And with a roar, he leapt forward, right into the heart of the beast.
His blade flashed—a clean, deliberate arc—and the creature split in two with a sickening, wet crack.
The severed halves collapsed to either side like broken walls, their twisted limbs twitching before dissolving into black mist.
Alex landed hard in the small space his attack had carved open.
Behind him, the others blitzed past, one after the other, jumping into the glowing gate without hesitation.
"Hurry!" Adam shouted, his voice distant but urgent as he dove into the portal.
The storm cloud loomed behind Alex, an unrelenting wall of chaos. Its speed had increased, like it knew it had missed its last victim.
But Alex didn't flinch.
He looked right at it—at the boiling darkness clawing toward him.
Then he jumped.
The air around him shimmered as he passed through the threshold of the gate. Behind him, the cloud lunged—but it was too late.
