Boren shouted, his voice rough, "Form up!"
Through the twisted trees emerged a massive quadruped, bark-skinned and hunched, its eyes glowing blue, oozing pus.
Roots pulsed from its back like writhing tentacles, slapping the ground, ripping up stone.
It roared—a guttural, earth-shaking "GRRRR-HRAAAAGH!"—the sound raw and jagged like splintering timber mixed with a choking, phlegmatic wail, reverberating through Leon's bones, making his teeth clench as the air itself seemed to shudder.
Saria's voice cut through the chaos. "Positions! Focus on its legs!"
Leon ran forward—too fast—his heart pounding, and fired a burst of fire at the Thornbeast's side.
The flames licked its bark but fizzled, doing nothing.
He cursed, his breath—" his arm—damn it!"—his fingers trembling. He tried a wind arc, the spell slicing shallowly into the bark but failing to pierce.
"I'm too—!" he gritted, his voice raw.
