Chapter 40: Battle at dunehaven
Chaos tore through the settlement. The ground split wide, carving deep fractures through stone paths and foundations. Homes cracked. Lantern poles fell. Settlers ran in every direction, some shouting names, others screaming wordless terror as the earth heaved beneath them.
The warning was clear.
The worm was coming.
WHOOSH.
Air twisted. Pressure shifted.
Ash and Kael blinked into the center of town. One heartbeat they weren't there—next, they stood among the settlers.
A few gasped. One woman stumbled back, clutching her chest. Others just stared, wide-eyed, too stunned to speak.
Old Man Mark stood still, the only calm shape in a sea of panic. His gaze snapped to Ash the moment they appeared.
"So?"
His voice cut clean through the noise.
Ash's boots scraped as he stepped forward.