"Alex… we need to move!" Sarah's voice cracked with urgency as the ground beneath them trembled, threatening to give way. The creature's enormous, snake-like form twisted and coiled, its glowing crimson eyes locked on them, a predator cornering its prey.
But Alex didn't move. He stood firm, his gaze locked on the beast as if staring it down would make it retreat. His sword gleamed under the cavern's eerie light, but Sarah could see the tension in his grip, the pulse in his jaw. He was ready to fight—ready to die for her.
"Sarah," his voice was low, filled with a calm she couldn't comprehend. "I need you to run."
Run? The thought jolted through her like ice. She couldn't leave him here, not now, not after everything. The idea of abandoning Alex—her only anchor in this chaos—felt like ripping apart something vital inside her.
"No," she said, stepping closer, her hand reaching out for him. "I'm not leaving you here."
