Kai's eyes widened as the thump echoed through the air once more. The ground beneath him seemed to pulse, each beat like a reminder that whatever was causing this havoc wasn't done yet.
The air thickened, and a disturbing sensation crawled up his spine, as if something was watching him — something far worse than the ever-present danger of the battlefield.
Thick, blood-soaked tendrils shot up from the earth like twisted vines, their crimson surface gleaming in the dim light.
They lashed toward him with terrifying speed.
The explosion still rattled his bones, a tremor that clung to his every movement. Despite it all, he found the strength to pull himself off the ground, his muscles aching as he dodged two of the tendrils that came crashing down like whips of death.
His breath caught in his throat as he barely avoided the razor-sharp tips, the sensation of something just barely grazing his skin sending a chill down his back.
