The island trembled.
The sound was like the continuous growl of a beast buried in the very heart of the earth, each vibration reverberating through the sand, roots, and rocks. The surrounding sea exploded in furious waves, and the surface of the central lagoon seethed as if a god had decided to emerge.
And then it appeared.
The serpent.
Gigantic, its dark blue scales glistening like wet blades, its thick body snaked through the forest and crossed rivers and rocks as if they were nothing. Each time it rose, the shadow of its head covered dozens of meters, its narrow yellow eyes glowing with primal hatred. It was more than an animal: it was a wingless dragon, an aquatic leviathan that engulfed the entire island as if it were nothing more than a toy.
