GUARDIAN OF THE FIFTH REALM

CHAPTER 9

Jace didn’t argue. The sheer force of the creature’s presence was enough to ignite every survival instinct in his body. He turned and bolted, Aila close behind him. The fortress’s dim corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, shadows clawing at their edges, warping and twisting as if alive.

Behind them, the beast’s thunderous footsteps echoed, each one shaking the ground like a war drum. It wasn’t just chasing them, it was hunting them, and Jace could feel it's intent like a weight pressing on his chest.

“What is that thing?” Jace shouted over his shoulder, his voice breaking with panic.

“A Shadow Goliath,” Aila replied, her tone sharp and urgent. “A remnant of the Void’s siege on this realm. I thought they were extinct.”

“Well, it’s definitely not extinct!” Jace yelled, nearly tripping as the ground cracked beneath him.

Aila thrust her staff forward, casting a spell that sent a burst of light into the corridor behind them. The light exploded like a flare, momentarily slowing the Goliath