Chapter 79: Guardians of the Dark Forest

As we ran through the dense forest, the creature's enraged roars reverberated behind us, each one sending shivers down my spine.

"We can't keep this up forever," Sophia gasped, her breath coming in ragged gasps as we pushed ourselves to the limit.

Alex glanced back over his shoulder, his expression grim. "We need to find a way to lose it," he said, his voice urgent. "Split up and try to double back."

We nodded, each of us veering off in a different direction, hoping to confuse the creature and throw it off our trail. I sprinted through the underbrush, the branches whipping against my skin as I darted between the trees.

But no matter how hard I tried to shake it, the creature seemed to anticipate my every move, its massive form looming ever closer behind me. Desperation clawed at my chest as I realized that we were running out of options.

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, I stumbled upon a narrow ravine, its rocky walls rising steeply on either side. Without hesitation, I lea