Jacob stared in confusion at the figure to his right. Is that a lizard person? he thought, noting it was wearing a backpack and a suit vest. Then, he noticed the cleaver. It was chipped and rusted, but still looked sharp enough to slice through flesh, including Jacobs. That looks kind of like the lizards in my dream, he thought, before the lizard leapt at him, cleaver raised to slice his neck.

  Or tried to. Its leg was at an odd angle, meaning all Jacob's opponent managed to do was slash a gash over his upper chest, slicing through flesh and cloth, and grating across his bones. It should’ve hurt like hell, but all Jacob felt was a slight sting. Still, it hurt and Jacob swung the pipe and missed himself, the steel hitting a metal cabinet and denting it with a clang.

  At this point the lizard-man had recovered, and the cleaver swung through the air yet again, Jacob managing to step back and avoid getting hit again.

  The two combatants waited, trying to size each other up. Jacob was weaker in both weapon and combat capability, but the lizard-man’s leg was constantly at an odd angle, meaning it was off-balance whenever the lizard swung. Injury? Or birth defect?

  Jacob attacked first this time, thrusting the pipe instead of swinging it this time. This actually hit the lizard in the stomach and it stumbled back wheezing. The man swung his pipe and smacked his opponent upside the head. The lizard tottered and then collapsed, the cleaver dropping out of its hands. Jacob stepped back, chest heaving as he took a good look at his unconscious foe.

  It was wearing a suit vest, the clothes cream fabric stained patchy tan. Tied around its waist was a pair of pants cut off just below the knee. The backpack was old and colored faded pink with the worn picture of a unicorn on the back and old button pins stuck into the bottom. The leg was still stuck out at that strange angle.

  Jacob could’ve written off using the cleaver and backpack as something a smart primate could do or perhaps a man-sized, anthomorphic lizard. But the clothes. Why would a wild animal even think to use clothes? Question now is do I kill it or try to disappear? I could use the supplies, and it did injure me—still not sure why my blood is black—but I’ve never killed someone before. Does this count as someone?

  Jacobs grip on the pipe loosened right as something sharp and pointy hit him in the back. He felt pain, but like the cut it didn’t hurt as much as it should have. An arrow. Someone just shot me with an arrow. Jacob turned around, ready to face his opponent only to stop in confusion.

  Two creatures stood behind him, similar in appearance to his former foe, albeit bigger and more muscular. Both wore crude leather vests, plus sports pads on their forearms and shins. One held a rusted fire axe, the other a cobbled-together, crank-powered crossbow. As Jacob made eye contact, the two’s eyes opened in shock, then narrowed with rage. “Wight…” the lizard with the crossbow hissed as it began to crank the bow back. “Prepare to die, demon of the Old World!” the other screeched before charging forward, axe raised.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Fuck.

  Jacob turned and ran, another arrow missing him by an inch. “Coward!” one of the lizards yelled as Jacob ran. They can talk and use tools, Jacob thought. I’d be everything in my bag that they’re descended from those pet lizards I saw in the echo. This would be so cool if they weren’t trying to kill me. Behind the man, he could hear the two lizards smash through the hospital. Who wants to bet they can track my scent?

  Now what do I do? I can’t go back to the pod room again thanks to that stupid crater and my arsenal consists of a steel pipe and a shiv made of rebar. If only I had a gun for those shotgun shells…

  Jacob was reaching the looted part of the hospital again, and from all around he could hear screeching and yells. And there's more of them. I’m good as dead.

  No. I didn’t go through all that just to die to a bunch of lizards. Keep going. All I have to do is escape into the city and they’ll call off the chase. There’s no way they’re going to chase me through the entire city.

  Jacob continued to run, and found himself in a long, wide hallway filled with the concrete stumps of seats and a tattered banner too faded to read fluttering high above the floor. The glass ceiling above was all but empty; the glass now on the floor, crunching beneath his boots as he ran. Entrance hall or something like it. I’m close to escaping.

  From above Jacob, he could hear a snarl and a strange, mechanical hiss. Something long and sharp stabbed into his body, this time in his lower back. Yet again, the man felt only a fraction of the pain he should have. He was almost at the end of the hallway when what felt like a knife sunk into his shoulder.

  [WARNING: LOW HEALTH]

  That doesn’t sound good.

  Jacob was almost to the door when a final spike hit him in the leg. Something gave out and he collapsed, another notification appearing.

  [WARNING: CRIITCAL HEALTH]

  You are incapacitated.

  Healing is required before further strenuous activity.

  [Limit Push] is not recommended for use under current condition

  “Fuck…” Jacob wheezed as he heard the sounds of movement from behind and something scratching on concrete, before claws surrounded him. “How’d he take this much damage and keep running?” he heard one voice say. “He’s got two of Daisy's spikes in him, a throwing knife, and an arrow. He only stopped running when we hit him in the leg!”

  “Probably has some sort of ability to reduce damage,” another voice responded. “Question is, what do we do with him now?”

  “Kill him,” another, more feminine voice said. He almost killed my brother-“

  “I don’t give a shit about what happened to the runt,” a fourth voice said, deeper and with a bit more growl. “We’re getting some answers out of this one. Strip him down and tie ‘em tight. Put the Wight in the back of the van and we’ll question the demon once we get back to the nest.”

  Jacob felt somebody slip the pipe out of his hand and another unslung the bag from his shoulders. “He’s got a medkit,” a voice said. “Looks in good shape. Plus three shells. Unused.”

  “Good,” the deep voice said. “Now knock him out.”

  Something heavy hit Jacob over the head, and he immediately fell unconscious.