second chance. He couldn't let that chance go to waste.
The path was uneven, forcing him to navigate carefully. But it wasn't hard for him, His senses felt sharper now, the faintest vibrations in the ground and shifts in the air catching his attention.
Time stretched endlessly, the monotonous dark making it impossible to tell how long he had been walking.
He kept his focus on the task, his hand trailing the wall as his feet carried him forward.