The ground beneath Emma's feet cracked open like a giant egg. Black smoke poured out, and something enormous began climbing through the crack.
"Run!" Kael shouted, grabbing Emma's hand.
But before they could move, the thing spoke. Its voice sounded like a thousand people talking at once.
"Hello, Emma Moon. I've been waiting so long to meet you."
The creature that emerged wasn't like anything Emma had ever seen. It looked like a person, but also like a skeleton, but also like smoke. Sometimes it was solid, sometimes see-through. Its eyes glowed red like hot coals.
"What are you?" Emma whispered.
"I am the Necro-Sovereign. I exist between life and death. I am neither alive nor dead, but both at the same time."
All around them, the other versions of Emma stepped back in fear. Even Future Emma looked scared.
"You're the real enemy," Shadow Emma said. "Not the Devourer."
