The night sky sprawled vast above the island, a glittering canopy of stars shimmering under the moon's pale glow, casting a silver sheen across the restless ocean below.
Across from me, Alaric had risen to his feet. Blood trickled down his cheek, a thin crimson line that he wiped away with the back of his hand, his red eyes glowing with unyielding defiance.
I turned to face him, my boots crunching on the broken ground, my dark aura flaring slightly. "Still not done, huh?" I said, my voice a mix of exasperation and taunt, my smirk sharp as I tilted my head, sizing him up.
The crowd on the beach below buzzed with nervousness. A guy in a tank top, clutching a beer, shook his head, his eyes wide. "Damn, that alien's tough," he said, his voice thick with awe. "Taking a hit like that and still standing?"
