The room fell into a profound silence after. No one moved, no one breathed too loudly, and no one dared to disrupt the stillness that enveloped the entire room.
Every gaze was fixed on him, the weight of their attention palpable, not in judgment or challenge, but in a desperate attempt to comprehend the kind of resolve it took to speak about sacrificing his future with such quiet certainty.
The air felt denser, and above Mina, the healing formation pulsed slowly, casting a faint red light that flickered across the walls and illuminated the faces gathered around her bed. Each expression was unique yet bound by an unspoken tension.
Valeria's eyes remained locked on Sage. Conflict swirled within them, raw and unmistakable, a struggle rooted not in doubt of his abilities but in grappling with the cost he had just accepted.
