Lunaris hissed again, standing between Nova and the GrimeFlayers. The cat's fur bristled, eyes glowing in a brilliant azure. The horde closed in, screeching like a chorus of broken glass. Their limbs writhed with oily black sinew, their claws dragging sparks from the scorched earth.
Nova stirred; the ground beneath him cracked as he pushed his hand into the dirt. His body screamed in protest, muscles torn, nerves singeing, armor shattered beyond function, but something deep inside him refused to yield.
"Not yet," he murmured, his voice low and trembling. "Not… yet."
The GrimeFlayers advanced. One leaped forward, jaws wide enough to bite through steel. Lunaris slashed at it with his claws, carving a glowing X across its face. The creature reeled, but two more took its place.
