As Talia flew back, Lian Feng surged to her side, while Marcus—jaw clenched—hammered his fist against the Thornmaw's hindlimb once more.
His wrist buckled. Blood erupted from splitting skin. He lurched backward, screaming.
Kaito had lunged forward despite knowing there was likely no way to wound the monstrosity. He glanced at Isolde, who took slow, trembling steps in retreat.
"Isolde! Get back here! Flank it from the other side!"
Her eyes widened. Instead of shooting toward them, she bolted—vanishing through the entanglements of tree branches like smoke through wooden fingers.
The Thornmaw reeled back from Kage, and he crumpled to the ground, vomiting blood.
Bei snarled from another angle, howling for the abomination to step away from its master—but the sound was small, unnoticed by the threat of the forest. The Thornmaw didn't even spare a glance.
Instead, it staggered, lurching like something fought to dislodge itself from its back. Only it wasn't its back.
