A blinding crimson flash tore through the heavens as Valerian descended like a meteor, his cloak flaring behind him, shadowed wings unfurling from his back. Each beat sent shockwaves across the ruined battlefield. The earth split beneath his landing, carving canyons into the stone as the full wrath of the System surged within him.
Kael staggered back, his armor cracked, left arm hanging useless at his side. "He's… changed again."
Selene's lips parted. "That's not just evolution. That's… assimilation."
Behind them, Seraphina and Lira fought to suppress the rift that had opened during Valerian's awakening. Black tendrils of otherworldly energy slithered out of the chasm, hissing like serpents, each one seeking blood and chaos. The very air around the tear shimmered with malevolent hunger, and reality itself seemed to recoil from what lay beyond.
