The sound was not merely heard; it was felt in the very marrow of their bones.
It began as a high-pitched whine that set everyone's teeth on edge, quickly escalating into a deafening, catastrophic roar. Above the luxurious resort, the invisible space-time barrier that Tygr and Jovis had woven with such precision fractured. For a split second, the sky looked like a colossal mirror spider-webbed with cracks of blinding, volatile light.
And then, with a sound like a mountain collapsing, the barrier shattered.
The shards of magical energy rained down like glittering glass before dissolving into nothingness. The pristine, sunlit sky was instantly swallowed by a bruised, sickly purple haze that rolled over the island like a suffocating shroud.
Solis, his protective instincts overriding everything else, shoved Noir behind him, his body acting as a human shield. They spilled out of the villa and onto the manicured lawns, joining the others who had already gathered.
