Run! We need to get out of here! Now! Immediately! Or we are all dead! The voice in my head screams out in terror, dragging me back to consciousness. As soon as I open my eyes and lift my face off the ground, my gaze locks onto a shadow looming above us, its form blurring between reality and madness.

The air around it shimmers like hot steam rising from boiling water while it seems to emanate some sort of invisible pressure that makes it hard to breathe. Everything about that thing feels wrong somehow. Unnatural. Yet strangely familiar... Almost as if it belongs here, and not us mortals who dare encroach on its domain.

And for a second — just a brief moment in time — it looks straight into my soul. When our gazes meet, a flood of emotions rushes through me: terror, desperation, fury, hunger — all mingling together in a torrent of primal urges, threatening to tear apart everything that makes me who I am. In my heart, I know that there is only one option remaining for me — death awaits those who do not flee!

Before I have the chance to react in any way whatsoever, the beast spreads its wings wide. Four pairs of jet-black tendrils rise high above our heads and unfurl themselves with menacing slowness. Then, without warning or hesitation, it lunges forward, diving into our midst like a falcon striking at prey.

With only enough time to cover my face with both arms in a pathetic attempt at self-defense, I brace myself for impact and pray silently that this will end soon. But why would It heed a sinner’s pleas...

A blast of wind hits me with the fury of Its righteous anger. Sand stings against my skin as a cloud of dust rises all around us from the shockwave produced by the crash. For an instant, everything seems frozen in time while the world hangs suspended mid-motion, waiting for fate to decide whether we shall live or die. Trapped in this moment between breaths. Unable to escape or defend ourselves in any manner whatsoever. I bow my head before the Lord’s divine judgment and await It to deliver the sentence on us wretched creatures that dared defy It.

And as I prepare to face what might well be the last thing I see before oblivion swallows me up for good — my ears ring like someone struck a giant gong next to them at full volume. Is it its howl? The final punishment? Will it make us mad before ending us all?

But instead of pain or fear coming through with it, this time I am met with a feeling of warmth spreading through every fiber of my being — as if someone had wrapped me up tightly inside their arms and hugged me tight against their chest to protect me from harm. In this embrace, there is no trace left of the icy dread that infected my mind earlier, only an overwhelming sense of comfort and belonging.

And for once, since everything went downhill, a spark ignites in my heart! Just a little, tiny thing, yet it burns brightly against all odds and banishes away some of the darkness that engulfs it. I don’t know where it came from or why exactly it appeared now, but I have to cling onto it or risk being swallowed back into the pit of despair!

With my vision still blocked by the dust and sand, I force myself to my knees and slowly crawl toward the only other figure lying motionless before me — Lucienne’s limp form. When my fingers reach out towards her outstretched limbs and find them still warm to touch, I feel a weight lift off my chest and release a breath I didn’t even realize was holding back until then.

But what now? Do we abandon the others and run? No, that is out of the question... My eyes roam across our surroundings, seeking signs of my companions while I wait with bated breath for the gusts to subside. Something here isn’t right. The beast should have overpowered us already. Is it playing with its food? Or has something else caught its attention?

A sudden movement in my peripheral vision snaps my gaze toward it instantly. As if drawn by my stare, a shape detaches itself from the curtain of sand. In an instant, I recognize Enril’s face emerging through the clouds of dirt and dust. He’s leaning heavily on his spear, clutching one arm close to his chest with a grimace, twisting his features into a mask of pain, but still standing.

Determination flashes across his visage when our eyes lock for a second. After taking another shaky step toward us while struggling to stay upright without toppling over, he spits out a mouthful of blood onto the sand at his feet. And just like that, his body goes limp as if someone cut a string holding it up, dropping to the ground face first.

A cry escapes my lips as my legs move on their own accord before my brain registers them doing so — carrying me with reckless abandon towards my fallen comrade’s side. But when I reach him and fall to my knees by his motionless form, I’m not even able to check if he is still breathing, because my eyes can only focus on one thing.

