The word echoed inside Elena’s skull.
Choose.
It wasn’t a sound she heard with her ears.
It ca from sowhere deeper.
Sowhere inside the crooked eye burning beneath her skin.
Outside the shattered basent wall, the two monsters clashed again.
The hunter slamd its enormous body forward, smashing the red-eyed giant through the side of the ruined building. Concrete shattered like glass, raining debris across the street.
The giant roared with ancient fury.
Its long skeletal arms wrapped around the hunter’s neck and hurled it into a nearby car. tal folded instantly under the creature’s massive weight.
Elena covered her ears.
The noise was unbearable.
Every roar vibrated through her bones.
Beside her, the injured guardian creature struggled to sit up.
“You hear it... don’t you?” it rasped.
Elena nodded slowly.
“The voice.”
Its glowing yellow eyes darkened.
“That is the mark.”
The crooked eye on Elena’s chest pulsed again.
Hotter.
Stronger.
The whisper returned.
Choose the hunter.
Elena flinched.
“No.”
The whisper changed.
Choose the ancient one.
She shook her head.
“I’m not choosing anything!”
Outside, the hunter roared again and slamd its jaws shut around the red-eyed giant’s arm. Bones cracked loudly as the creature tore a chunk of flesh away.
Black blood splashed across the street.
The giant howled and struck back, driving its claws deep into the hunter’s chest.
Both monsters staggered.
Both were bleeding.
But neither was slowing down.
The guardian creature beside Elena grabbed her wrist weakly.
“You must not listen.”
“What happens if I do?”
Its voice dropped into a frightened whisper.
“The mark will bind them.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“Bind them... to ?”
“Yes.”
The crooked eye symbol flared suddenly.
A sharp pain shot through Elena’s chest.
She gasped as a flood of images exploded into her mind.
She saw cities burning.
Armies of zombies marching through endless streets.
The hunter walking beside her like a living weapon.
The red-eyed giants kneeling like servants.
And Elena standing in the middle of it all.
Controlling them.
The whisper grew louder.
Rule them.
Elena clutched her head.
“No...”
The guardian creature shook her shoulder.
“Elena!”
Outside, the battle was reaching its peak.
The hunter lunged again, slamming the red-eyed giant into the side of the building. The creature’s massive skull crashed through the basent wall, sending dust and bricks flying.
Its glowing red eyes locked directly onto Elena.
For a mont...
Everything froze.
The giant stared at her.
The hunter slowly turned its head toward her as well.
Both monsters were watching.
Waiting.
The whisper in Elena’s mind spoke again.
Command them.
Her breathing grew shallow.
“What if... I can stop them?”
The guardian’s eyes widened in fear.
“No.”
“What if I can make them leave?”
“Elena...”
The mark burned hotter.
The whisper turned into a roar inside her skull.
CHOOSE.
Elena stood slowly.
Dust drifted through the ruined basent as the two colossal creatures waited outside like statues of war.
Her voice trembled as she stepped forward.
“Stop!”
The word echoed through the broken street.
For one impossible second...
Both monsters froze.
The guardian creature gasped behind her.
“Elena...”
The crooked eye on her chest pulsed like a living heart.
And for the first ti since the nightmare began...
The monsters were listening to her.
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