...The figure standing soaked in blood, clutching the severed head of the chief priest, was none other than Chiron.
The moment he appeared, the moment that sacred blood touched his skin, a deep, thunderous rumble echoed across the island. It wasn't coming from a single direction—it was everywhere and nowhere all at once. The sound rolled through the sky like a forgotten god groaning awake. It was deafening, ancient, and overwhelming.
Then came the lightning.
Bolts of divine thunder rained down from the heavens, crashing into the jungle, the cliffs, and the ruins scattered across the island. One even struck directly where Chiron stood. But as the sacred light descended, Chiron brought his hands together and whispered calmly, "Blood Shield."
Scarlet mist burst from his body, swirling around him like a living veil. The blood hardened, deflecting the lightning in a sizzling burst of energy. The strike that should have disintegrated any man barely made him flinch.
