The ant exploded forward.
Directly toward Eun Byol.
Its black scythe appendages launched toward her in a single violent motion.
She felt it before she saw it.
The change in wind.
The vibration in the earth beneath her feet.
Her blade came up hard.
Mana flowing out of it, rushing through the steel, reaching the deepest part of her core and pulling from there.
She deflected the first attack.
The force of it pushed her back a step.
The creature didn't pause.
Swung again.
Left this time.
She jumped back.
Dodging.
The creature didn't lose momentum.
Didn't breathe.
Continued its relentless advance.
She used the tree behind her.
Planted her foot against the bark.
Her legs slowly changing shape as they bent backward, the momentum reversing, using the tree to gain height and direction.
She launched herself out of the ant's path.
Her hands dug into the earth as she landed.
The ant's attack hit the tree behind her.
Left a powerful clean cut in the wood.
Deep.
Final.
Eun Byol rolled across the dirt.
Just for a second.
In that second her eyes found something.
A wound on the beast's back.
Black blood oozing slow and thick.
And where wings had once been—burnt stumps.
Small cut marks where something large had been removed.
Torn away.
Long ago.
Ha Joon came like a raging bull.
Both hands gripping the blade.
Rushing forward without hesitation.
Their eyes met for an instant.
Hers guiding him.
To the wound.
To the weak spot.
He trusted it.
Drove the blade forward.
Into the beast.
Twisted it.
The ant screamed.
Convulsed.
Threw him aside like paper caught in wind.
His grip never let go of the blade.
He flew with it.
Eun Byol moved.
Caught him mid-air.
The impact of both of them bounced and slid across the ground, Eun Byol grinding her teeth against the pain shooting through her arms, her shoulders, her chest.
They got up.
Ran.
The ant followed.
Its footsteps bouncing through the forest around them.
Trees rushing past.
Green everywhere.
Then the ground changed.
Dropped away.
They fell.
Rolling.
Down and down and down.
Tumbling through grass and dirt and root.
Finally stopping at the bottom.
Hard.
Still.
Ha Joon looked up.
The ant stood at the top of the slope.
Looking down.
Moving along the edge.
Left.
Right.
Searching.
Screaming.
Not following.
Ha Joon grabbed Eun Byol.
Pulled her into the bush beside him.
They pressed together.
Still.
Breathing through their teeth.
Above them the ant moved.
Screamed again.
Searched the tree line.
Ha Joon and Eun Byol held the silence between them like something fragile.
Like something that could shatter and get them both killed.
The ant screamed once more.
The forest answered with nothing.