The forest trembled.
From the darkness above, a massive shape darted between the trees, each jump sending showers of leaves fluttering down. The branches rattled violently, bending under its weight. Only its glowing red eyes and the jagged outline of its shadowed bulk could be seen... inhumanly large, muscles twisting beneath a hide that drank the light itself.
Dila's heart jumped into her throat. "Golems... charge!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the still woods.
The two stone giants roared to life, their heavy footsteps shaking the earth as they lunged forward. Dirt scattered in every direction, and the faint blue glow of their runes flared brighter with each movement.
The beast let out a guttural snarl and suddenly blurred—slipping between the golems like a shadow splitting through light. It was fast... too fast. The trees creaked as it pushed off another trunk, launching itself straight toward Dila, its massive fists raised high to crush her.
The air seemed to freeze.
