Its head swung low, and multiple eyes were glowing faintly and cruelly. A test boss. The ground trembled under its weight as it stepped forward.
Its breath came out in waves that smelled of iron and ash. The exam had built this thing to push them, to strip them down and see what they had left when nothing easy remained.
"Big one's mine," Everly said automatically. "Yours with help," Ethan corrected. "Fine," she said, grinning anyway. The beast charged, plates rattling.
Ethan threw light across its eyes, scattering its focus with brief flickers that tugged sight just off true.
The head swung toward a shape that wasn't there. Evelyn slid in at that opening, her blade feeling for the joint between plates.
Sparks jumped. Everly followed, hammering her weight into the seam Evelyn had warmed. One plate is split enough to show raw tissue.
The tail whipped. Ethan tugged Everly half a step by pulling her attention, and the tail took stone instead of ribs.
