Erik’s heart pounded in his chest, the sound deafening in his ears. His body trembled, not from the physical exertion of the battle, but from the constant, insidious pull of the hunger that churned deep within him. It was a beast that could never be tamed, clawing at his consciousness, urging him to let go, to surrender to its power. Every instinct screamed at him to unleash the darkness, to take control, to succumb to the force that threatened to overtake his mind and body.

  But something inside him refused to give in. A small, fragile part of him a sliver of humanity fought to keep the hunger at bay. It wasn’t just the creature in front of him that he was battling. He realized, with a jolt of clarity, that he wasn’t just fighting for his life. He was fighting for himself. The hunger wasn’t just an external force, a primal thing trying to consume him it was a part of him. And what he did with it, how he wielded it, was his choice. He could either be consumed by it or control it.

  The creature before him was massive towering and monstrous, its scales glistening in the dim light. Its eyes burned like hot embers, fixated on Erik with an intensity that could have boiled the blood in his veins. Its growls filled the air, a constant, gnawing reminder of the beast's hunger, its desire to rip and tear.

  Erik swallowed hard. The hunger surged again, rising with a ferocity that made his veins burn. He could feel it clawing at the edges of his consciousness, whispering dark promises in his ear, urging him to embrace it, to release it all in a single, devastating wave of power.

  But Erik had faced this before. He had stood at the edge of the abyss, staring into the darkness, and he had chosen to turn away. He had to do it again. For himself. For his companions. He couldn’t let the hunger control him not now.

  The creature lunged forward, its massive claws cutting through the air with a sickening screech. Its eyes glinted with malicious intent, and its fangs were bared in a grotesque snarl. The hunger inside Erik roared in response, but this time, he didn’t move. He stood firm, his body taut with restraint, waiting. He could feel the creature’s massive weight bearing down on him, and for a brief moment, he thought the darkness would take over completely.

  But Erik clenched his fists. He wouldn’t let it win. Not this time.

  The creature came closer, its claws extending toward him, its jaws snapping. Every fiber of his being told him to dodge, to strike, to unleash the power within him and end this now. But he resisted. He stood there, letting the creature close in on him, its claws grazing the air mere inches from his face.

  At the last possible moment, he sidestepped, his movements fluid and precise, letting the creature’s claws miss him by a hair’s breadth. The creature’s momentum carried it past him, and Erik didn’t hesitate. With a sudden burst of strength, he reached out, his hand closing around the creature’s massive head.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  For a moment, time seemed to slow. The hunger screamed, pressing against his mind, urging him to crush the creature beneath his grip, to squeeze the life from it in one brutal motion. But Erik held firm. He could feel the creature’s strength, its raw power, thrumming beneath his fingers, but he didn’t let go. He had to control this moment, or the darkness would consume him.

  With all the strength he could muster, Erik slammed the creature’s head into the stone floor. The impact echoed through the chamber, shaking the walls and rattling the air. The creature howled in pain, its monstrous body writhing beneath him, but Erik didn’t release it. The hunger surged once more, a tidal wave of power crashing against his resolve, but Erik gritted his teeth and held on.

  The creature’s roar was muffled as its head was pressed into the stone, but it continued to struggle, its claws scraping against the ground in a futile attempt to free itself. Every muscle in Erik’s body screamed with exertion as he fought to maintain control, his mind teetering on the edge of the abyss, the hunger begging him to give in.

  But he didn’t.

  “Don’t let it go,” he told himself, his voice a whisper in the back of his mind. “Don’t let it take you.”

  He tightened his grip, his entire body trembling with the effort. The hunger howled louder, the shadows inside him writhing in anger, but Erik held firm. He was in control. He would not lose himself not to the creature, and not to the darkness within him.

  With a final, resounding crack, the creature’s body went still. Its massive form slumped to the ground, lifeless, its once-flaming eyes dimming to an empty, soulless black. Erik released his grip slowly, his body still vibrating with the remnants of the power that had surged through him. He staggered back, his legs unsteady beneath him, and collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.

  The hunger inside him still clawed at the edges of his consciousness, but it was fading, retreating into the dark recesses of his mind. For now, he had won. But the battle had been hard too hard. He knew it wasn’t over. He knew the hunger would return, just as it always did, relentless and insidious. But for this moment, he had kept it at bay. For this moment, he had held on to himself.

  The room was silent.

  Kaelith was the first to speak, her voice quiet but filled with awe. “You did it.”

  Erik lifted his head, breathing heavily, and met her gaze. Her expression was a mix of admiration and concern, but there was something else in her eyes a quiet respect. She had seen the struggle in him, the battle he fought not just with the creature, but with the darkness inside himself.

  “I don’t know how,” Erik said, his voice hoarse. His mind was still reeling, his thoughts jumbled. The hunger had ebbed, but it hadn’t disappeared. It never did. “But I couldn’t give in. Not this time.”

  Kaelith nodded, her expression softening. “You’re stronger than you think. We all are. We’ll keep fighting. Together.”

  Erik’s chest tightened at her words. He had thought he was alone in this struggle, that the darkness inside him was his burden to bear alone. But Kaelith’s words, her steady presence, reminded him that he didn’t have to face it alone. They were with him. They would face whatever came next as one.

  He stood slowly, his body protesting, but his resolve firm. The hunger was still there, still lurking in the shadows of his mind, but he had learned something tonight. He had learned that he could control it, that he could fight it. And maybe, just maybe, he could one day defeat it completely.

  The war wasn’t over, but for now, Erik knew one thing for sure he wouldn’t face it alone.