Conrad's energy-infused palm descended toward me like a meteor, warping the very air with its power. The massive hand technique grew larger as it approached, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow me whole. I lay broken in the dirt, blood pooling beneath my shattered body.
"Die!" Conrad roared.
The impact was catastrophic. Earth erupted skyward in a violent explosion, sending debris and dust billowing outward. The crowd shielded their faces as a shockwave rippled through the Eastern Cemetery, knocking over smaller grave markers.
Conrad Thornton stood tall, satisfaction etched on his weathered face as he stared at the smoking crater where I had lain.
"Such arrogance," he said, turning to address the stunned onlookers. "Let this be a lesson to anyone who—"
A golden light pierced through the settling dust.
"Impossible!" someone from the crowd gasped.
