Tess, Zino, and Lanse pressed deeper into the forest, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, adrenaline propelling them forward. The storm above hammered the canopy, rain slapping leaves and branches, and every step on the moss-covered earth seemed to echo like a drumbeat.
They reached the clearing just in time to witness sheer terror unfold. Across the gaping rift, the enormous, unblinking eye of the monster vaporized a Chewlete instantly. The following explosion of flesh and light sent a shockwave through the mud-soaked ground, forcing the trio to stagger back to keep their balance.
There was no time to process the horror before the Leaks began clawing themselves upright from the muck, their grotesque forms twisting with unnatural speed. Beth-Aven's wave of Shinra energy had barely registered before it faded, powerless against the relentless tide.
