The air around the crash site felt heavier than before, as if the very atmosphere understood that what stood before them was no longer a wounded enemy crawling out of wreckage, but something far worse. Smoke drifted slowly around the shattered remains of Kael's aircraft, and in the middle of it all, he stood upright, unharmed, untouched by the flames that had consumed everything else.
Harper stepped forward, rifle raised steadily despite the tremor she felt in her chest. Esta stood slightly to her side, calm on the surface but watchful, her eyes carefully studying every movement Kael made. Around them, a handful of Earth soldiers formed a defensive line, boots scraping against broken concrete as they adjusted their stance.
Kael rolled his shoulders once, as if loosening muscles before a casual sparring session rather than a battlefield confrontation. His expression carried a twisted satisfaction.
