The creature's strange appendages dragged slowly across the ground. Thin, long, and flexible, they slipped between the rocks and brushed over the dry soil, sifting through every vibration as if trying to understand what could not be seen. To it, the world seemed like nothing but silence—and within that silence, it was determined not to miss even the faintest disturbance.
Only fifty meters away, the drone under Alexander's control stood completely still. It neither advanced nor retreated. It was as if it were trying to erase its own existence, frozen in place. The creature stood directly in front of it. There was nothing between them—no rock, no shadow to hide behind.
And yet… it did not attack.
Alexander's attention slowly shifted to the creature's head. The protrusion where its eyes should have been… was strange. It didn't move, nor did it reflect light. Looking closer, he realized it was covered in a dull, hardened layer of chitin.
A spark flashed in his mind.
It's blind.
The creature couldn't see.
With that realization, the movement of its appendages suddenly made sense. They had taken the place of eyes. They listened to the ground and the air, reading vibrations. But how sensitive were they? How much could they truly distinguish?
He didn't get the chance to find out.
The creature moved.
A shrill, alien screech tore through the air.
The sound rose harshly, something neither fully animal nor fully mechanical, carrying a deeply unsettling tone.
Alexander reacted on instinct, pulling the drone to the side and sending it toward the nearest rock. Every step it took created small vibrations; every impact, every scrape was a signal in the creature's world.
Then—
The creature stopped.
One of its appendages slowly spread along the ground, pointing toward the depot. Another followed the trail left by the fleeing drone. It seemed caught between two decisions.
A brief silence.
Then it screamed again.
This time, there was no hesitation.
It lunged straight after the escaping drone.
Alexander's mind tensed instantly. Fighting to maintain control, he pushed the drone faster. Sharp turns, sudden shifts—he tried everything he could think of to shake it off. But despite being blind, the creature adjusted perfectly every time.
The distance was closing.
With its long legs tearing through the ground, it reduced the gap with relentless determination. Time seemed to stretch. Seconds felt like minutes, each passing moment heavier than the last.
He realized he wouldn't escape like this.
Alexander clenched his jaw.
Then a single command crossed his mind.
Scatter. Make noise.
The swarm responded instantly. They spread between the large rocks, each running in a different direction. Their steps struck the ground hard, scattering dry stones, crashing into surfaces and sending vibrations in every direction. Within seconds, the silent area was filled with chaotic tremors.
The creature stopped again.
Its appendages lashed wildly across the ground. Vibrations overlapped, clashed, and lost all meaning. It was as if the world had shattered into a thousand pieces.
It hesitated.
That moment was enough.
Alexander didn't waste it. He pulled the drone farther away. Now the creature could no longer pinpoint its exact position. All that remained were scattered, fragmented signals, each interfering with the other, tearing apart its sense of direction.
But the danger wasn't over yet.
The other drone inside the depot finally managed to break free. It slipped through the triangular passage and emerged into the open, immediately heading toward the Queen without wasting a second.
For a brief moment, Alexander felt relief.
Then the darkness behind it moved.
The triangular entrance of the depot seemed to come alive, a storm of strange sounds rising from within—and then the creatures burst out.
One.
Then another.
And then more.
Dozens of them poured out all at once.
All of them locked onto the same target.
the hatchling that had escaped from the depot.
Alexander knew the moment he let go of the drone's control that this wouldn't be a simple escape. His mind raced through possibilities, quickly realizing that scattering the pack wouldn't work against such a large group of predators. These creatures weren't just tracking a single target anymore—they were numerous and perceptive enough to read even chaos itself. If they fled in a disorganized way, the hatchlings would be hunted down one by one. So instead of retreating, he needed to mislead them.
His eyes locked onto the hatchling emerging from the depot. The moment he made his decision, he didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, each step striking the ground and echoing as he closed the distance. The hatchling was running toward him in panic, unable to choose a direction. Alexander covered the last few meters in a single leap and seized it by the nape. The instant he clamped down, he felt the vibrations in the air behind him—the creatures were closer than he had expected.
But that was part of the plan.
He turned and began to run. At the same time, he reached out to the pack with a single command: all of you, run in the opposite direction—don't stop. The pack obeyed instantly, flowing away in the exact opposite direction and disappearing between the rocks. Alexander, on the other hand, did the opposite. With every step, he struck the ground harder, crashed into stones, and made himself more noticeable instead of hiding his trail. He was turning himself into an open target.
It was risky… but necessary.
He had already drawn close—within roughly twenty meters of the confused creature—and caught its attention. It abruptly changed direction. Its appendages spread across the ground, locking onto the vibrations and fixing onto Alexander. The others followed without delay. Within moments, they were all chasing him.
Alexander pushed himself faster and plunged into the rocky terrain. He weaved between massive boulders, slipped through narrow gaps, and made sharp turns, twisting his trail into something harder to follow. Every vibration he created pulled the creatures closer, but that was exactly what he wanted. He was binding all of them to himself.
Time seemed to stretch. Minutes grew heavier, and every step demanded more strength.
His mind reached back toward the pack again. The link hadn't broken, but they were drifting farther beyond his control range. He couldn't sense any creature following them. They were safe… at least for now.
Once he was certain that every creature was still focused on him, he finally sent the second command: hide, and don't move.
The pack obeyed instantly. They slipped between the rocks, erasing their presence, becoming completely still. While the world fell silent for them, Alexander kept running alone, the drone held in his jaws.
The terrain began to change. The rocks thinned out, but he didn't slow down. For several minutes, he dragged the threat with him, widening the distance rapidly. The creatures were still chasing him, but their leg structure limited their speed. They couldn't maintain that pace for long. Their steps grew heavier, their pursuit weaker.
One by one, they stopped.
The screeches faded.
Alexander took a few more steps before finally slowing down. His chest rose and fell sharply, his muscles burning. The hatchling he held by the nape was still alive, trembling. He turned and looked back at them. In the distance, they stood scattered, uncertain, their formation broken.
They lingered for a while.
Then, as if sharing the same conclusion, they turned and began to retreat, heading back toward the depot.
Silence returned.
At last, Alexander came to a stop and drew a deep breath.
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