Marcus clenched his jaw as blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
The pole had already pierced through his abdomen, driven straight past him, aimed for Albert.
For a split second, everything froze.
People instinctively tried to scatter, to react to what had just happened.
But the spawn moved first.
With a thunderous roar, it launched itself off the building it had been perched on. Stone shattered under its weight as it descended, its massive shadow crashing down between the group and the street.
The impact shook the ground and that single movement stole everyone's attention, locking their bodies in place with sheer terror. Muscles stiffened and breaths caught.
And that hesitation was all the attacker needed.
Using the chaos as cover, the perpetrator retreated cleanly.
He twisted away from the crowd and leapt backward, boots striking the side of a nearby building before he vaulted across the street in a smooth, practiced motion.
