Phoenix rotated her hands, charging up her signature flame tornado, preparing to kill what remained of the apes in one go. But then a roar echoed through the gorge they were in.
*RAWR!*
The stone apes all lifted their head to the roar, echoing it with theirs, which was much less intimidating. Then they started retreating altogether.
Phoenix had to cancel her channelling, lest she waste mana on a targetless spell. The party looked upward, in the direction of the roar.
Staring at them, from the same ledge the other monkeys had descended earlier, was another ape. This one was much larger, and his fur was covered with plates of stone, almost like armor.
Its beady black eyes were staring back at them. Then, the ape turned its head to where Astaroth was still mowing down its brethren.
It roared again, before jumping to him, aiming to crush him on the landing. But Astaroth was not oblivious to the situation.
