Commander Charles stood firm, his massive hand gripping the beast's paw, holding it mid-swing. The creature snarled, its bloodshot eyes burning with hatred. Electricity crackled off its fur, causing sparks to leap into the air and fizzle out on the cold stone floor. For a brief moment, their eyes met—man and beast—and Charles felt the weight of what he was about to face.
"This thing is a Commander-tier beast, he thought, his jaw tightening. That makes the two of us equals. This fight won't be easy, and if I stay here, these soldiers—no, everyone—will get caught in the crossfire."
His eyes flicked toward the soldiers still battling in the background, some of them struggling against the smaller beast, others holding their own against the human enemies. But if this fight went down here, in the middle of all of them, there wouldn't be anyone left standing.
"I need to get this thing out of here," Charles muttered through clenched teeth.
