An Unwanted Miracle

Morning arrived beneath a cloudless sky as soft golden rays slipped through the towering trees, washing the quiet clearing in warm light. Hammed slowly opened his eyes, stretched his aching body, and released a tired sigh after another uncomfortable night in the wilderness.
His entire body felt sore from yesterday's journey. Every muscle complained as he sat upright, while the stitched wound on his arm throbbed steadily beneath the rough plant fibers. Even so, surviving another day meant pushing past the pain instead of surrendering to it.
His eyes drifted toward the broad leaf where he had left several fish outside before sleeping. The moment he looked closer, his brows slowly knitted together. The fish had completely vanished without leaving behind bones, scales, or even a single bite mark.
Only disturbed soil remained where the fish had rested overnight. Whatever creature had taken them had done so silently before disappearing into the forest. Hammed stared for another moment before shrugging helplessly and shaking his head with a weak smile.
"I guess it was hungry too," he muttered quietly. "At least it settled for fish instead of deciding I'd make a better breakfast." Complaining wouldn't bring them back, and wasting time over something already gone served absolutely no purpose.
His attention shifted toward the ugly claw marks crossing his forearm. The wound had stopped bleeding, but the torn flesh still looked swollen. Leaving it untreated any longer would almost certainly invite infection, something far more dangerous than the pain itself.
Taking several broad leaves, Hammed tore long strips of strong plant fiber before snapping a sturdy twig into several thin pieces. He sharpened each one carefully against a rough stone, then stared silently at the wound while gathering enough courage to begin.
"This is going to hurt," he whispered before forcing the first sharpened piece through both sides of the torn flesh. Blinding pain exploded through his arm instantly, making his body tremble as sweat poured freely across his forehead despite the cool morning breeze.
Clenching his teeth until his jaw hurt, Hammed slowly threaded the tough plant fibers through the crude wooden stitches. Every movement burned like fire beneath his skin, but stopping halfway would only make everything he had already endured completely meaningless.
Several exhausting minutes later, he finally tied the last knot before leaning heavily against a nearby tree. His breathing came in slow, uneven gasps while the stitched wound pulsed painfully. The result looked terrible, yet at least the torn flesh finally remained closed.
After resting briefly, Hammed gathered dry branches before patiently striking two stones together. Tiny sparks finally landed upon a pile of dry grass, producing thin strands of smoke before a small flame flickered to life, filling the quiet clearing with comforting warmth.
The remaining fish were carefully roasted above the fire until their rich aroma drifted lazily through the surrounding forest. Hammed quickly ate five before wrapping the final ten inside broad leaves and placing them safely into his woven bag for later.
Standing before the shelter, he allowed himself a small smile. It leaned awkwardly against a fallen log, looked uneven from every angle, and certainly wouldn't impress anyone. Even so, it had protected him through another dangerous night inside this terrifying forest.
After drinking deeply from the crystal-clear lake, Hammed studied his reflection. Dirty cheeks, messy black hair, torn clothes, and a crudely stitched arm stared back at him. He barely recognized the young face anymore, yet determination still burned within those unfamiliar eyes.
Adjusting the wooden spear resting against his shoulder, Hammed looked toward the endless shoreline stretching beyond the trees. "If people live anywhere around here," he murmured thoughtfully, "they'll probably stay close to water." Without another word, he began following the peaceful lake, unaware the day's greatest danger was already watching him.
The forest remained calm as Hammed followed the curve of the lakeshore. Every few hundred steps, he stopped to scratch a long mark into the ground with the tip of his spear. If he lost his way again, these simple signs might lead him safely home.
Hours slipped by beneath the afternoon sun. The scenery barely changed. Towering trees stood like silent guardians while insects buzzed lazily through the humid air. Despite the peaceful surroundings, Hammed never relaxed, remembering how quickly this forest turned deadly without warning.
Eventually, hunger forced him to stop. Finding a broad tree overlooking the shimmering lake, he sat beneath its shade before removing two roasted fish from his bag. Though cold and unseasoned, they tasted far better than eating nothing at all.
He had barely finished the second fish when a heavy rustling echoed behind the bushes. It wasn't the sound of wind moving through leaves. Something large was forcing its way forward, snapping branches beneath an incredible amount of weight with every step.
