Rick approached, blood staining his armor but his movements steady. He knelt beside Aiden, his expression a mixture of relief and concern. "We did it," Rick said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "The Abyss has retreated—for now."
Aiden's gaze didn't leave the horizon, where the faint traces of shadow still lingered. "It's not over," he muttered. "Vassago was just one piece of the Abyss. They'll come back... stronger."
Rick frowned, following Aiden's gaze. "Maybe. But today, we pushed them back. That's a victory."
Aiden turned to him, his eyes shadowed with worry. "Victory doesn't matter if we can't hold what we've won. The Abyss isn't like anything we've faced before. It adapts, it consumes, and it doesn't stop."
Rick sighed, placing a reassuring hand on Aiden's shoulder. "Then we'll adapt too. You've given us hope, Aiden. That's something the Abyss can't take away."
