The darkness around Myles no longer lingered as a thin mist drifting without purpose. It gathered and thickened steadily, drawn inward as if responding to something within him. Until it wrapped around his entire body in dense layers.
The movement of that darkness changed as well. It was no longer passive but coiling along his arms, shoulders, and torso like a living cloak.
In some places, it compressed further to form shapes that resembled armor made from shadow that hardened enough to suggest protection while still shifting in a fluid way.
The air around him grew colder and heavier. Even the space seemed to tighten under the presence.
Red felt the change immediately. The sensation forced a reaction out of him before he could properly think it through.
His body moved on instinct as he pushed himself backward to create distance in a quick leap. When his feet landed, his stance had already shifted more cautiously.
