Lucas inhaled shakily, his chest rising and falling as though every breath carried the weight of the battle. His limbs still trembled, the toll of what he had unleashed bearing down on him like a mountain. Yet, even in his fragile state, he managed a faint nod of gratitude toward Nyx, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"Thank you," he muttered, his tone carrying both exhaustion and sincerity. "You saved me."
Nyx didn't answer right away. Her eyes were still scanning him, unsure whether to berate him for the reckless power he had just released or express awe at the impossible feat he had performed. But when Lucas raised a shaky hand, silently asking her to help him stand, she responded without hesitation. She looped an arm around his back and pulled him upright. He groaned softly as his feet found the ground again, his knees wobbling beneath him like twigs in a storm.
