Sorrin jumped to his feet the moment I cried out, but it was too late. Upon realizing its discovery, the monster shrieked and lunged forward, its scythe-like claws extended. The Wolfkin's sword was only halfway out of its sheath as the claws descended toward him, ears twitching in surprise and fear.
"Aegis!"
Gold light sprung up about him, narrowly deflecting the attack. Sorrin staggered back, finally freeing his sword and staring at the barrier in wonder. But before he could so much as thank me, the monster struck again, setting the Aegis trembling.
I frowned, carefully observing its attack patterns. This monster was the same as the others, a hulking mass of muscle, tooth, and claw, yet its attacks were far more concentrated. Instead of releasing its power in wild, erratic attacks, it attacked with purpose, intentionally targeting the same spot on the Aegis. It was far from perfect, still wasting the majority of its strength, but the difference in skills was obvious.
