Agony lanced through his chest as his ribs cracked under the pressure, the sharp pain radiating into his back. His spine screamed with every twitch, and he could feel his body protesting in ways that told him the damage was severe. The world spun violently as he skidded to a halt, gasping for air that refused to fill his lungs properly.
Cyrus coughed, the taste of iron flooding his mouth as he spat out a thick mouthful of blood. His vision blurred for a moment, pain radiating from every fiber of his being, but he forced himself to focus. As he blinked the haze from his eyes, his heart dropped.
The creature was already there—standing over him, as though it had folded space and time itself, appearing before him in an instant. Its monstrous frame loomed above, casting a menacing shadow over Cyrus' broken form. The sapphire flames flickered in its eyes, cold and unfeeling, its twisted mouth curling into a sinister grin that spoke of utter dominance.
