As Ethan met Alden's eyes, the two shared a brief, silent exchange.
Ethan gritted his teeth, then nodded once and stepped through the portal, vanishing into the swirling portal without another word. His figure disappeared in a ripple of warped space.
Azrael followed right after him, long coat fluttering, shadows trailing from his feet as he passed through the gateway.
Alden lingered for a heartbeat longer.
While stepping into the portal, he glanced back at Alex and smirked. "I'm counting on you, you bastard. Like always."
Alex snorted. "Then prepare to die… I'm not even sure if I can beat him."
"I'll enjoy seeing you get beaten half to death before that happens," Alden replied. The remark carried more trust than mockery.
Alex's mouth twitched. He shot him an annoyed glare just as Alden vanished into the portal's light. The tear in space began to shrink behind him.
"That chicken bastard…" Alex muttered under his breath.
---
Zarvok's voice roared across the frozen world.
