The Cataxys leapt, the blades along its back extending in a fluid, threatening motion, aiming at Veil with terrifying precision. Veil dodged just in time, hoping the suffocating stench rising from the nearby hole would disorient or slow the creature.
But the beast stopped abruptly before hitting the wall, its claws screeching across the floor with a sinister grind.
"Little Wolf, what are you doing?!" Alynia shouted, frustrated.
Veil, out of breath, quickly turned his head toward her.
"I'm trying to use the smell to slow it down!" Veil panted.
"Look at it! With the stench it's putting out, it'll take a lot more than that to stop it!" she snapped, rolling her eyes.
Veil winced, realizing she was right. The overwhelming stench coming from the creature was so intense it neutralized any attempt to use the surrounding fumes to disorient it. He should've figured that out sooner.
But there was no time to think. The Cataxys leapt again, its sharp claws ready to tear through anything in its path.
Veil dodged in a rush, throwing himself to the side and slashing the creature's flank with his dagger. He expected a reaction—a scream, a flinch. But the beast showed no sign of pain or hesitation.
"What? Nothing?!" Veil gasped, shocked.
He realized his dagger had slipped from his hand. Glancing around, his eyes landed on the Cataxys's flank, where he saw the dagger drop to the ground, coated in the creature's black, viscous fluid.
"That stuff even blocks physical attacks? Are you kidding me?!" he growled, confused.
The beast charged again, and Veil, still unarmed, dove for his dagger to retrieve it. He shouted to Alynia, urgency mixing with panic in his voice.
"Alynia, hurry! I can't attack it! That slime blocks everything!" he screamed.
Alynia, who had moved closer to the doors emitting different scents, slowed as the Cataxys's stench grew stronger.
"Keep it away! The smell's unbearable here!" Alynia cried, tense.
Her ears trembled slightly, and her nose twitched, overwhelmed by the nauseating odor. Seeing the Cataxys drawing dangerously close to her, Veil shouted to draw its attention.
"Hey! Over here, you ugly beast!" Veil yelled urgently.
He bolted to the other side of the room, and the creature instantly shifted focus, lunging after him.
Alynia, taking advantage of the brief reprieve, focused on the hole that emitted the metallic scent. She pulled out the vial she had filled with the yellowish liquid from the central receptacle.
"If this liquid has a purpose, then maybe mixing it with this one… It's worth a try," Alynia said, hesitant.
She carefully poured the liquid into the basin heating the metallic substance. A reaction occurred immediately—the fluid began to emulsify, producing a low rumble.
A door next to the basin slowly opened, revealing a disturbing darkness beyond. She dropped into a ready stance, claws instinctively extending, prepared to respond to any sudden movement.
A creature emerged from the doorway. Unlike the Cataxys, it was smaller, fully covered in shiny metallic plates, with stiff limbs and sharp claws.
"What is that thing? I've never seen anything like it," she whispered, wary.
But instead of turning toward her, the metal creature completely ignored her presence. It walked straight toward the Cataxys, a heavy clank of metal accompanying each step.
The Cataxys, alerted by the sound, immediately turned its attention away from Veil. Its red eyes locked onto the metallic creature, its body shifting into an attack stance, blades gleaming menacingly under the room's flickering light.
But instead of leaping, the Cataxys moved slowly toward the creature. Veil, expecting a fight between them, watched in horror at what happened next. The black beast absorbed the metallic creature, its viscous fluid swallowing the smaller being like a predator consuming its prey.
A transformation followed almost immediately. The black liquid stopped flowing, solidifying into a hard, glistening surface. The Cataxys's blades turned to metal, gleaming with an even more threatening shine, and its once dark, oozing body shifted to a bright gray sheen—like polished steel.
"Alynia, what did you do?! We were supposed to get out of here, not make that thing even more invincible!" Veil shouted, panicked.
Alynia, watching the scene while covering her nose, flinched at Veil's outburst but tried to stay composed.
"Sorry, Little Wolf! But… but I think I figured it out! It's the mixtures in the basins! That's the key!" Alynia yelled, flustered but quick-thinking.
She rushed to the central receptacle, her mind racing to form a plan. She filled her vial again with the vanilla-scented liquid, her hands slightly trembling from the overpowering stench.
Meanwhile, Veil dodged a vicious strike from the Cataxys, its claws slamming into the floor just inches from him. He tightened his grip on his dagger and took advantage of an opening to strike at the creature's leg. But to his dismay, his blade bounced off the now-metallic surface of the beast.
"It's even tougher now… This is a nightmare," Veil muttered, horrified.
Veil barely avoided another sweeping strike that could've cut him in half, his heart pounding in his chest. Alynia shouted a question at him, but his mind was already overwhelmed by the urgency of the fight.
"Little Wolf! Tell me the scents you smelled in the basins!" Alynia shouted.
Veil, backing away to avoid another blow, tried to gather his thoughts despite the relentless pressure of the creature.
The basins… What were they again? There was… sulfur, yeah. And… charcoal. Then, uh… vanilla? Lilac? No, maybe metal too… he thought, troubled.
He clenched his teeth, his breathing quickening under the pressure.
Focus, Veil. Alynia's counting on you! he urged himself, desperate.
