The creature froze for a moment, then its immense body toppled backward with a heavy thud. It crashed down with all its weight, sending a shockwave through the ground and releasing the vast cloud of purple smoke it had created. As the supernatural mist slowly began to dissipate...
Relia was still perched against the Solpérine's belly, her sword driven straight into the fetus. With a slow, almost ceremonial gesture, she pulled it out with a soft POUF. A thin column of purple smoke escaped the wound, lazily drifting up toward the sky. The dawn sun was beginning to rise on the horizon, casting its first orange rays on the blood-soaked scene.
The Furelynx arrived in great bounds. Canon, Samuel, and Dante dismounted from the beast in silence. Their eyes turned immediately toward the carcass of the monster, which looked even more massive up close. The Solpérine covered the ground, its belly torn open.
Relia finally descended from the beast's belly, drenched in its dark red, almost brown blood. Her hair, her face—even her eyelashes—were stained. She walked slowly toward the others.
"You did it, Relia !" shouted Helydia, running to her.
Without hesitation, she hugged her tightly, trembling. Relia froze for a moment, surprised by the gesture.
"I thought my Threads were going to kill you…" Helydia sobbed, tears in her eyes.
"It's nothing, don't worry," murmured Relia, gently patting her arm.
"No, it's not nothing!" Helydia cried, still clinging to her. "At first, I didn't trust you… not at all. But you risked your life to save us. I'm sorry…"
Samuel calmly stepped forward, placed a hand on Relia's shoulder, and gave her a simple"Well done."
A little farther away, Kai had already climbed up the Solpérine's flank, his boots slipping on the monster's slick skin. He turned his head toward Dante:
"You think the skin of this thing, or anything else on it, could sell for a good price ?"
Dante, arms crossed, thoughtfully rubbing his chin:
"I don't know. First, we'd need to find a merchant… remember, we're still lost in the middle of this forest."
Suddenly, Canon called out to them.
"Guys… you need to see this."
They all gathered near him. And there, a hidden plain, bathed in the soft light of dawn… had been revealed through the trees crushed by the monster's head.
A village.
Nestled in the middle of this plain, very much alive. Wooden roofs still solid, fine smoke rising from a few chimneys.
Relia squinted."Is its… inhabited ?"
They exchanged a glance.The Solpérine had revealed more than just a clearing.The forest had just opened a door… to a hope of knowing where they were.