The air pulsed with tension, the ground still trembling faintly from the impact of my crash. I lay sprawled in a jagged crater of shattered concrete, my black coat dusted with rubble, its purple seams glinting faintly in the moonlight.
Alaric threw his head back, his laughter erupting like a storm. "Bwahahahaha!" he roared, his voice echoing across the island as he looked up at the sky, his red aura flaring brighter, crackling with energy. Lightning split the night, jagged bolts flashing in sync with his manic glee, the air shimmering with heat. He lowered his gaze to my unmoving body, his smirk widening.
"Is this it, Zero?" he taunted, his voice dripping with scorn. "The great hero, done already?"
The crowd on the beach below gasped, their faces pale, their earlier cheers replaced by panicked whispers. A woman in a sundress clutched her friend's arm, her voice trembling. "Is this really over for Zero?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear. "He's not moving!"
