From amidst the drifting debris and dust, a woman shakily rose to her feet beside the Giant Maw Worm's charred head.
Her body swayed unsteadily as she took a few steps forward, before her legs suddenly gave out, causing her to slip and crash into the broken street below.
Lucian's eyes narrowed faintly.
His steps were slow, his muscles aching with each movement, his breathing ragged and uneven.
His burned skin still stung beneath the morning sunlight, the outer layers reddened from the acidic fluids inside the monster's stomach.
Slowly, he began walking toward her, carefully, quietly—as he noticed the woman shakily pushing herself up once again.
As soon as the drifting dust around her gradually cleared up, and revealed her full figure—
Lucian's eyes widened in horror.
The woman's entire body was covered in dust and blood.
Large gashes were spread across her skin in multiple places.
And even from this distance, he could see blood slowly trickling down her body.
