The control room hummed with quiet power, its walls lit by shifting blue screens. The Sanctum drifted steadily through the sky, the map of the world glowing faint on the center panel. Lucian stood by the console, Lucy beside him, Infernal Eclipse still burning faintly in her hand.
The doors hissed open.
Karl stepped in, his steps heavier than before, though his chains were gone now. There was something new in the way he carried himself—his frame tense with energy, his movements sharper. Kaelis perched on Lucian's shoulder, shrunken down to his small form again, tail curling lazily, molten eyes watchful.
Lucy's gaze landed on Karl immediately. Her eyes narrowed faintly, then she turned her head toward Lucian. "So… is he a free man now?"
Lucian didn't hesitate. "He is. And it's for a good cause."
Lucy exhaled through her nose, lips pressing thin. She didn't argue, though. She only lifted the new blade slightly, its edge humming against the control room's light.
