Into The Dark

Ares clenched his jaw, forcing himself upright. Pain still lingered, but it wasn’t crippling anymore. The system’s emergency healing had done enough to keep him alive—barely.
The cave was silent. Oppressive. The air was damp, carrying a faint metallic scent. Blood? Minerals? He couldn’t tell.His first instinct was to find a way out.Then, his stomach clenched. A deep, empty pang. Hunger.Of course. The system had diverted everything toward repairing his injuries. Whatever reserves his body had left were now depleted. He needed food.
His mind ran through possibilities. Cave ecosystems were harsh, but not lifeless. Insects, fungi, maybe even small creatures adapted to the dark. If he was lucky, he’d find—
Skrrrrk.
Ares froze.Something moved. Not above, not outside—but here.
His pulse spiked. His breath slowed. Every instinct screamed at him to stay still.
Skrrrrk.
The sound came again, faint but distinct. A dry, scraping noise against stone. Something alive.
His eyes strained against the darkness. No movement. No light. But he knew better than to trust his eyes. This wasn’t his world anymore.Then—
System: [WARNING—Threat proximity detected.]
A cold sweat broke across his back.