Nearby, the battle was far worse.
Vermis moved through the field like death given form. Wherever she passed, men fell. Not always instantly, but inevitably. Her insects crawled through armor, into mouths, into wounds, turning every scream into something more desperate, more broken.
"Get away from her!"
"Don't let her close!"
It didn't matter.
She was already there.
A soldier swung at her in panic. She slipped past him, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm as she passed.
He froze.
Then dropped.
Another tried to run.
The swarm caught him before he took three steps.
Everywhere she went, the line thinned.
Morale cracked.
"What are we fighting…?" someone whispered, backing away.
"This is hell!!… let me get out of here!!"
"We can't win this…"
The words spread faster than the fear itself.
And for a moment, it looked like everything would collapse.
Then, from the distance, a sound rose.
Faint at first, then become clearer.
Voss heard it first.
