Thalso was seated in Flow position as always, unmoving, like a statue carved from shadow and steel. Whether he was even looking at them or not was a mystery.
Silence stretched.
They all lowered their weapons and waited.
"It's hard to know if he's even looking at you," Kaedros muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. His sword was in his right hand, so he managed the motion with minimal strain.
"Yeah," Taria agreed, tilting her head up toward the dim, shadowy ceiling. Her spear rested lightly against her shoulder, its tip pointed toward the dark. She couldn't say why, but she knew, knew, she was getting stronger. Even if she couldn't measure it.
"I'm sure he heard me," Rauk added, voice edged with frustration. "I don't mind the pain. I just want to know why. Why this? Why like this?"
Then, without a word, Thalso rose.
It was fluid, seamless, like liquid metal folding upward into the shape of a man. His armor gleamed faintly in the dim light, helmet still in place, unreadable.
