The worm slammed its massive body sideways, toppling stone and bone alike. Then its mouth opened—wide enough to swallow a cart whole—and bit down.
Screams cut short.
Dozens vanished in an instant, torn from the world before they even knew what hit them.
Max clenched his fists and spun toward Eir.
"What now? People are dying!"
Eir staggered, both hands gripping his hair.
"I… I don't know! We're finished…"
Max's eyes tracked the beast. Every tremor it made stirred memories of Dunehaven. The smoke. The blood. The faces he couldn't save.
He wanted to run.
He wanted to freeze.
But he couldn't. He couldn't let what happened to Dunehaven happen again.
He tapped the side of his wristband.
"Deploy Max Alpha and Max Beta."
A second later, the sky split open.
