The desert sun hung like a molten weight above, searing into the sand and beating down on Aether's skin. His breath came in shallow gasps, his single hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. He steadied his footing in the unstable sand, eyeing the creature in front of him — a massive faltcid with armored carapace and serrated mandibles clacking in menace.
The beast reared up from beneath the sand, its segmented mandibles clicking with predatory precision. Aether shifted his weight to his back foot, sword raised in his one good hand, facing the monster head-on. The desert sun blazed mercilessly overhead, and through his tactical assessment, he noticed something promising – the creature's movements were already beginning to lag, its massive armored body trembling slightly under the intense heat.
Aether's voice was low but firm, as he murmured to himself, "If I want to take you down, I'll need to think...fast."
