Tave and Panpan stood back-to-back, weapons drawn, every breath locked in synch with each other. They didn't speak. They didn't need to. The tension in the air was enough to tell them everything.
Their hearts pounded. Their focus was razor-sharp.
All their senses, tuned only for survival.
The three demons surrounding them moved slowly, deliberately, circling like predators. They weren't huge like the other elite demon Tave had seen. But they carried a different kind of power. A colder, sharper, more practiced presence.
And they opened their mouths with mockery.
"Well, look at this. You two rats actually made it this far. What a waste of effort."
"You think running matters? You're still meat. Still prey. Just more annoying to kill."
"Keep struggling, it makes your death more entertaining."
Tave didn't respond.
