The light had barely faded when the silence truly settled.
Jack knelt there, gripping Old Joe’s limp body, his breathing shallow, his heart thudding like a war drum inside his chest. The Dragon Dagger lay beside him, its runes flickering faintly, the last embers dying out.
Sarah’s hand trembled on Jack’s shoulder. “He’s… gone?”
Jack didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
But then—Joe stirred.
Just enough to raise his hand.
“Joe?” Sarah gasped, dropping to her knees.
His voice was brittle. “Don’t cry for me, Sarah. Not yet.”
Jack leaned in close, barely able to keep himself steady. “You fought harder than anyone. Rest now, please.”
Joe shook his head slowly, his eyes cloudy but still burning. “Not yet. There’s still something I have to say.”
Vincent stood a few feet away, arms folded, eyes r
