The battle haze faded slowly, leaving only the crackle of falling embers and the steady breath of the crimson golem standing guard. Its glow dimmed with the night, pulsing faintly like a dying sta
Alex sat on the edge of the broken platform, his hands trembling as he unwrapped his bandages. The Core's hum was softer now — a heartbeat buried beneath his own. For once, it wasn't whispering. Just… listenin
Lyra handed him a flask of water and dropped beside him without a word. She had a streak of ash across her cheek, and her braid was half undone. Somehow, she still looked stead
"You scared the hell out of us," she said, voice low
He managed a crooked smile. "Scared myself more.
They sat in silence. Not awkward, just tired. The kind of silence that fills itsel
Across the clearing, Aurora sprawled on her phoenix's wing, using the feathers as a pillow. "Wake me if the world ends again," she muttered, already half aslee
Peter stood a little apart, his shadows curling lazily at his feet. He watched the horizon where the abyss met the broken sky. When Alex caught his eye, Peter gave a short nod — no words, but the meaning was clear: you did goo
As the night deepened, Lyra leaned against Alex's shoulder. He didn't move. Didn't dare t
"Feels strange," she murmured. "Being alive after all that.
"Yeah," he said. "Almost feels like we stole the moment from something bigger.
The golem shifted in the distance, settling to one knee like a knight keeping watch over its creators. Its faint crimson glow washed over the ruins, painting everything in ghostligh
Aurora's phoenix let out a soft, rumbling coo — not fire, not fury. Just warmt
They didn't talk about what came next. Not about the Architect, or the abyss, or the way Alex's veins still shimmered red when he flexed his fingers. Tonight wasn't for strategy. It was for remembering they were still huma
And as the first false dawn broke over the shattered realm, Alex glanced at his friends — his strange, reckless family — and almost let himself believe that peace could las
Almos
Taglin
> Even gods rest between war
s.e:---t.t.n.h.t.""o.d.p.f.".y.g.r.s