The jungle seemed to hold its breath. The constant buzzing of insects faded, the birds fell silent, even the wind in the canopy froze.
Xenovia narrowed her eyes, her fists clenched around the black flames that swirled lazily around her hands. Kryssia, for her part, let the cold seep through her pores, turning the dense air into white vapor that rose in gentle waves.
It was at that moment that the ground shook.
First gently, as if a heavy animal were passing nearby. Then stronger, with each step reverberating through the roots and trunks. The earth creaked under the impact, and birds, previously hidden, took flight in frightened flocks.
"This isn't normal..." Kryssia murmured, her blue gaze searching the trees. "It seems—"
A sharp crack interrupted her words. A huge trunk, thick as a house, was thrown aside, creating a gap in the wall of vegetation. From the shadow that rose behind him, a colossal figure emerged.
It was an orc.
