The silence that followed was almost as deafening as the storm had been. The courtyard, once filled with the chaos of battle, was now eerily still. The guardians stood in a loose circle around Ethan, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, their weapons hanging limply at their sides. The light from the ritual had faded, leaving behind only the faintest glow of the elemental stones.
Ethan could hardly believe it was over. The entity, the darkness that had haunted them for so long, was gone. Banished. But the toll of the battle was written on every face around him—exhaustion, relief, and a lingering uncertainty that gnawed at the edges of his mind.
Renard was the first to break the silence. "We did it," he said, his voice hoarse but steady. He sheathed his sword with a slow, deliberate motion, as if grounding himself in the simple act.
