The tide of humanity surged forward, an ocean of vacant eyes and outstretched fingers. Sarah braced herself, the steel of her knife humming with the vibration of the ground. Just as the first rank of the integrated crowd reached their position, Elian’s eyes snapped open. They weren't brown, and they weren't violet. They were white, a blinding, featureless void that pulsed with the intensity of a dying sun.
He didn't scream. He simply inhaled, a sound that sucked the very oxygen from the alleyway, creating a vacuum that pulled the nearest members of the crowd off balance.
He is not a battery anymore, Sarah, Elian whispered, his voice vibrating with the resonance of the entire city. He is a feedback loop.
As he spoke, Elian slammed his palms onto the cracked pavement. A shockwave of pure,
