Lily drew a slow breath.
She spread her arms slightly. White lightning streamed along her shoulders, down her arms, and off her fingertips in constant rivulets. Behind her, the corpse-white giant projection sharpened, its outline growing clearer by the second.
It was made of pure energy, yet the pressure it gave off felt almost physical—like if it solidified just a little more, it could step into this world for real.
"After being gone for so long…" Lily murmured. For the first time, her voice carried an emotion she couldn't quite hide—something tangled and complicated. "Didn't think I'd run into something from The Infernal Abyss again, here of all places."
Her eyes stayed locked on the bird.
"But the stench on you makes me sick. I want to rip you apart right now."
The bird pushed its power to the limit too.
It clenched its teeth. Blood-red lightning erupted wildly around it, and the red giant behind it rapidly took shape.
