Chapter 53 – The Edge of Collapse
The forest trembled when the monster moved.
Not just because of its size, but because of the violence it brought. Every step crushed roots beneath its feet. Every swing of its arms sent shockwaves through the clearing.
The elves had fought dangerous creatures before. Their hunting parties were skilled and disciplined. But this was different.
This creature was something far beyond the beasts they usually faced.
Steel flashed through the air as an elf warrior lunged forward, blade aimed at the monster's side.
The strike landed.
The sound that followed was wrong.
Instead of slicing cleanly, the blade scraped across the monster's hide like metal grinding against stone. The warrior quickly pulled back before the creature's massive claw swept through the space where he had been standing.
The ground erupted.
Dirt exploded upward as the claw slammed into the earth.
"Spread out!" one of the elves shouted.
