Chapter Ninety-Eight

Marcus’s hands clawed the empty air as he plummeted into the chasm, Clara’s scream echoing through the void beside him. The sensation of falling was endless, as though the darkness itself had swallowed them whole. His wolf senses heightened, desperate to find a foothold or something to grab onto, but there was nothing, only an abyss so deep and ancient it felt like the very heart of the universe.

Suddenly, the fall stopped. Marcus landed with a sharp thud, rolling into a crouch as his claws scraped the ground. His vision blurred momentarily, but he could feel Clara nearby. She was alive. The connection between them was still strong, burning with the intensity of the light they had forged together in the battle above.

“Clara!” Marcus called out, his voice hoarse as he forced himself to stand. He checked the harsh darkness around him. There was no ground, no sky, just a perpetual field of dark.

“I'm here,” Clara's voice came from behind him, frail but consistent. She faltered toward him