Erend kept running, dragging his weakened legs across the black sand while his injured body struggled to keep up with his mind.
Every step sent pain through his wounds, and his muscles barely obeyed him anymore. Exhaustion clouded his thoughts, but he continued toward his family and friends without slowing down.
He knew they were most likely not real. He knew the Trial had created them to manipulate him, and he understood that the Trial had amplified every emotion inside him.
Still, none of that mattered anymore. Whenever the people he cared about faced danger, his first instinct had always been to act. He could think about everything else later. Right now, he only knew that they stood in danger and that he had to save them.
The giant worm suddenly opened its massive mouth and released a horrifying scream. The sound rose to an unnaturally high pitch that seemed completely wrong for such a gigantic creature.
