Ryu's words hung in the air, heavy with an unspoken gravity. His companions stared at him, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and concern. The faint glow in his eyes was unnatural, otherworldly—a sign of the Abyss's lingering presence within him.
"You think you found a way to fight back?" Aris finally snapped, his sarcasm dripping as he spoke the words. "That's reassuring." He tried for humor, but the tension within his voice would not be muffled.
"Kaelith stepped forward into the room with a sharp stare. Her deep blue eyes, narrowed, locked in on Ryu, and she pounced. "What exactly have you done?" she shouted. "The light wasn't something normal. Your connection to the shard. it's strengthened, hasn't it?
