章 1819: Pursued

Rain froze, afraid to move. 

There, below her, far away, something was moving in the darkness. Sunlight did not reach that deep into the canyon, but she was still able to discern a vague and frightening shape.

The creature was immense and hunched, with countless arms protruding like a sinewy forest from its massive hump. She thought she saw a clawed hand reaching up to grab the weathered rocks, and in the next moment, an echoing sound of rolling stones rose from the canyon. 

Rain's whole body grew tense. 

The Awakened Tyrant they had fought before falling into the river seemed to be alive. Worse than that, it was here now, either by coincidence or because it had followed their scent. 

For a moment, her heart was drowned with fear. 

She had battled and slain many Nightmare Creatures. Most of them were dormant, while some were Awakened. The strongest of them had been the Huntsman... and she barely survived that fight.