Nick froze.
His breath caught in his throat like he choked on a piece of food a bit too large, and every instinct in his body screamed at him to run — to turn tail and get the fuck out of there as fast as his pathetic legs could carry him.
But he didn't.
Or couldn't, rather.
Because if he did, the Radiant Slayers nearby would spot him, and recognise him in an instant.
'Don't tell me this fucker started going after the weakest members first again — and chose me this time!?'
The Mantis' head stayed perfectly still, with its insect eyes glinting with some sort of eerie bug intelligence.
Only its mandibles twitched, clicking faintly as it processed what it just sensed.
That slight shift in the wind. That almost imperceptible sound of a breath being sucked in too fast.
Nick wanted to slap himself a thousand times over.
'Had I actually gasped out loud? What kind of rookie bullshit was that?!'
It was too late crying over what can't be undone though.
