The attack gave no warning.
It didn't begin with a sound.
Or a signal.
It began with… absence.
Max was the first to feel it.
The air shifted.
Again.
But this time…
it was worse.
Heavier.
More… alive.
"Something's wrong," he said, already getting to his feet.
Rick reacted instantly.
"Him."
Elena went still.
Eyes sharp.
"He came to us."
Daniel grabbed his gun.
"Great… makes it easier."
Celine said nothing.
But she was ready.
And then—
The lights went out.
Darkness fell like a blow.
Total.
Dense.
Wrong.
And then—
The walls began to move.
Not physically.
But… visually.
As if space itself were warping.
"This isn't real," Daniel said.
"It is," Elena replied. "Just not our reality."
And then—
The voice.
Stronger than ever.
Closer.
"I've been waiting…"
The air trembled.
"…for you."
Max stepped forward.
"Then show yourself."
Silence.
And then—
He came.
Not walking.
Not appearing.
But… forming.
The same presence.
But more stable now.
More defined.
More… present.
"You persist…" the entity said.
Its shape rippled.
Unstable.
But powerful.
"I've only just started," Max replied.
A sound came from the creature.
Something like… laughter.
"Yes."
A pause.
"You have begun."
The air turned colder.
"But you won't finish."
The followers appeared.
From all sides.
As if they had always been there.
Hidden.
Waiting.
And then—
Chaos.
Daniel firing.
Rick charging.
Max trying to reach the witch.
Elena—
Stopped.
Frozen.
"Elena!" Rick shouted.
Too late.
The witch looked straight at her.
And slowly…
raised his hand.
"You…"
The voice echoed.
"You were always… interesting."
Elena tried to move.
But couldn't.
"No!" Rick lunged forward.
But he was thrown back—
as if struck by something invisible.
The impact was brutal.
Sharp.
He hit the ground hard.
No air.
No reaction.
"Rick!" Max shouted.
But the focus had shifted.
To Elena.
The air around her began to distort.
And then—
The blood.
The scent.
The hunger.
All of it hit at once.
Stronger than ever.
"No…" she tried to resist.
But the voice came.
From within.
"Let go…"
Her eyes changed.
Completely.
Dark.
Hungry.
"Elena…" Max said, trying to approach.
"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" she screamed.
But it wasn't her.
Not entirely.
The witch watched.
Interested.
"This…"
His voice expanded.
"…is what you truly are."
Rick tried to get up.
But his body wouldn't respond.
The pain was overwhelming.
Internal.
Deep.
"Get up…" he muttered.
But he couldn't.
His eyes searched—
and found her.
Elena.
Out of control.
And something inside him…
broke.
He forced his body.
Even without strength.
Even without air.
And stood.
Staggering.
"Hey…"
She turned.
Fast.
Instant.
Eyes locked on him.
Predatory.
"You don't want this…" he said.
She moved.
In a second.
Faster than ever.
And stopped—
inches from him.
Her gaze locked onto his.
Her body trembling.
"Go…" she whispered.
But it wasn't her voice.
"No."
Rick held his ground.
Even knowing.
"I'm not letting you become this."
Silence.
And then—
She struck.
But not him.
She turned—
and ran.
Disappearing.
Fast.
Into the city.
"NO!" Max shouted.
Too late.
"Now you see…" said the witch.
His voice stronger.
More present.
"What you are."
Max charged.
With rage.
With everything.
But stopped—
mid-step.
Because the air itself…
wouldn't let him move.
"Who are you?!" he shouted.
Silence.
Then—
"My name…"
The form stabilized for a moment.
Just enough.
"Malachor."
The name echoed.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Wrong.
"And I…"
A pause.
"…have already begun."
The world trembled.
And then—
He vanished.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't peace.
It was aftermath.
"Rick…" Max rushed to him.
He was on the ground.
Struggling to breathe.
Too weak.
"Stay with me," Max said.
Rick tried to laugh.
Failed.
"Is it bad?"
"It's terrible."
"Good…"
A pause.
"At least I tried."
Max held him.
"You're not dying here."
"That's not your call."
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Outside…
Screams.
Running.
Panic.
Elena.
"We need to move," Daniel said.
"She's going to kill someone," Celine added.
Max closed his eyes for a second.
Then stood.
"Then we stop her."
Celine stepped closer.
Closer than before.
"You won't do this alone."
Max looked at her.
And for the first time…
there was no distance.
"I know."
A pause.
"Then you're not going alone."
Their eyes held—
for a second longer.
And that…
was different.
Far away…
In the city…
Elena ran.
But not like before.
Now—
Without control.
Without limits.
Without restraint.
And then—
The first innocent appeared.
She stopped.
Eyes locked.
Breathing heavy.
And then—
She lunged.
Back at the building…
Max looked at Daniel.
At Celine.
And then at Rick.
Barely alive.
"This isn't over," Daniel said.
"No," Max replied.
His gaze hardened.
Sharper.
More determined.
"Now it's really begun."
And deep…
Very deep…
The voice returned.
Distant.
But still there.
"And you…"
A pause.
"…will be the first to break."