“You can call me Veros. My brother Sylas speaks highly of you," Veros continued, taking a step forward for each one Miko took back. "Says you taste of the abyss and something else. Something... ancient.""I'm not food," Miko snarled, his hands clenching into fists as he tried again to summon his element.Veros laughed, the sound like shattering bones. "Everything is food to those who know how to feed. Your ash element is particularly... nutritious."Without warning, the wraith lunged, moving with impossible speed. Miko barely had time to dodge, the creature's clawed hand grazing his shoulder and tearing through his uniform.Pain flared, hot and immediate. Miko rolled, coming up in a defensive stance as blood soaked the torn fabric."Fast for a human," Veros observed, licking Miko's blood from his fingertips. "But not fast enough.""I don't need speed," Miko said, focusing on the pendant's heat spreading through his chest. "I just need to hit you once."The wraith tilted his head, curi