Hammed slowly climbed to his feet while gripping his wooden spear. His heartbeat quickened as the rustling grew louder. Every instinct warned him that whatever approached wasn't another harmless forest animal searching for food beside the peaceful lake.
The bushes suddenly exploded apart.
A gigantic reptilian beast stepped into the clearing, its charcoal-colored scales glistening beneath the afternoon sunlight. Thick muscular legs supported a massive body nearly as large as the grizzly bear, while rows of jagged teeth dripped with strands of saliva.
Golden eyes locked onto Hammed without hesitation. The monster flicked its long forked tongue before releasing a low growl that vibrated through the forest. There was no curiosity inside those eyes, no hesitation, only the unmistakable hunger of a predator spotting helpless prey.
Hammed stared silently before forcing an awkward smile onto his face.
"Peace out."
The words had barely left his mouth before he turned and sprinted away with everything he had. Behind him came an explosive roar as the monstrous Komodo dragon burst forward, smashing through bushes and young trees while chasing him with terrifying speed.
His stitched arm screamed with every stride, but Hammed ignored the pain. Thick roots and fallen branches covered the ground, forcing him to dodge desperately while the enormous reptile closed the distance behind him with frightening ease.
"I can't keep this up..." he gasped between ragged breaths.
His lungs burned fiercely, his legs grew heavier, and every heartbeat echoed painfully inside his ears. Still, fear refused to let him slow down, because slowing down meant becoming the monster's next meal.
Just as the Komodo prepared to leap, an earth-shaking roar exploded from somewhere within the forest. Before Hammed could understand what was happening, an enormous brown blur burst through the trees and slammed directly into the charging reptile with unbelievable force.
The gigantic grizzly bear.
The same beast that had nearly killed him only days ago crashed into the Komodo dragon, sending both monsters tumbling violently across the forest floor. Their deafening roars echoed through the trees while broken branches and dirt exploded into the air around them.
Hammed stumbled to a stop several meters away, breathing heavily as he watched the two colossal beasts clash. Confusion filled his exhausted face. The bear had every opportunity to ignore him, yet instead it had chosen to stop the creature hunting him.
Before he could understand why, the Komodo twisted free and turned toward him again. Ignoring the furious bear completely, it lowered its body, fixed its murderous gaze upon Hammed, and charged once more, determined to finish the hunt it had started.
The gigantic Komodo dragon charged straight toward Hammed, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath him. Every stride brought the monster closer while its enormous jaws opened wider, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that promised a quick and brutal death.
Hammed instinctively tightened his grip around the wooden spear before forcing himself forward instead of retreating. Running had already failed once. If he turned his back again, the monster would simply catch him before he managed another dozen steps.
Just before the Komodo reached him, the grizzly roared and crashed into its side once more. Both colossal beasts slammed together with enough force to flatten nearby bushes, rolling violently across the forest floor while snapping several young trees in half.
The Komodo recovered first.
Instead of continuing its fight with the bear, it twisted its massive body toward Hammed again. Hatred burned inside its golden eyes as though killing the fragile human had become more important than defeating the enormous beast standing before it.
"...Seriously?" Hammed groaned.
"What did I ever do to you?"
The monster answered with another furious roar before lunging toward him again.
Hammed threw himself aside just in time. The giant jaws slammed shut where he had been standing moments earlier, sending dirt and shattered roots flying everywhere. Before the beast could recover, he rushed forward and thrust his spear with everything he had.
The sharpened tip shot toward the Komodo's shoulder.
The monster leaned away.
The spear missed completely.
Hammed pulled it back and attacked again, aiming lower this time. The Komodo shifted one step sideways, avoiding the strike with surprising ease before snapping its jaws toward him. Hammed barely escaped by stumbling backward in panic.
"Damn it!"
He attacked a third time.
Then a fourth.
Every desperate strike missed its target while the Komodo effortlessly avoided each attack. It hardly seemed interested in the crude spear. Instead, it patiently waited for Hammed to make one fatal mistake.
