The claw strike landed cleanly, piercing straight into the gap behind the millipede's head. It tore into the soft underflesh beneath the armor.
Purple blood erupted like a fountain.
The sight made Aren smile, but the satisfaction was brief. The strike had not gone deep enough.
The millipede let out a thunderous screech that shook the cavern walls. Its entire body convulsed as it thrashed wildly in pain. Its massive tail whipped through the air and slammed into Aren while he was still airborne.
The impact sent him flying.
He crashed into the cavern wall with explosive force, cracking stone before collapsing to the ground. He could not tell exactly how bad the damage was, but the sharp pain in his chest made one thing clear.
Several ribs were broken.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, one knee on the ground, groaning through the pain. And yet, a faint smile still lingered on his face.
He looked up.
The millipede was still writhing, screeching in agony.
