Chapter 113: No time to wait
Rliqs’ words hung in the air.
"I think it came here to find you."
David stared at him.
’Me?’
That didn’t make any sense.
He looked at the creature again. Its massive body stood several meters away, covered in dark material that shifted faintly with every breath.
Nothing about it looked human.
Nothing about it looked like something that should even know he existed.
"Why me?"
Rliqs didn’t answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the creature.
David followed his gaze.
The creature wasn’t looking at Rliqs anymore.
It was looking at him.
Those glowing eyes stayed locked onto David with an intensity that made the back of his neck tighten.
’That’s not normal.’
David shifted his grip on his weapon.
The creature shifted too.
One step.
David’s fingers tightened.
Another step.
Rliqs moved slightly to the side.
The creature stopped.
David’s eyes narrowed.
’It’s watching me.’
He’d fought monsters before.
They attacked whatever was closest. They reacted to movement, noise, threats.
This was different.
The creature wasn’t paying attention to the people around it.
It wasn’t even paying attention to Rliqs.
Its entire focus was on him.
"Why is it staring at me?"
Rliqs finally answered.
"Because you’re the only thing here it hasn’t attacked."
David blinked.
He glanced at the Association members behind him.
Then at the commander.
Then back at the creature.
"That’s your explanation?"
"No."
Rliqs’ eyes narrowed.
"It’s an observation."
David almost sighed.
’Helpful.’
The creature suddenly moved.
There was no warning.
One moment it stood still.
The next—
BOOM!
Its body tore across the street.
David barely had time to raise his weapon.
Rliqs stepped in front of him.
CLANG!
The creature’s claw slammed against Rliqs’ forearm.
The impact sent a shockwave through the street.
David stumbled backward.
Rliqs didn’t.
The creature pushed harder.
Its other claw swung around.
Rliqs caught that one too.
For a second, the two stood locked together.
The creature’s muscles strained.
Rliqs’ expression remained unchanged.
Then his eyes shifted.
Past the creature.
Toward David.
"Stay back."
David frowned.
"Why?"
The creature suddenly twisted.
Rliqs released one arm and caught the other.
The monster tried to pull away.
Rliqs didn’t let it.
Instead, he dragged it sideways and slammed it into the ground.
BOOM!
The pavement cracked.
Dust rose around them.
David took another step back.
’It’s not attacking him.’
The thought came suddenly.
He watched the creature push itself upright.
Its glowing eyes immediately found him again.
It wasn’t angry at Rliqs.
It wasn’t even interested in hurting him.
It was trying to get around him.
David’s stomach tightened.
’It’s trying to reach me.’
The creature lunged again.
Rliqs intercepted it.
Another impact shook the street.
The creature swung.
Rliqs blocked.
It struck again.
Rliqs caught its wrist.
The monster twisted.
Rliqs shoved it away.
Every time the creature was pushed back, it immediately tried to move around him.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Toward David.
"Rliqs!"
Rliqs didn’t look at him.
"I know."
The creature suddenly changed direction.
It stopped trying to get around Rliqs.
Instead, it jumped backward.
David’s eyes widened.
The monster landed several meters away.
Then it turned.
Toward him.
’What is it doing?’
The creature lowered its body.
Energy gathered around its claws.
The air around David tightened.
Rliqs’ expression hardened.
"Move."
David reacted.
He stepped sideways.
The creature disappeared.
David’s eyes widened.
’Again.’
Something struck the ground where he’d been standing.
BOOM!
Concrete exploded upward.
David threw himself away from the impact.
The creature emerged from the dust.
Right in front of him.
Its claw swung toward his chest.
David raised his weapon.
Too slow.
Rliqs wasn’t there.
For the first time, David was alone in front of it.
The claw came down.
David braced himself.
CLANG!
His weapon caught the claw.
The force drove him backward.
His boots scraped across the pavement.
His arms shook.
The creature pushed harder.
David gritted his teeth.
’Too strong.’
The claw moved closer.
His weapon began to bend.
David’s eyes widened.
Then the creature froze.
Its glowing eyes stared directly into his.
David froze too.
Something pulsed inside his chest.
Once.
THUMP.
The creature’s body trembled.
David’s eyes widened.
’What was that?’
Another pulse.
THUMP.
This time, energy erupted from his body.
The creature was blasted backward.
BOOM!
It flew across the street and crashed into a building.
David staggered.
He looked down at himself.
Nothing.
No wound.
No visible energy.
His hands were shaking.
"David."
Rliqs’ voice came from behind him.
David turned.
Rliqs was staring at him.
Not the creature.
Him.
"What?"
Rliqs didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes moved from David’s chest to the monster lying in the rubble.
Then back again.
"You felt that."
David swallowed.
"Yeah."
"What did you feel?"
David looked down at his hands.
"I don’t know."
For the first time since he’d arrived, Rliqs looked genuinely interested.
Not amused.
Not bored.
Interested.
David didn’t like it.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Rliqs ignored the question.
The creature moved.
Both of them turned.
Dust rolled off its body as it slowly stood.
There were cracks across its chest now.
