Beneath the serpent's winding mass, the ground itself began to soften and decay.
The concrete cracked, then oozed like the very earth had turned into pus.
The serpent's glowing eyes stayed fixed on a single direction.
The Sanctum of Masters' stronghold.
It could smell the blood, and the corpses there.
So many had died there recently. And that stench of death called to the N'Theris like a beacon.
A flash of light cut through the chaos.
The skyscraper—one the serpent was half-coiled around—was split clean into two halves.
The structure groaned and buckled before collapsing in on itself.
The serpent, caught off-guard mid-coil, was severed.
A good portion of its body flopped to the ground, writhing.
Dust and debris fell like rain.
"Cough... cough…"
Eleanor stumbled into view, clutching her ribs.
Her clothes were torn.
Her face and arms were bruised, and her breathing was heavy.
Her appearance flickered like a dying flame.