It looms, a mocking titan of shadow, an ebony monolith that dwarfs the dawn’s light. Its very stance a declaration of dominance — a warning for us mortals to submit to our betters, and bow our heads low, before being crushed beneath its clawed paw.

Surrender...

I have to yield...

I am so tired of fighting...

So weak and pathetic...

Why should I even try anymore...

This battle cannot be won by my hands alone...

It is far beyond my skill and power...

To resist is futile...

Surrender...

But the ember inside me refuses to be extinguished so easily...

I refuse to be extinguished so easily!

As my gaze drifts toward my fallen comrade’s spear lying discarded on the sand beside him, the fire burns wildly in my heart! This can’t end yet! Not like this! Not today!

With all that’s left within me, I reach for the weapon laying nearby, grabbing onto its handle tightly and pulling myself onto unsteady feet. Even if I’m to die here, I will fight to the very end! And if it wishes for blood, then let it taste—

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I lift my gaze to the beast, my heart stopping as I spot a deep wound marring its shadowy flank. How? When? Dark tendrils of mist stream out from its side while dripping some strange black ichor down its legs. But more shocking than that is the sight of Kuleigh standing in front of the creature. Sword drawn and shield raised, he blocks a swipe from one of its claws before trying to land an attack on it.

He blocks a swipe! From a beast that could snap us in two without even noticing it! How did he get so close?! And how does he not crumple under its gaze?! Why is Nael striking at it from the rear instead of running for his life?!

Was... Was it always this small?

The shadow of death looming over me has shrunk down so drastically compared to when it faced my mother before. Not even half as tall as I’d remembered it being earlier. Even the air surrounding it seems less threatening somehow — just a breeze brushing past my face now instead of hurricane-force gusts battering against my chest like whips trying to force me to the ground.

The beast’s roar tears through the air once more, sending shivers down my spine as it strikes at my soul again, trying to force me into submission. But even as its aura presses down upon me from all sides and threatens to overwhelm me entirely, something else calls out to me louder still. Eumelia’s voice rings clearly in my mind amidst all this chaos, like a beacon guiding me towards salvation amid darkness.

With her song in my heart and the spear clenched firmly within both hands, I charge forth into the fray. My muscles burn as I race across the sandy soil, sprinting at full speed toward the abomination. There is no way in hell that I am stopping for even a second until this bastard is dead!

As if sensing my approach, the monster’s attention shifts toward me — a mistake! While it is distracted by me, Kuleigh swings his sword at the wound on its flank. But right before metal bites deep into flesh and bone, a flurry of dark tendrils erupts from its side and deflects the attack easily.

In that same moment, Nael jumps toward the creature, attempting to strike at a spot where its defenses aren’t able to cover. His blade whistles through empty air as a scaly tail sweeps him out of the air before he can land his strike. Before the beast can retaliate against him further though, Alder’s arrow flies past the monster’s head and embeds itself in a membrane of one of the black wings spread wide overhead.

And as it rears back in pain, my feet leave the ground behind as I launch myself towards its exposed underside. But instead of piercing through its vulnerable soft parts like intended, it feels as if I’ve just crashed into a brick wall. My hit doesn’t even seem to ruffle its fur in the slightest, instead sending me tumbling back onto the sand. I have no time to contemplate what went wrong though, as a massive paw comes flying at me — its claws barely missing my chest when I roll out of its range in a panic.

Scrambling to my feet, I barely dodge another swipe before the others are able to divert its focus away from me again. As another volley of arrows flies toward the beast’s body, the precarious dance between on the battlefield resumes once more.

Without a clear weakness to aim at or any other opening left by our opponent’s seemingly impenetrable defenses, we’re forced to rely solely on hit-and-run tactics, hoping that one of our attacks will somehow slip through before it lands a single blow against us. But no matter how hard we try or how often we assault its impervious shell, every time a gap opens in its shadowy hide, dark tendrils burst from underneath and close it within an instant.

