The cavern had finally gone still. Smoke and the metallic scent of burnt mana lingered in the air, rising from the scorched remains of the monsters that moments ago had filled the tunnels with chaos.
Noel exhaled slowly, lowering Revenant Fang until its tip scraped against the stone floor. His arm trembled slightly — not from fear, but from exhaustion. The glow of his core dimmed back to its natural rhythm.
From his Dimensional Pouch, he pulled out three bottles of water and a small wrapped bundle of jerky. Tossing one bottle to Selene, he said, "Drink. You look like you're about to freeze yourself solid."
Selene caught it midair, unscrewing the cap with shaky fingers. "Says the one who's been setting himself on fire all morning."
A faint smirk curved Noel's lips. "Fair." He offered the other bottle toward his father. "Here, take it. You've barely stopped swinging since we got here."
