The rain had dulled into a quiet mist. Craters still steamed from the clash between Elric and Rue, but the battle had ended. Rue laying on the grounds, his body twitching lightly with leftover static. His Partial Fusion had dissolved, leaving only the fragile shell of a man who once called lightning his weapon.
Espada limped over, clutching her scorched side. Her expression was hardened but measured.
"Here," she said, holding out a strange, dark-metal shackle. It pulsed faintly with a reddish hue, the edges organic—like bone and steel merged, as if it had grown rather than been forged. "Commander Qin gave this to me. It's called a Nullmetal Maw. If worn on someone with Quas blood, it hinders their ability to utilize their power."
Elric furrowed his brow as he took the shackle, its texture alien and cold—part metal, part sinew. The surface pulsed beneath his fingers like a living thing, making his skin crawl.
"This thing feels... sentient," he murmured, voice tight.
