The sound came first.
A deep, thunderous rumble rolled across the battlefield, followed by the hiss of rushing water.
Then it hit.
WOOOOOSH—!
The tide surged from the sides, sweeping over the battered terrain. It wasn't as massive as the earlier tsunami they were saved from. Still, it carried the wreckage of everything it had touched before—splintered trees, fragments of buildings, shattered armor, scattered debris, and the torn remains of corrupted beasts dragged from the depths.
The air crackled with the sound of crashing metal, and the unending roar of water smashing through the ruins filled the air. The ground trembled beneath the weight of the flood as everyone scrambled back.
Amid the chaos, a single mecha dragged itself from the rubble. Its once-polished armor was torn and gouged, half of its frame pierced clean through by jagged claws. With what strength remained, the pilot severed the impaled limbs, sparks spraying in short, violent bursts.
