The sunlight blinded him for a second — but then his vision cleared.
The lakeside was in chaos.
Multiple monsters — dozens of them — had emerged from the trees surrounding the clearing.
Some were canine-like, with black fur and glowing green eyes.
Others were taller, with bulky arms and razor-sharp claws.
Their growls were guttural and monstrous, echoing through the clearing like a chorus of hellspawn.
His party was already in the thick of it.
His boots skidded violently against the muddy shore as he landed, a cough erupting from his throat as lake water spilled out of his mouth.
He barely had time to recover before the massive shape slithered up behind him, dragging a wave of water and pressure with it.
The beast — no, Eclipse — was already coiling its massive body, muscles shifting unnaturally beneath obsidian-black scales.
