The beast crashed to the ground,
It was on its knees, spine curved at an unnatural angle, body trembling violently under the unseen weight crushing it down. Blood poured freely from its nose, ears, and the corner of its mouth, dripping in dark rivulets onto the dirt. Its claws dug deep into the ground as it struggled to stay upright, but every muscle looked like it was being pulled apart thread by thread.
Azrael stood over it like a shadow given flesh. His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, but his expression was calm, terrifyingly calm. His eyes gleamed, one red, one blue, flickering as if two beasts fought for dominance behind them. His fingers twitched slightly at his sides, and with each twitch, the creature on its knees convulsed harder, coughing up more blood.
The air itself had grown heavier, suffocating. The kind of pressure that made the world seem smaller, tighter, until all that existed was the predator and the prey.
