522: Dark Soul Suckers

Caleb and the ant had barely taken a few steps towards the wounded lion and gorilla when the ground beneath them abruptly shifted. With a deafening rumble, a massive crack split the earth, swallowing the two monsters whole before snapping shut as though nothing had happened.

"Holy hell!" Caleb exclaimed, jumping back, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and fascination.

The ant, however, didn't seem as surprised, its antennae twitching slightly in recognition of the forest's brutal laws.

Before Caleb could ask, the ground where the two beasts had lain exploded upwards, forming into a towering humanoid shape made entirely of sand. The creature, lacking eyes but possessing a grotesque, gaping mouth, emitted strange, garbled noises that resonated like a whispering wind through dry leaves.

"That there's a peak level 2 monster, almost touching level 3," the ant informed Caleb, scribbling nervously in the dirt with its stick.