The air still hummed with the remnants of the battle as Kael, Morgana, and Elarion stood in the clearing, their bodies weary from the struggle. Though the void's agent had been vanquished, its presence lingered in the forest like a foul stench, as if the very earth beneath them had been corrupted. The trees around them stood dark and twisted, their leaves whispering in a language Kael couldn't quite understand.
Kael sheathed his sword, though his grip remained tight. He could still feel the lingering tremor of the battle in his muscles, the sting of adrenaline fading into an ache that would only grow worse with time. But it was the quiet, the unnatural silence, that unsettled him most. The void was not a foe easily defeated, and it had never been this easy before.
"We did it," Elarion muttered, his voice low, but there was no conviction in his tone.
Kael turned to him, his brow furrowing. "Did we? Or did it simply retreat, waiting for a better opportunity?"
