The thick fog of dust gradually subsided, curling away in lazy swirls until their silhouettes began to emerge like phantoms from a battlefield. From within the haze, Hildred lowered his arm from his face, his sharp gaze scanning both sides as the murk dissolved, revealing the broken ground around him. Just as the last veil of dust fell, a figure descended, Lumina, landing lightly to his left, her breath ragged, chest heaving like a hunted stag.
"Sir…" she managed, her tone edged with exhaustion. Hildred turned toward her, his eyes briefly flicking to his rear as if anticipating a threat before locking back on her face. "How is it, and…" his words faltered, weight dragging at his voice, "…what about the others?" His tone carried the remnants of strain, the echo of a man who had just pushed his body past its natural limit.
"Don't worry, my lord. They are here." Lumina's assurance had barely left her lips when the air split.
"Roooorrrr!"
