Magic: Reincarnate from high-voltage electricity at the start, level up independently.

The young man uttered his final vow of faith.

The Immortal Feather, suspended in the sky, trembled slightly, and a small white feather drifted down.

The thin feathers drifted down slowly, steadily landing in the direction of the young man.

The young man spread his hands, quietly waiting for the white feather to descend.

The moment the palm touched the feather, a blinding white light burst forth.

A dazzling stream of light instantly enveloped his entire body.

This pure white light was far more magnificent and dazzling than the aura of all the mermaids before when they transformed into angels.

The youth's already formidable cultivation aura surged even more under the nourishment of the white light.

Easily break through the SS-level threshold.

His cultivation level continued to rise without any sign of slowing down.

Mid-SS level.

Late stage of SS rank.

Up to the pinnacle of SS rank!

The intense white light slowly faded, and the young man's figure reappeared between heaven and earth.

He had already changed into a pure white robe, the fabric of which was covered with sacred golden divine patterns.

The fish tail that originally belonged to the mermaids completely disappeared, replaced by straight and slender human legs.

The unfinished scarf was still wrapped around her neck, the long red thread swaying in the wind.

What is most awe-inspiring is the six pure white wings that spread out on his back.

With its six wings outstretched, a sacred aura swept across all directions.

The young man gently flapped his wings, his body soaring into the air, and sped towards the ten-thousand-meter-high sky.

He flew higher and higher, his figure gradually becoming visible to all the survivors.

The whole world erupted in gasps of surprise.

"My God! Someone has actually evolved a six-winged angel!"

Among the fifteen million newly ascended angels, this is the first six-winged being to be born.

The moment everyone saw the young man's face, everyone in the room froze on the spot.

"It's William! Even he has chosen to submit to the angels!"

"That makes perfect sense now. With William's talent, it's perfectly normal for him to be able to develop six wings."

Everyone felt a mix of emotions.

William is widely recognized as a top talent in the music world.

Having won second place in the Music God Awards, he is a source of faith and a benchmark for countless people.

Even such a genius, who remained true to his principles and possessed unparalleled talent, chose to set aside his hatred and submit to Lord Tianlai.

Of the remaining 15 million mermaids who were still holding firm to their principles, one-third of them began to experience a widespread collapse of their inner defenses.

Many people have completely lost their mental balance.

Amidst the ruins, a middle-aged man spat fiercely.

"Bullshit about national and familial hatred! Let whoever wants to uphold it do so! I just want to live, I just want to ascend to the realm of gods!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked up at the white feathers in the sky and made a vow of faith three times in a row.

A white light enveloped his body, and after a moment, a brand new four-winged angel appeared in the sky.

Similar scenes are constantly playing out in every corner of the music world.

The devout shouts rose and fell, echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

"I'm going to the realm of gods to cultivate!"

"I want to become an angel!"

"I will follow Lord Tianlai for life!"

The choice to curry favor with the powerful is seen as a new opportunity by those who submit.

But in the eyes of those survivors who stubbornly hold their ground and refuse to yield, such behavior is utterly shameful.

Anger, rebukes, and spitting voices rang out one after another.

"Get out of here! From this day forward, you are a traitor to the music world!"

"What a peerless genius! He's nothing but a cowardly scoundrel who's afraid of death!"

Of all the newly appointed angels, William received the most criticism.

He is a native-born musical prodigy, enjoying the resources and glory of this world.

In the end, his home was destroyed and his people were killed. Instead of fighting back and seeking revenge, he immediately knelt down and submitted, becoming a sharp blade and claw under the command of his enemies.

Above the ten-thousand-meter-high sky.

William flapped his wings and flew to Mitian, bending his knees and kneeling steadily on the ground.

"The newly appointed angel, William."

"Greetings, Lord Mitian."

The fierce winds howled incessantly high above, tousling his full head of golden hair.

His head was bowed, his expression humble, without a trace of his former arrogance.

"Get up," Mi Tian said calmly.

"Yes."

William slowly straightened up, and his eyes met Mi Tian's youthful face.

Mi Tian wore a gentle smile on his face, his tone casual and languid.

"William, that's a good name."

"I'll remember you."

He turned to look at Miya beside him and casually gave her an order.

