For an extremely brief moment, Alden froze.
His thoughts ceased their turbulent flow and his mind turned numb, unable to process what the squall of furious, blinding motion signified. Then, as if understanding the gravity of the sudden situation, he quickly snapped out of it, his instincts screaming a horrible, dreadful song.
The Keeper's Apprentice cursed.
"EVERYBODY JUMP!"
Abruptly, a terrible tremor rocked the molten plain; the ground quaked, craters shuddered and a vast crack suddenly tore through the igneous landscape.
Alden leaped into the air, his mana surging through his body like a seething river.
Responding to his dire call, the Provisional Paladin squad followed his lead, springing into the air like swift arrows. They shifted their gaze below, a silent, alarmed question brewing in their eyes - only Avel, Clay, Terra and the rest of the Stonewardens seemed to show no apprehension.
Perhaps they had come across a similar situation, before.
