The creature let out a horrific shriek, the sound splitting through the thick jungle air. It charged forward, its movements unnatural, as if its bones had been hastily fused together in a form that should not exist. Its grotesque face—a twisted fusion of human and beast—contorted in rage, its empty eyes locking onto Elias.

  A primal fear gripped him. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. And yet, the sound of its claws scraping against the ground, the sheer weight of its presence—it all felt too real. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. Adrenaline surged. His fingers trembled.

  “Would you like to take the shot?” Dorian asked, his voice composed, almost amused.

  Elias hesitated, his breath unsteady but finally gave a slight nod.

  “The right eye,” Dorian instructed. “That’s its weakness.”

  Elias swallowed hard. He had never fired a gun before—not at a target that moved, that felt alive. But something deep inside him—instinct, perhaps—urged him forward.

  He gripped the gun. A sudden rush of energy pulsed through him, something beyond mere adrenaline. His hands steadied, his mind sharpened. He lifted the pistol, sighting the creature’s glistening right eye, and squeezed the trigger.

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  A sharp crack split the air. The bullet struck home. The instant the shot landed, the creature flickered—like a faulty projection—before it vanished into nothingness.

  Elias stared, stunned. His breath came fast, his fingers still curled tightly around the gun.

  “What... just happened?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

  Dorian chuckled, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. “A hologram,” he said. “Did you think I’d let a Real Creature like that roam free up here?”

  Elias exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “So this was just a test.”

  Dorian gave a slow nod. “I needed to see if you had it in you.”

  Elias met his gaze. The test wasn’t just about skill. Dorian had been watching his reaction—the fear, the hesitation, the choice to pull the trigger.

  Elias nodded. “I guess you were right about me from the start.”

  Dorian’s expression darkened. “That was just a taste of what’s to come. Once you take the first step, there’s no turning back.” Without another word, he walked toward the monstrous tree at the heart of the jungle. Its trunk was impossibly thick, its roots tangling through the ground like ancient serpents.

  Dorian ran his fingers along the bark, searching for something then, with precise intent, he pressed his thumb into a near-invisible groove.

  A faint click. The ground rumbled beneath them.

  Elias watched, wide-eyed, as the entire tree shifted aside, revealing a hidden stone staircase spiraling downward into darkness.

  Dorian gestured toward the opening. Elias hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward, following Dorian down the passage. Behind them, the tree groaned as it slid back into place, as if there was nothing beneath it. And the jungle above faded from view.