"Xiaoya, from now on he will be the seventh elder of the Angel Clan."

"Once we return to the realm of the gods, this person will be under your jurisdiction."

"You personally teach him the rules and etiquette of the angel race."

Miya frowned slightly, her heart filled with confusion.

She couldn't understand her brother's actions at all.

Even if a mere mermaid transformed into an angel, with six wings and a cultivation level reaching the peak of SS rank, is still a threat.

They are far from being qualified as elders.

At the peak of SS-level strength, it's not even considered top-tier in the God Realm.

Countless angels from the divine realm, lacking background and opportunity, are trapped at the bottom of the legion for their entire lives.

He spent his long life without receiving any promotion.

Saints possess a long lifespan, which can reach ten thousand years.

Miya had examined William's bone age; he was only in his early twenties.

In contrast, consider the brothers Soma and Sogana.

Born into humble circumstances, he fought in countless battles across various small worlds, achieving remarkable feats.

He endured until he was eight thousand years old before he could barely secure his position as the ninth and tenth elder.

That was already a prime example of a lowly angel defying fate and changing their destiny.

With a single, casual remark, Mi Tian saved William from eight thousand years of arduous cultivation and conquest, allowing him to ascend to the heavens in one step.

She rose directly to the top of the clan, becoming the seventh elder, second only to her.

Despite her doubts, Miya knew her brother's personality very well.

His decisions are always based on his own considerations, and he never changes them.

She didn't ask any more questions and simply nodded in agreement.

"I understand, brother."

After speaking, Miya raised her eyes to look at William, who was standing bowing in front of her, her tone cold and indifferent.

"Stand beside me."

"From now on, just follow me and behave yourself."

"Yes."

William responded respectfully, moved to stand beside Mia's throne, and adopted an extremely humble posture.

This conversation in the heavens was conducted without any concealment and clearly reached the ears of every living being in the world.

Countless newly minted angels instantly became envious, their hearts burning with extreme greed and desire.

A figure suddenly took to the air, flying at full speed towards the sky.

This newly appointed angel is quick-witted.

William merely submitted voluntarily to show his loyalty, and he was able to rise to the position of the Seventh Elder in one fell swoop.

If I do my best to please Lord Mitian, I might be able to seize another opportunity for a high position.

With the first person taking the lead, the remaining 20 million-plus newly recruited angels immediately realized what was happening.

Countless wings fluttered, and countless angels ascended into the sky.

They all knelt beneath the throne of the Heavenly King, chanting his name in unison.

The figures of people in the sky are layered upon each other, and from a distance, they look like a flock of seagulls circling in the sky.

Twenty million newly ordained angels gathered in worship, creating a magnificent spectacle that shook heaven and earth.

Looking down at the magnificent scene below, Mi Tian's eyes held a hint of satisfaction.

Instead of appointing more elders, he selected several angels who seemed pleasing to the eye.

He was directly granted the position of legion commander.

Having done all this, Mi Tian looked down upon the entire devastated world of music.

He chuckled softly.

"It seems that the merfolk have made their final choice."

"I admire the courage of those who remain true to themselves."

His tone shifted, and his gaze slowly swept over the four figures.

His tone was polite and composed.

"Four guests who have come from afar."

Have you all made up your minds about your choices?

In the ruins of the City of Sound.

Taking advantage of the lull between the mermaid's metamorphosis and the chaos of the world, Chu Ge has been quietly recuperating and resting.

At this moment, she has recovered to her peak condition.

Previously, a quasi-emperor appeared, and an ultimate imperial weapon transformed into immortal feathers and appeared in the world.

Despite the grand and awe-inspiring scene, it did not stir her emotions in the slightest.

But Mi Tian's words, "four guests who have come from afar," are all relevant.

But this made Chu Ge's heart skip a beat.

She murmured to herself in confusion.

"Four?"

"Besides Haino and me, are there two other foreign cultivators in this world?"

It's not just Chu Ge.

The remaining mermaids in the entire music world were all filled with doubt and looked around in all directions.

above the sky.

William surveyed the earth, his sharp gaze sweeping across every corner of the world.

They quickly located three figures in the dense forest.

A strange girl with a human body and a snake tail.

A cool and aloof young woman dressed in a black gothic dress.

A rebellious young woman wielding a trident.

