The Hive’s second claw came down, larger than the first, a mountain of flesh and shadow. The air split with the sound of its descent, the forest tearing apart beneath its sheer weight.Jonah roared and leapt skyward, his wings of fire blazing brighter than before. Golden trails scorched the sky as he shot upward like a comet. His claws met the Hive’s massive strike, the collision shaking the land as though the world itself might break.The survivors clung to the ridge, screaming as rocks tumbled and trees collapsed. Kevin buried his face against Lisa’s chest, trembling as the shockwaves rolled through them.Jonah’s claws sank into the Hive’s flesh, fire exploding outward in searing waves. Black ooze sprayed like rain, hissing as it fell to the ground, burning through earth and stone alike.The Hive roared, its countless mouths opening in unison. “Yes. Burn. Break. Every flame you throw only proves you belong to us. You are the Crown, Jonah Crest. You are our king, whether you want it

The battlefield was silent. Smoke drifted across the ruined ridge, and ash rained slowly from the sky. The Hive’s body was gone, nothing left but black dust scattered across the ground like the remains of a nightmare, but no one felt relief.The survivors stood frozen in clusters, staring at Jonah where he knelt. His massive claws dug into the earth, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. His wings hung heavy, one golden, glowing faintly like dying embers, the other still dripping with black ooze. His face was half-human, half-monster, one eye blazing gold, the other sinking into shadow. He looked like a king of fire and corruption both, a protector and a threat.Lisa knelt in front of him, one hand still cupping his face, her tears streaked with soot. Kevin clung to Jonah’s arm, refusing to let go, even though the claws were sharp and the black veins crawled disturbingly close to him.Jonah lowered his head, his broken voice rough. “Stay back. I can’t… I don’t know how much of me

The world was silent again. Only the crackle of dying embers and the groans of wounded survivors broke the night. The ridge was a scar, trees splintered, earth torn open, ash coating everything. The campfire was gone, scattered to blackened stones.Jonah stood at the center of the ruin, his massive form hunched, his claws digging into the earth. His wings sagged heavy, one burned gold like dying coals, the other sagged with dripping ooze. His glowing eyes flickered weakly. He breathed hard, each inhale a growl, each exhale a groan.Around him, the survivors stirred. Some coughed weakly, others pushed themselves to sit, their eyes wide with terror. A few lay still, knocked out by the storm he had unleashed.Lisa clung to Kevin, her arms tight around him. She pulled him against her chest, her eyes locked on Jonah’s massive frame. Her face was pale, her lips trembling, but she didn’t back away.Kevin pressed his face against Jonah’s arm even now, whispering through tears. “You didn’t

The forest was silent when they stopped for the night. Too silent. Derek crouched near a half-dead tree, poking the tiny fire they had managed to start. The flames hissed weakly, barely pushing back the shadows. The air smelled of rot and old smoke.Around him, the others huddled together in uneasy silence. There were seven left now. Anna, Tomas, Rina, Sam, old Mr. Gallows, and the twins,Caleb and Cole. Each face looked pale in the dying firelight, hollow from hunger and fear. They had walked all day, and the forest hadn’t changed. Every direction looked the same,gray, black, and broken. The ground was dust, the trees brittle. Sometimes the air shimmered faintly, like heat waves from something buried below.“We rest for a few hours,” Derek said, though his voice was hoarse. “At sunrise, we move north. There should be old highways that way. Maybe food, maybe shelter.”No one answered. Anna sat staring into the fire, her lips trembling. She had stopped speaking hours ago. Her hands s

Jonah woke to silence. At first, he thought he was still standing in the forest, but when he opened his eyes, the world had changed. He was lying on a street that looked like the city he once knew, yet everything was wrong. The buildings leaned at strange angles, their glass melted into black stone. The air shimmered red, like there was fire behind an invisible wall. Cars hung in the air, halfway between falling and floating.He pushed himself up slowly. The ground felt soft, like ash mixed with dust. Every breath he took tasted of smoke and metal. “Where… am I?” his voice echoed, thin and strange.No one answered. Only the faint hum of wind moved through the ruins. He looked up. The sky kept changing. For a second it was night, then it blinked and became morning. Then night again. Time was broken.Jonah tried to steady his breathing. His right hand still burned faintly red, the same color that glowed beneath his skin when the Hive whispered. He could still feel it, quiet but pres