Old Humphrey stood in silence for a long moment, eyes fixed on the thinning ranks of the retreating Gnomes. The number of Ninth-stage Sovereigns still standing among them was far lower than he had expected. He had known Grey was dangerous, yet the sheer count of bodies left behind still left him momentarily speechless. Once the mental attack came into play, resistance had collapsed with almost mechanical efficiency. Looking at the result now, it felt inevitable.
Odelia's reaction was deeper. She knew exactly how long Grey had been gone from the Peak battlefield. The idea that he had cut down so many Ninth-stage Gnomes in that narrow window bordered on the absurd. She glanced at him once, then looked away, a quiet sense of relief settling in her chest. He was on their side. The thought of facing him as an enemy was not something she wanted to entertain.
