The chilling growl of the Colossal Ape vibrated through Elara's very bones, a primal sound that spoke of immeasurable power. Panic flared in the eyes of the other children, and even the two bandits, their faces ashen, seemed paralyzed by fear. The invisible barrier shimmered behind them, sealing their only escape route. They were trapped in the ape's domain.
Elara's mind raced, desperate for a solution. Fighting was suicide; even in her prime, she was an apprentice mage, and this creature was beyond anything she had ever encountered. It exuded an aura of ancient magic so profound it seemed to actively suppress her own abilities, making channeling mana feel like pushing against a solid wall. Escape was impossible with the ape's domain active.
As the creature shifted its massive form, a low, ominous rumble echoing through the cavern, Elara noticed a subtle detail. Where its colossal, knuckle-dragging hands landed, the phosphorescent fungi on the cavern floor pulsed erratically, dimming and brightening as if reacting to the immense magical pressure. The air shimmered around its bulk, a visible distortion of raw power.
The Colossal Ape let out another earth-shaking roar, then began to walk towards the bandits. It wasn't a blind, mindless rush, but a slow, deliberate stride that seemed to consume the distance with horrifying ease. Its massive, hairy form, rippling with corded muscle, dwarfed everything in the cavern.
One bandit, screaming, tried to throw a crude, enchanted net. It unfurled mid-air, a pathetic, shimmering gossamer against the ape's might. The creature casually swatted it aside with a hand the size of a small boulder. It didn't rush, didn't seem to be in a hurry. Instead, a cruel, knowing smile spread across its massive, intelligent face, almost like it was taunting its prey.
The force of the ape's blow was unimaginable; the bandit's body crumpled, thrown against the jagged cavern wall with a sickening wet thud. He didn't move.
The second bandit, his face a mask of pure terror, turned to flee back into the narrow passage. But the invisible barrier held firm, an unyielding prison. He slammed into it, bounced off, and found himself directly in the ape's path. With a slow, deliberate movement, the Colossal Ape extended a single, massive finger. It poked the bandit's chest, then pushed, gently at first, then with building force. The bandit was slowly, agonizingly, pressed against the stone wall until there was a final, sickening crack and then silence, broken only by the ape's heavy breathing. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and fresh blood.
This was their chance. A monstrous, fleeting window.
"Now! Run!" Elara screamed, her voice raw, pulling Lyra and Kaelen forward. "Behind the rocks! Move!"
They scrambled across the uneven ground, Lyra nimble despite her fear, Kaelen hobbling but driven by sheer terror. Elara pushed the younger children, urging them towards a cluster of enormous, jagged rock formations that offered some semblance of cover on the far side of the arena. They dove behind the largest one, panting, hearts hammering against their ribs. The stench of death hung heavy in the air.
Silence stretched, broken only by their ragged breathing and the ape's deep, rhythmic exhalations. Elara peered around the edge of their makeshift shelter. The Colossal Ape stood over the mangled remains of the bandits, its chest heaving, its ancient eyes scanning the cavern. It was powerful, dangerous, but perhaps it wasn't truly interested in them.
Then, with horrifying speed, the ape turned. A low growl rumbled in its chest, and its eyes fixed on their hiding spot. It didn't move from the center, but instead, raw, primal magic crackled around its form. A terrifying surge of energy gathered, and then a barrage of razor-sharp shards, made of condensed magical force, ripped through the air towards their cover.
The children shrieked. Elara instinctively threw her good arm up, trying to channel a ward, but her mana was too sluggish, too weak. The shards tore into their flimsy shelter. A spray of dust and rock fragments erupted. When it cleared, the horrifying truth became evident.
More than half the children, those closest to the edges of the rock, lay motionless. Their small bodies were riddled with deep, jagged wounds, blood blooming crimson against the pale stone. Lyra was sobbing uncontrollably, clutching her arm, a deep cut marring her cheek. Kaelen, miraculously, was untouched, but his eyes were wide with shock and grief.
Elara stared, numb with horror. She was a prodigy, a van Hatte, but she had been utterly helpless.
The Colossal Ape observed the carnage, its ancient eyes taking in the fallen. Then, it seemed to sense something. Its gaze lingered on Elara for a moment, then shifted to the surviving children, their magical auras undoubtedly too weak to consider them its prey. It let out a huff, a sound that seemed to convey disdain.
With a final, dismissive snort, the Colossal Ape turned its colossal head. Its gaze drifted to the narrow passage through which the bandits and children had come through. Its massive body began to shimmer, shrinking with unsettling speed, its form compacting until it could easily fit into the smaller tunnel. A new, predatory glint entered its eyes. It had found new prey. With a thunderous stride that shook the entire cavern, the ape moved not towards the children, but towards the deeper, unlit tunnels, presumably to hunt down the rest of the bandit organization. The ground trembled with each step as it vanished into the darkness, leaving Elara and the few remaining children unconscious in a pool of blood and terror.