47 Bullied by Oxygen

The crane groaned one last time before settling into rusted silence, its movements shuddering to a halt like an old machine giving up on a second wind.

Threads of crackling energy dissolved into the air, and Zoe exhaled sharply, only then realizing she'd been holding her breath.

Across from her, Quinn's shard detector stilled, its chaotic flashes fading to a steady glow.

The screen stopped jittering, finally displaying clean, stable readings.

"That's it?" Zoe asked, her voice laced with skepticism. Her staff, still faintly aglow, hummed quietly in her grip. "No dramatic explosion, no ominous light show? Kind of underwhelming."

Quinn tapped the detector with a faint smirk, their usual calm returning. "Looks like it. Stabilized readings. No more energy spikes. We actually did it."

Gavin let out a triumphant laugh, his sword lowered but still ready.