The Beast of Burden rolled forward, its massive form pushing through the dense terrain without stopping for even a moment.
Its speed had increased, though only slightly.
After all, there was a limit to how fast a creature of its sheer magnitude could move.
Even so—
The fact that it could move this fast at all was a surprise.
Roma sat near the front, perched on one of the crates, her body subtly swaying with the tremors caused by the beast's every step.
Her gaze flickered backward, watching as a massive veil of darkness erupted from the heart of the forest.
She had seen many things before.
But this—
This was not natural.
At some point, during one of her stolen glances, a sudden miniature sun ignited within the shadows behind them—
A burst of blazing light, swallowing a portion of the abyss for a fleeting instant.
Roma's breath hitched.