The biting north wind blew without pause. The animals lay limply on the ground. Their thick hides could withstand the harshest storms, but that very protection had now become a hindrance.
Sprawled helplessly on the ground, one animal lowered its head, crowned with enormous horns, toward a puddle. Its long tongue stretched out for a gentle lick. Its thick fur bristled, wet and clumped together, and it squeezed its eyelids shut against the relentless hot wind. The heavy stench of sulfur filled every breath. Unable to endure the heat any longer, it staggered to its feet, kicked off with its hind hooves, and charged into the distance with the last of its strength.
The fence, lashed together from uneven logs, failed to stop it. It ran, leaped, and soared high over the barrier.
Whoosh! A transparent arrow sliced through the air from afar.
Its leaping body stopped dead in midair. Tremendous force surged from the arrow, sending it hurtling backward. Thud! It crashed heavily to the ground. Bright red blood slowly trickled from its neck, staining its damp fur crimson.
A stir ran through the other animals sprawled on the ground, panting for breath. They let out mournful cries, their eyes turning toward the towering figure beyond the fence, every gaze filled with fear.
The hot wind sweeping out of the demon camp also reached Rex and his companions. Lying quietly in the grass, they were already familiar with the Burning Legion and knew that this warm wind was perfectly normal. Rex frowned slightly as he caught the faint sulfurous odor drifting from the camp. The sulfur stench on these demons was a little too strong, stirring an ominous premonition within him.
After a long while, the bright sunlight overhead began to dim to an amber glow, and the distant