Page 3831

Another missile arrived, this time hitting Dozer, and the resulting explosion was just as powerful, but Koh could already tell that it had accomplished nothing. Through all the smoke and mayhem, the Living Void had budged not an inch. Even Ettol, who still sat within his grasp, seemed unchanged from the impact.

And Sai-hee, as well, was already recovering. He didn’t have long to finish breaking free, Koh knew.

The sound of machine gun fire ripped through the murk of the Domain, tracing a bright path through the darkness with white hot bullets. They harassed Dozer, ricocheting off him as a fighter jet tore past the battlefield overhead, leaving a sonic boom in its wake.

Koh hardly cared about it at the moment, but he’d heard about the aerial combat taking place over the Luthic Ocean recently, and this battle had even glimpsed a few such skirmishes in recent days. This, however, was the first time that one of those jet pilots had deigned to intervene.

Which was probably not a coincidence, Koh felt. If he’d had the presence of mind to make a guess right now, he might’ve attributed it to the Mad Demon’s machinations, somehow.

And indeed, Morgunov himself was already back on Dozer again, having apparently not been bothered by the explosions, either, perhaps because he’d been anticipating them. Moreover, he was no longer resorting to wrestling techniques. Now, he had some kind of tool in his hands. A sword? A baton? Koh couldn’t quite tell.

But when he struck Dozer’s arm with it, the man’s grip on Ettol released, as if by some inexplicable magic.

Koh didn’t require an explanation, though. He only saw the opportunity presenting itself. His bulk had increased enough. The rage of the Hunt had built enough. And Kallmakk was eager to assist.

The invisible cage shattered utterly, and Koh was free. He torpedoed straight for Ettol and sent the shadow’s tendrils even faster ahead of him. Gohvis moved to intervene again, but that was expected. Koh was ready with more cocoons--for everyone at once, this time. Ettol, Dozer, Gohvis, Sai-hee--and even a few more of the Abolishers in the background whose presence barely acquired his attention.

It didn’t matter if some of them evaded. That, too, was expected. Because Ettol could not get away. The cocoon enshrouded him before Gohvis got to him.

And that was the deciding moment. It was nearly over now. Within the Dark Domain, the cocoons were his playthings. His malleable pockets of reality.