Phobos trembled violently as he looked small, helpless, and broken.
For the first time in existence, the God of Fear felt fear.
Sharky stood over the depowered Phobos, his presence calm but overwhelming. In his hand, he held Phobos's divine fear core, glowing faintly with corrupted energy.
Phobos, broken and barely holding himself together, looked up at Sharky with burning hatred and shouted through blood and shadow.
"So… you feel the pain of losing your daughter," he sneered. "You came all this way for her."
He laughed weakly. "Good. Suffer, Sharky… suffer the way I did."
Then his eyes sharpened with malice.
"Even if you destroy me," Phobos spat, "you will never find your daughter."
With what little strength he had left, he raised his hand and gave a final command.
"Serpent of Ruin… take her."
Shadows twisted violently as the Serpent of Ruin moved to take Astrid away, toward a place only Phobos knew.
Sharky's composure shattered.
