Liam's smile widened into something that didn't belong on a human face.
The exhaustion bled out of his posture. The defensive stance straightened. And when he spoke, his voice had changed.
Lower. Older. Carrying weight that seemed to press against the air itself.
"It seems," he said. He didn't sound like Liam Cross or the struggling commander. "You're worthy enough to die by a God's hand."
Orin hesitated. Just for a heartbeat.
His greatsword was already descending, committed to the killing blow, but something in Liam's tone made his instincts scream warning.
The blade came down.
Liam didn't move.
[Sovereign's Presence - Evolve to Sovereign's Imposition]
[Cost: 20 EVP]
[Confirm: YES]
The aura hit like a physical wall.
Before, Sovereign's Presence had been intimidation. The weight of something ancient declaring its existence. Uncomfortable but resistible.
This was different.
This was absolute.
