The bullet from Luca's silver pistol shrieked past the black entity, harmlessly embedding itself in the ancient stone of the altar.
The monstrous form ignored the attack, its entire being focused on Alessia.
It was a cold, suffocating vortex of pure void and hunger.
It didn't simply touch her; it engulfed her.
A soundless, blinding flash of crimson light was the only indication of the impact.
The unholy, swirling shadow merged with the intense red aura emanating from Alessia, and for a terrifying instant, she became the nexus of all the dark power in the room—a star of terrible, chaotic energy.
Then, the light vanished.
Alessia collapsed, her body limp on the cold, cracked floor.
The black smoke entity was gone, completely absorbed. The only remaining evidence was the unsettling silence, the smell of burnt ozone, and the faint, residual heat radiating from her skin.
"Alessia... " luca screamed her name, dropping the pistol and sprinting across the shattered floor.
