Then—without warning—the creature's gnarled hand was severed at the wrist.
A sickening crack split the air as the severed limb crashed heavily to the ground, sending up a thick cloud of dust. Its clawed fingers twitched once before sliding lifelessly across the dirt, leaving behind a dark, viscous smear.
The grip loosened.
Rook and Dane collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, their bodies wracked with exhaustion. Their limbs trembled from the phantom pain of the creature's crushing hold, and though relief flooded their expressions, they didn't move—just lay there, chests heaving, trying to process what had just happened.
Ezra's gaze snapped toward the figure standing just beyond the severed hand.
Through the chaos, a lone figure held the line.
His swords gleamed under the fractured floodlights, both raised in a deceptively relaxed stance. His stance was deceptively relaxed, almost lazy—but every angle of his body spoke of lethal precision. A hunter, measuring his prey.
Light pink hair drifted lazily in the wind, catching what little light remained.
The creature loomed before him, its elongated frame shuddering. Then, it opened its maw—rows of skeletal teeth glinting as an unnatural voice rasped free.
"I—I can't hear y-you… Rook messed u-up my hearing…"
Ezra froze.
The words were eerily familiar.
Dane's voice.
Perfectly mimicked. Distorted. Broken. As if chewed on and spit back out.
Then—it cocked its head, the permanent grin stretching impossibly wide.
"Tess… y-you're killing yourself. Stop…"
This time, Irene's voice. Soft. Almost pleading. A twisted mockery of the moment before.
Ezra's blood ran cold.
The creature crouched low, its skeletal limbs bending at unnatural angles. The pale membrane of its wings rippled like liquid shadow, while its tapering tail slithered silently across the ground. It flicked once—deliberate, savoring the vibrations in the air.
Then—
A gunshot.
Eli's hand had moved in a blur, fingers snapping to the holster strapped to his thigh. Without hesitation, he fired.
The shot rang out—sharp, clean.
The bullet struck dead center in the creature's forehead. For a heartbeat, everything stilled.
A thin line of black blood trickled from the wound, leaking down its elongated face. The creature twitched once… then tilted its head as if amused.
And then it moved.
With a single, brutal flap of its massive wings, a violent gust exploded outward.
Eli was thrown like a ragdoll. The sheer force lifted him clean off his feet, hurling him backward. He crashed into the ground, skidding across rubble as dust and debris kicked up around him.
The creature rose higher, wings unfurling like a living shadow, blotting out what little light remained. Its grin never once faded.
The air fell still.
And then—
It lunged.
Ezra barely had time to react.
The creature closed the distance instantly, moving with terrifying speed. Its elongated limbs twisted unnaturally, the air around it warping, rippling with unseen force as it propelled itself forward.
Eli had just enough time to brace himself.
The creature's clawed hand swiped downward, aiming to cleave him in two, but at the last second, Eli twisted his body—his swords flashing in the dim light.
A sharp clang rang through the battlefield.
Eli's twin blades met the creature's claws mid-air, sparks flaring as metal clashed against hardened bone. The impact sent him skidding backward, his boots digging deep into the dirt as he fought to keep his footing.
"Move back!" Irene's voice cut through the comms.
Dane and Rook barely managed to pull themselves together, staggering to their feet, still dazed.
Before Ezra could even think of doing something, the creature changed tactics.
Instead of striking Eli again, it twisted its head unnaturally, its wide grin never faltering. Then, in a grotesque display, it opened its mouth.
A sound rippled out.
Not a growl. Not a scream.
A voice.
A perfect imitation of Eli's own.
"Stay back."
Ezra's breath caught.
It was copying him.
The creature's form shifted, its long, sinewy limbs bending in ways that made Ezra's stomach churn.
Then—
Faster than a heartbeat—
It disappeared.
Gone.
Eli's body tensed, his swords still raised. His sharp gaze flicked around the battlefield, searching.
Ezra barely had time to process what happened before the air behind Eli warped.
The creature reappeared.
And this time—
It was inches from his back.
Ezra's breath lodged in his throat.
"Behind you!" he shouted.
But the creature was already reaching for him.