‘Terrific!’ she said aloud, sarcastically, giving voice to her increased displeasure. The Meldbeast snorted in response; perhaps it too mocked her, she mused. The chimera had provided strange company since temporarily parting ways with Krashnar, who had left to infiltrate the vale with the intention of releasing The Guardian menace. She could see the foul moisture from its three mouths as the beast exhaled heavily, breathing hard whilst it thundered back and forth across the landscape, shepherding its dark flock steadily towards the vale. The Meldbeast’s stamina was unfathomable, defying the physical exertion it seemingly spent bounding across the moor. The Narlakai, by contrast, drifted effortlessly over the sparse terrain, engaging in erratic bouts of physical movement solely when choos

