"Are we clear?"
Eli's voice cut through the still, damp air—steady, calm, but with a quiet weight that made all three of them lift their heads.
Before him stood Zaira, Mel, and Mio. Their faces were pale from exhaustion and fear, lit faintly by the cold glow of the bioluminescent water around them.
The cavern was eerily silent except for the faint sound of the octopus breathing—its slow, guttural rhythm echoing from afar like the heartbeat of the dungeon itself.
Eli's eyes moved from one face to the next.
Mel was the first to respond. His hand was trembling slightly where it rested on his thigh, but his voice was steady when he said, "Yes."
Zaira swallowed hard, her fingers still curled tightly around Mel's arm for reassurance. "Yes… yeah," she managed, her voice soft but determined. "I think it's clear."
Eli's gaze shifted to Mio last. The vice-captain's jaw was tense, his silver hair damp and sticking to his face.
