The heavy metal door flew back with a violent crash, groaning under the immense force of Kael’s kick. Before the massive armored SUV could even grind to a complete halt, his heavy boots slammed into the hard-packed dirt of the border outpost. His silver blade was already drawn, gleaming dangerously against the unnatural, suffocating gloom that had swallowed their territory.
He didn't hesitate for a single second. The two elite sentries standing by the corrupted, moss-covered watchtower were no longer the proud warriors he had personally trained. Their blank, solid white eyes and the grotesque, pulsating black veins creeping up their necks confirmed his absolute worst fears. Their minds had been entirely swallowed by the Abyss.
A low, sickening hiss escaped the sentries' mouths—a sound
