Gargoyles: guardians of the divine, so powerful they were said to intimidate evil spirits and protect churches. At least, that's what we were taught at the orphanage.
A fleeting memory crossed my mind—Nox, excited during one of our lessons on mythical beings, his eyes shining with fascination as he listened to tales about these stone protectors. It was an almost comforting image, but the scene before me yanked me out of that thought like a bucket of cold water.
The gargoyle roared, its sound echoing like an avalanche of collapsing rocks. Each step it took left cracks radiating a dark glow, like veins in a festering wound. Its body, though made of stone, seemed to pulse with a living, malevolent energy, as if something inside it was writhing to break free.
Aria gave it no respite, hurling bolt after bolt of her divine energy. But the gargoyle didn't falter. On the contrary, each strike seemed to make it more frenzied, more determined.
