Gloomwrath

The mother spider's towering form filled Neubis's vision, its massive, grotesque body casting a suffocating shadow over him. The creature's legs, like sharpened spears, dug into the ground as it let out a bone-chilling screech. Its eyes, those crimson orbs seemed to burn with sadistic hunger.

Neubis stood his ground, the jagged rock clenched in his hand, though his entire body trembled with exhaustion and pain. Blood dripped steadily from his torn abdomen and shredded chest, and every breath felt like swallowing molten iron. Yet, his eyes burned with determination.

I'm not dying here. Not to this monster.

The spider lunged, impossibly fast for its size. Neubis tried to dodge, but his body was already slow from the fatigue. The creature's serrated fangs struck him mid-leap, slamming into his torso. A sickening crunch filled the air as the spider tore into him, its venom-tipped mandibles ripping through his ribs and into his flesh.

White-hot pain seared through Neubis's body as he screamed, his voice raw and desperate. The spider flung him like a ragdoll, and he crashed into a tree, his back bending unnaturally on impact.

Coughing up blood, Neubis struggled to rise. He looked down and felt his stomach churn. His chest was torn open, several ribs visible through the shredded muscle. Blood and bile spilled from the gaping wound, and his left lung wheezed with every strained breath.

But there was no time to think. The spider came again, its legs skittering across the forest floor with horrifying speed.

Neubis barely managed to roll away, but one of the spider's legs slammed down, piercing his thigh and pinning him to the ground. He let out a guttural roar as the leg twisted, shredding through flesh and bone.

His vision blurred with tears as he clawed at the dirt, desperate to escape. The spider clicked its mandibles, savoring his pain, before leaning down to sink its fangs into his pinned leg.

"NO!" Neubis screamed as the beast tore the limb from his body with a sickening crunch. Blood spurted in arcs, pooling beneath him as his severed leg disappeared into the spider's maw.

The agony was beyond anything he had ever experienced. His mind teetered on the edge of blacking out, but some primal part of him refused to give in. You can't die. You're not allowed to die.

Using his remaining leg, Neubis kicked off the spider's leg and dragged himself backward. His hands, slick with blood, clawed at the ground as he moved inch by inch. He was trembling, his strength failing, but he refused to stop.

The spider wasn't done. It loomed over him, its massive frame blocking out the sky, before driving another leg straight through his abdomen. Neubis let out a choked scream as the limb pierced his stomach, skewering him like meat on a spit.

The leg lifted him off the ground, holding him aloft like a grotesque trophy. Blood and intestines poured from the wound, and Neubis dangled helplessly, his vision darkening. He could feel his organs tearing inside him, each moment more excruciating than the last.

This is it, he thought bitterly, his mind swimming. This is where I die.

But something deep inside him rebelled against the thought. A feral, unrelenting rage bubbled to the surface, pushing back the pain.

The spider's leg slammed him back to the ground, and Neubis gasped as the impact shattered his remaining leg. The limb twisted grotesquely beneath him, the bone jutting out through torn flesh. He was a wreck, a broken, bleeding husk but he wasn't done yet.

With his one functioning arm, Neubis grabbed the rock again. His fingers trembled as he tightened his grip, the jagged edge biting into his palm.

The spider lunged once more, its fangs aimed for his head. Neubis screamed, pure rage fueling him as he swung the rock with every ounce of strength he had left.

The weapon connected with the spider's face, shattering one of its glowing red eyes. The creature screeched in agony, its legs thrashing wildly. Neubis didn't stop. He slammed the rock down again and again, each strike accompanied by a savage roar.

Black ichor sprayed across his face, burning his skin and filling the air with the stench of decay. The spider recoiled, its movements frantic, but Neubis crawled after it.

His ruined body dragged across the ground, leaving a trail of blood and entrails in his wake. His vision blurred, his breaths coming in ragged gasps, but he kept moving.

The spider lashed out with a leg, catching him across the side. The force sent him tumbling, and he felt something tear inside him. His liver and one of his kidneys spilled from the gaping wound in his abdomen, dangling grotesquely as he tried to push himself upright.

The sight made him want to vomit, but he forced himself to focus. I don't care. I'll kill you, no matter what it costs.

The spider charged, and Neubis waited. At the last moment, he rolled to the side, causing the beast to slam into a tree. It staggered, momentarily dazed, and Neubis seized the opportunity.

He climbed onto its back, his movements slow and unsteady, his broken body barely cooperating. The spider thrashed, trying to throw him off, but Neubis clung to it like a parasite.

With a feral cry, he drove the rock into the spider's head, aiming for the cluster of eyes. The weapon tore through the chitin, sinking deep into the soft tissue beneath.

The spider screeched, its convulsions growing more violent as Neubis continued to strike. Each blow sent waves of pain through his battered body, but he didn't care. He kept going, his rage consuming him.

The beast finally collapsed, its legs twitching as it let out one final, pitiful shriek. Neubis rolled off its back, landing in a heap on the blood-soaked ground.

He stared up at the sky, his chest heaving, his vision darkening. His body was a ruin, his stomach torn open, his leg missing, his organs spilling from his abdomen. But he had won.

I survived.

As the adrenaline faded, the pain became unbearable. Neubis groaned, his one remaining hand clutching weakly at his wounds. He wanted to move, to get up, but his body refused to obey.

The world blurred, the edges of his vision darkening. His thoughts became sluggish, his mind teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

Neubis groaned as he lay amidst the carnage, his one remaining hand clutching his ruined abdomen. Blood soaked the ground beneath him, pooling around his severed leg. His chest rose and fell in uneven, ragged breaths, every inhale a struggle against the fire burning in his lungs.

The mother spider's massive corpse loomed over him, its broken carapace leaking black ichor. The sight of it filled Neubis with grim satisfaction. He had done it. Against all odds, he had killed the beast.

But now came the harder task of surviving.

He glanced at the stump where his leg had once been. The torn flesh throbbed, the blood flow sluggish but unrelenting. His other leg was twisted and useless, the bone jutting out in jagged shards. His organs dangled precariously from the gaping wound in his abdomen, some half-severed, others pulsing weakly as if clinging to life.

I can't die here. Not after everything.

With a grunt of pain, Neubis dragged himself toward the spider's corpse, his blood-slick hand leaving red smears on the forest floor. He reached one of its legs, the jagged, spear-like appendage that had been his undoing. Now, it would be his salvation.

Gritting his teeth, Neubis raised the rock he still clutched in his trembling hand. He slammed it down on the spider's leg, again and again, until the chitin cracked and splintered. Black ichor sprayed across his face, mixing with his blood and sweat.

Finally, with one last desperate strike, the leg broke free. Neubis rolled onto his back, gasping for air as pain wracked his broken body. He gripped the severed spider leg with his one functional arm, using it as a crude crutch to pull himself upright.

The motion sent fresh waves of agony through his mangled torso, but he bit down on the inside of his cheek, forcing himself to endure it. Pain means I'm still alive. That's all that matters.

Using the spider leg and the nearest tree, Neubis hauled himself upright. His broken leg dangled uselessly beneath him, and his missing limb made balance nearly impossible. But he refused to fall.

He leaned heavily on the spider leg, using it to support his weight as he dragged himself forward. His free hand clawed at the trees, clinging to the rough bark to keep himself upright. Every step was a monumental effort, his body screaming in protest, but Neubis pressed on.

The forest was a blur of shadows and blood, each step leaving a crimson trail in his wake. His vision swam, his head pounding with every heartbeat, but he kept moving.