The latter two had human legs, making it immediately clear that they were alien beings.

The snake-tailed girl's unique appearance suggests she is likely a visitor from outside.

Four spots available, three different people.

William subconsciously assumed that the last person was Haino.

He searched the entire world but couldn't find a trace of Hainuo.

In the dense forest.

Being personally named by the quasi-emperor put Xiao Caihua under immense pressure.

She simply closed her eyes, lay flat on the ground, and skillfully activated her feigned death mode.

Give up and lie low.

Since she couldn't get involved in this matter anyway, she might as well leave it to Su Lingbai and Xu Wan to handle.

At worst, we'll all come clean and die here.

Su Lingbai raised her eyes and gazed at Mi Tian on the throne high in the sky.

After a moment of silence, he slowly opened his mouth, his voice clearly resounding throughout the world.

"Fellow Daoist, we have only accidentally stumbled into this small world."

"They will leave on their own soon, with no intention of submitting to the angel race."

At this moment, the entire world was completely sealed off and imprisoned by overwhelming power.

But Su Lingbai only needs to summon the puppet to bring down the former witch.

Then they could tear apart the dimensional barrier and safely return to Witch Star with everyone.

The reason she hesitated to act was simply because she couldn't figure out Mi Tian's true intentions.

The ritual to summon the priestess requires a fixed time.

During the spellcasting process, she was unable to move or defend herself.

If Mi Tian seizes the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, she will be in an extremely dangerous situation.

The safest option is to wait and see.

They hoped the other party would be willing to let them leave.

Chu Ge, amidst the ruins of the City of Sound, heard this familiar voice.

He froze for a moment, his eyes flashing repeatedly.

"That voice... why does it sound so familiar?"

Mi Tian, ​​high in the sky, was not surprised at all after hearing Su Lingbai's reply.

After a brief response, his gaze turned to the last hiding place.

"And what about you?"

Following Mi Tian's gaze, William stared intently and finally spotted the last visitor.

She was a stunningly beautiful girl with white hair and red eyes.

The moment he saw the face clearly, William's pupils contracted slightly, his face filled with shock.

How could it be her?

He knew this person all too well.

It was Alice who defeated him head-on at the Music God's Grand Ceremony and even stripped away the fragments of the laws of music from his body.

He originally thought the last outsider would be Haino, but to his utter surprise, it was Alice.

After a brief moment of shock, William quickly regained his composure.

He had previously investigated Alice's background.

They knew that the other party was not Aigu's biological son, had a mysterious origin, and appeared out of nowhere in this world.

Previous ceremonies have also featured participants with similar unusual backgrounds, so he hadn't investigated them in detail before.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized what was going on.

No wonder this person always wore a wide robe, covering his entire body completely.

No one has ever seen her fishtail.

Because she is not a mermaid at all.

Above the ruins, Chu Ge raised his eyes to meet the gaze of the sky, his tone calm and indifferent.

"I am who I am."

"I have no intention of joining the divine realm, much less becoming an angel."

My arrival in this world was also an accident.

By saying these words, he was essentially acknowledging his status as an outsider.

The entire music world instantly erupted in discussion, with voices rising and falling.

"My God! The last guest from outside is Alice!"

"I'm completely confused! Where did Haino go?"

In the distant, dense forest.

Su Lingbai, Xu Wan, and Xiao Caihua, who was lying on the ground, were all stunned.

Xu Wan lowered her voice, her face full of surprise and doubt.

"Wait a minute... this voice, how come it sounds exactly like Old Chu's?"

The little cauliflower buried its head in the soil and made muffled noises.

"It sounds exactly like it to me too."

Just as Su Lingbai was about to speak, she suggested that they go forward and find out what was going on.

A vast, indifferent voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

"it is good."

"Since you have all made your choices, I will not waste any more words."

He slowly rose from the golden throne.

The gentle smile vanished completely, replaced by extreme indifference.

"I do not wish to follow Lord Tianlai."

"Then let it all return to nothingness along with this world."

Mi Tian snapped his fingers lightly.

hum!

The immense and boundless pressure of a quasi-emperor crushed this world.

The entire world of music trembled violently.

Rumbling--

The celestial barrier crumbled inch by inch, and cracks spread across the vast sky.

