The battlefield was a crater of smoke and broken stone, charred by fire and seared by radiance. The worms were gone burned into ash that scattered like black snow on the wind. The abomination's roar had fallen silent, its body ripped apart from the inside out.
For a long moment, there was only stillness. The echoes of the Final Severance lingered in the fractured air, like a hymn carved into the world itself.
Rael staggered first, knees trembling as the Judicator sigils across his body dimmed and cracked. His chest heaved, emerald light leaking faintly from the fractures in his armor.
Kaen was worse off—half his torso seared red and black, blood pouring from his mouth. Yet his grin split wider, even as he nearly fell flat on his face.
"Hah… told you I could tank it." His voice rasped, broken but full of smug fire.
Rael gave him a sidelong glance, face pale but sharp.
"…Idiot. You almost got yourself killed."
Kaen chuckled through blood.
