Before my words could reach him, Aziel had already moved. His sword was out of its sheath in a split second, a silvery trail scything through the air. A single slash was all it took to sever the serpent's head. The body continued to thrash, spewing a viscous liquid that steamed as it hit the ground.
The chimera growled.
It didn't scream, it didn't roar. It was a low, deep growl that resonated from its core and seemed to crack the ground beneath our feet. The lids of its many eyes began to open, one after another, revealing pupils of varying sizes, dilated with anger and pain.
"Quick!" I shouted, pouring the rest of my mana into the circle.
The runes responded instantly, unleashing a blinding burst of light. Everything around us distorted: the air vibrated, sounds warped, and an invisible force sucked us violently out of the ground. Just before disappearing completely, the chimera reared up with a roar so brutal it seemed to tear the surroundings apart.
"BOOM!"