The earth's tectonic plates continued to crack, and deep, bottomless ravines crisscrossed the land.

The majestic mountains collapsed one after another.

An endless tsunami swept across the ocean, engulfing all the land along the coast.

The dormant volcano erupted collectively, pouring scalding lava across the land.

The apocalyptic scene instantly spread to every corner of the world.

"It's over! The world is going to end!"

"The real apocalypse has arrived!"

In just a few breaths.

Of the remaining millions of mermaids, another million perished.

Countless survivors were terrified by the natural disaster and knelt down, frantically kowtowing and begging for mercy from Hua Xianyu.

They wanted to temporarily submit and transform into angels to seek a glimmer of hope for survival.

They could weep, repent, and plead as they pleased.

The Immortal Feather in the sky remained motionless, showing no further reaction.

Mi Tian coldly spoke.

"It's too late."

"Hua Xianyu has completely abandoned you."

Natural disasters continue to rage.

The world quickly became devastated, turning into a living hell.

Xu Wan frowned deeply.

This is no natural disaster; it's as if the universe has stripped away the fundamental rules of this world.

Without the support of rules, the small world will only continue to collapse until it is completely annihilated.

The current earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions are merely the prelude to destruction.

The world of music is just an insignificant little world.

However, it completely collapsed and annihilated the original energy that had erupted.

It is enough to severely injure or even kill an ordinary quasi-emperor.

The little cauliflower couldn't hold on any longer and jumped three feet high.

He glared angrily at the vast sky, his face full of frustration.

"This guy only dares to be so reckless because he has an imperial weapon backing him up!"

"They're blocking the world from leaving, and they're even thinking of destroying this place."

"Su Lingbai, you have to think of something quickly!"

"This evil god hasn't spent all his secret stash of money yet; he can't die here!"

She turned around in a panic for help.

The moment she turned her head, Xiao Caihua froze on the spot.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Su Lingbai was quietly holding a simple, yellowish-brown wooden puppet in her palm.

She held the puppet in her hands, her red lips slightly parted.

Ancient and obscure incantations were slowly uttered, swirling around him.

The army of angels in the sky saw all of this clearly.

Although no one knows the purpose of the spell and the puppet, everyone is certain that it is definitely not a good thing.

An eager-to-prove-loyalty commander of a four-winged angel legion immediately issued a stern order.

"All units, attack! Slay all three of them!"

"We absolutely cannot let her magic succeed and ruin Lord Mitian's grand plan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and swooped down.

"kill!"

Hundreds of thousands of angels drew their weapons and charged madly into the dense forest.

Xiao Caihua stared at the puppet for two seconds and instantly understood Su Lingbai's plan.

"You had a trump card, why didn't you use it sooner!"

She had just breathed a sigh of relief.

The overwhelming sound of wings and shouts of battle crashed down from above.

The vibrations were so loud they made people's eardrums hurt.

Little Cauliflower looked up and saw countless angels swarming down on the three of them.

"Wow!"

She swore and shouted at Xu Wan in a hurry.

"Xu Wan! Su Lingbai is summoning a powerful expert to save the day!"

"The ceremony will take ten minutes to complete!"

"She cannot move during the spell; if it is interrupted, she will be seriously injured!"

"We must protect her and prevent the enemy from getting close!"

"rest assured."

Xu Wan nodded emphatically, her eyes sharp and piercing.

"Let her focus on casting the spell."

"With me, the Great Emperor, here, no one can harm her in the slightest."

As soon as she finished speaking, silvery-white starlight magic instantly enveloped Xu Wan's entire body.

A dazzling, star-patterned suit of magical armor instantly materialized.

The moment Xu Wan donned the Star Orbit Demon Armor, her combat power surged to its current peak.

"Secret Technique: Water Dragon's Roar!"

She raised the trident high and swung it with all her might.

A water dragon, its size obscuring the sky, burst forth into the world.

The water dragon roared to the sky, carrying immense water pressure, and charged fiercely towards the army of angels.

The newly appointed angels at the forefront were all thrown into a panic.

These mermaids had just transformed into angels, lacked practical combat experience, and had not fully mastered their powers.

Where have I ever seen such terrifying moves?

I was instantly terrified and my body stiffened.

