whispers in the dark

The silence after the fight was deceptive, the forest too silent, as if it held its breath. Ryu stood there with Voidfang resting at his side, its faint glow slowly dying. Kaelith stayed close to him, her silver hair glinting in the faint light filtering through the trees, her sharp blue eyes watching him with concern.

"You're bleeding," she said, motioning toward the gash on his shoulder where the Abyssal figure's claw had struck.

Ryu glanced at the wound, where dark energy still faintly lingered, crackling against his skin. "It's nothing," he said, brushing it off. "We've got bigger problems."

Kaelith frowned, stepping closer and extending her staff toward him. A soft silver light emanated from its tip, enveloping his wound. The dark energy hissed, retreating under her magic, but the pain made Ryu flinch.

"You don't get to brush this off," she said firmly. "The Abyss leaves a mark, and if we don't deal with it, it'll fester."