The scratching grew louder, and the growling intensified. Zed's group exchanged nervous glances, their abilities at the ready.
"What's going on?" Cain asked, his fire-infused eyes scanning the darkness.
"I don't know," Levi replied, his corrupted arm twitching with unease. "But I think we're about to find out."
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a young girl, no more than 12 years old, with eyes that glowed like embers.
"Hello," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "My name is... Echo."
Zed's wind control sensed something unusual about Echo. She seemed to be... resonating with the air around her.
"What are you?" Sylvia asked, her lightning-infused sword still at the ready.
Echo's gaze drifted to Sylvia's sword. "I'm... different. Like you. I can sense things. See things."
Cain's expression softened. "What's going on, Echo? What's happening in this city?"
Echo's eyes clouded, and she spoke in a voice that sent shivers down their spines. "The city is dying. The Abominations are just the beginning. Something else is coming. Something worse."
The group exchanged uneasy glances. What could be worse than the Abominations?