"Fine. Just don't kill anyone," Alice pleaded, her voice trembling as she looked at the man who held their lives in his hands.
"Well, I will," he replied, his tone chillingly casual. "But just one person. And it's only to send a message."
He gestured toward the group with a flick of his wrist.
"Now, come with me. And you too. You are needed." As he spoke, he exerted a terrifying pressure over the sanctuary, weaving its energy together to reconstruct Retribution's shattered skull, mending bone and flesh as if they were mere clay.
With a sharp snap of his fingers, the world blurred.
The coordinates of their reality shifted instantly, depositing them on the scorched earth outside the castle walls.
Nearby, Michael, Leo, and Isobel stood restrained, their faces pale as they realized the danger they were in.
"Now for the final task before I depart," the attacker instructed, pointing a long, steady finger at the three captives.
