As the enormous mouth snapped shut, a sticky sound echoed, and bright red blood splattered at Uijae's feet. *Crunch, crunch…* The deafening noise of bones being ground into pieces followed. Gradually, the white dust began to settle.

The white creature that had fallen from the sky looked like a massive snake—or perhaps a sea cucumber. Its long body, disproportionate to its short, wriggling limbs, squirmed like a lamppost come to life. Its head tilted toward the sky as if swallowing one final piece, while its bluish eyes scanned its surroundings. Even under the gaze of a skilled tracker, there was …