The lackey turned toward him, amusement taking shape in his monstrous face. "Pathetic. You can't even stand, and yet you bark."
He squeezed the root tighter around Elesch's neck. She let out a choked gasp, her struggles weakening. Adam, half-buried in rubble, forced himself up to move, dragging his shattered, fractured body forward with relentless willpower.
"Elesch, don't give up..." His hand reached out, trembling, fingers clawing at the dirt. "I'm coming, please don't give up..."
The lackey's aura swelled again, the ground cracking as more roots burst out, creating a decaying forest of thorns around him. His body grew taller, more grotesque, a silhouette of nightmare against the ruined battlefield.
