The crawling sounds from the dark end of the alley were increasing.
scrrr…
scrrr…
Lucas tightened his grip on the metal pipe.
“I really don’t like that sound.”
Ethan raised his axe.
“Get ready.”
Kaelion’s eyes were fixed on the darkness.
Because of Rotten Smell, the scents were far stronger now.
Blood.
Rotting flesh.
And the heavy odor of moving bodies.
“They’re coming,” he said quietly.
At that moment the first Crawler emerged from the darkness.
Then another.
And another.
Lucas’s face tightened.
“How many of these things are there?!”
Six Crawlers crawled out from the darkness of the alley.
Their yellow eyes locked onto the group.
Kaelion raised his knife.
“Don’t let them get close.”
The Crawlers suddenly sped up.
They launched themselves forward, pushing against the ground with their arms.
The first creature leapt toward Ethan.
Ethan swung his axe.
The blade crashed down on the creature’s head.
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The Crawler’s skull shattered and it collapsed instantly.
“That’s one down!” Ethan said.
But the others were already closing in.
Two Crawlers attacked Kaelion.
Kaelion jumped to the side.
Claws sliced through the air.
Predator Instinct screamed in his mind.
Right!
Kaelion spun.
His knife flashed.
The blade cut across the creature’s shoulder.
The creature shrieked—but it didn’t stop.
The second Crawler attacked from behind.
Kaelion barely avoided it.
Two Crawlers rushed toward Lucas.
“Great…”
Lucas swung the pipe.
The metal struck the first creature’s head.
The Crawler was knocked aside.
But the second creature had already lunged.
Lucas instinctively raised the pipe.
The creature’s claws slammed against the metal.
But its weight pushed Lucas backward.
Lucas fell onto his back.
The Crawler dropped on top of him.
Lucas pushed upward with both hands.
The pipe held the creature’s jaws just inches from his face.
But the pressure kept increasing.
Lucas’s arms began to tremble.
“Damn it!”
The Crawler opened its mouth.
Its sharp teeth moved closer to Lucas’s face.
Lucas gritted his teeth.
“Get off me!”
But the creature was strong.
Lucas’s arms were weakening.
Then suddenly a shadow moved past him.
A sharp blade plunged into the Crawler’s neck.
The creature jerked violently.
Aria drove the knife deeper.
The Crawler collapsed to the side.
Lucas lay there for a second.
Then took a sharp breath.
“…Wow.”
He lifted his head.
Aria pulled her knife from the creature’s body.
Lucas was still on the ground.
“Perfect timing.”
Aria glanced at him briefly.
“Hold the pipe tighter.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“Seriously? You just saved my life.”
Aria shrugged.
“Next time I might not be there.”
Lucas stayed silent for a moment.
Then chuckled lightly.
“Message received.”
Aria had already turned toward another Crawler.
“Talk later.”
Lucas stood up.
He grabbed the pipe again.
“Yeah…”
“Let’s do that later.”
Meanwhile Kaelion was still fighting two Crawlers.
One creature lunged again.
Predator Instinct screamed.
Left!
Kaelion shifted aside.
The claws struck the wall.
Kaelion seized the moment.
He drove his knife into the creature’s neck.
The Crawler collapsed.
But the last creature was still moving.
Ethan raised his axe.
“I’ll handle this one!”
The Crawler crawled toward him.
Ethan brought the axe down.
The creature’s skull shattered.
The alley fell silent again.
Lucas was breathing heavily.
“These things…”
“…I really hate them.”
Ethan rested the axe on his shoulder.
“They seem to move in packs.”
Aria scanned the surroundings.
Kaelion listened to the alley ahead.
Rotten Smell was warning him again.
The scent was still there.
And…
it was stronger.
At that moment a new sound came from the darkness at the end of the alley.
scrrr…
Lucas froze.
“Please tell me…”
“…that’s the end of it.”
Kaelion slowly turned his head toward the darkness.
Then spoke quietly.
“No.”
Ethan raised his axe again.
“How many are there?”
Kaelion’s eyes were locked onto the darkness.
Because inside that darkness…
multiple shadows were moving.
