The air around them hung heavy with the aftermath of the battle, the weight of their victory settling into an uneasy silence. The swirling vortex where the shadow had been imprisoned pulsed faintly, its energy subdued yet still alive, a reminder of the ancient force they had just contained.
Kael was the first to break the silence, his voice raw but steady. "It's done."
Bryn slumped to the ground, his exhaustion evident as he ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "Done? Sure, let's call it that. But why doesn't it feel like we've won?"
Liora looked at the device in her hands, its once brilliant light now dim. The runes etched into its surface were faded, their power seemingly spent. She could feel the remnants of the shadow's essence thrumming faintly within, as if it were waiting, biding its time.