The legion commander, who was leading the charge, forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart and roared to encourage the troops.

"What's the panic!"

"We have twenty million angels! They only have three!"

"We can overwhelm them with sheer numbers!"

"Lord Mitian is observing the battle from high above! Anyone who dares to retreat even half a step will be punished according to military law!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Mi Tian's calm voice echoed across the battlefield.

"Fellow angel warriors."

"I will protect you all; you can fight without fear."

These words, like a shot of adrenaline, pierced the hearts of all the angels.

Countless angels' eyes turned red, and their bodies surged with malevolence.

A frenzied atmosphere of killing swept across the entire venue.

"I swear to serve Lord Mitian to the death!"

"Slay the foreign enemy!"

At this moment, everyone's target was no longer just the three people in the dense forest.

This also includes the white-haired girl who refused to submit.

Above the ruins of the City of Sound.

As the army of angels swooped down from the sky, Chu Ge raised his hand and gathered blazing flames.

"Buddha's Wrathful Lotus!"

A massive fire lotus, hundreds of feet tall, took shape in mid-air and crashed into the angels.

boom!

Flames raged and firelight soared into the sky.

An endless sea of ​​fire instantly engulfed a large area of ​​the sky.

The tens of thousands of angels that collided head-on were instantly burned to ashes by the flames.

The angels who narrowly survived the explosion were all seriously injured.

Its wings were broken, its limbs were mutilated, and it was completely incapacitated.

On the back of a high-altitude water dragon.

Xu Wan stood proudly upright, weaving through millions of angels.

With a wave of his hand, he annihilates a group of enemies; with a fall, he crushes a single wing.

His killing demeanor was absolutely domineering.

Chu Ge recognized the familiar face and was completely taken aback.

"Xu Wan?!"

"What do you want with calling me, the Great Emperor?"

Xu Wan turned her head and looked at him, a familiar arrogant smile appearing on her lips.

"Old Chu, it's been three years."

"I didn't expect you to have already reached the mid-stage of Archmage."

"You're not bad either." Chu Ge leaped up and landed on the back of the water dragon, looking back with a smile.

"Eternal Star, many years have passed since we parted."

"I never imagined that our reunion would be amidst such a war-torn landscape."

"You have now reached the level of a Grand Magister."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two figures in the dense forest.

"Did you come with both of them?"

"Okay." Xu Wan nodded. "We can talk about other things after the battle. Let's finish this battle first."

"The Song of Chu"

"What's wrong?"

"Do you remember back in Dachang City, when we trained and slayed monsters with the monster-hunting team?"

Chu Ge's eyebrows curved slightly.

"Of course I remember."

"Back then, we competed in killing more enemies, and in the end, it was a draw."

"Since you still remember," Xu Wan's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, "today is a perfect opportunity to settle things."

"Dare to have a contest?"

"I'll gladly oblige."

As Chu Ge finished speaking, towering flames surged forth.

A monstrous, all-encompassing fiery dragon burst forth from the clouds, its body wreathed in blue-purple arcs of electricity.

Xu Wan was slightly taken aback, then didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You copied my moves again."

He then smiled in relief.

"But this is the Chu Ge I know."

"You are still someone I know—" Chu Ge smiled calmly, emphasizing his words, "Empress Xu Wan."

An indestructible fiery dragon roams the heavens, burning away all evil spirits and enemies wherever it goes.

A torrent of water swept across the sky, cleansing away all filth and malevolence in its path.

Chu Ge and Xu Wan fought side by side.

On one hand, they fight against an endless army of angels, and on the other hand, they contend with the ever-spreading natural disasters.

Xu Wan swept her trident across, instantly shattering and obliterating dozens of angels.

"Old Chu! How many have you killed?"

Chu Ge struck with his fiery spear, and hundreds of angels instantly crumbled.

"Not many, just over 50,000."

"Then I'm slightly inferior, with a little over forty thousand."

Xu Wan didn't care at all, her fighting spirit was high.

"But I'm still warming up, I haven't gone all out yet."

"What a coincidence, me too."

The two exchanged a smile across the distance, displaying perfect understanding.

This batch of newly recruited angels is ultimately a product of rushed production.

Most of them are low-ranking angels with two or four wings, lacking a solid foundation.

Their average strength is barely at the early stage of A-level.

