Jai hit the ground with a sickening thud, the impact reverberating through his body as the air was forced from his lungs.
His vision blurred, the world spinning around him as pain shot through his ribs.
The taste of iron filled his mouth, and he could feel the rough pavement scraping against his skin. He tried to push himself up, but his arms trembled, weak and unsteady.
Yunfeng's heart stopped.
His breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, time itself seemed to freeze.
His chest tightened, a crushing weight pressing down on him as he saw Jai fall.
His mind screamed, a thousand thoughts racing through his head, but his body refused to move.
He was too far.
Too far to help.
Too far to save him.
"Jai!" The name tore from Yunfeng's lips, raw and desperate
He took a step forward, but it felt like he was moving through molasses, every second stretching into an eternity.