Eccar continued moving up the ridge without slowing.
The forest grew darker and thicker the higher he climbed. The trees here were older, their trunks thicker and twisted, their roots spreading across the ground like massive black veins.
The air itself felt heavier, carrying the scent of beasts and ancient wilderness and also Magic energy.
It did not take long before more predators appeared.
The earlier pack had only been the beginning.
From the shadows ahead, a massive boar-like creature burst out from the undergrowth. Its body was covered with thick rocky plates that looked like natural armor, and steam rose from its nostrils as it charged forward with thunderous steps.
Before it could reach him, the ground suddenly trembled.
A serpent nearly ten meters long shot out from beneath the soil. Its scales shimmered with faint blue light, and sparks of electricity crawled across its body. When it opened its mouth, arcs of lightning crackled between its fangs.
