confusion

Hyuen felt as if his heart would burst from the rapidly rising fear; something hot crept into his mouth. He shook his head violent attempting to discharge both the fear and that strange feeling. Still, the feeling, as if he would regurgitate, was felt. Eyes wide, innate power rising yet he fought this while he continually tried his best to rise, to struggle to his feet. Behind him he heard the sound of thumping, but with the serpentine beast in front of him, what if behind him was something a bit more terrifying?

After contemplating a bit, twisting his head behind him Hyuen gathered his courage, yet before; he could fully prepare himself, Hyuen felt terror rise. Suddenly he found himself looking at a red spiked tail. His back shivered at the long scaled back which entered his sight a while later. How could he not notice this scaled back before the spiked thumping scaled tail?