Chapter 430: Trapped Beneath the Sand
The Beast-Wolf clutched the Sigil of the Wild Legion—its earth-toned glow dim under the heavy tension—but there was no triumph in its heart. The moment Ethan vanished, it realized something was off. He hadn’t fled in panic. He’d planned this.
Still, the other monstrous beasts, newly arrived and oblivious to the trick, were transfixed by the Sigil. Their eyes—large as boulders—locked on the artifact in the Beast-Wolf’s grip. Ethan’s escape didn’t concern them; the Sigil did. That one object could change everything. If it could awaken their long-lost King, if it could restore the one who once united beastkind... then whoever possessed it might rise with him. As the old legends echoed in their blood, they burned with a feral hunger. If the King returned, he might lead them away from this godforsaken Sea of Death once and for all.
"Beast-Wolf!" a shrill voice rang from above. "Hand over the Sigil of the Wild Legion!"
The Golden Falcon had arrived. It descended from the sky like a streak of gold lightning, eyes sharp and deadly. It had nearly caught Ethan earlier—almost. But Ethan had gambled on one simple truth: no avian could dive straight down at a perfect ninety degrees without losing control. That’s why he’d shouted to Ormund to drop—hard and fast—just before the Golden Falcon could reach them. It had worked.
Now, the Sigil-holding Beast-Wolf hesitated. Its eyes darted between the Falcon and the other titans of beastkind, calculating its odds.
"Hmph... why waste time with that bird?" A deep, grating voice interrupted. "Give it to me!"
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The ground trembled as a massive bull—his left horn shattered from an earlier clash—charged forward with murderous fury. This was the same savage bull Ethan had struck with the Sigil earlier. Its temper, already infamous, was now volcanic. The other beasts scattered, unwilling to get caught in its path.
The Beast-Wolf, cunning and cornered, made its decision. "Fine. Here."
Whoosh—Thwack!
The Sigil flew through the air and smacked the charging bull right on the forehead. But instead of being empowered—or calmed—the Sigil cracked apart with a loud snap, its yellow glow dimming and dying.
The bull skidded to a halt, stunned. Its crossed eyes focused on the now-useless fragment sitting on its snout. "I didn’t even hit it that hard..."