The elevator door hummed, a soft, mechanical sound, as a single, emerald light above it blinked, indicating it was ready to open. Kael stared at the door, his heart pounding, Nyx waiting behind it. But he wouldn't face it alone.
"Lyra!" he roared again, his voice thick with raw relief, pressing his palm against the cold obsidian.
The door slid open with a hiss of compressed air, revealing Lyra standing there, breathless but triumphant, her System Champion armor gleaming. Her face was smudged with dust and grit, but her eyes, wide with concern, searched his.
"Kael! You actually made it!" She lunged forward, throwing her arms around him, holding him tight. Her embrace was a grounding force, a physical anchor after the terrifying isolation of the void. "I was so worried. Nyx's voice… she s
