The brute's grip tightened around Shu's ankle while the second one raised both arms over its head, making the clearing feel smaller all of a sudden.
He yanked hard and felt nothing but pain shoot up his leg. The thing stuck in the sinkhole did not budge, and the one in front of him was already bringing both fists down.
'Well fuck,' he thought, twisting his body and raising the bat anyway. 'This is what I get for being a little too confident.'
A silver flash cut across his vision before the hit landed, making the brute's arm slide off first.
For a second, the monster did not seem to understand what happened. Then dark sap burst from the cut, and the entire arm crashed into the ground while the rest of its body staggered sideways with a roar.
Shu was frozen in shock, then looked up just in time to see Raniel step through the fog.
