A man, grey-haired and half-naked in his undergarments, trembled violently.
His eyes widened as the colossal serpent-dragon—a being larger than the castle itself—looked directly at him.
He collapsed, grovelling, pressing his head to the earth.
"Please! Please spare me!" he screamed, voice cracking.
"It wasn't me! It was the Monster Gods! They gave the orders!"
But the Devourer said nothing.
Its massive jaw opened—
And from within, a tiny flame emerged.
Flickering purple and dark as ink, it floated lazily toward the man.
The man blinked, then laughed.
"That's it? I thought you were something else! You can only do this?"
He reached out to swat the flame like an insect—
The moment it touched his hand—
SCCCCCHHHHHHHH—!!
His scream split the sky.
Agonizing, soul-rending.
His arm vanished—erased.
The flame spread over his body, crawling like a sentient curse.
He convulsed, eyes rolling back, as he was devoured from existence.
Then—
The castle caught fire.
