The dust of the fallen Giant settled like a shroud over the narrow valley. The silence that followed was profound, broken only by their ragged breathing and the resumption of the Stone Giants' low, mournful hum—a sound that now felt less like background noise and more like a judgment.
Corvin collapsed to his knees, his body wracked with tremors. He stared at the rubble blocking the pass, his face a mask of pale dust and stark terror. "What have I done?" he whispered, the words cracking. "I didn't… I couldn't control it."
Mara was already moving, her practical nature overriding the shock. She grabbed his arm, her fingers pressing into the pressure points above his wrist. "Breathe, Corvin. Look at me. Breathe." Her voice was a command, sharp and grounding. "You panicked. You used what you had. We're alive. That's what matters."
