It wasn’t enough. The arrow didn’t sink in deep enough.
Ace continued to dance around the monster, only moving within range to strike. He darted to the side, his body twisting as the worm lunged, its circular mouth snapping shut with a sound like grinding stone. With daggers as teeth, each one was sharp enough to tear through flesh and bone.
The thing was nearly as wide as the cavern itself, its massive form coiling and writhing as it stalked Ace.
“Gales.” I nocked another arrow while my heartbeat hammered in my chest. I was running out of arrows, and we were running out of time. I let another arrow fly, aiming for the exposed flesh between the plates. The creature twitched but kept its attention on Ace. I may as well have flicked it with my finger. Unsuccessful arrows littered the cavern floor, the monster crushing them under its gargantuan weight.
Ace lunged in again, his dagger slashing across the monster’s tough hide of its belly, leaving deep, red gashes that oozed dark blood.
Ace’s movements became strained and his breath grew heavier with each dodge, each attack.
“Aim for the gaps between the plates,” I yelled out.
“Working on it.” Ace dodged another strike from the worm, jumping to the side again to avoid getting snapped in half by the worm’s serrated mouth.
As if it had anticipated Ace’s move, the monster lashed out with its tail, catching Ace’s side with a sickening crack. He was thrown like a ragdoll, spinning through the air before landing in a heap against the jagged rocks.
My stomach twisted and a knot of dread formed in the pit of my gut.
“Ace!” I called out, but my voice felt so small against the creature’s angry hisses.
The worm’s attention remained on Ace, its massive body surging forward like a wave crashing on the shore. I pulled another arrow from my quiver.
I fired again, the arrow flying toward the beast’s thick, armored hide, but it didn’t even flinch. I cursed under my breath, my mind racing. The antennae were too small a target and I didn’t have a clear shot of its eyes.
Through the chaos, Ace stirred from where he lay on the far side of the cavern. His chest rose and fell in sharp, ragged breaths. Slowly, he pushed up from the ground, his hand trembling as he gripped his dagger, his gaze never leaving the monster in front of him.
I glanced down at the dagger. There wasn’t enough time to reach it. I shot another arrow, but the worm lunged again, lightning fast, its mouth opening wide, its teeth flashing in the low light.
My heart stopped in my chest, but Ace was somehow already moving. He darted to the side again. He slashed his dagger across the beast’s exposed flank, in a beautiful, fluid motion.
The monster didn’t even seem to care. The gash was deep, but the beast was too enraged to notice, just like it barely registered my arrows striking.
Ace didn’t hesitate. He leapt, his feet finding the cavern floor like he had wings, spinning and slicing with deadly accuracy. He was fast, so fast, but the worm wasn’t slowing. Each strike, each cut, seemed to only piss it off more.
And then, as if the earth itself shook beneath us, the worm’s tail lashed out. I saw it coming a second too late. It slammed into Ace and sent his body crashing into the cavern wall with a sickening crack.
I gasped, my throat closing as I watched him crumple to the floor.
No.
No. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. This wasn’t how things were supposed to end. I couldn’t lose him.
The creature's heavy, trembling body loomed above him, mouth agape, its serrated teeth gleaming in the dim light. A hungry growl escaped its mouth and the ground shook with its anticipation.
I threw the bow down and snatched the dagger from the ground. With an ear-piercing scream, I leapt at the monster and slammed my dagger into its back, slicing deep between the plates. The monster reared, flinging me back. I flew through the air and slammed into the ground. The impact jarred my body and rattled my teeth. I rolled and shot to my feet.
The monster loomed over Ace. Its tongue darted out as if to lick its own jagged teeth.
With a snarl, I clenched my teeth and dove at the monster again. This time, I slammed my dagger into its sensitive skin where the setae protruded.
The monster howled.
I pulled the dagger free. Blood spurted everywhere.
I plunged the dagger in again and again and again moving up the body until the monster toppled over. I followed its momentum. Blood coated my face, my hands. It dripped from my chin.
The monster’s head dropped to the ground, and I leapt onto it, slamming the dagger viciously into its beady eye.