"Vanilla… Lilac… Pine… Sulfur and charcoal… And… metal," he replied, panting, tense.
Distracted by his thoughts, he didn't see the Cataxys's sharp claw coming. The creature lunged, its blades gleaming with deadly light. One claw slashed his arm, leaving a deep wound. Veil lost his balance and rolled across the floor, a cry of pain escaping his lips.
Alynia, watching from the corner of her eye, flinched as she saw him hit the ground.
"Little Wolf… Hold on, please," Alynia said, worried.
She stepped toward him, her claws already ready to spring out, but Veil raised a hand to stop her.
"No! Keep going! Find the exit, Alynia. Hurry… I'll… handle it," Veil groaned through the pain.
His breath was ragged, and his voice betrayed the intense pain pulsing through his arm. Alynia clenched her fists, hesitating a moment before forcing herself to turn away.
"Lilac, vanilla, and pine… It has to be one of those three. I can't let him down," Alynia murmured, determined.
She sprinted toward the basins, her mind spinning.
Meanwhile, Veil slowly got back to his feet, his arm bloodied, and he repositioned himself in front of the Cataxys.
"I won't last much longer… It has to work, Alynia. Otherwise, we're done for," Veil said, desperate.
Alynia rushed toward the remaining three basins, her mind racing. The pressure was crushing: Veil was showing clear signs of exhaustion, and her own body was beginning to fail—her head spinning dangerously.
"Lilac, too strong. Vanilla—a trap if we mix it with the one from the receptacle. That feels too obvious… But pine…" Alynia said, focused.
She stopped briefly, her gaze shifting between the two basins.
"Lilac or pine… Trees… Maybe pine symbolizes something more natural, more pure? I have to try," she whispered, tense.
She stepped toward the door giving off the scent of pine and pulled out the vial filled with the yellowish liquid. Her heart was pounding; every second felt like an eternity.
"Let's hope I'm right. If another creature appears or fuses with that thing, we're done for," Alynia said, nervous.
She poured the contents of the vial into the basin, the liquid mixing immediately with the one already heating. A low rumble echoed. The door slowly opened, releasing a rush of cool, soothing air.
A breeze filled the room, sweeping away all the foul odors. A pure, woodsy forest scent filled their nostrils, instantly relieving Alynia—though her headache lingered.
On the other side, Veil barely dodged another attack from the Cataxys, his movements slowing with fatigue. As the door opened fully, the creature let out a piercing, almost painful shriek and recoiled abruptly.
"It's in pain? Why?" Veil asked, surprised.
The Cataxys turned toward the door it had originally come from, its erratic movements betraying an unusual panic. It leapt toward the opening, fleeing without even glancing at Veil or Alynia. Its body disappeared into the doorway, which slammed shut behind it with a sharp clack, its howls echoing for a few more seconds before silence fell again.
Veil, gasping for air, slowly stood up, his arm soaked in blood and his leg aching sharply.
"Why did that creature run off like that? Was it the door? The fresh air? Something in the scent that scared it?" he asked, puzzled.
He shook his head slightly, trying to quiet the questions crashing through his mind. His thoughts were a blur—a mix of relief and exhaustion.
As Alynia approached him, she couldn't help but speak her thoughts aloud.
"The Cataxys had the advantage… Why did it flee? Did the air from the door weaken it?" Alynia murmured, curious.
She kept walking, her steps slightly unsteady from the lingering fatigue and headache. But when she saw Veil—still standing despite his injuries—she felt a surge of strength.
She placed a hand under his shoulder to support him, a relieved smile lighting up her face.
"I found it, Little Wolf," she said, smiling with relief.
Veil turned his gaze from the door to meet Alynia's eyes.
She did it, but… that creature… why? he wondered, grateful yet unsettled.
He gave a slight nod, but the confusion in his eyes remained visible.
"That thing… Why did it run away? Was it the door? The scent?" he asked in a low, hesitant voice.
Alynia shrugged, adjusting her grip to help him walk.
"Maybe. I don't understand it either," Alynia replied, thinking out loud.
She cast one last glance at the closed door.
"Doesn't matter. What matters is that we're still alive," she said, determined.
Despite his exhaustion, Veil gave a mocking smile.
"We're alive, yeah… but you took your sweet time," Veil said—weak, but teasing.
He caught his breath before adding, a mischievous glint in his eyes despite the pain:
"You're fast in a fight, but when it comes to helping out… you've got room for improvement. Your clumsiness almost got us killed," he added, smirking.
Alynia raised an eyebrow, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
"My clumsiness, huh?" Alynia shot back, teasing.
She pressed deliberately on his wounded arm, earning a muffled yelp of pain from him.
"Hey! Watch it!" Veil protested.
"Oh, sorry. Just my clumsiness," Alynia replied with feigned innocence. She gave him a wink before straightening up.
She turned her gaze to the open door, then back to Veil.
"We need to get out. I'll patch you up later, but I don't know how long it'll stay open," she said seriously.
Veil nodded, and with her help, they stepped through the door. It closed behind them with a sharp click, plunging them into total darkness.
"More… More darkness. What's waiting for us this time?" Veil muttered, exasperated.