The silence in the room stretched as the chamber's suppression arrays hummed steadily, a low, almost comforting vibration that pressed against the senses and dulled the edge of mana without smothering it completely.
It was a room built for answers, not executions. Pain could happen here, often did, but death was an inconvenience.
Albedo watched them both for several heartbeats, letting awareness settle back into their eyes. Fear bloomed differently in each.
Vane, on the left, avoided his gaze entirely, breath shallow and uneven, shoulders already tense as if bracing for the next strike. Kerris, on the right, stared straight at him, jaw clenched, terror buried under training and stubborn pride.
Small fry, indeed.
"Before we continue," Albedo said mildly, "I want to be very clear about the rules."
He stood and walked slowly between them, boots echoing softly against the stone. The recorder crystal hovered beside him, its glow steady, patient.
