Leveling Up With My Dragon System

The distant rumble of a heavy storm brewed outside, a stark contrast to the silent anticipation that filled the stark, white-walled room. Raindrops tapped against the windows, creating a gentle rhythm that seemed to mock the tension in the air. Inside, two figures stood poised, their eyes locked on the flickering screens before them.

"Ready?" Colonel Skai's voice was firm, yet hinted at a softness that seemed out of place amidst the stern atmosphere.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Annika nodded, her jaw set. Erik mirrored her, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of the chair he sat on. The room grew even quieter, the storm outside seemingly holding its breath. The monitors flickered to life, revealing a vast, dimly lit cavern. The floor was slick with an unidentifiable fluid, and the walls were covered in a thick, pulsing moss that emitted a faint, eerie glow.

The air was thick with the scent of something ancient and unwelcoming.

"Begin," Colonel Skai's voice was a whisper now, as if afraid to disturb the scene unfolding on the monitors.

The voices of recruits present in the arena slowly faded into the distance as they drifted into the simulation. Annika and Erik were immediately transported into the heart of the cavern. The cold, damp air wrapped around them like a cloak of dread. They could hear the distant echoes of alien growls reverberating off the cavern walls.

The floor squelched beneath their boots with each step they took deeper into the alien territory.

"Remember," Colonel Skai's voice crackled through their earpieces, "you have to work together. The gormorkers are pack hunters, you need to outsmart them."

Erik took the lead, his eyes darting around the cavern, searching for any signs of movement. Annika followed closely, her heart racing, the weight of their mission pressing down on her shoulders. Suddenly, the ground shook beneath their feet, and a pack of gormorkers emerged from the shadows.

These creatures were hulking masses of muscle and teeth, with skin that looked like it had been forged from the very rock around them. They snarled, their eyes burning with a feral hunger that sent a shiver down Annika's spine. The gormorkers for this simulation were different from the one Kai and Frode faced.

The gormorkers charged, their heavy footsteps echoing through the cavern. Erik and Annika had no time to waste. He shouted to her, "Stick together! Use the terrain!" They sprinted towards a cluster of boulders, using them as cover as the gormorkers' claws scraped the stone, leaving deep gouges in their wake.

Erik's mind raced as he studied the creatures' movements. They were fast, but their bulk made them predictable. "Annika, we need to use their size against them!"

Annika nodded in understanding. She was smaller and more agile than Erik, her speed and precision a stark contrast to his brute strength. As the gormorkers closed in, she dashed to the left, drawing one of the beasts away from the cover of the boulders. It roared in frustration, but she was already weaving through the rocks, using her environment to her advantage.

Erik took the opportunity to leap onto the back of the nearest gormorker. The creature barked wildly, but Erik's grip was like iron, his legs wrapped around its thick neck. With a swift, practiced move, he pulled out a dagger from his boot and plunged it into the soft spot between the creature's armor-like scales. It bellowed in pain and thrashed, trying to dislodge him.

The other gormorkers took notice of the threat and turned their attention to the new prey.

The cavern was now a maelstrom of chaos and adrenaline. Annika danced around the edges, using her speed to keep the gormorkers at bay. She noticed how their movements grew sluggish when they were hurt, an opening she could exploit. She waited for the perfect moment and darted in, delivering a swift kick to the side of one's knee.

The creature howled and collapsed, giving Erik the chance to deal a fatal blow.

With the first gormorker down, the stakes grew higher. The remaining beasts circled them, their eyes gleaming with a cunning intelligence that sent a cold shiver through Annika's body. Erik knew they had to keep moving; the creatures were herding them towards the center of the cavern. He shouted to Annika, "Keep moving! Don't let them surround us!"

They darted and feinted, using the shadows and the uneven ground to their advantage. The gormorkers closed in, their snarls echoing off the cavern walls. Annika could feel their hot breath on her neck as she narrowly dodged a swipe from one's massive paw.

Suddenly, she spotted an opening. A narrow gap between two boulders, barely wide enough for a single person. "Erik, this way!" she called out, gesturing to the gap. He didn't hesitate, following her lead as they squeezed through the tight space. The gormorkers, unable to fit, had to go around, giving them a brief respite.

In the momentary reprieve, Annika and Erik shared a glance. Fear and determination mingled in their eyes, but they knew they had to keep going. They emerged on the other side of the boulders to find a narrow ledge leading upwards. "We can use this to our advantage!" Annika shouted.

They scrambled up the ledge, their muscles straining with the effort. The gormorkers below roared in frustration, unable to follow. The ledge grew narrower and more precarious as it ascended, but the duo pushed on, their fear of heights overshadowed by the fear of what awaited them below.

As they reached the top, the cavern opened up to reveal a pool of bioluminescent liquid, casting an eerie blue light across the space. The ledge ended abruptly, and they had no choice but to jump. Annika took the plunge first, landing gracefully in a crouch. Erik followed, his bulk sending waves rippling through the pool.

The gormorkers had found another way up, and now they were closing in again. Annika's eyes searched the cavern floor for any weapon they could use. She spotted a large rock, half-submerged in the pool, and pointed it out to Erik. "We can use that to slow them down!"

They worked together to pry the rock free, their muscles straining with the effort. It was heavier than they had anticipated but adrenaline-fueled their strength. They managed to send it plummeting down just as the pack reached the base of the ledge. The impact sent a shockwave through the water, knocking the gormorkers off their feet and buying them precious seconds.

Without wasting a moment, they sprinted across the cavern floor, their eyes searching for any sign of an exit. The gormorkers climbed back to their feet, their snarls growing louder and more insistent. The pool's light reflected off their scales, casting a chilling blue glow on their monstrous forms.

The walls of the cavern grew closer together, forming a natural corridor ahead. "This way!" Erik bellowed, sprinting down the narrow passage. The gormorkers gave chase, their heavy footsteps shaking the very ground beneath them. Annika's heart raced as she followed Erik, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.

As they rounded a bend, the corridor opened into a chamber with a single exit on the far side. The path ahead was blocked by a boulder the size of a small car, embedded into the floor at an odd angle. Erik didn't miss a beat. "Climb!"

They scaled the rocky barricade with desperate haste, their hands and feet slipping on the slick surface. The gormorkers were gaining ground, their powerful jaws snapping at their heels. Annika reached the top first, extending her hand down to Erik. He took it and she hoisted him up with surprising strength.

They tumbled over the boulder, landing in a tangle of limbs just as the first gormorker slammed into the stone below them.

The impact sent a jolt of pain through Annika's arm, but she ignored it, focusing instead on the open chamber ahead. The exit was a small, glowing circle of light at the far end. "To the light!" she shouted, pulling herself up and breaking into a sprint.

Erik followed closely, his legs pumping like pistons. The farmworkers were relentless, their claws scoring the rock face as they scrabbled over the boulder. The light grew brighter with every step, offering hope of escape from this nightmare.

As they neared the exit, the cavern walls began to tremble. A deafening roar filled the chamber, drowning out the pounding of their hearts. Annika and Erik exchanged a horrified glance. They had triggered something, something far more terrifying than the creatures they had been fighting. The tremors grew more violent, and the floor cracked open beneath their feet.