The sky was painted in fire and ash.
Ethan stood at the edge of the ruins, his body aching, his mind racing. Adrian was gone. The tower—his throne, his prison—was nothing but rubble.
So why did it still feel like something was watching them?
Noah limped forward, wiping blood from his forehead. "Tell me we actually won this time."
Ethan didn't answer.
Because deep down, he knew the truth.
This wasn't over.
Echoes of the Fallen
They moved quickly, putting distance between them and the ruins.
Blaze trotted ahead, ears twitching, sniffing the air. He wasn't barking—but his silence was almost worse.
Olivia glanced at Ethan. "You're too quiet."
"Because it's too quiet." His voice was low. "This city was swarming with infected. And now? Nothing."
The world felt… empty.
Valerie reloaded her rifle. "Adrian was controlling them. Maybe with him gone, they're gone too."
Ethan wanted to believe that.
He really did.
But something felt wrong.
Like an unfinished sentence.
A missing piece of the puzzle.
And then—Blaze stopped.
His ears pinned back. A low, warning growl rumbled in his throat.
And in the distance—a whisper.
Soft. Familiar.
"You cannot kill evolution."
Ethan's blood ran cold.
The Return
Noah swore. "Tell me I did not just hear that."
Ethan's grip tightened on his weapon. "We need to move. Now."
But before they could take a step—the ground trembled.
Dust swirled. The air rippled, like reality itself was warping.
And then—a single, golden ember floated up from the ruins.
Not gone.
Not yet.
Ethan exhaled, his heart pounding.
"He's still alive."
Valerie clenched her fists. "Then we end this. For real."
They had no choice.
Because Adrian wasn't just a man anymore.
He was something else.
And he was coming back.