"Shit—!" Jayden gritted his teeth. He tensed to move, but it was too late. The orb was already descending with a speed that rivaled his. Evading was pointless now... the energy distortion alone was warping gravity. He could feel his skin prickle and his bones vibrate.
His gaze snapped to Ava... she was smiling, waving playfully, that mischievous grin lighting her face like moonlight through glass.
"Goodnight, little cousin," she said softly. "Let's do this again sometime."
That was the last thing Jayden saw before the world vanished in white.
The orb hit.
BOOOOOOM!
A blinding explosion swallowed the field. The shockwave tore through the snow plains, disintegrating frost, shaking the digital realm to its core. A luminous wave expanded outward, swallowing everything in a bloom of light.
When Jayden opened his eyes again... he was back in his lobby.
