The One Beneath

His voice was deep—calm, but carrying the weight of centuries.

Fafnir crossed his arms, smirking. "Took you long enough."

Zarathorak scoffed. "Still look like a damn know-it-all."

Veydris turned his gaze to them, studying them both before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Some things never change, do they?"

Ingi let out a breath, shaking his head. "I can't believe this worked…."

I took a step forward, locking eyes with Veydris. "How do you feel?"

He looked at me—really looked at me—and for a second, I swore I saw something flicker in his gaze.

Gratitude. Resolve. And something… else.

"I feel…" He clenched his fist, his golden aura briefly flaring to life around him. "Ready."

I exhaled sharply, stepping closer to Veydris. His presence was steady now, his form solid, but I could still feel the lingering remnants of the chains that had bound him.