Or Something

As the distant rumble behind them grew louder, Malakai's expression darkened, his usual calm now replaced by a sharp, dangerous edge. Whatever was coming next, Devyn had a sinking feeling it was going to be far worse than anything they had faced so far. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath shaky as he followed Malakai, trying to make sense of it all.

The ground beneath their feet trembled, but Devyn wasn't sure if it was aftershocks from the subway collapse or something much more terrifying heading their way. Whatever it was, Malakai knew, and that was enough to send waves of anxiety surging through him.

"Move faster," Malakai ordered, his voice cutting through Devyn's panic. His face was unreadable, his focus sharp on the path ahead, but there was something in his eyes that chilled Devyn to the core. Something deadly.

Devyn didn't question him. His mind screamed at him to run, to escape, but with every step, his legs felt heavier, his breath more labored. He could feel the creatures closing in behind them, the rumbling getting louder with each passing second.

His head snapped around, and there, emerging from the rubble, were more of them, grotesque, twisted figures with glowing eyes. They were larger than the ones in the subway, more monstrous.

Fear gripped him as he looked back at Malakai. "What… what are we going to do?" His voice trembled, betraying the rising terror inside him.

Malakai didn't answer right away. His eyes scanned their surroundings, searching for something, anything, that might help. But there was no safe escape route. The city had crumbled into a nightmare landscape of destruction, buildings shattered, roads ripped apart, and dark clouds of dust swirling in the air. Every direction seemed to lead to certain death.

Suddenly, Malakai came to a halt, pushing Devyn behind him with a swift motion. Devyn stumbled back, his heart racing.

"What are you doing?" Devyn gasped, watching as Malakai stepped forward, placing himself between him and the approaching horde.

"They won't attack, yet," Malakai said softly, his voice low but steady. There was an eerie calm to him now, though his eyes were intense, his focus unshakable.

Devyn swallowed hard. "Why… why are they just standing there?"

The creatures had stopped advancing, their glowing eyes fixed on Malakai. Their bodies twitched and shifted, but they didn't make a move forward. Devyn could feel their tension, like they were fighting something inside themselves. It was like they were afraid of Malakai but couldn't bring themselves to retreat.

Malakai glanced back at Devyn, his expression unreadable. "They fear my power, but something is still drawing them to us. It's the same force that controls them. They can't help themselves."

Before Devyn could respond, Malakai's right hand began to glow again, the same silver light that Devyn had seen in the subway. Only this time, it was more intense, more controlled. The glow spread up Malakai's arm, radiating a power so strong that the air around them seemed to hum with energy.

The creatures snarled in response, but they still didn't move. They couldn't. Malakai's power had them locked in place, trapped by the force they feared yet craved.

Devyn's heart raced as he watched, unable to comprehend what was happening. The creatures, horrific, twisted things that had nearly killed them, were standing still, powerless against Malakai's command. It was impossible. But it was happening.

Malakai raised his glowing hand toward the horde, and in a sudden burst of blinding light, the air exploded with power. The creatures closest to them were hit by the blast, their bodies disintegrating into ash in an instant. Their snarls turned to screeches as the light consumed them, turning them to dust.

So many of the creatures was obliterated in mere seconds. Malakai hadn't even broken a sweat.

But it wasn't over. Some of the remaining creatures backed away, their glowing eyes flickering with fear. But others, more confused than ever, stood frozen, unable to flee. It was as if they were torn between the need to escape and some unnatural force pulling them closer to Malakai's power.

"Malakai…" Devyn whispered, his voice shaking. "What are you… how are you doing this?"

Malakai didn't answer, his focus entirely on the creatures. He raised his hand again, and this time, a wave of energy rippled out from his body, a shockwave of light that tore through the remaining creatures. They screeched and thrashed, turning on each other in a frenzy, their confusion too great to fight off Malakai's control. They tore into one another, their once united front collapsing into chaos.

Devyn watched in stunned silence as the creatures slaughtered each other, their bodies falling into heaps of ash and bone. It was over in seconds, and when the dust settled, nothing was left of the horde but a scattering of remains.

Malakai lowered his hand, the glow fading from his skin. He turned to Devyn, his expression calm once more, though his eyes were still glowing faintly.

"We need to keep moving," Malakai said, his voice steady but urgent. "More will come."

Devyn didn't move, his mind still struggling to process what had just happened. "How… how did you do that? What was that?"

Malakai's eyes flickered for a moment, but his expression remained impassive. "It's part of my power. Like I said."

"That's not an answer!" Devyn snapped, his frustration boiling over. "What kind of power does that?"

Malakai glanced at him, his gaze piercing. "The kind that's going to keep you alive."

Devyn blinked, he couldn't pick whether to slap Malakai across the face or just ignore him.

They moved again, sprinting through the ruins of the city. The buildings around them were in even worse shape than before, collapsed structures, twisted metal, the skyline reduced to a jagged, broken silhouette. Smoke rose from the distant wreckage, and the air was thick with dust and ash.

Devyn's thoughts raced as they ran. He kept glancing at Malakai, still unable to fully comprehend the man's powers. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else, something Malakai wasn't telling him.

Finally, as they reached what seemed like a temporary lull in the chaos, Devyn spoke up again. "Why me? Why are you going through all this trouble to protect me?"

Malakai slowed slightly, his expression hardening. "I told you. You're important."

"Why are you not explaining anything to me?," Devyn asked, his frustration rising. "I'm not… I'm not someone worth risking your life over. You saw me back there. I was completely useless."

"Useless?" Malakai scoffed, glancing at him briefly. "You're not useless. You just don't understand your role yet."

Devyn furrowed his brow, feeling the weight of those words sink into him.

His role. What role? What was he supposed to do? All he had were these nightmares, visions of the end of the world. He wasn't a fighter, he wasn't a hero. He couldn't even defend himself when the creatures had swarmed them.

If it hadn't been for Malakai, he would've been dead in the subway.

"But why me?" Devyn pressed, his voice growing softer. "Why am I important?"

Malakai's eyes flickered with something, but it vanished before Devyn could figure out what it was. "You'll understand soon enough."

Devyn let out a frustrated sigh. He was tired of the cryptic answers, tired of not knowing what was going on. But as much as he wanted to demand more, something about Malakai's tone told him it wouldn't get him anywhere.

They walked in silence for a while longer, weaving through the broken city streets. The rumbling sound from before had faded, but it left an unsettling quiet in its wake. The world felt too still, too empty. And that made Devyn nervous.

"How did you do that back there?" Devyn finally asked, unable to keep it in any longer. "With the monsters. You..."

"I killed them," Malakai interrupted, his voice flat.

"Yeah, I saw that part," Devyn shot back. "But you didn't just kill them. You… controlled them. You made them fight each other. You turned them to ash. What are you, some kind of sorcerer or something?"

Malakai smirked slightly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Or something."