Chapter 55: Fighting to Protect
Rhys hit the ground hard, the air escaping from his lungs in a gasp. Beside him, Eun-woo rolled on the wet stone, his arms shielding his face. The blow had been brutal, but not lethal. They were both conscious. Dazed and in pain.
The orange glow of the torches flickered on the walls as the fake Eun-woo’s body dissolved into golden particles, carried away by an invisible current.
And then, with a thud, the creature fell behind them. Its long, pale limbs pinned Rhys and Eun-woo to the ground.
Eun-woo growled as he felt the claws on his shoulder blades. As Rhys lifted his face a few inches, his eyes met Nolan’s.
The man remained seated, not having moved a single muscle since they arrived.
"Why?" Rhys muttered, his voice raspy. "Why are you doing all this?"
Nolan held his gaze.
"It’s not personal, Rhys," he replied, then nodded.
The creature reacted immediately. One of its limbs shot up, freeing Eun-woo’s body for a second, only to come down with a thud.
"No!" Rhys cried, writhing under the other limb, desperately trying to free himself, but the creature’s weight barely allowed him to move.
Eun-woo screamed, this time in a heart-rending tone. The creature had sunk its claws into his back and lifted him with monstrous ease, as if he weighed nothing.
Eun-woo’s body hung, trembling in pain. Blood trickled down his waist and legs.