Deep, golden orbs stared back at her from within the cave. Aislin could feel the weight of them coldly appraising her; the child she formerly knew was non-existent behind those piercing, soulless eyes. For a moment, the fear was too much. Her knees quivered and locked in place. Her heart was in her toes, her stomach somewhere on the jungle floor. 

God, she couldn't breathe. 

He was monstrous. The ground trembled under his feet as his rippling, massive body exited the cave. His footsteps left cracks, his breath sent waves of heat creeping over her skin. The transformation was slow, but it looked like something from a nightmare with the way his long teeth were bared. 

A great and terrible roar sounded from his gaping maw, breaking Aislin free from the fear. Time almost slowed down as her body reacted before her brain. She knew, deep down, that roar meant she needed to run. [i]Fucking now.[/i] As her heel turned and dug into the dirt, the jungle floor beneath the Beast began sucking him down. Her powers turned it into deep, fluid quicksand, giving under the Beast's weight at an alarming pace. 

Simultaneously Aislin created the bubble of earth under her feet again, and she shot off into the forest, quickly solidifying the quicksand. Her speed made the trees shake as she zipped by, much quicker than when Jaska and her raced before. This speed was reckless, she could barely keep up to herself. She had no time to register the branches she needed to evade, and came close to taking her face square off. 

The direction didn't matter. Aislin didn't care, simply getting away was what she needed if she wanted to live. [i]Wait, the school![/i] Her fear had dissolved almost all her thinking, making her only realize now that the school was her best shot. The staff knew how to handle powerful metas. But, watching the jungle whizz by in a blur, Aislin was filled with a sense of dread. [i]Oh God, I'm lost![/i] 

It was only a matter of time before the Beast caught up. How could she possibly lose him?! 

The answer hit her square in the face. [i]Water![/i] She needed a body of water, stat. Pronto. She could move faster in that than him any day. Aislin wasn't aware of any bodies around her, but she could see the ocean glinting through the foliage. Changing course, she headed straight for it. She wasn't sure if she'd make it in time.

Thunderous footsteps were only getting closer behind her...