The Aftermath

The air was thick with ash and silence, broken only by the occasional groan of molten rock shifting beneath the scorched ground. Sylvia was the first to stir, her luminous wings dimmed, their usual brilliance reduced to a faint glow. She winced as she moved, her hands trembling as she channeled healing light over her scraped arms. The others lay scattered around her like broken pieces of a puzzle.

"Kael!" Sylvia's voice cracked, the urgency pulling the beastman from unconsciousness. His amber eyes snapped open, wild and disoriented. He pushed himself to his feet, his claws digging into the ashen ground as he scanned the area.

"Still alive, mutt?" Thrain groaned, his stocky frame shifting as he sat up, clutching his ribs. His tone was gruff, but there was relief in his voice.

"Barely," Kael growled, rolling his shoulders. "What in the void was that?"