The sound of Noah's voice barely reached me through the ringing in my ears.
My body didn't move fast enough as the world tilted before me.
Something cold, sharp, and impossibly heavy tore through my chest.
For a moment, there was no pain, just surprise, then my eyes dropped, and I saw the obsidian blade buried deep in me, black and slick with my blood.
The Kalki's monstrous form towered over me, its breath steady, as burning red eyes locked on mine.
"Do you see now, old man?" it said, voice rough yet calm, almost sorrowful as if it was reminiscing something.
"Even kings bleed the same as the rest."
I wanted to reply, to make some witty remark, but when I opened my mouth, only blood came out.
I could taste iron and smoke. My knees dropped to the floor, and I stumbled backward, crashing to the ground as the dagger in my hand slipped away.
I tried to hold it, to lift it one last time, but my fingers trembled too much to hold anything anymore.
"GRANDPA!!"
