Chapter 11 – “The Scent of Blood & Bone”

 Chapter 11 – “The Scent of Blood & Bone”

Arc II: Universe D-099X – The Dinoverse

The village was silent.

But not in peace.

It was the silence of tension—of breath held too long. Of shame cloaked in stillness. Of something foul rotting just beneath the skin of normalcy.

Darkeran stood at the edge of the square, head bowed, fists clenched. His frame was stone—coiled, trembling.

But his eyes?

Calm. Too calm.

Then—

He sniffed the wind.

Once.
Twice.

His eyes widened. Sharp. Predatory.

“…cloth,” he muttered. “Blood. Perfume. Fear.”

No more words.

He turned and sprinted into the jungle.

Instinct had taken over.

Blackstorm and Red shared a single glance—and followed without hesitation.

Jungle Pursuit

They moved like wolves—fast, quiet, relentless.

The trail was faint, days old, nearly gone. But it was enough.

Darkeran ran low, weaving through ancient vines and moss-choked roots. Mud splashed. Thorns tore skin. But he never slowed.

Then—
He stopped.

A fragment of purple cloth, shredded, caught on a thorned bramble. He pulled it free and inhaled.

Red knelt beside him, voice low and grim. “One of the missing girls?”

Darkeran didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

The fire in his silence said everything.

They moved again—faster this time—toward the cliffs in the north. A cursed place, scarred by ancient impacts and scattered with fossilized bones.

And then, they heard it.

A growl.

A voice.

A whimper.

Hidden Grove – The Lair

They ducked behind a jagged ridge of stone.

Below them, nestled in the cliffside: a cave entrance, shadowed and pulsing with menace. Two towering dino-hybrids stood guard—hulking beasts with armored skin and cruel eyes.

The same monsters who had visited the village.

Around them: scraps of torn clothing, shattered jewelry, and crates bearing the unmistakable insignia of the Emperor.

From deep inside… faint sobs echoed.

Red clenched his jaw. “This isn’t just a raid. It’s a trafficking nest.”

Darkeran’s eyes lit—not with fury.

With murder.

“No more hiding,” he growled. “No more mercy.”

Blackstorm’s hand hovered near his weapon. “You sure you want to go loud?”

Darkeran unsheathed his bone-blades. Their edges shimmered like fossilized rage.

“Yes.”

The First Clash

He dropped from the ridge like a thunderbolt from hell.

The guards turned—too slow.

SNAP! One’s neck twisted like dry wood.
CRACK! The other was run through—ribs exploding under sheer force.

Darkeran stepped into the cave.

The air was thick with sweat, iron, and despair.

The girls huddled in the shadows, bruised, dirty, broken. Their eyes met his—not with fear—but with flickering hope.

He didn’t look like a savior.

He looked like a storm that had finally come to punish the wicked.

Blackstorm and Red entered behind him, silent, weapons drawn.

“Get them out,” Darkeran said.

Blackstorm nodded. “And you?”

Darkeran stared deeper into the tunnels—where the cries were louder. Where the real monsters waited.

“I’m not done yet.”

Optional Ending: Cliffhanger Version

He stalked through the shadows, past bones and torn uniforms. Each step heavier than the last.

Then he found it.

The final gate.

Ancient stone. Etchings smeared in blood. Torches flickering against the walls.

And beyond it—

A chamber of horror.

Candles lit a ring around the room. Crates of stolen tech and weapons piled high. Four elite dino-hybrids lounged near a glowing command pillar, laughing, unaware of what approached.

In the center:

Cages.

Human girls.

Young. Weak. Terrified.

One of the hybrids turned, sneering. “Well, well… Look who finally showed up.”

Darkeran didn’t blink.

His voice came out low, calm, lethal.

“I’m going to bury this place so deep it’ll choke the worms.”

[Cut to black.]
End of Chapter 11