Chapter 5: A Battle for Survival
Rue seized his arm and ripped it off, discarding it into the river. Dark red blood began to pool on the dirt ground. His heart quickened, but his mind remained focused as he scanned his surroundings. In the distance, he caught the glint of eyes lurking in the brush, watching. He locked eyes with it, and instantly, the wolf let out a howl, charging at Rue and breaking her spell on Daegal. Daegal stepped back.
The woman who had once appeared delicate and calm was gone, replaced by a creature so grotesque, so twisted, that the memory of her kindness seemed like a distant dream. Her skin had dried and cracked, peeling like ancient parchment, and from her back, wings emerged—tattered and leathery, like those of a decayed bird, with feathers turned to ragged spikes.
Her wings flexed, spreading wide with a sickening crack. Without warning, she lunged at Daegal after fending off the wolf, her wings propelling her forward with terrifying speed. Daegal fought back, extending his right arm to grip Rue’s throat with terrifying force. His fingers transformed into claws, digging deep into her flesh. Blood oozed from her neck, tracing a crimson path down her now partially human form—the only human feature remaining was her beige, human-like chest, exposed through the tattered remnants of her clothing. The rest of her body, monstrous and unrecognizable, had shredded through the fabric as she transformed.
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