The silence that followed the demon’s departure was deafening. It was not the silence of peace but of a breath held too long, a moment too taut to be natural.
Smoke curled in the air like dying whispers, and the ground where the demon had stood cracked and smouldered. And at that moment, everyone held their breath.
No one talked.
They all stood still, staring at each other's faces.
Kael lay on the ground, his chest heaving, his limbs twitching from the remnants of energy that still surged within him. The glowing symbols across his skin had begun to fade, leaving behind only a soft heat beneath the surface.
Master Harond stood still, eyes narrowed, his sword still raised. Blood dripped from the wound on his hand, but he didn’t seem to notice. His gaze was fixed on the space the demon h