But its eyes were brighter than before.
And they were fixed on David.
Rliqs’ expression tightened.
"Interesting."
David frowned.
"What?"
The creature suddenly took a step forward.
Its body trembled.
Another pulse moved through the air.
THUMP.
David’s chest answered.
THUMP.
The creature’s eyes burned brighter.
Rliqs watched the reaction carefully.
Then his gaze shifted back to David.
"It’s reacting to you."
David stared at him.
"That doesn’t tell me anything."
"It tells me enough."
Rliqs stepped forward.
The creature immediately followed.
David’s grip tightened around his weapon.
’Whatever is happening...’
He looked at the monster.
’It definitely knows I’m here.’
The creature moved.
Rliqs stepped forward.
David expected another charge.
Instead, the creature’s body blurred.
It appeared several meters to the side.
Then it turned toward the eastern district.
David’s eyes widened.
’It’s changing direction.’
The creature started walking.
Slowly.
Almost casually.
Toward the city.
David looked at Rliqs.
"Is it running?"
"No."
Rliqs’ eyes followed the creature.
"It’s going somewhere."
The creature took another step.
David’s stomach tightened.
"Then stop it."
Rliqs didn’t move.
The creature kept walking.
Past the broken buildings.
Past the scattered Association members.
Toward the evacuation zone.
David’s grip tightened around his weapon.
"Rliqs."
"I know."
The creature suddenly accelerated.
David moved at the same time.
Rliqs caught his shoulder.
"Wait."
David looked at him.
"People are still there."
"I know."
"Then why are we standing here?"
Rliqs’ eyes remained on the creature.
"Because that’s what it wants."
David frowned.
"What?"
"It wants you to follow."
David looked toward the monster.
It hadn’t looked back once.
Yet somehow, Rliqs was certain.
David narrowed his eyes.
’It’s baiting me.’
The creature suddenly stopped.
For one second, the street went quiet.
Then it turned its head.
Its glowing eyes found David again.
David felt another pulse in his chest.
THUMP.
His breathing caught.
The creature immediately moved.
Not toward the city this time.
Toward him.
Rliqs disappeared.
BOOM!
The monster was knocked sideways before it could reach David.
It crashed through the front of an abandoned building.
Rliqs stood where it had been.
His hand lowered slowly.
"You’re getting predictable."
The rubble shifted.
The creature emerged.
Rliqs watched it carefully.
The monster ignored him.
Its eyes went straight to David.
David’s expression hardened.
"It really is after me."
"Yes."
"Any idea why?"
"No."
Rliqs paused.
"Not yet."
The creature crouched.
David’s body tensed.
Rliqs raised one hand.
"Don’t move."
The creature launched itself forward.
Rliqs met it halfway.
CLANG!
The collision shook the street.
Rliqs caught one claw.
The creature twisted.
He blocked the second.
It struck again.
Rliqs stepped aside.
The claw tore through the wall behind him.
Concrete exploded across the pavement.
David watched.
’It’s getting faster.’
Rliqs grabbed the creature’s arm and drove his knee into its stomach.
BOOM!
The creature bent.
Rliqs followed with a punch.
The monster blocked.
For the first time, Rliqs was forced backward.
His boots dragged across the pavement.
David’s eyes widened.
’It actually pushed him back.’
The creature attacked again.
Rliqs blocked.
Another strike.
Blocked.
Another.
The creature suddenly twisted and slipped past him.
Rliqs’ eyes narrowed.
It wasn’t attacking him.
It was going for David.
"David!"
David turned.
The creature was already there.
Its claw came down.
David raised his weapon.
CLANG!
The impact nearly knocked him off his feet.
The creature’s face was inches away.
Those glowing eyes stared directly into his.
David gritted his teeth.
"Get off me."
The creature didn’t move.
Instead, its body began to tremble.
David felt it again.
That strange sensation inside his chest.
THUMP.
The creature froze.
David’s eyes widened.
THUMP.
Energy surged between them.
The creature suddenly pulled back.
Not because David pushed it.
Because it had reacted to something.
Its glowing eyes widened slightly.
David stared.
’Was that fear?’
Rliqs appeared beside him.
He grabbed the creature by the neck and hurled it across the street.
BOOM!
It smashed into the pavement.
Rliqs didn’t chase it.
He looked at David.
"Don’t let it touch you again."
David rubbed his wrist.
"Why?"
Rliqs glanced toward the creature.
"Because whatever is inside you, it recognizes it."
David’s expression tightened.
"That’s supposed to make me feel better?"
"No."
Rliqs turned toward the creature.
"It makes this more dangerous."
The creature slowly rose from the crater.
Its movements were different now.
Less controlled.
Its glowing eyes burned brighter.
It wasn’t looking at the city anymore.
It wasn’t looking at Rliqs.
It was looking only at David.
And this time, there was something almost desperate in its movements.
David tightened his grip.
’Whatever it wants from me...’
The creature lowered itself.
’It’s not going to stop.’
Rliqs stepped forward.
The creature charged.
And this time, Rliqs didn’t wait for it to reach them.