At the heart of the great basin a few days later, deep within the darkened forest, an ancient presence stirred from its slumber. A dense fog seeped outward, thick enough to drown any who breathed it, laced with the sickly-sweet scent of mana-infused decay.
Slowly, a colossal form rose, sinews cracking like thunder, shaking centuries-old trees and scattering terrified creatures in every direction. Twin eyes, glowing an infernal shade of violet, snapped open, piercing through the shadows like twin stars burning with cold fury.
The Demon Fox was awake.
Its titanic form shifted, fur black as obsidian and shimmering faintly with eerie mana. The beast stretched slowly, lazily at first, but each movement radiated barely-contained power.
The air tasted metallic, thick with bloodlust, tinged with the acrid scent of ozone from the sheer mana saturation. Even the air around the fox trembled, as if afraid to touch the creature.
Then it froze.
