Although his heart had stopped beating, his blood had literally frozen within his veins, and his mind was about to follow, Cain refused to give up. The Neo-Demon clenched his teeth and fists with such force that his palms split open, blood dripping between his fingers. That pain, sharp and real, was the only thing anchoring him as he stood beneath the gaze of the world-sized entity looming above.
The being stared down at him for a few silent seconds before dissolving into a stream of smoke. The vapor coalesced again, reshaping itself into a towering humanoid form cloaked in darkness, lit only by a crimson glow. Sharp, angular wings unfolded from its back, each feather marked by a glowing, unblinking eye that watched from every direction. A burning red halo shimmered behind its horned head like a crown.
