The Sovereign’s Reach

The ground beneath the Holloway family shattered like brittle glass, the Sovereign's clawed hand erupting from the fissure with a force that split the earth wide. Dirt and roots sprayed upward, the violet glow intensifying as the massive limb—armored in black scales, its talons glinting like obsidian—clawed at the air, seeking purchase. His laughter, deep and resonant, rolled through the clearing like thunder, shaking the trees and drowning out the family's gasps and shouts. The rift above pulsed in rhythm with his emergence, its violet light flaring brighter, a beacon of the chaos he promised.

Vincent hoisted Elara into his arms, his injured body screaming in protest but his resolve ironclad as he sprinted toward the trees. "Go!" he roared, his voice cutting through the Sovereign's mocking rumble. Blood seeped through his bandages, staining Elara's shirt, but he didn't falter, his legs pumping as the ground buckled beneath them.