Marked by the Enemy King
"Eliminate the boy. Secure the stasis unit. If it survives, the power is ours."
Nikos didn't move. He stood in the center of the room, the violet light radiating from him like a halo. He looked at Aris, then at the rappelling soldiers, his expression shifting into a terrifying, hollow smile.
"The king," Nikos whispered, his voice resonating through the entire vault, "has returned."
As the first soldier hit the floor and leveled his weapon, the stasis pod hissed. The glass shattered outward in a million glistening fragments, and a hand—long, pale, and powerful—reached out from the smoke to catch the descending barrel.