The silence that followed William's departure was deafening. Stella stood frozen, her chest heaving from the battle, her mind still reeling from the confrontation. Bryan groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, his body battered but not broken. Sylvia, pale and trembling, knelt by the artifact that now lay dark and cold at her feet, the magic it once held completely spent.
Stella wiped the sweat from her brow, her thoughts still lingering on William's final words: *"This isn't over."* She knew he meant every word. They had wounded him, weakened him, but they had not defeated him. He was still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance to strike again. And next time, he would be stronger.
"We need to regroup," Stella finally said, her voice barely a whisper as she sheathed her dagger. "This isn't over. We need to prepare."
