"That's brutal."
Emma turned toward the voice and saw three figures approaching.
Kevin and Natalie were both bruised and breathing hard, while Gizel's left arm hung limply by her side.
Without much thought, Emma raised her hand, a faint glow surrounding her fingers as she healed their wounds. "You all have a core?" she asked.
They each held up a small, black orb in their hands.
Emma nodded and turned to pick up hers—
—but froze.
The black mass that had once been a shattered golem twitched. Then, slowly, it began to move.
"Wait… what the—"
"Look!" Kevin shouted, pointing behind them.
They turned to see streams of the same black sludge crawling across the ground, wriggling and sliding, all heading in one direction.
Emma's heart sank. Her eyes followed the trail—
"The gym…" she whispered.
Without another word, she sprinted toward the gymnasium, her aura flaring to life. The others exchanged quick glances before following right behind her.
…
