Its claws slammed into the stone, cracks spiderwebbing outward in all directions. Dust and shards erupted in a violent spray.
Reynold's men faltered, confusion flashing through their ranks.
From among them, a general stepped forward, voice rising above the noise.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted, face pale with outrage. "Did you purposefully drive the beast straight toward us?"
The masked guard Ian hovered above the battlefield, steady against the shockwave of the creature's latest strike.
The air vibrated with raw force, the chamber rattling beneath the impact, yet his posture remained unshaken.
"It wasn't intentional. I was just being overwhelmed."
The words carried a faint note of humility, but the edge beneath it betrayed the truth.
The general's eyes narrowed. This man purposefully brought the fight to their side.
"If Marquis Reynold would assist me in buying time for our two armies to pass," the masked man added, "it would be good for both armies."
