THE ECLIPSE LEGACY

After preparing all the tools required, Ian went straight to the location given by the company. Ian went there along with three other workers. Arriving at the location, they went to confirmation with the said guild. After that, the guild leader gives a simple briefing before going straight to the portal.

 As Ian stepped through the portal, a cold, suffocating sensation wrapped around him, as if unseen hands were grasping at his very essence. The world shifted in an instant, colors twisting and fading before reforming into an entirely new landscape. When his vision cleared, Ian found himself standing in an eerie, dense forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something else, something metallic, almost like blood.

The towering trees around him pulsed with faint bioluminescence, casting an unnatural glow over the area. Strange insect-like creatures skittered along the twisted roots, their carapaces gleaming under the dim light. The place was otherworldly, yet Ian forced himself to stay calm. This wasn't his first time inside a portal, but something about this particular one sent a chill down his spine.

The guild members spread out, moving with practiced ease. Their leader, a man named Vargas, turned toward Ian and the other workers with a wide, almost predatory grin. "Alright, listen up," Vargas said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "Stick close, follow orders, and don't wander off. Are we clear?"

Ian nodded silently, keeping his expression neutral. The others did the same. There was something off about this whole operation. Normally, a guild's tone toward hired workers was either indifferent or professional. But here? He could feel the tension in the air, a quiet menace that lingered beneath their words and actions.

They walked deeper into the forest, navigating through tangled vegetation and uneven terrain. Ian kept his focus on his surroundings, making mental notes of possible escape routes. His unease grew when he noticed that they weren't marking their path as most responsible guilds would. Were they really that confident in their navigation skills, or did they have no intention of leaving the way they came?

Then, the first sign of trouble appeared. A monstrous growl rumbled through the air, sending a sharp chill down Ian's spine. From the shadows, a pair of glowing red eyes emerged followed by a massive beast. It was a Ravager Hound, a creature infamous for its brutality, its jet-black fur bristling as it snarled at them.

Ian instinctively stepped back, but Vargas and the others remained still, their expressions unreadable. Something was wrong. Any normal guild would have taken defensive positions or drawn their weapons by now, but these men? They simply turned toward Ian.

"Well, kid," Vargas said, cracking his neck. "Here's where we see if you've got what it takes."

Ian's heart pounded. His mind raced, analyzing the situation. That was when it clicked their plan had never been to take him along as a worker. He was never meant to leave this portal alive.

He was the bait.

Before he could react, one of the guild members shoved him forward, right into the beast's line of sight. The Ravager Hound's nostrils flared as it locked onto him, muscles tensing in preparation to strike.

Ian clenched his fists, his body screaming at him to run, but he knew that turning his back now would be the worst mistake he could make. If he was going to survive this, he had to think fast. The guild wanted him to die here, whether by the monster's claws or sheer abandonment. But Ian Maverick wasn't about to let them decide his fate.

He needed a plan and he needed it now.