The moment the fiend queen's head hit the ground, a deep silence spread through the Crimson Village.
It was the kind of silence that didn't bring peace… only the heavy weight of exhaustion.
The smell of burning tendrils and scorched earth mixed with the coppery scent of blood. Smoke coiled into the air like faint ghosts, drifting over the shattered rooftops.
Somewhere in the distance, a child whimpered softly.
Aarya stood in the middle of the battlefield, Granthnishaan still glowing faintly in his hand.
The fiend's seed — a charred, cracked remnant — lay at his feet, pulsing once… and then going completely still.
Feran landed beside him, tail low, ears twitching. "It's over. For now."
Aarya's gaze swept the ruins of the central square. "For now," he echoed, voice low.
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Grace st
