Ethan stood atop the city walls, eyes narrowed as he stared out at the desolate horizon.
"Who told me Pincer-tailed Sand Badgers were brainless creatures?" he muttered.
His surprise was echoed by the others—Uncle Jed, Ormund, and Inugoro all stared in stunned silence. Clara, Nora, Dot, and Little Empty had already been taken away by Ormund's kin. That much gave Ethan a small measure of comfort. After witnessing his evolution through the Divine Contract, Ormund's relatives now treated him with the utmost respect, bordering on reverence.
Outside the massive city walls, the landscape was chaos. A slow-moving horde of Pincer-tailed Sand Badgers advanced steadily, kicking up waves of sand. Ahead of them, a terrified mass of people fled in panic—humans, beastfolk, and hybrids all running for their lives. Their destination was Beastfall City, whose four gates were now firmly shut.
