The midday heat hung thick and stifling as Jack, Sam, and Lila pushed onward, their footsteps crunching over the parched earth. Jack’s eyes were sharp, scanning their surroundings with a hunter’s precision. It wasn’t just the usual wasteland hazards that put him on edge—he’d felt a prickling at the back of his neck all morning, an awareness that someone, or something, was tailing them.

He motioned for Sam and Lila to slow down, his voice low. “We’re not alone. Keep your guard up and stay close.”

Sam glanced around, his face creased with worry, while Lila swallowed, her hand clutching the strap of her pack tightly. Jack could see the tension in her eyes, but she didn’t protest, just nodded, her gaze darting nervously from shadow to shadow.

They moved more cautiously, every sound amplified in the silence. The wind rustled through the dead trees, carrying with it the faint scent of decay, a reminder of all the lives that had faded from this world. Jack’s grip tightened on his machete, his senses on high alert.

And then he heard it—a soft crunch, a slight shift in the dust, too subtle to be random.

Without warning, two figures emerged from the shadows, each one armed and moving with deadly intent. They were members of the Sanctified, dressed in crude armor painted with Magnus’s eye symbol, their faces twisted with fanatic zeal.

One of them, a hulking man with a scarred face and a heavy club, grinned at Jack. “Well, well. Looks like the heretics decided to make things easy for us.”

The second enforcer was smaller but no less intimidating—a wiry man with a twisted expression and a jagged blade in his hand, his eyes glittering with anticipation.

Jack’s voice dropped to a growl as he positioned himself between the attackers and his group. “Stay behind me. And don’t hesitate if you get the chance to run.”

The scarred enforcer lunged forward, swinging his club in a wide arc. Jack sidestepped, bringing his machete down on the man’s arm with brutal precision. The enforcer let out a howl of pain, stumbling back, but the other one seized the opening, rushing toward Sam with his blade raised.

Sam deflected the blow with a metal rod he’d picked up, the impact jarring his arm, but he held firm, blocking the attacker from reaching Lila. “Stay back, Lila!” he shouted, his voice strained.

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But Lila didn’t back down. She scanned the ground, spotting a chunk of concrete, and hurled it at the enforcer’s face with surprising force. The man staggered, momentarily blinded, giving Sam a chance to shove him back.

Jack saw his opening and drove his shoulder into the scarred enforcer, forcing him to the ground. With a swift, brutal motion, he brought his machete down, ending the fight for one of their attackers. But the wiry one, still seething from Lila’s interference, snarled and charged, his blade flashing as he aimed for Jack.

Jack parried, his movements quick and efficient, but the enforcer’s taunts grated on him, each word sharp and taunting.

“Magnus sees you,” the man sneered, his voice low and malicious. “He knows you’re running. But he’s coming for you, all of you. And there’s nowhere left to hide.”

Jack’s face hardened. “Yeah? Well, I’m not much for hiding.”

With a fierce, sweeping motion, Jack knocked the blade from the enforcer’s hand, then grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. The man laughed, blood trickling from his lip, his eyes wild with zeal. “You’re all marked. Magnus will find you. And he’ll show you the truth.”

Jack’s jaw clenched, his grip tightening. “We’ll see about that.”

He pushed the man back, letting him fall to the ground. The enforcer scrambled to his feet, staggering back, his laughter echoing through the ruins. He took one last look at Jack, a twisted smile on his face. “Enjoy your little game of survival, Grizzly. But it won’t last.”

The enforcer retreated into the shadows, leaving Jack, Sam, and Lila alone in the silence.

They didn’t linger. Jack motioned for Sam and Lila to follow, his face set in a grim expression as they moved swiftly away from the scene of the ambush. Every instinct told him to put as much distance between them and the Sanctified as possible, but he couldn’t shake the chill of the enforcer’s words, the way he’d spoken as if Magnus himself was watching their every move.

They finally stopped near a crumbling wall, each of them catching their breath. Lila’s face was pale, her hands trembling as she looked at Jack.

“Are they… are they going to keep following us?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Jack looked at her, his expression softening for a moment. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Sam placed a hand on Lila’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll be alright, Lila. We just have to stick together.”

Jack looked away, his face hardening once more as he scanned the horizon. The threat of Magnus was real now, more than just a rumor whispered by strangers. But he’d made a promise to himself, a vow to keep Sam and Lila safe, no matter the cost.

They weren’t just allies anymore. They were his responsibility. And he’d be damned if he let anyone take them away.

The shadows grew longer as they prepared to move again, each of them feeling the weight of what lay ahead. Jack led the way, his steps steady, his resolve unbreakable. For as long as he had breath left, he would fight.

And Magnus would learn that Jack Carson was no one’s prey.