Julian slowly rolled over and pushed Fran onto her side in the recovery position. He leaned close, listening for her breath. "Mmh…" Fran started to stir, her breathing heavy but shallow, causing him to feel relieved.
The forest became eerily silence the moment the monster died—only the subtle whistle of wind echoed while Umbra hovered around Julian's body.
"Fran... Frank wake—up." He tapped her cheeks, creating a small rosy mark.
"Nn, five minutes... my body hurts."
Fran stretched out, her bones cracking and popping into place as she lifted her head from the ground and observed the surroundings. At first, she seemed dazed and still not quite focused, but by the time she rose to her feet, swaying slightly, she had recovered.
"Julian? What happened?" She asked in a nervous voice, looking at the massive crater filled with corrupted black fluids.
"Don't worry, we managed to defeat him... but it was a bit dangerous."