The creature’s roar reverberated through the cave, shaking the walls and sending a cascade of loose rocks tumbling to the ground. Its massive form loomed in the dim light, its glowing eyes fixed on Alex with a predatory intensity. The air was thick with the stench of blood and decay, and the ground was slick with the remains of the men who had already fallen. Alex’s heart pounded in his chest, his grip tightening on the dagger in his hand. He knew he had only one chance to survive this.


    “We need to work together!” Alex shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. He turned to Lysander, who was crouched behind a jagged rock, his face pale with fear. “If we don’t coordinate, we’re all dead!”


    Lysander’s eyes flicked to Alex, a mixture of panic and calculation in his gaze. For a moment, Alex thought the man would refuse, but then Lysander nodded sharply. “Fine! We lure it deeper into the cave. The terrain will work against it there.”


    Alex didn’t trust Lysander—not after what he had overheard—but he had no choice. The creature was too fast, too strong. They needed to use the cave’s narrow passages to their advantage.


    “Move!” Alex barked, gesturing to the surviving crew members. “Fall back to the rear of the cave! Now!”


    The men scrambled to obey, their movements frantic as they retreated deeper into the cave. The creature hesitated for a moment, its glowing eyes darting between Alex and the retreating men. Then, with a guttural snarl, it lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air.


    Alex dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature’s attack. He rolled to his feet and sprinted after the others, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The cave narrowed as they went deeper, the walls closing in around them. The creature followed, its massive form scraping against the rock as it pursued its prey.


    “Here!” Lysander shouted, pointing to a narrow passageway. “We can trap it here!”


    Alex didn’t need to be told twice. He and the others pressed themselves against the walls, their weapons at the ready. The creature barreled into the passageway, its momentum carrying it forward. For a moment, it seemed like the plan might work—but then the creature twisted its body, using its claws to anchor itself to the walls and halt its progress.


    “Now!” Lysander yelled, his voice filled with desperation. “Attack!”


    The men surged forward, their weapons flashing in the dim light. Alex joined the fray, his dagger slashing at the creature’s exposed flank. The creature roared in pain, its claws lashing out and sending one of the crew members flying into the wall. The man’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.


    Alex gritted his teeth, his mind racing. They were losing. The creature was too powerful, too agile. They needed a new plan—and fast.


    As if reading his thoughts, Lysander suddenly turned to Alex, his eyes filled with a cold, calculating gleam. “You’re the bait,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. Before Alex could react, Lysander slashed at him with his sword, aiming for his legs.


    Alex barely managed to twist his body, the blade grazing his thigh instead of severing it. Pain shot through his leg, but he forced himself to move, diving to the side as Lysander lunged at him again. The leader’s plan was clear—sacrifice Alex to distract the creature and buy the others time to strike.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    But Alex wasn’t about to die so easily.


    As the creature lunged forward, its jaws snapping at Alex, he grabbed a nearby spear from the ground and hurled it at the beast. The creature raised its massive arm to block the attack, but in doing so, it inadvertently used Lysander as a shield. The spear struck true, lodging itself in Lysander’s chest.


    The leader let out a guttural scream, his eyes wide with shock and rage. “You… you traitor!” he spat, blood bubbling from his lips. “I’ll kill you for this!”


    Alex didn’t have time to respond. The creature, now enraged, turned its full attention on him. Its claws slashed through the air, and Alex barely managed to roll out of the way. He scrambled to his feet, his leg throbbing with pain, and yanked the spear from Lysander’s chest. The leader’s body crumpled to the ground, his curses dying on his lips.


    An eerie silence fell over the cave as Lysander’s life slipped away. For a brief moment, Alex felt a strange sensation—a surge of energy that flowed through his body, centering on the slave mark on his forearm. The mark glowed faintly, and Alex’s mind was flooded with a rush of unfamiliar knowledge. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew one thing: something had changed.


    The creature’s roar snapped him back to reality. It lunged at him, its jaws snapping shut just inches from his face. Alex stumbled backward, his back hitting the cave wall. Pain shot through his leg as the creature’s teeth sank into his flesh, tearing through muscle and bone. He let out a scream of agony as the creature lifted him off the ground and hurled him against the wall.


    Alex’s vision blurred as he hit the ground, his body wracked with pain. His leg was a mangled mess, and his head throbbed from the impact. He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, but he fought to stay awake. He couldn’t die here. Not like this.


    As the creature loomed over him, its jaws dripping with blood, Alex’s mind raced. He remembered the strange energy he had felt moments ago, the glow of the slave mark. Instinctively, he reached for it, focusing all his willpower on the mark.


    Time seemed to slow, then stop. The creature’s movements became sluggish, its roars distorted and drawn out. Alex’s vision blurred as the world around him shifted. He felt himself being pulled backward, as if he were rewinding through time.


    Five seconds.


    That was all he had.


    As time reversed, Alex found himself back on his feet, his leg intact and his dagger in his hand. The creature was mid-lunge, its jaws wide open. Without hesitation, Alex drove his dagger into the creature’s eye, the blade sinking deep into its skull.


    The creature let out a deafening roar, its body thrashing wildly. Alex didn’t stop. He pulled the dagger free and stabbed again, and again, and again. Each strike was fueled by rage and desperation, his mind focused solely on survival. The creature’s movements slowed, its roars growing weaker, until finally, it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.


    Alex stood over the creature’s body, his chest heaving and his hands trembling. The cave was silent, save for the sound of his ragged breathing. He looked down at the creature, its massive form now still, and felt a surge of relief—and disbelief.


    He had done it. He had killed the creature.


    But at what cost?


    As the adrenaline began to fade, Alex’s body was wracked with pain. His leg, though intact, throbbed with the memory of the injury. His head pounded, and his arms felt like lead. He stumbled backward, leaning against the cave wall for support.


    The compass in his tunic began to glow faintly, and Alex felt a strange pull. He reached for it, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. The compass seemed to hum with energy, and as he held it in his hand, he felt a surge of chaotic energy flow into it. The creature’s essence, he realized. The compass was absorbing it.


    Alex’s mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. The time reversal, the surge of energy, the compass—it was all connected. He had unlocked some kind of power, an Aspect tied to the slave mark Kronos had placed on him. But what did it mean? And how could he use it?


    For now, there were no answers. The cave was silent, the battle over. Alex knew he needed to get out of there, to regroup and figure out his next move. But first, he needed to tend to his wounds.


    He limped over to the creature’s body, his dagger still in hand. With a grim determination, he began to carve off a piece of the creature’s flesh. It was a gruesome task, but he needed proof of what had happened—and perhaps a trophy to show for his efforts.


    As he worked, his mind wandered back to the fight, to the moment he had reversed time. It had been instinctual, a desperate act of survival. But now, as he thought about it, he realized the potential of such a power. If he could control it, if he could harness it, he might have a chance at surviving this world—and fulfilling his bargain with Kronos.


    But first, he needed to get out of the cave.


    With the creature’s flesh secured, Alex made his way back to the entrance, his steps slow and deliberate. The cave was littered with the bodies of the fallen, their faces frozen in expressions of fear and pain. Alex didn’t linger. He had seen enough death for one day.


    As he emerged into the dim light of the island, he took a deep breath, the cool air filling his lungs. The compass in his hand glowed faintly, its needle pointing steadily in a new direction. Alex didn’t know where it would lead him next, but he knew one thing for certain: he was no longer the same man who had boarded that ship.