The bandit leader's face twisted from confidence to panic as he watched his men fall like wheat before a scythe. "Five! They're only five! HIT THEM, YOU COWARDS! DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" His voice cracked, a desperate, shrill edge cutting through the chaos.
Adam didn't even look back at Elise. "I'm going to butcher them. Don't try to stop me this time." His tone was flat, final. A statement, not a request.
Elise's hands continued weaving crimson sigils, her expression hardening as she bound another bandit for Seraphina's blade. "I won't. Crush them."
A flicker of surprise crossed Adam's features, quickly replaced by a sharp, approving grin. "That's how it should be."
He didn't wait another second. Seismic Shatter. He slammed his palm against the ground. The shockwave rippled through the earth in a focused cone, sending the clustered bandits staggering, their footing destroyed. Several fell, their weapons clattering from numbed fingers.
