บท 69: Fire and Fury

The night was deathly still, save for the occasional rumble of the Scorching Badlands. Ash drifted lazily through the air, clinging to sweat-slicked skin as the champions remained vigilant in the oppressive heat. James's gadget hummed faintly in his hand, its core softly glowing as he tinkered nervously. He couldn't shake the image of molten eyes from his nightmare.

His hands stilled, and he let out a shaky breath. Sleep was impossible. Even now, hours after the destruction that had nearly killed them all, his nerves buzzed like an overcharged circuit. The thought of closing his eyes, only to see that thing again, sent a chill down his spine despite the heat.