Kael didn't know what happened.
One moment, death was seconds away—a golden sphere screaming toward him, ready to tear him from existence.
And then—
Something struck him first.
Faster than light.
Colder than death.
Writhing.
Alive.
Then came the impact—
BOOM.
—louder than thunder.
Darkness swallowed his vision.
Kael screamed.
Not in pain—but in pure shock.
He was still alive.
Breathing.
He opened his eyes, heart pounding, lungs heaving.
And saw Eiden staring at him—eyes wide, sword lowered.
Aerik was backing away, shouting something incoherent.
Even Yue was frozen, her voice caught in her throat, face pale.
Then Kael saw himself.
His red mask—coated in shifting black.
Something had covered him.
Wrapped around every inch of his body.
Not armor. Not cloth.
Something alive.
Like a liquid shadow, it pulsed and squirmed.
From his back, four massive tendrils rose—slick, monstrous things that twisted through the air, hungry.
