Chương 13: Escape

The alpha was hanging off a stalactite, close to where Ozul broke through the ceiling. It lunged at him while he desperately dodged the attacks. The remaining wolves were spread throughout the cavern, but upon hearing the commotion rushed to their alpha's defense. Ozul dashed to the exit attempting to escape before the rest of the pack joined the fray. The alpha leapt off the stalactite and bit into Ozul's wisp form, missing his bones. Its jaws slammed together with tremendous force, passing through Ozul's incorporeal body, and leaving him unscathed. Ozul quickly reached the exiting passageway and flew into the labyrinth.

The alpha pursued Ozul and commanded the rest of the pack to follow. Ozul's speed and flight gave him the advantage as he sharply turned from one tunnel to another. The wolves stumbled around each tight bend but kept close behind. Ozul avoided caverns and dead ends to evade monster nests and getting trapped. He began recognizing several passageways as he became familiar with his location.

"I've been here before, there are no hiding spots near me. I need to lose these damn wolves before I crash." Ozul thought. Although he had adjusted to his monster form, flying at top speed through cramped, obstacle-riddled passageways was challenging. The alpha managed to catch up to Ozul with its physical enhancement skill and was closing in. Ozul rounded a sharp corner and to his dismay, saw nine Umbras. They were flying towards him in a tight formation at the center of the tunnel. A burning fear struck Ozul as he recalled the last horrendous encounter with his species. Shaking his head he cleared his mind, but in that moment of frightened stupor, the alpha pounced.

Ozul felt white hot pain as the alpha tore into his lowest vertebrae. He knew the other wolves were only seconds away and he did not have time to fight or recover. Ozul closed his eyes and summoned all of his strength launching himself away from the alpha's powerful jaws. The vertebrae splintered as Ozul rapidly flew towards the new wave of approaching enemies.

The Umbras were from the same cavern that attempted to sacrifice Ozul. They recognized his deformed face and were excited for the easy nourishment. They did not notice the small alpha trailing behind him and sped up to intercept. The rest of the wolf pack swiftly rounded the corner and took the Umbras by surprise. They were outnumbered and the wolves were an overall stronger species with higher levels. The Umbras quickly turned to retreat but it was too late. Both monster packs clashed together causing an orchestra of snarls and growls to resonate through the tunnels. Ozul watched the one-sided slaughter as he escaped through the carnage. The wolves decimated the level 1 Umbras, like bears ripping apart salmon. In a moment, the fight was over, and the wolves began inspecting the battlefield.

The alpha stalked around the remnants of the Umbra massacre but could not find Ozul's body. It was practically impossible to tell one Umbra corpse from another, but the wolves could smell the difference. Unbeknownst to Ozul, he had a unique scent compared to his brethren. The pungent scent of rotting flesh and charcoal exuded from him. It was like Ozul had escaped hell's grasp, but still smelt of its burning fury. Most monsters were unable to detect the strange odor. However, the wolves naturally had an increased perception to smells, allowing them to recognize enemies and track their prey.

A level 5 wolf communicated with the alpha, "The murderer is not among the dead." The alpha lunged at the brazen wolf who dared to speak without permission. It was still asserting its dominance in the pack and desired the other wolves to fear it. Although the alpha had just taken the crown, a challenge for the title could come at any time. It needed the wolves to harbor a deep respect and terror to avoid being challenged. The alpha glanced at its pack and growled, "the flying beast must have escaped during the battle, we'll continue the hunt." It howled and ordered the pack to leave the Umbra bones and follow the scent of the murderer.

Ozul flew for several minutes before slowing out of exhaustion. His body ached from his stone tunneling and risky escape. "I need to find some food to replenish my HP and regenerate my mouth." he thought. Ozul lost most of his teeth during his façade as a miner and was in constant agony. He mostly ignored the pain but was concerned with the missing teeth effecting his bite skill. Ozul quickly appraised himself and saw his HP had dropped by fifteen from the wolf's bite, it was at 37/100. His splintered vertebra had numbed but he knew immense pain would soon follow.

Ozul floated to the ceiling and began stealthily traversing the passageways, blissfully ignorant to the scent he permeated and the wolves tracking him. His mana was gradually being restored, and he had a better understanding of its limits. "It's finally over. I'm safe, or at least safer than before," he thought while glancing around to ensure his solitude. Ozul felt mentally exhausted from the battles, stress, and emotional turmoil. He wanted to rest, but had a nagging, anxious feeling spurring him on. "After I get food, I'll find a place to relax and plan my next steps."

The wolves progress significantly slowed as they stopped at each tunnel's end to discern Ozul's trail. The alpha could not let Ozul live after the damage he caused to the pack. Horned Wolves were a prideful species that will kill purely for revenge or out of boredom. They were one of the most feared monsters in this floor of the dungeon and ruled over a large portion of it. "We will never stop hunting the flying beast until I shatter every bone in its worthless body." Thought the alpha as its determination grew with each passing minute.