The sun was already sinking behind the jagged mountain range when the battlefield finally began to quiet.
Long shadows stretched across broken stone and scorched earth, painting the ravine in deep amber and crimson hues as the light thinned.
In the distance, monster screeches still echoed faintly, mingling with the hoarse shouts of human fighters calling out positions, injuries, and regroup points. It was the sound of a battlefield winding down rather than ending; violence retreating just far enough to breathe.
Valhalla’s Sinners stood amid the aftermath, weapons lowered, bodies heavy with exhaustion.
Armor was dented, cloaks torn, mana reserves scraped raw. They had held their ground, but it had taken everything they had, and then some. The air smelled of ozone, scorched stone, blood, and lingering magic, the kind of stench that clung to the lungs long after the fighting stopped.
Luna staggered a step, then another, before slumping sideways and leaning heavily against Nyx with a wheezing laugh that sounded more like a dying engine than a person. Sweat drenched her storm-light armor, darkening the fabric and plastering loose strands of purple hair to her flushed face as she sucked in air as if she’d just sprinted uphill for an hour straight.
Nyx barely reacted to the sudden weight, adjusting her stance smoothly and bracing Luna without complaint. Despite being just as drained, her breathing shallow and her armor scratched and outright broken in some parts, she lifted an arm to steady the storm girl and even reached up to pat her lightly on the back.
"You did great," Nyx said, voice warm despite her own exhaustion. "Thanks for saving me back there."
Luna huffed, still half-draped against her. "Heh... can’t have the monsters feasting on your enormous fat reserves. They’d probably undergo some kind of secret boss transformation." Her eyes squinted sideways, unmistakably aimed at Nyx’s chest plate, where even the reinforced armor did little to hide the generous curves beneath.
Nyx snorted, utterly shameless. "Yeah, you might be right. When the time comes, we should sacrifice you instead. They’d likely undergo a devolution." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Is that the right term? The opposite of evolution?"
"Bitch..." Luna growled, the word lacking any real bite.
"Yeah? What is it?" Nyx giggled, completely unrepentant. "Rules for thee but not for me?"
Luna stared at her for another second, then smirked, pushing herself upright and no longer leaning on Nyx for support. The two shared a brief look that was equal parts exhaustion, camaraderie, mutual understanding, and a small desire to begin a catfight right here and now, before Luna straightened her shoulders and rolled her neck as she forced her body back into readiness.
Nearby, Aria and Bastet exchanged a glance, the sight quietly amusing to both of them. Even after a full day of brutal combat, those two still had the energy to bicker like rivals. There was something reassuring about it, a reminder that despite everything, they were still themselves.
Then Aria turned toward Bastet. Her expression was bright despite the fatigue weighing down her limbs. "You were amazing today, Bastet. Your solar spells are so strong and devastating! Not to mention their large range! Every time you cast, it felt like the battlefield bent around you."



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