The boar glared at the group, hot air snorting from its flared nostrils. Behind it, another creature emerged from the fog—also humanoid, but serpent-like, its movements smooth and deliberate.
Unlike the boar's wild aggression, this one radiated calm—a cold, feminine stillness that somehow felt more dangerous. Its arms were crossed neatly over its chest, eyes gleaming like polished jade as it studied them.
The contrast was stark. The boar burned with chaos and rage, a beast born to destroy. The serpent, though silent, carried an eerie, calculating presence.
Everyone's attention went first to the towering boar, its sheer pressure swallowing the battlefield. Yet, when Aria's gaze flicked to the serpent, an uneasy chill ran through her. For reasons she couldn't explain, the sense of danger she felt from that quiet one was even stronger.
But there was no time to think.
The boar let out a guttural roar and charged.
