The first thing Zayn and the others noticed were the beast corpses.
And not just a few. Dozens.
They were scattered all across the battlefield, many with clean wounds — and some with massive, caved-in chests like someone had just punched the anatomy out of them.
Zayn crouched next to one of the larger ones, poking its crushed ribcage with the hilt of his sword. "I'm half sure Ragnar did this."
"No kidding," Tobias said, arms crossed. "That one's missing its spine."
"Brutal," Bran muttered.
"Elisse, you okay?" Kara asked.
The busty cleric nodded but held her sleeve to her nose. "I'm fine. Just… so much blood."
Yeah, the stench was everywhere.
Even with the wind blowing, it clung to them — metallic and thick, mixed with whatever gross monster fluids these beasts had instead of normal insides.
Tobias didn't wait long.
"We're late," he said bluntly. "Let's keep going."
And so they did — quietly, boots crunching through ash, charred grass, and the occasional dismembered claw.
