Alex reached behind his back the moment after Nova's clearance flashed across his interface.
His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the katana—the weapon that had waited patiently in its sheath during the earlier confrontation, humming quietly with restrained violence. With a smooth, deliberate motion, he unsheathed the same blade he had used against the Thunder wolf.
The blade sang.
A soft, vibrating hum—barely audible, but deep, resonant, like thunder rumbling in the bones rather than the ears. The moment the katana was exposed to open air, the space around it wavered. Reality bent slightly, like heat distorting the air on a scorching plain. The ground beneath Alex's feet cracked faintly with the pressure radiating from the weapon.
Khepri's eyes sharpened.
