_EDEN

Eve clung tightly to Sky, her heart racing. She closed her eyes, unable to bear the thought of their impending death.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling on the verge of tears. Sky, overwhelmed by the situation, felt like he was at the end of his rope.

Feeling Sky squeeze her hand, she sensed he was about to make a move. The growls from the wolves reached a fevered pitch as they pounced, giving chase. In a moment of desperation, Sky pulled Eve toward him and jumped off the steep edge of the mountain that led down toward the ruins.

There was no solid ground to find their footing; the rain had turned the earth into a slick, treacherous slope. They slid down the peak, using their momentum to cut straight through the spiraling dirt path and thick bushes.

The wolves pursued them with unrelenting fury, crashing through the underbrush as they navigated the muddy incline. But their immense speed, combined with the slippery terrain, worked against them. Several of the wolves lost their balance and tumbled, the pack splintering as some fought through the branches and rolled down the mudslides.

Only a single wolf found its footing, skillfully weaving through the foliage and staying hot on their trail.

As the ground leveled out, they finally caught sight of the ruins. Lightning illuminated an enormous pyramid made of stone, hidden deep within the forest, its surface nearly covered in damp moss. Eve stumbled as her foot caught on a branch, causing her to fall. Sky noticed a wolf poised to pounce, its shadow looming over her with jaws opened wide, revealing razor-sharp teeth ready to tear her apart. Just then, a metallic clang pierced the air.

The wolf's teeth bit down on metal—Sky was holding his broken blade, pushing against the beast to keep it at bay.

"Sky?" Eve cried out, panic lacing her voice.

"Run!" he shouted, struggling to wrestle the wolf back. Both of them fought for control, knowing that the slightest slip would be their downfall.

"Go!" Sky yelled as he strained against the beast. Eve ran as fast as she could, glancing back to see Sky still grappling with the wolf. He pushed it away, but the blade slipped from his hands. Desperately, he dove for it, but the wolf knocked it out of reach, its clang echoing against the ground just beyond his grasp.

"Sky!" Eve shouted, fear rising in her throat as the wolf bore down on him. It pushed him onto the ground, and the blade rolled away, just out of reach.

With a primal growl, the wolf aimed at his neck. Sky, with nothing but his will to protect himself, held up his arm as a shield.

Sky screamed as the wolf landed on top of him, its jaws clamping down on his arm, teeth sinking into the gauntlet and thrashing violently. Chunks of metal, iron, and leather flew as it sought to find flesh. Finally, it found purchase, blood seeping through his protective gear.

Sky pushed the beast off him, creating a brief respite. But before he could catch his breath, the wolf lunged again. Eve rushed in, wielding the blade she had picked up. With a fierce cry, she swung at the wolf; the edge grazing its head. It wasn't a lethal blow, but it was enough to drive it back, its high-pitched whine echoing through the night as it retreated. 

"Come on!" Eve screamed, helping Sky to his feet. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

Sky glanced back, seeing that the rest of the pack had broken free, their black shadows racing across the field, closing in on them. He snatched the sword from where it had fallen, and together with Eve, they dashed toward the entrance of the pyramid, knowing it was their only chance.

As the pack prepared to pounce, Sky's gemstone glowed with a ferocious white light, casting a blinding illumination that halted the wolves in their tracks. Then came an explosion—a burst of invisible energy sent the beasts crashing backward, throwing them off their feet. The surrounding pillars buckled, losing their balance as they fell, crushing anything in their path. The entrance of the pyramid cracked, the stone structure giving way. Holding onto each other for support, they rushed deeper into the structure as the wolves lunged in pursuit. But they were too late; the collapsing rocks blocked their path, sealing them inside.

The falling stones enveloped them in dust, and when the debris settled, they found themselves trapped in suffocating darkness. They could still hear the wolves clamoring outside, their claws scraping against the stones as they tried to break through.

"You're hurt!" Eve exclaimed, pulling Sky's sleeve to examine his arm. Panic flooded her as she discovered deep bite marks, blood seeping through his wounds, mingling with the mangled remnants of metal and leather from his gauntlet. She wrapped the bracelet tighter around his arm, trying to slow the bleeding.

"Not as bad as it looks. Let's get out of here!" he urged, though the urgency in his voice was strained.

But their elation was short-lived. As they ventured deeper into the ruins, the sounds of the pack fighting amongst themselves echoed through the corridors. Then, a final ferocious roar resonated in the darkness, shaking the very walls around them. For a moment, there was silence. Then came the howls—a mournful cry for the death of one of their own. They did not know what horrors lay deeper in the structure, but they had no choice but to venture further into the darkness.