The explosion took time to fade.
For several seconds, the entire forest remained consumed by white light and black cracks that cut through the air like living scars. The sound came in delayed waves, one after another, reverberating through the ruins, the shattered trees, and the destroyed ground. Stones rolled down distant slopes. Monsters fled in every direction. Even the ritual dimension itself seemed to tremble, as if questioning whether something like that should still be allowed inside a trial for young vampires.
Victor kept his arm raised for a few more moments.
The Black Ice reinforcing his bones was cracked beneath his skin. Small dark fissures crossed his fingers and slowly disappeared as his regeneration worked together with his blood energy. The attack had been far too powerful to use casually. Not impossible. Not dangerous enough to make him retreat. Just... expensive.
He flexed his right hand.
The nerves responded with a minimal delay.
"Good to know," he murmured.
