The low hum of the void reverberated through the chamber between Umbra and Akari. They stood apart, the tension between them stretched taut as a bridge ready to break. The aftermath of the gods' battle remained heavy in the air as if the universe had only been reshaped and reclaimed around them. Umbra, who had emerged victorious once again, now carried a weight on his shoulders that no amount of strength could shrug off.
Akari's eyes remained on him, her expression torn between concern and frustration. "You've been quiet since the fight," she said, her voice steady. "More than usual. What's wrong?"
He sat at the end of his throne, with his elbows to his knees and his glowing eyes fixed on the ground. For a while, he did not say anything. His mind was preoccupied as if unwinding some knot that had been tightening inside him since the very start.
"They're coming after you," he finally said in a low, resonant voice that carried the weight of truth.
