Zoe stumbled out of the portal, her boots hitting the ground with a solid thud.
The battlefield was exactly as they had left it—chaotic, with monsters frozen mid-attack and debris suspended as if held by invisible strings.
Her chest heaved as she tried to reconcile the stillness with the chaos they had just endured.
The shard's collapse had taken everything, and yet here they were, standing as if no time had passed at all.
Her grip on the staff tightened.
The Duster was secure in her vault, the loot shimmering faintly as it rested in her vault.
Around her, the team emerged one by one.
Gavin was first, his hand resting on the hilt of his new blade, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.
Serria followed shield at the ready, her expression as tense as ever.
Roderick stepped out next, spinning his ethereal daggers experimentally before stowing them.
