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It appears maw-first, its mouth gaping, each of its teeth the size of your forearm. Its eyes are black and empty, its body marked by poison-bright stripes. Huge claws dig into the soft, mossy earth as it glides forward, moving so fast you know you could never outrun it, using its long grass-green tail for balance. The whole creature is over thirty feet long.

The crumpled body of one of your fellow soldiers draws its attention. The monster lowers its head, prods the corpse with its small arms, then swallows the dead man in two quick bites.

Alexius gasps, and the monster's gaze snaps to him.

"Not fair," the merchant whispers as, with a hideous bellow, the monster charges him—charges all three of you, as controllers scatter to avoid being trampled!