The treeline exploded inward as the Mist-Gorged Hydra slammed into the forest floor. It rolled over the terrain and trampled anything that stood in its path. The ground shook enough to knock the lighter Zealots off their feet, and the air filled with the scent of something chemical as soon as it stepped foot nearby.
"Formation!" Drecht said. "Shields up! Do not let it breach the center!"
The Hydra didn't care about formations. Its five heads snapped forward, moving with a disturbing, fluid independence. One head lunged for a group of archers on the left flank, spraying a cone of pressurized acid.
Another head slammed into the ground near the center, throwing dirt and stone into the air to disrupt their vision.
"Get behind me!" Lucius roared.
The Captain stepped into the path of the central head. He slammed his towering shield into the mud, activating [Fortress Stance]. The light of his spell flared, creating a barrier that extended ten feet on either side of him.
