*Boom!*
Adrian leaped backward on pure reflex, without thinking, his body acting well before his mind had time to analyze the situation. A fraction of a second earlier and he would still have been there, right at the spot where the impact had just shredded the ground.
The sand had exploded under the violence of the attack, blasted in every direction as if a mine had just detonated. Burning particles stung his cheeks, but he didn't even blink.
His boots plowed the ground for several meters. He dug in his heels, fought against the momentum trying to throw him off balance, and finally came to a controlled slide. The sand crunched under his soles as he slowly raised his head, muscles still tensed, ready to react to the slightest suspicious movement.
It was at that moment that the wind rose.
