The forest erupted.
Branches snapped in every direction as dark shapes raced through the canopy.
One.
Five.
Ten.
Too many to count.
Captain Darius didn't hesitate.
"Circle!"
The soldiers moved instantly.
Shields locked together.
Wardens spread into the trees, bows raised.
Maera and the wounded were pulled into the center.
Uriel stood at the front.
The first creature remained just beyond the clearing, pacing like a wolf testing a fence.
Its eyeless skull tilted toward him.
Then it shrieked.
The pack answered.
They attacked.
Three creatures burst from the trees at once.
Lyra released two arrows in quick succession.
The first buried itself in a creature's shoulder.
It barely slowed.
The second struck its throat.
It still kept coming.
Garron met it head-on.
His axe split through its chest with a thunderous crack, sending black blood across the ground.
Before he could recover, another leaped for him.
Ellis slammed his shield into its ribs, knocking it aside.
"Duck!"
Veyra's sword flashed.
The creature's head hit the ground before its body did.
"No celebrating!" Captain Darius shouted.
"They're testing us!"
As if proving him right...
The remaining creatures disappeared into the trees.
Silence.
Heavy breathing.
Nothing else.
"They're waiting," Rowan whispered.
Uriel scanned the tree line.
"They're learning."
Nox's voice slithered through his thoughts.
Smart.
Too smart.
Without warning, a scream echoed from the rear.
One of Rowan's wardens had vanished.
There wasn't even a struggle.
One moment he was standing beside the formation.
The next...
He was gone.
Only his bow remained on the ground.
Ellis stared in disbelief.
"Where did he—"
Another scream.
This one farther away.
Then...
Silence.
Captain Darius clenched his jaw.
"No one leaves formation."
"No matter what you hear."
The order came too late.
One of the younger wardens broke ranks and ran toward the screams.
"Finn!"
"Come back!"
Rowan shouted.
He didn't listen.
He disappeared between the trees.
Seconds later...
A wet crunch echoed through the forest.
Then nothing.
Rowan closed her eyes for a brief moment.
She already knew.
He wasn't coming back.
The creatures attacked again.
This time from above.
Two dropped into the center of the formation.
Chaos erupted.
One slammed into Tovin, sending both crashing through a fallen log.
The other lunged straight at Maera.
Uriel moved before anyone else.
His blade met its claws.
Steel screamed against bone.
The force threw him backward.
The creature recovered first.
It opened its jaws.
Rows of needle-like teeth glistened with black saliva.
It lunged again.
Before it reached him...
Something enormous crashed into its side.
Nox.
The serpent had emerged without a sound.
Its dark scales shimmered like polished obsidian.
Nearly twenty feet long, it wrapped around the creature in an instant.
The beast clawed wildly.
Nox tightened.
Bones cracked.
The creature shrieked until the sound abruptly stopped.
Nox released the lifeless body.
Without waiting for a command, the serpent slid back toward Uriel.
Its massive form dissolved into black smoke before disappearing beneath the serpent tattoo on his forearm.
No one spoke.
The soldiers stared.
The wardens stared.
Even Captain Darius looked momentarily speechless.
Ellis blinked several times.
"...I'm not asking."
Garron nodded.
"Good decision."
Veyra simply sighed.
"At least he listened."
Uriel frowned.
"What?"
"You didn't introduce him."
Nox sounded offended.
Rude.
Uriel ignored him.
The creatures hesitated now.
They stayed beyond the trees.
Watching.
Listening.
One by one, they began backing away.
Captain Darius didn't lower his guard.
"Something's wrong."
"They're retreating," Ellis said.
"No."
"They're making room."
Rowan's face turned pale.
She looked deeper into the forest.
"No..."
She whispered.
"Not here."
A low rumble rolled through the valley.
The ground trembled.
Birds exploded from the trees in every direction.
Even the eyeless creatures fled.
Whatever was coming...
They feared it.
Nox became unusually quiet.
Uriel.
"What?"
Run.
Before Uriel could react...
A deafening roar shook the forest.
Not an animal.
Not a monster.
Something ancient.
Something that made the air itself vibrate.
A colossal shadow emerged between the trees.
It was too large to see all at once.
Two glowing amber eyes opened in the darkness.
The creature didn't step into the clearing.
It didn't need to.
Its presence alone was enough to freeze every warrior where they stood.
Captain Darius gripped his sword tighter than ever before.
"What..."
"...is that?"
Rowan's voice barely escaped her lips.
"The king of this forest."
The enormous eyes shifted.
They settled on Uriel.
And remained there.
Nox spoke with an unease Uriel had never heard before.
It knows you.