Noel sat in Nicolas office, the warm glow of mana-lamps casting shadows across the wooden desk. His body still felt sore, every muscle carrying the echo of the battle, but the ache in his chest wasn't physical. Noir paced near the corner, tail moving in short, sharp motions. She wasn't calm either.
On the far side of the room, beneath a simple cloth, lay the body of the dwarf he had fought. Noel's eyes lingered on the outline—the broad shoulders, the stillness. He stepped closer, pulling the cloth back just enough to see the pale, lifeless face.
'An innocent,' he thought bitterly. The man's neck was marked, a mark that screamed ownership and chains. 'Probably had family in the factory too… probably fighting because someone held them hostage.'
