Brian, Elizabeth, and Stagnant Water all tensed up at the sound of the familiar voice. The very air around them seemed to thicken, suffocating and cold. A sense of dread slithered into their hearts like a serpent.
"What is he doing here? Is he here to finally claim our lives?" Stagnant Water whispered in a shaky voice, his usual levity replaced by genuine fear. His eyes widened, and his body subtly shifted behind Brian's as though instinctively seeking shelter. He knew—they all knew—that none of them stood a chance against the being in front of them.
"Ha. I see you are with her now. Did you both finally decide to leave the shackles that bind you?" Kodiac said with a low chuckle, walking slowly toward them, each step reverberating like a tolling bell. "That's the right choice."
