"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!"
The sky itself seemed to split apart.
The beam of raw energy carved across the ring, tearing through leagues of obsidian plains. Even after the explosion faded, the echo of its fury lingered — a trembling silence heavy with ash and blood.
Bradly's body hurtled across the broken ground, carving a deep trench in the crystal surface. Trails of golden blood marked his passage until he finally came to a halt, crashing hard onto his knees.
The Neo-Angel knelt in the dust, his breath ragged and uneven. Half of his body was blackened and scorched beyond recognition. His flesh peeled away in molten ribbons, and every cough sent a mouthful of golden blood splattering onto the cracked floor.
The internal damage was immense.
And yet — impossibly — he still lived.
Even now, his burned muscles trembled as he pushed himself upright. One good eye remained open, flickering weakly with turquoise light, struggling to regain focus.
But he was not finished.
