Thessaly wasn't dead.
Barely breathing. But alive.
Elyse worked miracles. Korrin fed mana into the healing runes.
Naia stood guard, fire lighting the shadows.
And Liss sat alone.
Hands shaking. Mirror pulsing.
"If I unlock the seal," she whispered,
"I can kill them all. I can end the gods. No more pain. No more running."
The Lady didn't answer.
But Liss felt Ling Kushi smiling from the cracks.
Thessaly stirred.
Reached for her hand.
"Don't… become him," she rasped.
And Liss wept.
Just once.
A single tear that froze midair—
because reality didn't know how to process it.