Burst

At the edge of a flowing river, the sound of a waterfall filled the air, its waters crashing down with relentless force. Mist rose from the base, shrouding the area in a thin fog.

Suddenly, the air warped. Space twisted unnaturally, as though reality itself was being sucked inward.

THUD!

A figure crashed to the ground with brutal force, dirt and rock exploding outward from the impact.

Blood and sweat coated his battered body, streaked with ash and grime. His breaths came ragged and fast, each one sounding like it might be his last.

Blackgate.

His eyes burned with fury as he slammed his fist into the ground. Over and over.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Each impact made the earth quake, cracks spiderwebbing outward, shaking the nearby trees.

'Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.' The word replayed in his mind like a mantra, his battered hand striking the ground again and again, sending shockwaves rippling through the forest.