Back in the battlefield, Abraham's smile slowly twisted into a snarl.
The sky above the academy roared as the dragons descended, their wings beating violently, fire and wind tearing through the air. Yet before they could press their advantage, the ground beneath the forest shuddered.
A deep, ancient tremor rolled outward, snapping trees apart and cracking the earth like fragile glass.
From within the ground, something massive began to rise. Soil, roots, and frozen stone were flung aside as a colossal shape emerged, its body smooth and curved, resembling a monstrous dolphin carved by the hands of time itself.
Its eyes burned crimson.
The moment it appeared, the entire battlefield fell into a suffocating silence.
Even the dragons hesitated midair, their instincts screaming danger. An overwhelming presence flooded the forest, cold and absolute, pressing down on every living thing like an unseen ocean.
The creature released a low, echoing cry.
Ice answered.
