A low growl reverberated from the creature's throat, like a deep rumble from the earth itself. Then, without warning, it lunged. The air shattered as its wings flared, sending gusts of wind that threatened to send Echo and the woman sprawling. The ground beneath their feet trembled as if the earth itself was quaking in fear.
Echo reacted instantly, raising his hand. His army of the dead surged forward in unison, phantasms and revenants appearing out of the very soil, their forms shifting and warping with the same energy that flowed through Echo. They charged at the creature with savage abandon, but the beast's presence was overwhelming. The first wave of skeletons was torn apart in seconds, their bones disintegrating into nothingness under the creature's might.
"Fall back!" Echo shouted to the woman, his voice strained with urgency. He knew they couldn't win by throwing their forces at the creature recklessly. This wasn't just a test of power—it was a test of strategy.