My muscles burn as if on fire while sweat pours down my face like a waterfall. My heart races so fast it might jump out of my chest at any second now. The anesthetic salve has stopped working quite some time ago. Every move causes fresh agony to course through my body, threatening to tear me apart as I push past my limits. Despite that, I don’t stop for a moment while trying to find new openings to exploit as I circle the beast constantly, weaving my spear strikes between my companions’ blows.

But it isn’t only me suffering — all of us are close to collapsing where we stand. Eumelia’s voice falters every time she draws breath to start her song anew, her throat raw and bloody from the constant strain placed upon it. After blocking another swipe from the monster’s claws with his shield, Kuleigh staggers under its force before almost collapsing to his knees right afterwards. Even Nael’s movements grow sluggish as the fatigue catches up to him after he’s been forced to take more of the beast‘s attention, when Alder ran out of arrows.

Our only solace comes from the fact that the creature seems to be growing weaker, too. Way faster than just the wound on its side would warrant. Its once majestic jet-black wings have disappeared completely, retracted into its body at some point during our confrontation. But the more strength it loses, the more cunning its attacks become. Where before it fought mindlessly — relying solely on its immense size and overwhelming power — now every single strike is aiming for our vital spots.

Finally, as it tries to sweep me off my feet with its tail again, Kuleigh charges in and slashes at its exposed flank. For the first, the shadows that protect it do not move quick enough and the blade bites deep into its flesh, sending the black ichor spraying in a mist of deathly darkness. As the foul liquid splatters onto the surrounding sand, it bubbles and churns before dissolving into nothingness — leaving no trace of itself behind, save for the stench of decay.

The beast writhes in pain from this grievous injury as more dark blood gushes forth from its side while a strange sound echoes from within its core — a screech akin to steel grating against steel mixed with glass shattering into pieces — causing waves of nausea to wash over me once again. And for just a moment... It looks so vulnerable. So frail compared to mere minutes earlier...

Just as I pounce forward, ready to drive my spear into its heart and end this once and for all — everything goes wrong in an instant as the beast unleashes one final desperate attack. In a last-ditch attempt at survival, the shadows within it twist into a spiral around its body like a hurricane of black ink before coalescing into one spot on its forehead. And then there is only darkness...

A wave of utter desolation engulfs us while a deafening silence fills my ears, even though my mouth is still open wide in a scream of terror that refuses to come out no matter how hard I try. Despite my lungs being full of air and my throat raw with exertion, no sound reaches them as if trapped within some kind of impenetrable void which blocks out any traces of life and warmth around it. Then, as fast as it came, the sensation vanishes as reality reasserts itself with a bang.

With a thunderous roar that makes my head feel like splitting in two from the sheer intensity of its fury, a blast erupts from the orb of darkness and sends me flying across the sand until I crash into one of the large rocks jutting out of the ground nearby. As my back collides with the stone behind me with bone-breaking force, something snaps inside before a surge of agony shoots through every nerve ending in my entire body simultaneously.

When I finally manage to open my eyes again, all that is left our fight is a single crater in front of me where the beast used to be standing. Within the pit kneels an unassuming figure. Its furry body covered in blood and dirt, it clutches at its chest with trembling hands, trying to hold together what remains of its broken form.

But what catches my attention isn’t the grievous wound seeping black ichor into the ground below it, nor is it the sight of its fur falling off in big clumps all around it, as if decaying right before our eyes. It’s not even Kuleigh, who seems to have had more luck with his landing and is now approaching the monster slowly, his sword drawn and ready to deliver the finishing blow. It’s not any of those things that have my whole being screaming out in terror and desperately begging me to run away from this place as fast as possible.

It’s the mask. That wooden visage of a viper’s maw. Its jaws parted to reveal gleaming fangs.