Nova's blade split the air, cutting down the last horned beast with a dull thud. Its body dropped into the underbrush with a crack of snapping bones.
Malrik barely glanced at the fallen corpse, his own sword already dripping with black blood.
"That's the last of them. We're clear on this end—"
Malrik said, flicking his blade to the side to clear it.
A sound broke through the trees, sharp and sudden.
Nova's eyes flicked left.
It was a faint, grinding noise, like bones scraping against stone. A second later, the bushes rustled—too fast, too forceful.
Nova didn't wait. He surged forward with terrifying speed and caught the blur mid-air with his arm raised. Metal met flesh.
Clang!
The impact cracked through the air as Nova's sword caught the jagged claw mere inches from Anna's neck. She gasped, stumbling back, but Nova didn't even blink.
The thing stepped into view.
