UPDATED Prologue: Griff Driscoll and the Corruption of Essence (Book 1)

The monster was hungry, but that was about to change.

Large, black bats squeaked and fluttered their wings at the beast, though their display did nothing but make it rumble more with anticipation. The alligator-like monster swayed its long, heavily armored tail back and forth, the three spikes at the end scraping against the stony cavern ground. It shifted its weight restlessly across all six of its legs as it stared up at the stalactite-covered ceiling and the dinner hanging from it.

A small lake of lava behind the monster cast a hellish red glow that pulsed across the stony walls. Molten bubbles popped and sizzled carelessly, but the monster ignored them, keeping its two curved horns pointed toward its desire.

As if playing with its food, it snarled and snapped its mouth open and shut, briefly revealing rows of sharp, deadly teeth.

A growing rumble shook the cave and a fiery pillar rose from the surface of the lava, distracting the monster. As soon as it turned its head toward the scene, the bats zipped across the molten lake and into one of the exit tunnels.

The monster roared and lunged for a low flyer but was unsuccessful. It huffed angrily and turned instead to watch the column of lava.

The pillar shifted slowly and methodically, changing its shape to fit the twisted magic within. One black hole emerged toward the top. Then another. The cavern continued to rumble and shake until the once-smooth column of magma molded itself into a skull.

The rumbling stopped and the skull floated in place over the lake silently, like an undead warrior on watch. Below the floating figure, the lava resumed its carefree bubbling and boiling. All was quiet and peaceful in the cavern.

Then a scream—a man’s scream, one that grew in intensity and ferocity—broke the silence and filled the air.

The skull exploded. The entire cavern echoed as the blistering lava sizzled against the damp walls. The beast cocked its bulky head but held its position. A man’s hand emerged from the lake and grasped the stone edge of the cavern floor. The monster bowed low.

Something big was coming.

END OF PROLOGUE

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