[Cassian's PoV]
The moment I sensed the strike coming, I slammed my hands together, then pulled them apart, forming a solid solar shield around me. The golden barrier shimmered with heat, Essence crackling along its surface.
I barely had time to brace before a massive shadow fell over me.
A giant tail came crashing down.
BOOM!
The impact shook my bones. The shield held for a single heartbeat, glowing brighter under the strain… and then it shattered. The tail smashed into my chest like a battering ram.
I was groundborne before I even realized it.
The world blurred—green, brown, gray—as I slammed through trees, snapping trunks like twigs. I bounced off boulders, tore through undergrowth, and finally came to a stop rolling across the forest floor.
The ground dug into my back. My ribs ached. My head rang.
I groaned and pushed myself upright, swaying slightly. My uniform was ripped in multiple places, the fabric hanging loose. Bruises throbbed across my arms and ribs.
