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The silence came so gradually no one noticed at first.

The roar of battle faded. The shriek of the void died away. The hum of wards and the thrum of magic settled into a soft, steady rhythm, like a heartbeat slowing after a long run. The wind stopped howling through the ruins of the Council keep. The dust stopped swirling. The sky above was clear, washed clean of shadow, a pale, tender blue streaked with the gold of late afternoon.

Aria stood alone in the center of the field, right where the door had opened. Her sword hung loose in her hand, the silver light dimming to a faint...