Return to the Ruins

The group staggered out of the ruins, their breaths ragged and their bodies worn from the desperate retreat. The shard beasts halted at the edge of the ruins, their glowing eyes watching with eerie stillness. 

The humanoid creature, however, remained in the shadowed doorway, its crystalline form shimmering faintly. It let out a low growl before retreating into the darkness, and the beasts followed. For a moment, there was only the sound of the wind and the group's labored breathing.

"What... was that thing?" Roger asked, breaking the silence. His voice wavered, betraying the fear he had tried to mask earlier.

"Something worse than shard beasts," Matilda said grimly, wiping blood from her blade. "And it's staying there for now. That's all we need to know."

Moritaka sheathed his weapon with practiced calm, his eyes scanning the horizon. "This isn't over. They'll come again, and next time, they won't wait for us to invade their nest."