Miles below, in the crushing dark.
Oliver sat on the rocky shore of the subterranean lake, wringing out his coat. The water was freezing, sapping his body heat rapidly.
Around him, the darkness felt heavy, like a physical weight. The red eyes in the distance blinked and shifted, circling closer.
He was alone. No healer. No tank. No damage dealer.
Just him and his daggers.
"Sigh," Oliver exhaled, seeing his breath fog in the air. "This is going to be a pain without backup."
He reached up to his neck.
Clamped onto the collar of his coat was a silver brooch shaped like a feather. It was intricate, beautiful, and completely out of place on his rugged gear.
He tapped it twice.
"Wake up, Sera," Oliver whispered. "Nap time is over."
Hummmm.
A low, mechanical vibration resonated from the brooch.
"System reboot sequence initiated," a tiny, synthesized voice spoke from the silver feather. "Mana reserves: 98%. Sleep Mode: Disengaged."
The brooch didn't just detach. It liquefied.
