The heavier presence halted at the edge of the fog lane to allow inspection.
It was taller than the recovery operators they had already fought, layered in plates that bore no House color and no wasted decoration. The pressure it exuded was clean, controlled, sufficient to narrow the air around the nine simply by proximity. This one was not searching. This one had come to conclude the searching.
Zeus felt the chaos under his own skin twitch, once, in answer, and forced it silent. Beside him, Athena settled her spear into a ready line. Kratos shifted his stance to a waiting stance without prompting. Wukong spun his staff once before allowing it to rest across his shoulders, eyes sharp. None of them spoke first.
The armored figure studied their group with patient attention before settling on Zeus with a longer gaze than the others.
