The medical bay had finally fallen quiet.
The air still carried the faint, musky scent of sweat, synthetic lubricant, and mana residue—golden-pink threads that lingered like dying fireflies before fading completely. The monitors beeped in slow, steady rhythm now, no longer frantic. The stasis casts around Julian's arms had dimmed to a soft, pulsing blue, then one by one clicked off with a series of soft chimes. Dr. Thorne's automated systems had registered the entropy neutralization as complete.
Julian flexed his fingers—slowly at first, testing. No pain. No crystalline ache. Just normal, human sensation returning in full. He curled his right hand into a fist, then opened it again. The skin was unmarked, the dark fissures gone as if they'd never existed. He let out a long, quiet breath of relief.
