High above the battlefield, Feylora slowly descended, her boots touching down on the shattered stone with barely a sound. Her shoulders rose and fell with quiet breaths, and behind her, the spirit bow unraveled into drifting motes of starlight, dissolving into the wind.
She lifted her gaze toward Ethan. Her eyes were still clear—like a lake untouched by the storm that had just passed.
Ethan's lips curved into the faintest smile.
The battle was over.
Fires still flickered in the ruins, casting dancing shadows across the rubble. The air was thick with the stench of smoke and blood, swirling together in a heavy, metallic haze.
Atop the broken remains of the fortress, the Emerald Castle banner was raised high on the tallest tower, snapping proudly in the wind.
A wave of cheers erupted from the soldiers, rising and falling like the tide.
"We did it—we won!"
