Carmela and Joy realized very quickly that Cassius hadn't been exaggerating when he told them to keep up.
The moment they began sprinting through the dark forest, it felt as if the world itself blurred around them.
Cassius moved ahead like a phantom—effortless, silent, and impossibly fast and no matter how much they pushed themselves, they could barely keep his silhouette in sight.
Carmela grit her teeth, her body glowing faintly red as the veins beneath her pale skin pulsed with vampiric energy. The forest floor cracked beneath her feet with every step.
She was burning through her blood essence faster than she ever had before, her muscles screaming in protest, yet Cassius remained a distant shadow.
Joy, too, was struggling.
A soft golden radiance shimmered around her, her divine energy flaring as she sprinted at full force.
