Leader Armageddon raised his clawed hand, signaling the lizard flocks to stop. The tremors settled, leaving only the distant rumble of Perchachal's breath.
"We're here… but where are they? Their temples? Their barrier?"
His gaze snapped toward his scout. "Scout! Are you fooling me?"
"N-no, my lord!" the smaller lizard sputtered, bowing low. "I swear by the scales of my birth—I saw it! Their barrier broke, their temples stood tall right here! Maybe… maybe they restored the camouflage enchantment!"
Armageddon's tail lashed behind him, hissing through the air. "Then prove it. Perchachal! Shatter the ground again! Reveal their lies!"
The colossal beast's eyes glowed a vicious emerald. With a guttural roar, it reared back and released a freezing exhale. The air warped—its breath turning trees into glittering ice statues, the frost spreading like a storm across the valley. But when the cold smoke cleared… nothing appeared. No barrier. No temple.
Silence.
