Cain cursed his luck under his breath, though he kept his expression still. There was no time to dwell on misfortune. Urin's gaze was already upon him, sharp, divine, inescapable, and in that instant, he knew there were few paths forward.
He could run. He could flee through the fractured skies of the Second Realm, hiding from one battlefield to the next, spending decades eluding pursuit. But that wasn't who he was. Running would only brand him as prey.
And Cain refused to be hunted.
Taking a deep breath, he made his choice.
He broke the seals around his heart.
A surge of energy roared through him as his power and soul force returned to circulation. The pain hit instantly, a burning spear of agony stabbing through his chest, as though molten metal were being poured into his veins. His heart convulsed under the pressure of the unstable fusion, but he betrayed nothing.
