Without warning, the rubble that once buried the beast exploded in a burst of dust and debris.
With barely enough time to register the eruption, a deafening roar followed, so powerful it seemed to shake the nearby trees.
The beast surged from the wreckage. Its eyes burned with a feral intensity, and its metal claws dug into the wooden debris below, cracking the fallen branches with each step.
"Kaleb!" Cassie's voice snapped through the chaos. He spun to meet her gaze, and in that brief second, they shared the same thought: no hesitation.
Cassie gave him a quick nod, her grip tightened around her sword, and the earlier shock of her defeat was gone from her eyes.
Kaleb nodded back, as adrenaline surged through his veins. Breaking into a sprint, they raced towards the beast that had just broken free.
Dust and splinters from the shattered tree swirled in the air, but nothing slowed their pace.