The grizzly rushed forward again, swinging one massive paw toward the Komodo's head. The reptile released Hammed long enough to dodge the crushing blow before slamming its powerful tail against the bear's ribs with tremendous force.
The impact echoed throughout the forest.
The grizzly staggered but refused to fall.
Instead, it lunged once more, crashing against the Komodo and forcing both monsters into another brutal wrestling match. Claws tore through thick scales while powerful jaws searched desperately for a killing bite.
Hammed watched the terrifying struggle with wide eyes.
The bear...
It was risking its life.
Twice it had thrown itself between him and certain death.
"I don't want to owe anybody," Hammed muttered firmly.
Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip around the spear and rushed toward the distracted Komodo. Fear screamed inside his head, but he ignored it completely. If the bear lost this fight, he would simply become the monster's next meal anyway.
The Komodo noticed him immediately.
Releasing the bear without hesitation, it spun around and charged directly toward Hammed. Murder filled its eyes while saliva poured freely between its jagged teeth. This time, there was no hesitation. It intended to kill him before anything else.
Hammed planted his feet.
He thrust the spear.
The Komodo twisted its body.
Another miss.
The beast kept advancing.
Hammed retreated one step.
Then another.
His heel caught against an exposed root, throwing him off balance. He crashed heavily onto the ground while the spear slipped from his hands and landed several feet away among the fallen leaves.
The Komodo roared triumphantly.
It burst forward with explosive speed, its enormous jaws opening wide as it prepared to crush Hammed where he lay helplessly on the forest floor.
At that exact moment, the wounded grizzly slammed into its side once again.
The collision knocked the Komodo just enough for its jaws to miss Hammed by inches before snapping around the bear's foreleg instead. Blood sprayed across the ground as the grizzly roared in pain but refused to retreat.
Hammed stared in disbelief.
"It..."
His voice trembled.
"It protected me..."
Without thinking, he scrambled toward the fallen spear, grabbed it with both hands, and charged toward the struggling monsters. Every remaining ounce of strength gathered inside his exhausted body as he desperately searched for an opening.
The Komodo noticed him approaching.
Even while biting the bear's foreleg, it tried turning its body toward Hammed. Killing him remained its highest priority. The beast growled furiously as it attempted to abandon the bear and finish its helpless prey once and for all.
"No!"
Hammed shouted instinctively.
"Stay where you are!"
The command burst from his mouth without thought.
The Komodo suddenly slowed.
Its body trembled violently.
Its powerful legs strained against the earth while its claws carved deep furrows into the ground. Every muscle fought desperately to continue moving toward Hammed, yet something forced the beast to hesitate for a single precious moment.
Hammed didn't understand.
He thought the monster had simply become trapped while wrestling the grizzly.
Without wasting the opportunity, he sprinted forward and drove the sharpened spear into the Komodo's front leg with every ounce of strength remaining inside his exhausted body.
The beast released a deafening roar.
Fresh blood burst from the wound as it violently jerked backward, finally freeing itself from the strange hesitation. Fury completely replaced hunger inside its golden eyes as it glared at the human who had actually managed to injure it.
"Hah!"
Hammed breathed heavily.
"How do you like that?"
The victory lasted only a heartbeat.
The grizzly released a deep warning growl.
Hammed slowly turned.
Only then did he realize he was standing directly between two gigantic beasts capable of crushing him without effort. His face immediately lost every trace of confidence as he carefully lowered the spear toward the ground.
"Easy..."
He raised both empty hands.
"Let's all calm down."
Both monsters continued growling while staring directly at him.
Unable to think of anything else, Hammed swallowed nervously before blurting out the first words that entered his mind.
"...Sit."
The Komodo immediately tried stepping forward.
It couldn't.
Its body shook violently.
The grizzly also resisted for a brief moment before, little by little, both enormous beasts lowered themselves onto the forest floor while continuing to growl in obvious frustration.
Hammed's mouth slowly fell open.
His breathing stopped.
"No..."
His eyes darted between both monsters.
"...Stand."
Again, both beasts struggled.
The Komodo snarled furiously.
The grizzly snorted deeply.
Yet despite their resistance, they slowly climbed back onto their feet.
Hammed remained frozen.
His voice barely escaped his lips.
"What... the actual f..."