The Overgrown Cavern had grown darker, the air thick with something far more menacing than the usual dampness of the dungeon. Nazgul’s hooves moved cautiously over the uneven stone, her sharp eyes scanning the gloom as Khamûl floated silently at her side, his presence colder than usual. They had been in dungeons like this before, places steeped in ancient magic and decay, but something was different this time. There was a tension in the air, a creeping sense of wrongness that made the hairs along Nazgul’s back stand on end.

Khamûl's spectral hand twitched in front of her, signing a warning. *Careful. Something ahead.*

Nazgul snorted in reply, her ears swivelling forward as she slowed her pace. She could feel it too—an oppressive, unnatural energy that seemed to pulse through the very stone beneath her hooves. The familiar cold of the dungeon was replaced by something darker, something that made the air feel thick and suffocating.

Then, in the dim light ahead, something moved.

It emerged from the shadows like a nightmare given form. At first glance, it seemed like a Courser—its body spectral, translucent, like mist given shape. But that illusion shattered the moment Nazgul caught sight of its eyes—two glowing orbs of crimson, burning with malice. They pierced through the darkness, locking onto her with a predatory hunger. Its skull was gaunt, its bones sharp beneath taut, ghostly skin, and its movements were too smooth, too fluid, like a hunter stalking its prey.

Nazgul’s heart pounded in her chest. She took an instinctive step back, nostrils flaring as she tasted the air, the corruption pouring off the creature in waves. It was wrong. Everything about it felt twisted, unnatural. A mockery of life. Its head lowered slightly, as though sizing them up, and then it took a step forward, the motion predatory, more like a wolf than any Courser Nazgul had ever seen.

Khamûl’s ghostly hand flashed in front of her face, his signs sharp and urgent. *Dangerous! Too strong!*

Nazgul didn’t need to be told. The creature radiated malevolence, a corruption that dug into her skin like barbs. Her instincts screamed at her to run, to get as far away from it as possible, but her muscles were tense, ready to fight if needed.

The creature’s mouth parted slightly, revealing long, jagged teeth—another feature that didn’t belong on any natural Courser. It stepped forward again, its movements eerily silent, the only sound the faint rustle of disturbed air. Its crimson eyes blazed brighter as it fixed its gaze on Nazgul, intent and hungry.

Khamûl’s hand shot up again. *Hurry!!*

Nazgul snorted, her eyes never leaving the beast. She hated running from anything, but this… This was different. She could feel its corruption, as though the very air around it was poisoned. If they stayed, there would be no winning this fight.

With a sharp nod, she spun on her hooves, her muscles coiling as she bolted down the path they had come from. Khamûl zipped beside her, his ghostly form trailing just above the ground, but the sound of the creature’s movement echoed behind them—too close, too fast.

It was hunting them.

Nazgul galloped through the winding dungeon corridors, her leather armour creaking with every powerful stride. The shadows seemed to twist and stretch around them as they ran, and the heavy thud of the beast’s unnatural gait followed relentlessly. It was faster than she expected, and every breath she took seemed to carry the stench of its corruption. The red glow of its eyes flickered in the corners of her vision, far too close for comfort.

“It’s too fast!” Nazgul growled, her voice low and strained.

Khamûl gestured frantically as they weaved through a narrow passage, barely squeezing through. *Keep going!*

The cavern twisted and narrowed as they fled, the air growing colder and the walls tighter. Nazgul’s breath came in short bursts, her muscles straining as she pushed herself harder, feeling the beast’s presence looming just behind her. She chanced a glance over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of the creature’s spectral form slipping through the shadows, its sanguine eyes glowing brighter, and its mouth stretched into an unnatural snarl.

It was gaining on them.

*There!* Khamûl signed rapidly, pointing ahead to a crevice in the wall—just wide enough for them to slip through but far too small for the beast.

Nazgul didn’t hesitate. She veered sharply toward the crevice, her hooves sliding across the stone as she forced her body through the narrow gap. Her armour scraped against the rock, but she pushed through with sheer determination. Khamûl darted through effortlessly, his ghostly form passing through the stone without issue.

Behind them, the beast screeched, an awful, hollow sound that echoed through the cavern, filled with rage and hunger. It tried to follow, but its massive form slammed against the stone, its glowering eyes burning with fury as it thrashed at the entrance, too large to fit.

Nazgul slowed, her breath heavy, her sides heaving as she glanced back at the spectral horror trapped behind the narrow gap. The creature’s eyes burned in the darkness like the hottest of flames, staring at her with pure hatred, but it could go no further.

Khamûl signed slowly, his hand shaking slightly from the tension. *Too close.*

Nazgul snorted, still catching her breath. “What… was that thing?”

Khamûl’s fingers twitched. *Corrupted. Twisted.*

Nazgul shook her mane, her eyes narrowing as she watched the beast continue to thrash in vain. “It wasn’t natural.”

*No. Not anymore.* Khamûl signed, his movements deliberate, cold.

Nazgul huffed in agreement, stepping further back from the crevice as the creature’s glowing eyes remained fixed on them. Its malice filled the air, but for now, they were safe.

“We leave this place,” Nazgul said firmly, turning her back on the creature. “I’ve seen enough of this dungeon.”

Khamûl floated silently beside her as they made their way out of the ancient halls, the corruption of the spectral beast still lingering in the back of their minds. They had escaped, but the wrongness of the creature would haunt them long after they left the dungeon behind.