The creature rose to its full height.
And then it smiled.
The sight alone was enough to make Leo uncomfortable. Not because the smile was terrifying, but because it looked wrong. The creature had no mouth. Yet somehow the dozens of eyes covering its face curved slightly, creating the illusion of a smile. The effect lasted only a moment before the eyes returned to normal.
The creature did not attack immediately or mindlessly.
The trio also didn't rush forward.
For a few seconds, both sides simply observed one another. Leo could feel the pressure in the clearing increasing little by little. The distortion was gone, yet the influence remained. It sat in the air like an invisible fog. The Shell of Dread continued suppressing it, but he could tell the creature was actively probing their minds.
Then the creature tilted its head. The eyes blinked.
Every tree around the clearing suddenly shook.
Leo's instincts kicked in. "Move."
The three of them scattered immediately.
