The clearing did not return to normal all at once.
It relaxed the way a great beast might after stretching,slowly, deliberately, with a lingering sense of coiled strength just beneath the surface. The wind eased first, currents unstacking themselves until the air flowed naturally again.
Residual static crackled faintly before dissipating, and the suspended mana threads Luna had woven into the perimeter dimmed from blazing gold-green to a steady, watchful glow.
Leaves settled back onto the forest floor. Grass, flattened into perfect concentric patterns, slowly began to rise again, unbroken, unharmed.
Only then did the world feel real again. The immense aura of the Leviathan slowly dissipated, and allowed everyone to breathe easily once again.