For Chu Ge and Xu Wan now, they could wipe out an entire area with a mere wave of their hand.

Unfortunately, the number of enemies was too large.

With such a dense and endless array of creatures, it's inevitable that some will slip through the net.

A peak B-rank angel, taking advantage of the chaos of war, quietly bypassed the main battlefield.

Following the scent, they stealthily crept into the depths of the dense forest, their target being Su Lingbai, who was casting a spell.

Little Cauliflower immediately detected the enemy's presence.

He immediately bared his teeth and assumed a fighting stance.

"Dare to touch a single hair on Su Lingbai's head!"

"Today, I'll write my name backwards!"

She pushed off the ground with both feet and leaped high into the air.

With its tail taut and ready to charge, it slammed down hard on the ambushing angel.

"Super Invincible Little Evil God Flying Kick!"

His aura instantly locked onto his opponent.

The angel's movements suddenly froze, and he could only watch helplessly as the fatal blow came.

The little cauliflower grinned wildly.

"Heh heh! Die!"

Just as the flying kick was about to hit.

boom!

A figure crashed down from above, striking Xiao Caihua precisely.

The little cauliflower's move was abruptly interrupted, and she crashed heavily into the mud.

He fell flat on his face.

She looked up in a disheveled state, saw the person pressing down on her, and immediately became furious.

What are you doing?!

"An unexpected surprise."

Xu Wan hurriedly got up from the ground and picked up the fallen trident.

"I was ambushed by an enemy lurking in the shadows and accidentally fell down."

She raised her halberd, pointing it directly at the figure beside the throne high in the sky, her tone filled with fierce battle intent.

"That doesn't count, let's play it again."

High in the sky.

Miya looked down at the farce below, her expression indifferent.

"OK."

Xu Wan stopped being polite, leaped into the air, and charged straight at Mi Ya.

"Since you dared to accept my challenge, it means you've already decided how you're going to die!"

She gripped the trident tightly, the weapon stirring up the entire airspace.

Towering waves surged out of nowhere, crashing down on Miya.

"My soul is captivated by the turbulent winds and clouds!"

Xu Wan knew that Mi Ya's cultivation level was higher than hers, and it would be difficult for her to gain the upper hand in a head-on confrontation.

She decided to combine her water magic and spiritual magic, intending to catch her opponent off guard with a double spell.

Watching Xu Wan's retreating figure, Xiao Caihua, left behind, rubbed her aching body and grumbled as she got up from the mud.

She turned to look at Su Lingbai, who was still steadily chanting the incantation, and poured out all her resentment.

"Look what a mess you've made!"

"If it weren't for the bad luck curse you cast on me earlier, I wouldn't have been hit by that guy for no reason just now."

Little Cauliflower glared at the other person, puffing out her cheeks.

"I'm doing everything I can to protect you while you cast your spell, so you should know that."

"Once we leave this world safely, even if it means sinking the White Bell Shrine, we'll force you to lift this damned restriction."

After saying this, Xiao Caihua looked up at the two figures engaged in fierce combat deep in the sky.

Xu Wan had already flown a great distance, and even if she lost her grip and fell again, it would take her quite some time to recover by the time she landed here.

"The opportunity has arrived!"

Little Cauliflower suddenly shouted, and her entire body sprang into the air again, locking onto the angel who was still stunned and hadn't recovered from the attack.

"This evil god refuses to believe in evil, and yet I've fallen for the same thing twice today!"

"Super Invincible Little Evil God Flying Kick 2.0!"

She locked onto her opponent's presence, and with her taut tail carrying all her power, she slammed it down on the enemy.

"Hehehe! Shake it off!"

"Useless idiot! This time, no one can stop me halfway!"

boom!

In mid-air, he collided with another rapidly falling figure, abruptly interrupting the entire flying kick sequence.

The little cauliflower lost its balance and fell heavily back onto the muddy ground.

She lay in the dirt, trembling with rage, gritting her teeth and roaring.

"Okay, very good! Excellent!!"

"I'll see which bastard deliberately ruined my plans this time!"

Little Cauliflower bared her sharp teeth and turned her head, staring intently at the figure that had fallen beside her.

The moment she saw who it was, she froze on the spot, her eyes wide with astonishment.