The weight of the battle hung in the air, suffocating the silence that had followed the explosion of light. Elara stood in the midst of the ruin, her hands still trembling from the surge of power she had just wielded. She could feel the Void inside her, still present, though now a faint hum beneath the surface of her consciousness. It was not gone, not yet. But it was contained—for the moment.
Aiden was by her side, his expression a mixture of awe, fear, and disbelief. His eyes searched her face as if looking for answers that neither of them had. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He reached out, his fingers hovering near her arm, unsure whether to touch her.
"Elara," he said softly, almost as if testing the sound of her name. "What—what did you just do?"
